Undergraduate Programs

The Department of Education and Psychology administers a curriculum for undergraduate majors in elementary education, general studies, and psychology. Additionally the department offers courses for secondary teacher education majors that will meet the state requirements for certification in the various teaching areas on the secondary levels.

Click below on the following undergraduate degree to learn about the curriculum.

Elementary Education

Producing well-qualified teachers who care about their students — that’s the goal of our elementary education programs. Although the School of Education and Psychology also offers courses that meet state requirements for certification in secondary education, our focus is on preparing elementary school teachers who will give their young students the best start for a lifetime of learning.

The elementary education curriculum at Alcorn State University consists of a series of integrated and educational experiences for students preparing to teach children in elementary school systems. These experiences are obtained through core courses, specialized and professional education courses, clinical experiences, and directed teaching. All students majoring in elementary education may obtain two specific areas of concentrations by successfully completing 21 additional hours in each area. The student selects the concentration hours in consultation with his/her advisor.

1. The General Studies program is designed for non-traditional students with diverse interests. Pertinent courses are offered across the curriculum in the Department of Education and Psychology at Alcorn State University. The chosen concentration are as are consistent with students’ intended educational development and career goals. The program provides non-traditional students with opportunities for continuing their education, which are consistent with the communiversity concept.
2. All students desiring to enter the General Studies program must have met regular admission requirements for Alcorn State University and have achieved upper division status.
3. Advisement for the General Studies program is housed in and administered through the Department of Education and Psychology.
4. Any student who is at least 21 years of age upon initial enrollment meets the requirement for Non-traditional status. Any student who has been admitted to the University based on GED, work experience, or professional experience can also be classified as Non-traditional.
5. Any student who is categorized or termed "Non-traditional" will be permitted to enroll in or be admitted to the General Studies program at any point during matriculation.

Incoming freshman cannot choose General Studies as a major unless they meet the requirements for non-traditional student status.

Students who major in psychology are required to complete an introductory course and 48 semester hours in upper division courses in psychology. Students also complete a liberal arts core curriculum consisting of courses in history, fine arts, literature, mathematics, biology, modern language, philosophy and theology. Psychology Students are required to take an exit exam and complete a semester of internship during their final semester. The questions on the exit exam are drawn from the courses of study most commonly offered in undergraduate programs within the broadly defined field of psychology. The questions require students to identify theories, psychologists, methods and other information from the field.

Some questions require students to analyze relationships, apply principles, draw conclusions from experimental data and evaluate experiments. 120 hour program = 8 semesters.