Program Overview

Introduction to the Psychology: Human Development — Elementary, BAE Program

The Psychology: Human Development — Elementary, BAE program at Western Washington University is designed to provide students with an in-depth understanding of theory, research, and application in developmental psychology, as well as a sound background in general psychology. This major satisfies the academic major requirement for teacher certification with an endorsement in elementary education and must be accompanied by the professional preparation program in elementary education.

Program Description

The human development program is designed to allow students flexibility in selecting psychology courses with the assistance of their advisor. The program is deeply committed to diverse and equitable student access to a quality education and seeks to maximize students’ admission to the psychology major, while limiting wait times and maintaining a reasonable time to degree.

Why Consider a Psychology: Human Development - Elementary Major?

Many of the major issues facing children and schools today – school readiness, achievement motivation, testing, classroom behavior, stereotyping, bullying, family, and neighborhood stressors – are issues of human psychology. Psychology, as the scientific study of mind and behavior, helps provide answers to these problems, as well as contributes to the scientific understanding of how children best think and learn.

Student Resources

• Department website: Psychology
• Department advising: Information for incoming students and department advisors
• Degree Works: Current students should also log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
• Career Services Center: Connect major to a career
• Sample Careers: Elementary Teacher

Admission and Declaration Process

To declare a major in Psychology: Human Development, a student must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Completion of the major application
• Completion (including currently enrolled WWU courses) of at least 90 credits including:
  • PSY 101 and PSY 203 completed
  • two other courses from PSY 210, PSY 220, PSY 230, PSY 240, and PSY 250, completed or currently enrolled
  • at least five PSY credits taken at Western, completed or currently enrolled
• Achieved a Western GPA (based on at least 12 credits) or psychology GPA (based on an average of all completed PSY 210-250 and PSY 203 coursework) of 2.70 or higher

Grade Requirements

A grade of C (2.0) or better is required for courses in the elementary education professional program and all courses required for the endorsement.

Program Requirements

The program requires 60 credits, including:

• PSY 101 - Introduction to Psychology (5 credits)
• Three courses from:
  • PSY 210 - Cognition (5 credits)
  • PSY 220 - Behavioral Neuroscience (5 credits)
  • PSY 240 - Social Psychology (5 credits)
  • PSY 250 - Introduction to Behavioral and Mental Health (5 credits)
• PSY 203 - Research Methods (5 credits)
• PSY 230 - Lifespan Developmental Psychology (5 credits)
• PSY 305 - Scientific Thinking and Writing (5 credits)
• Two upper-division courses from the list below:
  • PSY 306 - Correlational Approaches to Research and Statistics (5 credits)
  • PSY 307 - Experimental Approaches to Research and Statistics (5 credits)
  • PSY 310 - Sensation and Perception (5 credits)
  • PSY 311 - Human Memory (5 credits)
  • PSY 318 - Language, Brain, and Mind (5 credits)
  • PSY 319 - Cognitive Neuroscience (5 credits)
  • PSY 320 - Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience (5 credits)
  • PSY 322 - Motivation (5 credits)
  • PSY 323 - Psychopharmacology (5 credits)
  • PSY 324 - Comparative Psychology (5 credits)
  • PSY 340 - Psychology of Environmental Sustainability (5 credits)
  • PSY 341 - Psychology and Culture (5 credits)
  • PSY 342 - Social Cognition (5 credits)
  • PSY 343 - Social Processes (5 credits)
  • PSY 344 - Psychology and the Law (5 credits)
  • PSY 345 - Evolutionary Psychology (5 credits)
  • PSY 346 - Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination (5 credits)
  • PSY 351 - Interventions in Adult Mental Health (5 credits)
  • PSY 359 - Foundations of Counseling (5 credits)
  • PSY 375 - Health Psychology (5 credits)
  • PSY 376 - Psychology of Romantic Relationships (5 credits)
  • PSY 377 - Positive Psychology (5 credits)
  • PSY 378 - Personality Psychology (5 credits)
  • PSY 379 - Psychology of Sexuality (5 credits)
• Three courses from:
  • PSY 274 - Psychology of Child Rearing (5 credits)
  • PSY 334 - Cognitive Development (5 credits)
  • PSY 335 - Socioemotional Development (5 credits)
  • PSY 336 - Personality Development (5 credits)
  • PSY 338 - The Cultural Nature of Human Development (5 credits)
  • PSY 354 - Interventions in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (5 credits)

Elementary Education Professional Program Requirements

The Elementary Education Professional Program requires 105 credits, including:

• Professional Studies Core (22 credits)
  • ELED 305 - Development and Learning in a Diverse Classroom (5 credits)
  • ELED 310 - Education, Culture, and Equity (5 credits)
  • ELED 311 - Understanding Washington State Tribal History, Culture, and Government: Since Time Immemorial Curriculum (1 credit)
  • ELED 460 - Children’s Literature in the Classroom (5 credits)
  • IT 344 - Foundations of Technology in Teaching and Learning (1 credit)
  • MLE 441 - Language, Culture, and Equity: From Global to Local (5 credits)
• Elementary Program Methods and Curriculum Content (32 credits)
  • One course from:
    • ART 398 - Integrated Arts for Elementary Educators (3 credits)
    • DNC 398 - Integrated Arts for Elementary Educators (3 credits)
    • MUS 398 - Integrated Arts for Elementary Educators (3 credits)
    • THTR 398 - Integrated Arts for Elementary Educators (3 credits)
  • HLED 455 - Health Education Grades K-8 (2 credits)
  • IT 442 - Digital Decisions: Technology for Educators (3 credits)
  • MATH 381 - Teaching K-8 Mathematics I (4 credits)
  • MATH 382 - Teaching K-8 Mathematics II (4 credits)
  • MATH 383 - Teaching K-8 Mathematics III (4 credits)
  • PE 345 - Physical Education for Elementary School (3 credits)
  • SCED 480 - Science Methods and Curriculum for the Elementary School (5 credits)
  • SPED 364 - Teaching Each Student (4 credits)
• Preparatory Field Experiences (13 credits)
  • ELED 480 - Literacy: Beginning Communicators (5 credits)
  • ELED 481 - Literacy: Fluent Communicators (5 credits)
  • SCED 490 - Laboratory/Field Experience in Elementary Science (3 credits)
• Professional Field Experiences & Methods Courses (38 credits)
  • ELED 412 - Seminar on Racial Justice Praxis (5 credits)
  • ELED 427 - Elementary Social Studies Through Counternarratives (5 credits)
  • ELED 471 - Documenting Teaching (4 credits)
  • ELED 494 - Internship - Elementary (2-16 credits)
  • MATH 491 - Internship Seminar - Teaching K-8 Mathematics (2 credits)

University Graduation Requirements

• General University Requirements
• Writing Proficiency Requirement (WP)
• 180 Minimum Total Credits
• 60 Minimum Upper Division Credits
• Residency Requirement
• Minimum Grade Requirements
• Final Quarter Requirement