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What math class should I take in high school if I want to major in psychology in college?
I want to major in psych and I don't know what math class to take right now. I've taken both algebras, geometry, and I am currently taking honors pre-calc
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8 answers
Updated
Brandy’s Answer
Statistics would be helpful, as you will need to be able to read academic journals.
Updated
Dr’s Answer
So, you’re on the psych path? I love it! You've already conquered algebra, geometry, and pre-calc, so you're definitely cruising along! 🚗💨 But let's talk math for a second, because here's the scoop: you won’t need to tackle calculus (thankfully, right?). But don’t be fooled, math still sneaks into psych—hello, statistics!
Now, why should you care about stats? Well, in psych, you’ll be crunching numbers to understand research findings and analyze data (yep, stats help you make sense of all that research you’ll read). Stats might sound a little intimidating, but I promise, once you get the hang of it, it’ll feel like you’re just doing a puzzle where you get to predict human behavior. 😎 Plus, if you take AP Statistics, you’ll get ahead in understanding how to interpret and analyze data (trust me, this will make you feel like a brainiac at parties when you’re talking about correlation coefficients).
But hey, don’t stress if math still feels like an uphill battle! You’ve got plenty of other ways to prep for your psych future:
Psychology (duh!) - If your school offers AP Psychology, grab it! It’ll give you the basics of human behavior, which is exactly what psych is all about. You’ll be able to tell people, “I know why you do that,” and sound super mysterious. 😏
Biology – If you’re interested in neuropsychology or the brain (which, let’s face it, is the cool part of psych), biology is your best friend. It’ll help you understand how the brain works, and how it affects behavior. Spoiler: It’s super complicated but so fascinating! 🧠
Sociology – Think of sociology as psych's cool cousin! It’ll teach you how groups influence individual behavior. It's a great complement if you’re into social psychology and understanding why people behave the way they do in groups. 🤯
English – I know, I know, it's not math, but writing is a huge deal in psych. Being able to communicate clearly and persuasively in your research papers will give you a huge advantage. You can’t just say, “I feel like this,” and expect it to be a great thesis—you’ve got to back it up with solid writing. 🖊️📚
A few extra tips to survive the math side of psych:
Practice: Start small. Work on basic stats problems first, then gradually tackle harder stuff. You'll get there!
Use fun resources: YouTube channels like CrashCourse and Khan Academy make stats way more fun and digestible. Who knew math could be fun?
Study groups: Math is way more enjoyable when you’ve got buddies to tackle it with. Study together—it makes things a lot less stressful.
And remember: no need to stress about being a math whiz. Psych is about understanding people, and you’re already doing a great job at that! You’ve got this, and don’t forget—there's no limit to how awesome you can be! 😎
Now, why should you care about stats? Well, in psych, you’ll be crunching numbers to understand research findings and analyze data (yep, stats help you make sense of all that research you’ll read). Stats might sound a little intimidating, but I promise, once you get the hang of it, it’ll feel like you’re just doing a puzzle where you get to predict human behavior. 😎 Plus, if you take AP Statistics, you’ll get ahead in understanding how to interpret and analyze data (trust me, this will make you feel like a brainiac at parties when you’re talking about correlation coefficients).
But hey, don’t stress if math still feels like an uphill battle! You’ve got plenty of other ways to prep for your psych future:
Psychology (duh!) - If your school offers AP Psychology, grab it! It’ll give you the basics of human behavior, which is exactly what psych is all about. You’ll be able to tell people, “I know why you do that,” and sound super mysterious. 😏
Biology – If you’re interested in neuropsychology or the brain (which, let’s face it, is the cool part of psych), biology is your best friend. It’ll help you understand how the brain works, and how it affects behavior. Spoiler: It’s super complicated but so fascinating! 🧠
Sociology – Think of sociology as psych's cool cousin! It’ll teach you how groups influence individual behavior. It's a great complement if you’re into social psychology and understanding why people behave the way they do in groups. 🤯
English – I know, I know, it's not math, but writing is a huge deal in psych. Being able to communicate clearly and persuasively in your research papers will give you a huge advantage. You can’t just say, “I feel like this,” and expect it to be a great thesis—you’ve got to back it up with solid writing. 🖊️📚
A few extra tips to survive the math side of psych:
Practice: Start small. Work on basic stats problems first, then gradually tackle harder stuff. You'll get there!
Use fun resources: YouTube channels like CrashCourse and Khan Academy make stats way more fun and digestible. Who knew math could be fun?
Study groups: Math is way more enjoyable when you’ve got buddies to tackle it with. Study together—it makes things a lot less stressful.
And remember: no need to stress about being a math whiz. Psych is about understanding people, and you’re already doing a great job at that! You’ve got this, and don’t forget—there's no limit to how awesome you can be! 😎
James Constantine Frangos
SOFTWARE ENGINEER SINCE 1972; NUTRITIONIST SINCE 1976.
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Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
A Good Day To You, Hannah!
Path to Teaching High School Social Studies
To teach high school social studies, you will need to follow a structured educational path that typically includes obtaining a bachelor’s degree, completing a teacher preparation program, and acquiring state licensure. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate this process:
1. Choose the Right Degree Program:
Bachelor’s Degree: Most states require teachers to have at least a bachelor’s degree. For teaching social studies, you should consider majoring in education with a focus on social studies or history. Alternatively, you can major in history, political science, sociology, or another related field while also completing the necessary education courses.
Associate Degree: Since you’re starting with an associate degree, consider enrolling in an Associate of Arts (AA) program with a focus on liberal arts or education. This will provide foundational knowledge and transferable credits toward your bachelor’s degree.
2. Complete Required Coursework:
General Education Courses: These are often required for both associate and bachelor’s degrees and include subjects like English composition, mathematics, and sciences.
Core Social Studies Courses: Focus on classes that cover U.S. history, world history, government/civics, geography, and economics. These courses will prepare you for the content you’ll be teaching.
Education Courses: Look for courses that cover pedagogy (the art of teaching), classroom management, educational psychology, and curriculum development.
3. Teacher Preparation Program:
After completing your bachelor’s degree or during it if your institution allows dual enrollment in education courses, enroll in a teacher preparation program. This program typically includes:
Student Teaching Experience: A critical component where you gain hands-on experience in a classroom under the supervision of an experienced teacher.
Educational Theory and Practice: Courses that teach effective teaching strategies specific to high school students.
4. Obtain State Licensure:
Each state has its own requirements for teacher certification or licensure. Generally, this involves:
Passing state-required exams (such as Praxis tests).
Completing background checks.
Submitting an application for licensure through your state’s department of education.
5. Consider Advanced Degrees:
While not immediately necessary to start teaching high school social studies, pursuing a master’s degree in education or a related field can enhance your qualifications and career prospects over time.
6. Continuous Professional Development:
Once employed as a teacher, engage in professional development opportunities such as workshops and conferences to stay current with educational practices and content knowledge.
By following these steps systematically—from starting with an associate degree to eventually obtaining your bachelor’s degree and licensure—you can effectively prepare yourself for a rewarding career as a high school social studies teacher.
Probability the answer is correct: 95%
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used in Answering this Question
1. National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
This organization provides standards for teacher preparation programs across the United States and outlines the necessary qualifications for educators.
2. U.S. Department of Education
The federal agency offers comprehensive information regarding educational requirements for teachers including licensure processes by state.
3. American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE)
This association focuses on improving educator preparation programs and provides resources on best practices in teacher training and certification requirements across various states.
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|=========================God Bless You, Richly!===========================|
|=========================James Constantine=============================|
|=======================The Little Old Aussie Battler========================|
|===================Programming For Your Nutrition Education=================|
|==========================~ Since 1972!================================|
✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯
Path to Teaching High School Social Studies
To teach high school social studies, you will need to follow a structured educational path that typically includes obtaining a bachelor’s degree, completing a teacher preparation program, and acquiring state licensure. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate this process:
1. Choose the Right Degree Program:
Bachelor’s Degree: Most states require teachers to have at least a bachelor’s degree. For teaching social studies, you should consider majoring in education with a focus on social studies or history. Alternatively, you can major in history, political science, sociology, or another related field while also completing the necessary education courses.
Associate Degree: Since you’re starting with an associate degree, consider enrolling in an Associate of Arts (AA) program with a focus on liberal arts or education. This will provide foundational knowledge and transferable credits toward your bachelor’s degree.
2. Complete Required Coursework:
General Education Courses: These are often required for both associate and bachelor’s degrees and include subjects like English composition, mathematics, and sciences.
Core Social Studies Courses: Focus on classes that cover U.S. history, world history, government/civics, geography, and economics. These courses will prepare you for the content you’ll be teaching.
Education Courses: Look for courses that cover pedagogy (the art of teaching), classroom management, educational psychology, and curriculum development.
3. Teacher Preparation Program:
After completing your bachelor’s degree or during it if your institution allows dual enrollment in education courses, enroll in a teacher preparation program. This program typically includes:
Student Teaching Experience: A critical component where you gain hands-on experience in a classroom under the supervision of an experienced teacher.
Educational Theory and Practice: Courses that teach effective teaching strategies specific to high school students.
4. Obtain State Licensure:
Each state has its own requirements for teacher certification or licensure. Generally, this involves:
Passing state-required exams (such as Praxis tests).
Completing background checks.
Submitting an application for licensure through your state’s department of education.
5. Consider Advanced Degrees:
While not immediately necessary to start teaching high school social studies, pursuing a master’s degree in education or a related field can enhance your qualifications and career prospects over time.
6. Continuous Professional Development:
Once employed as a teacher, engage in professional development opportunities such as workshops and conferences to stay current with educational practices and content knowledge.
By following these steps systematically—from starting with an associate degree to eventually obtaining your bachelor’s degree and licensure—you can effectively prepare yourself for a rewarding career as a high school social studies teacher.
Probability the answer is correct: 95%
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used in Answering this Question
1. National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
This organization provides standards for teacher preparation programs across the United States and outlines the necessary qualifications for educators.
2. U.S. Department of Education
The federal agency offers comprehensive information regarding educational requirements for teachers including licensure processes by state.
3. American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE)
This association focuses on improving educator preparation programs and provides resources on best practices in teacher training and certification requirements across various states.
✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯
|=========================God Bless You, Richly!===========================|
|=========================James Constantine=============================|
|=======================The Little Old Aussie Battler========================|
|===================Programming For Your Nutrition Education=================|
|==========================~ Since 1972!================================|
✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯
Updated
mike’s Answer
I would suggest to take all the Advanced Math classes available.
Updated
Brandon’s Answer
I recommend taking Logic.
Updated
Ava’s Answer
Definitely take Statistics!!! It’s super important to learn because of its correlation to experimental psychology which is a focal point in learning about the history and ethics of psychology. Without statistics, psychology would not be as trust worthy as it is now. In my own experience statistics was influential in many ways especially when it comes to observing graphs and other areas of data collection (surveys, histograms, pie charts etc.). I hope this helps people!
Updated
Do’s Answer
You can take Statistics, Advanced Math courses or AP courses (you’ll save a lot of money & time when you go to College).
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Hannah !
The predominant math used in the Psychology field for practicing psychologists is Statistics, so I would advise taking it in high school as well as when in college.
Depending on where you end up working, you may or may not have to do your own calculations for statistics of your services. Records are kept of the amount of people served and also broken down in categories. It's important when your company or agency applies for funding as well as when your company is audited. I was previously a Director of a Case Management Community Service for seven years, never aced Algebra in high school and never took Math in college. I found no problem doing the statistics for this agency, however. so with your aptitude for Math as you've mentioned, you should have no problem.
Keep in mind that in college, Clinical Statistics may/should/can be offered through the Psychology Department as part of the required courses, not in the Math Department. You should take the Psychology based statistics course class in college.
Take whatever Math your high school offers, but classes in high school of psychology, sociology and health science will be most valuable to you in high school for this career.
Best wishes in all you do !
The predominant math used in the Psychology field for practicing psychologists is Statistics, so I would advise taking it in high school as well as when in college.
Depending on where you end up working, you may or may not have to do your own calculations for statistics of your services. Records are kept of the amount of people served and also broken down in categories. It's important when your company or agency applies for funding as well as when your company is audited. I was previously a Director of a Case Management Community Service for seven years, never aced Algebra in high school and never took Math in college. I found no problem doing the statistics for this agency, however. so with your aptitude for Math as you've mentioned, you should have no problem.
Keep in mind that in college, Clinical Statistics may/should/can be offered through the Psychology Department as part of the required courses, not in the Math Department. You should take the Psychology based statistics course class in college.
Take whatever Math your high school offers, but classes in high school of psychology, sociology and health science will be most valuable to you in high school for this career.
Best wishes in all you do !