Outlier PSYCH web Program Page Form Hero .jpg

Intro to Psychology – Online Higher Education Course

This introduction to psychology takes your students on a journey into the most complex system in the known universe: the human mind. In this 100% online college course, students explore real-world case studies.

A New Way to Learn Psychology

In this course, students will:

Discuss the key concepts of major subdisciplines of psychology
Understand psychological research methods and evaluate research findings
Learn how to strengthen personal relationships using social psychology
Explore evidence-based techniques for improving memory and study habits
Describe ethical considerations and principles used in psychological research and clinical practice

Gen Ed That Simply Works

Turnkey Courses

With online, asynchronous courses that are ready to run, you can deliver high-quality learning and outcomes predictably and affordably.

Curriculum You Can Trust

Every course is recommended by the American Council on Education. So you can trust the curriculum meets rigorous academic standards.

Captivating Student Experience

Students enjoy cinematic lectures from experts in the field and interactive, mastery-based learning—all in a flexible, 14-week course that fits their schedules.

Unlimited Enrollment

With no minimum or maximum enrollment, students get the courses they need when they need them, so they stay on track in their degree program.

Discover the magic of learning with Intro to Psychology

Outlier PSYCH Program Page Component 4 trailer.jpg

Watch the Trailer

Explore the science of the mind

Key Concepts
Learning Outcomes
Assessments
Educator Support
World-Class Instructors

Key Concepts Covered

Intro
The scientific method

Research in psychology

Statistical analysis

Ethical research

Cultural psychology
The Brain
The nervous system

The study of the brain

Neurons and neurotransmitters

The endocrine system

Perception

Vision, audition, and other senses

Classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning
Memory and Intelligence
Encoding, storing, and retrieving memory

Forgetting and improving memory

Cognitive psychology

Measuring intelligence
Social Psychology
Elements of language

Language development

Personality psychology

Psychodynamic theories

Approaches to personality: trait, humanistic, behavioral, social-cognitive, and biological

Social influence

Social thinking and cognition

Prejudice, aggression, and relationships
Developmental Psychology and Abnormal Psychology
Emotion and emotional expression

Theories of motivation

Developmental psychology and theories of development

Stages of development

Consciousness, sleep, and other altered states

Psychological disorders and abnormal psychology

Treatment practices for mental disorders

The sociocultural model of psychology

Happiness and stress

Outlier Web PSYCH Program Component 3 Featured_r1 .jpg

Course Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes
Discuss foundational concepts and research findings in psychology

Summarize the key concepts of major subdisciplines of psychology

Describe psychological research methods

Evaluate psychological research findings

Describe the ethical considerations and principles used in psychological research and clinical practice

Assessments

Quizzes and Exams
Course quizzes and exams consist of multiple choice, true/false, select all that apply, matching, and open-response questions. All are autograded by the LMS, so educators can spend more time with students and less time grading.

Educator Support & Dashboard

Access All Course Material

Educators and administrators have full access to the Partner Dashboard and all course material from Day 1.
View Course Milestones

Easy-to-use tools show milestone dates and deadlines for the cohort, as well as the full weekly course schedule.
Monitor Student Progress in Real Time

Coach students throughout the course—from registration to the final exam—with complete reporting on their current course grades, assessment scores, and engagement with course material.
Download Student Grades & Progress

Educators and administrators can download student grades and full progress report details in CSV format.
Review Student Submissions for Graded Assessments

Educators and administrators can view student-submitted answers to assignments, quizzes, and exams.

World-Class Instructors

World-Class Instructors
We selected a dream team of 12 renowned instructors to take students deep inside the human psyche.

Jay Van Bavel, Ph.D., NYU

Paul Bloom, Ph.D., Yale University

Alana Conner, Ph.D., Independent Researcher and Author

Spencer Kelly, Ph.D., Colgate University

Daniel Lerner, M.A.P.P., Independent Author

David Pizarro, Ph.D., Cornell University

Nnamdi Pole, Ph.D., Smith College

Lawrence Ian Reed, Ph.D., NYU

Sasha Reid, Ph.D. Candidate, Independent Researcher and Author

Marjorie Rhodes, Ph.D., NYU

Abigail Stark, Ph.D. Candidate, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham

Monica Thieu, Ph.D., Columbia University

Intro to Psychology FAQs

How are Outlier courses structured?

Outlier courses are divided into a series of chapters and sections. Each section contains cinematic video lectures and active learning (our interactive digital textbook) that help students learn the course content.

Covering topics from Consciousness to Happiness, Intro to Psychology offers real-world case studies and the latest tools to understand what makes us… us. Students demonstrate their knowledge on graded assessments, including mastery-based quizzes they can retake up to 5 times to etch these lessons into their long-term memory.
Are there any course prerequisites?

No.
Are there any student eligibility requirements?

Students must be at least 13 years old. Students who enroll in an Outlier course should be ready for the academic rigor of college-level coursework and carefully consider their existing responsibilities and dedication.
What technology does my school need to take Outlier courses?

Each student must have access to technology that meets the technical requirements noted in this Help Center article.
What is the minimum/maximum enrollment?

All Outlier courses have unlimited enrollment, with no minimum or maximum. So they easily adapt to your scheduling and staffing needs.
What support is available for educators?
Your educators get complete visibility into student progress in the Partner Dashboard, including:

Progress monitoring based on the course syllabus and schedule

Grade pacing and forecasting based on students’ performance
Is the Intro to Psychology course completely online?

Yes, Outlier courses are 100% online and asynchronous. Your students can learn during any class period—anywhere in the universe with Wi-Fi and a laptop or desktop computer.