More students at UCR and across the UC system will have access to a popular course offered by the UCR School of Education thanks to an award approved by the UC Online Leadership Team. The course, EDUC134: Abnormal Psychology for Educators, teaches students about psychological diagnoses from both a clinical psychology and special education/school psychology point of view.

“This course is unique in content,” says Dr. Katherine Meltzoff, Associate Professor at the UCR School of Education, “as there is not an equivalent course on other UC campuses.” The course goes in-depth about various psychological diagnoses (e.g., anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, autism) to provide a unique perspective on how conditions are diagnosed and understood by both clinicians and educators/school practitioners.

Since it was first offered in 2017, the course has routinely reached maximum enrollment. This award will make the class more available to both UCR students and, since it will be offered online, students on other UC campuses. “I am excited about about the possibility of opening enrollment to other campuses,” Dr. Meltzoff noted. “Students regularly use this course to help decide which career path to take such as a special education teacher, school psychologist or behavioral specialist. I believe offering this course online will increase access to a more diverse student body and allow us to leverage technology to increase participation and foster meaningful engagement.”

EDUC134 is normally offered at UCR during the Winter Term. More details about this year’s course offering will be available in the 2024-2025 Course Catalog.

To learn more about this course, contact Dr. Katherine Meltzoff at katherine.meltzoff@ucr.edu.