Courses

Gain educational understanding and teaching skills through our many course offerings. Below is a sample of the types of courses offered by the program.

Program In Teaching Courses

PSYC 101 (F, S) LEC Introductory Psychology

An introduction to the major subfields of psychology: behavioral neuroscience, cognitive, developmental, social, and psychological disorders and treatment. The course aims to acquaint students with the major methods, theoretical points of view, and findings of each subfield. Important concepts are exemplified by a study of selected topics and issues within each of these areas.

Taught by: Ryan Smith, Noah Sandstrom, Kimberly Wong, Madison Sewell, Marlene Sandstrom, msandstr Liebenow, ms58 Liebenow | Catalog details

HIST 155 TUT School Wars

Last offered Spring 2025

Throughout the 20th century, parents, students, teachers, and policymakers have fought bitterly about the purpose of and practices in public schools. Public schools have been the site of a series of intense conflicts over the meanings of democracy and equality; the relationship between the individual, the family, and the state; and about completing claims to recognize the rights of teachers, children, and parents. Organized both chronologically and thematically, this course examines a series of “school wars” in the 20th century, focusing especially on battles over religion, race, and sex. Topics will include evolution/creationism, segregation and desegregation, bilingual education, sex education, free speech, and school prayer. This course asks how, why, and with what consequences schools have been an arena of cultural conflict in the United States? How do these debates help us understand the contested relationship between the rights of children and students, the rights of parents and families, the rights of communities and states, and the obligations of the federal government? How can historical analysis shed light on our present-day “school wars”? Many of these conflicts wind up in court, and we will be looking at some key Supreme Court decisions, but we will also draw upon memoirs, social histories, oral histories, popular culture, and other archival and documentary sources that focus on the experience of teachers and students. Tutorials meet in pairs. Every week, each student will either write an essay (1000-1250 words) that responds to and analyzes the readings OR a short essay (no more than 500 words) that responds to their partner’s paper and raises further questions for discussion.

Taught by: TBA | Catalog details

PSYC 221 (F, S) LEC Cognitive Psychology

This course surveys research on human cognition. Topics include perception, attention, learning, memory, categorization, language, judgment, decision making, reasoning, and problem solving.

Taught by: Nate Kornell, Kimberly Wong | Catalog details

ARAB 224 (S) SEM Second Language Learning: The Learner, the Classroom, and the Social World

Learning a second language is one of the most exhilarating, rewarding, and eye-opening experiences of a life-time. Millions of people around the globe embark on a journey of exploration of target languages and cultures while reflecting on the self and home culture(s) in the process. This course introduces you to core issues related to the learning of a second language. What are the processes involved in learning a second language? What does it mean to know another language? Is second language learning similar to first language learning? Why are some language learners more successful than others? What individual variables do learners bring to the learning process? How can classrooms facilitate second language learning? How do learners perceive teachers’ feedback? How does the specific socio-cultural context impact language learning? How does learning about the target culture feed into language learning? How does the learner’s identity evolve in the process of second language learning? These are some key second language learning questions that we will examine in this class. Readings are drawn from studies on the learning of different languages.

Taught by: Lama Nassif | Catalog details

PSYC 232 (F, S) LEC Developmental Psychology

An introduction to the study of human growth and development from conception through emerging adulthood. Topics for discussion include prenatal and infant development, perceptual and motor development, language acquisition, cognitive development, and social and emotional development. These topics form the basis for a discussion of the major theories of human development, including those about early experience, neural plasticity, dynamic systems, information processing, social learning, attachment, parenting, and family systems.

Taught by: Madison Sewell | Catalog details

PSYC 242 (F, S) LEC Social Psychology

A survey of theory and research in social psychology. Topics include conformity, group dynamics, stereotyping and prejudice, aggression, altruism, attraction and love, the self, social perception, attitudes and attitude change, and cultural psychology. Applications in areas such as advertising, law, economics and business, and politics will also be discussed.

Taught by: Hayley Liebenow | Catalog details

PHIL 243 SEM The Philosophy of Higher Education: The Log

Last offered Spring 2026

What are the purposes of higher education? What are the purposes of liberal arts colleges in America? What should be the goals of Williams College? We will begin examining these questions by studying the history of some controversies in American higher education, and then turn to contemporary controversies such as campus free speech, cancel culture, divestment, decolonization, and admissions criteria.

Taught by: Steven Gerrard | Catalog details

PSYC 272 LEC Psychology of Education

Last offered Spring 2026

This course introduces students to a broad range of theories and research on education. What can developmental research tell us about how children learn? What models of teaching work best, and for what purposes? How do we measure the success of various education practices? What is the best way to describe the psychological processes by which children gain information and expertise? What accounts for individual differences in learning, and how do teachers (and schools) address these individual needs? How do social and economic factors shape teaching practices and the educational experiences of individual students? The course will draw from a wide range of literature (research, theory, and first-hand accounts) to consider key questions in the psychology of education. Upon completion of the course, students should be familiar with central issues in pre-college education and know how educational research and the practice of teaching affect one another.

Taught by: Susan Engel | Catalog details

COMP 273/GBST 273 (S) SEM The Magic of the Humanities: Reading novels, speaking languages, and traveling

What kind of Humanities courses should a liberal arts student take today? How do literature, language, and art fit into your professional and personal present and future? How about study away and intercultural immersion? What subjects were popular 150 or 20 years ago, and what factors shaped these changes? What can this long view tell us about the present? We will kick off with a close look at the history of Williams College, and will blend materials from the college archives, the Williams College Museum of Art, the Clark Art Institute, and other sources at the heart of our liberal arts experience. Along with examples from Williams, we will read several novels and articles, see films, listen to music, and study cultural moments in the United States and abroad when interest in the Humanities flourished (for example, the GI Bill) and others when their value has been questioned, censored or come under threat (from the McCarthy era to AI). We will also consider how many people without the advantages have become writers, artists, or leaders without the benefits of a formal educational experience. Each student will embark on a unique semester-long research project that seeks to explore a facet of the value of the Humanities in today’s world.

Taught by: Soledad Fox Maura | Catalog details

MATH 285 TUT Mathematics Education

Last offered Spring 2015

This course will be a study of mathematics education, from the practical aspects of teaching to numerous ideas in current research. This is an exciting time in mathematics education. The new common core state standards have sparked a level of interest and debate not often seen in the field. In this course, we will look at a wide range of issues in math education, from content knowledge to the role of creativity in a math class to philosophies of teaching. In addition to weekly tutorial meetings that focus on some of the key questions in math education, we will also meet weekly as a group to discuss the mechanics of teaching. Each student will also be responsible for teaching bi-weekly extra sessions for MATH 200 at which they will make presentations, field questions, and offer guidance on homework questions. Students will also attend the MATH 200 lecture, and do some grading for the course. Anyone interested in this course should contact Prof Pacelli early in the fall semester if possible.

Taught by: Allison Pacelli | Catalog details

PSYC 327 SEM Cognition and Education

Last offered Spring 2026

This class will examine two interrelated topics in education. One is societal issues in schooling, such recruiting teachers, tracking, international differences, and fads. The other is principles in the cognitive psychology of learning, such as metacognition, spacing effects, and retrieval practice, that can be used to enhance learning. Most of the readings will be scientific articles.

Taught by: Nate Kornell | Catalog details

PHIL 331 TUT Contemporary Epistemology

Last offered Fall 2012

Epistemology is one of the core areas of philosophical reflection. In this course, we will study the literature in contemporary philosophy on the nature of knowledge and rational belief. Epistemologists seek answers to the following kinds of questions: When is it rational to have a particular belief? What is knowledge (as opposed to mere opinion)? In order to be justified in holding a belief, must someone know (or believe) that she is justified in holding that belief? What, if anything, justifies our scientific knowledge? These questions are typically asked within a framework where the overarching goal is attaining truth and avoiding falsity. Beyond this common ground, however, epistemologists are much divided. Some maintain that these issues are solely the provinces of philosophy, using traditional a priori methods. Others maintain that these questions will only yield to methods that incorporate our broader insight into the nature of the world including, perhaps, feminist thought or science. Both stances face severe difficulties. Further, even where there is agreement as to the proper way of answering epistemological questions, there is a stunning variety of possible answers to each question.

Taught by: Joseph Cruz | Catalog details

PSYC 332 SEM Children’s Mathematical Thinking and Learning

Last offered Spring 2025

Are babies statistical experts? Will I ever be good at calculus? What are we born with and what do we learn? Before children are ever taught formal mathematics in a classroom, they are confronted with situations where they must use their informal understanding of geometry, space, and number to successfully navigate their environments. In this course we read and discuss both foundational and cutting-edge articles from neuroscience, cognitive science, education, and psychology to understand how humans bridge this gap between the informal and formal mathematical worlds. We will also tackle questions such as: How do culture and language affect numerical understanding? What are the sources of children’s mathematical misconceptions? What are the effects of early environmental input or input deprivation on mathematical development? What do we know about gender differences in math achievement? How do stereotypes, prejudice, and math anxiety affect math performance? For your laboratory component, you will work with a small group of other students to develop an original research project that tests a specific hypothesis about children’s mathematical thinking and learning. Data will be collected either online or in community schools, with the permission of parents, teachers, and children. Your results will be written-up in for your final paper, which will be in the style of an empirical journal article.

Taught by: Eliza L Congdon | Catalog details

PSYC 333 TUT Children’s Minds

Last offered Spring 2022

Humans stand out in the animal world for their capacity to develop ideas and consider those of other people. Where does this capacity come from, and how does it develop? Why do some people seem more inclined to consider ideas than others? What can schools do to foster the pursuit of ideas? Young children ask questions, tell stories, speculate, invent, and predict. By middle childhood, they are capable of constructing ideas about any number of complex topics: death, justice, infinity, and the nature of time, to name four. Yet by adolescence only some people are disposed to pursue ideas. We will examine data on children who collect objects (such as bugs or rocks) and information (about things like dinosaurs, contagion, and death), and examine the role such collections play in the capacity to construct ideas. We will consider research on how and when children puzzle over philosophical problems (for example, identity and fairness), how they learn to plan, their ability to learn from thought experiments, their emerging conception of what an idea is, and what they know about knowledge and its role in shaping beliefs and making decisions. We will also spend time looking at individual and cultural variation, as well as the influence of adults. We will read work in developmental, educational and cognitive psychology, as well as anthropology.

Taught by: Susan Engel | Catalog details

PSYC 338 (S) SEM Inquiry, Invention and Ideas

Children tinker, explore and create, but some more than others, and under some conditions more than others. What leads children to investigate, invent and build their own ideas? We will examine the development of curiosity, invention, and the ability to have or construct an idea. We will also look at what accounts for individual differences between children, including the role of intelligence, creativity, social cues, and opportunity. We will look at how these processes unfold at home and in school, and discuss the educational implications of the research we read, and the research we conduct.

Taught by: Susan Engel | Catalog details

PSYC 339 (F) SEM Close Relationships Across Development

Have you ever wondered: ‘How have my relationships influenced who I’ve become?’ From infancy through adulthood, children’s interactions with peers, teachers, caregivers, families, and friends play a significant role in the trajectories of their lives. In this course, we will examine the impact of early relationships on cognitive and language development, social-emotional skills, identity formation, and overall adjustment. Through a variety of theoretical frameworks, we will explore questions such as: How does caregiver attachment influence social competence in adolescence? How do peer relationships influence identify formation? How do teacher-student interactions influence behavioral and academic adjustment? Special emphasis will be placed on how different family dynamics, including single-parent households, adoptive families, and adolescent parents, influence development. We will also explore the role of broader environmental and societal influences, such as neighborhood context, racial and ethnic background, and cultural identity.

Taught by: Ariel Chavers | Catalog details

PSYC 341 (F) SEM The Social Psychology of Prejudice and Group Dynamics

This course examines social psychological theories and research concerning stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, as well as on group dynamics. We will consider sources of prejudice and the processes through which it is maintained, strengthened, or revised, as well as some of the effects that prejudice can have on members of targeted groups. In addition, we will examine intergroup and intragroup dynamics, and how these can be linked to the understanding of some forms of prejudice. The focus on group dynamics will include a study of the psychology of cults. The lab portion of the class will involve designing and conducting original research.

Taught by: Steven Fein | Catalog details

WGSS 345 SEM The Pedagogy of Liberation

Last offered Fall 2024

Education is inherently political, and politics necessarily involves pedagogy. Who should teach, what is taught, how it is taught, and why it is taught are questions hotly debated at all levels and in all sites of education because the answers have implications for societal reproduction or transformation. Politicians, activists, even family members at the dinner table all seek to educate in ways that incline us toward particular political positions. At the heart of this class stands the question: if different pedagogies point us in different political directions, then what kind of pedagogy or pedagogies serve the end of liberation from oppression and why? Are there certain pedagogical “goods” that reliably serve the goal of liberation across sites? Or do different sites require different approaches? To begin to answer these questions, we will engage a variety of thinker-teachers and groups known for their commitment to a “pedagogy of liberation.” While feminist thinkers will be foregrounded, we may also look to thinker-teachers who and groups that do not claim this label. In addition to engaging texts which reflect on different aspects of radical pedagogy (content, form, method, etc.) and radical pedagogy in different settings (the college classroom, the social movement headquarters, the home), we will witness radical pedagogy in practice. Moreover, we will enact various radical pedagogical strategies in our own classroom and beyond.

Taught by: Greta Snyder | Catalog details

PSYC 353 SEM Family and School-Based Interventions

Last offered Fall 2024

The development of child psychopathology is influenced by a complex interplay of factors related to the individual (e.g., genetic risk), the family (e.g., instances of abuse), the school environment (e.g., incidents of bullying), and the broader context (e.g., socioeconomic factors like poverty). In comparison to adults, the manifestation of symptoms in children and adolescents is more directly linked to their immediate surroundings. Consequently, interventions primarily centered around the family and school settings are commonly employed in the prevention and treatment of psychological and behavioral issues. Throughout this course, we will delve into the associations between risk and protective factors from various settings and the emergence of externalizing and internalizing symptoms in children and adolescents. A comprehensive examination of the role of parenting and family dynamics in the origins of disorders in children will be undertaken. Our discussions will also encompass a spectrum of practical and ethical considerations associated with working with children and families. The objectives of this course include gaining an enhanced understanding of crucial risk and protective factors, exploring how such knowledge can be applied at the individual, family, and population levels, and grasping the utilization of behavior analysis and case conceptualization as tools for crafting precise and effective interventions for children and adolescents. To accomplish these objectives, we will analyze case studies and research articles, adopting a hands-on approach to applying knowledge of risk and protective factors in both assessment and intervention design. Emphasis will be placed on addressing the myriad practical and ethical challenges linked to working with children and families during these discussions.

Taught by: Martin Forster | Catalog details

PSYC 358 (F) SEM Developmental Psychopathology: Trajectories of Risk and Resilience

Why do some youth develop psychopathology in the face of adversity whereas others do not? How do we define psychological disorders in youth? Is resilience a static trait, or can it be promoted? How do we prevent youth from developing psychopathology? In this course, students will address these and other questions using a risk and resilience framework that examines the interactions among multiple risk and protective factors in the pathway to psychopathology. Specifically, students will examine the interactions between individual characteristics (e.g., neurobiological, interpersonal, cognitive, and emotional factors) and environmental contexts (e.g., family, school, peer, early adversity, poverty) in the development of risk and resiliency. Application of etiological models and empirical findings to prevention and intervention approaches will be explored. Students will design and conduct an empirical research project based on the readings and concepts discussed. Throughout the course, students will evaluate current research based upon theory, methodological rigor, and clinical impact.

Taught by: Catherine Stroud | Catalog details

PSYC 372 SEM Advanced Seminar in Teaching and Learning

Last offered Fall 2025

This advanced seminar will give students an opportunity to connect theory to practice. Each student will have a teaching placement in a local school, and participate in both peer and individual supervision. In addition, we will read a range of texts that examine different approaches to teaching, as well as theory and research on the process of education. What is the best way to teach? How do various theories of child development and teaching translate into everyday practices with students? Students will be encouraged to reflect on and modify their own teaching practices as a result of what we read as well as their supervision. Questions we will discuss include: What is the relationship between educational goals and curriculum development? What is the relation between substance (knowledge, skills, content) and the interpersonal dynamic inherent in a classroom setting? How do we assess teaching practices and the students’ learning? What does it take to be an educated person?

Taught by: Susan Engel | Catalog details

PSYC 373 SEM Critical Issues in Learning and Teaching

Last offered Fall 2020

In this seminar we will take a deep dive into several key topics in education. We will examine psychological research as well as a range of other materials (essays, film, recordings of children and personal experiences) to help answer a series of questions, including: Does the kind or quality of schooling have a measurable impact on children? How do you create curriculum? How does one conduct high quality classroom observations? What do good teachers have in common? What is the best way to help teachers get better at what they do? Can remote learning work well in K-12 settings?

Taught by: Susan Engel | Catalog details

PHIL 379/AMST 379 SEM American Pragmatism

Last offered Spring 2025

Along with jazz, pragmatism stands as the greatest uniquely American contribution to world culture. As the music wails in the background, we will study the classic pragmatists: William James, C. S. Peirce, and John Dewey. We will continue with the contemporary inheritors of the tradition: Richard Rorty and Hilary Putnam. Although it has influenced both analytic and continental philosophy, pragmatism is a powerful third philosophical movement. Always asking what practical difference would it make, our authors investigate the central questions and disputes of philosophy, from epistemology and metaphysics to ethics and religion. Rather than seeing philosophy as an esoteric discipline, the pragmatic philosophers (with the possible exception of Peirce) see philosophy as integral to our culture and see themselves as public intellectuals.

Taught by: Steven Gerrard | Catalog details