Just a general sort of question, but is experience with only your typical Psy 101 class sufficient to handle a course in Abnormal Psychology? My university lists the Abnormal psychology class at the 300 level and while it gives no prerequisites I am worried that I will not get the most out of it with only a rudimentary understanding of Psychology. I am thinking of taking it as an elective, however if it requires additional courses to be truly appreciated then I will have to consider another course.
Most Abby Normal psych clases are broad and shallow. Usually it might as well get called, “Introduction to Abnormal Psychology.” Its a wide territory and covers a large number of subjects. I doubt you would be at a loss to understand any of the materials due to a lack of prior groundwork.
I took a class in Abnormal Psychology while I was in college and I’m not a psych major or anything- I enjoyed it. It didn’t seem to include any subject matter that required much prior knowledge of psychology. If you’ve taken a basic psych course, you should be fine, although it always depends on the instructor and curriculum.
The majority of psych classes reestablish many of the basic principles that one is supposedly supposed to learn in general psych. Even if this wasn’t so you should be alright, if there is no prerequisite then you dont have much to worry about. If the instructor does his/her job then they will teach you all you need to know.
Speaking as someone who teaches both courses, I agree with all of the above. The only thing you might have to worry about is that some profs will focus on their pet interests and take up far too much time on them as opposed to giving a wider breadth (one student told me of her prof who spent essentially the whole term on Freud, while another complained how her prof did “90%” on meditation, mindfulness, and Deepak Chopra!). My own classes lean towards “pulling the curtain away” as I give insights into my field (the academic, research, theoretical, and clinical sides) that students will never get from a text or, likely, any other prof…
Thanks, illative. I just think it’s important that students (hell, everybody) have access to what really goes on in their possible future field (or at least the field that will rob them of many hours of sleep over the next few years of their life… ).
And although some psychologists might argue with my approach, a nursing student who sat in on my group today said how much she liked my style, and one of the patients said “He’s so good because he’s REAL.” Another patient said “he’s like US,” to which another joked, “Oh great, the crazy leading the crazy.” To which I said “Yes, I am just like everyone in the group. To be otherwise would be to not be human.” (BTW, I understand why some psychologists would think my style is wrong, depending on their orientation…In the particular context of the groups I run, I believe it is good–it helps me connect with my patients and they with me; as long as they know I’m not some flake and know that I’ve got years of experience and knowledge to back up what I say).
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