MC expands curricular offerings for 2021-22 academic year
Aug. 23, 2021
Maryville College has announced several new offerings to its curriculum, including new majors in developmental psychology, elementary education, and environmental science.
“Maryville College’s institutional mission calls us to prepare students to address important and daunting challenges,” said Dr. Jerilyn Swann, associate academic dean, director of institutional research, and professor of biology at Maryville College. “Through these new programs, we have aligned strong student interest with faculty expertise. Maximizing our prime location, the environmental science major addresses global environmental change and related consequences, which demand attention.”
New major in developmental psychology to be offered
Starting in fall 2021, Maryville College is now offering a major in developmental psychology.
The major, which is part of the College’s Division of Behavioral Sciences, is designed for students who are interested in developmental science across the lifespan and in providing services to children, adolescents and adults. Students in this major build a strong foundation in the theory and practice of development, from conception through aging. Students still have the option of majoring in traditional psychology, which includes a counseling track.
The developmental psychology major offers options in three contemporary tracks of developmental science: child trauma and resilience, community psychology, relationship and sexual heath, as well as an option for an individualized focus. Students also can minor in these three tracks of developmental psychology.
Various community-based opportunities are embedded throughout the curriculum for students to learn how to provide direct service to individuals at various ages, as well as engage in developmental research and learn about child welfare initiatives and policy. Students also have opportunities for trainings that lead to valuable certifications and credentials.
Developmental psychology majors often pursue graduate studies within clinical mental health, speech and language intervention, special education, social work, elder care, gerontology, criminal justice, counseling psychology, public health promotion, law, public policy, advocacy and other areas.
MC offers new major in elementary education
Also in fall 2021, Maryville College started offering a new major in elementary education. This new major replaces the previous child development and learning for teacher licensure major, which has prepared teachers for K-5 classrooms for decades. This new update places greater emphasis on the formal study of teaching or pedagogy and the complex relationship between teaching and learning.
The elementary education major embeds the broad study of the liberal arts, content coursework, and professional licensure coursework into the 120-credit bachelor’s degree. Elementary education majors are prepared to become highly qualified teachers for grades kindergarten through 5 (K-5) following collaborative, supportive and stimulating learning experiences.
Grounded in a commitment to personal and professional growth, students gain skills to solve the many theoretical, practical, and ethical problems associated with what to teach and how to teach, as well as the ability to effectively integrate technology into the instructional process.
The elementary education major is supported by early field experiences that play a critical role in preparing candidates for their careers. All candidates develop a strong understanding of child development, the processes of learning and teaching, and the skills to design, implement, and assess instruction for diverse student populations. The program culminates in a semester-long student teaching experience.
Environmental science major now offered at MC
Recognizing that today’s complex environmental problems require a new, interdisciplinary approach that integrates knowledge from many fields, including biology, chemistry and the earth sciences, Maryville College is now offering a major in environmental science.
The environmental science major, which is part of the Division of Natural Sciences at Maryville College, is designed to provide students with a strong scientific skillset that enables them to tackle diverse environmental challenges. The bachelor of science degree in environmental science consists of 62-64 hours in biology, chemistry, environmental science and related fields.
Through a combination of laboratory-based and field-based research, environmental science majors develop a holistic understanding of the processes that drive environmental issues.
The College’s proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains (the most biodiverse park in the National Park System) and its partnerships with related local, state and federal entities gives students unique opportunities for research, internships, practicums and other real-world experiences. Students also benefit from learning opportunities made possible by the College Woods, a 140-acre protected and managed multi-use forest, which is located inside its 263-acre campus.
Career options for environmental scientists are broad-ranging and are found in government, industry and academia. Examples include environmental consultant, wildlife manager, forester, ecologist and conservation biologist.
Maryville College began offering a minor in environmental science in 2016.