Curriculum
The Psychology program at Ashoka University Sonepat is structured to provide a comprehensive academic foundation that combines theoretical knowledge with practical application. The curriculum spans eight semesters, integrating core courses, departmental electives, science electives, and laboratory sessions to ensure a well-rounded education.
Course Structure
| Semester | Course Code | Course Title | Credits (L-T-P-C) | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PSY101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3-0-0-3 | None |
| 1 | PSY102 | Research Methods in Psychology | 3-0-0-3 | None |
| 1 | PSY103 | Biological Bases of Behavior | 3-0-0-3 | None |
| 1 | MAT101 | Calculus I | 4-0-0-4 | None |
| 1 | MAT102 | Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | 4-0-0-4 | None |
| 1 | BIO101 | General Biology | 3-0-0-3 | None |
| 2 | PSY201 | Cognitive Psychology | 3-0-0-3 | PSY101, PSY102 |
| 2 | PSY202 | Social Psychology | 3-0-0-3 | PSY101 |
| 2 | PSY203 | Developmental Psychology | 3-0-0-3 | PSY101 |
| 2 | MAT201 | Statistics for Psychological Research | 3-0-0-3 | MAT101, MAT102 |
| 2 | BIO201 | Neuroscience Fundamentals | 3-0-0-3 | BIO101 |
| 3 | PSY301 | Behavioral Analytics | 3-0-0-3 | PSY201, PSY202, MAT201 |
| 3 | PSY302 | Clinical Psychology | 3-0-0-3 | PSY201, PSY203 |
| 3 | PSY303 | Health Psychology | 3-0-0-3 | PSY201, PSY203 |
| 3 | PSY304 | Industrial/Organizational Psychology | 3-0-0-3 | PSY201, PSY202 |
| 3 | PSY305 | Psychological Assessment | 3-0-0-3 | PSY201, MAT201 |
| 4 | PSY401 | Cognitive Neuroscience | 3-0-0-3 | PSY201, BIO201 |
| 4 | PSY402 | Digital Mental Health | 3-0-0-3 | PSY301, PSY303 |
| 4 | PSY403 | Forensic Psychology | 3-0-0-3 | PSY201, PSY202 |
| 4 | PSY404 | Advanced Research Methods | 3-0-0-3 | PSY102, MAT201 |
| 4 | PSY405 | Thesis Proposal and Supervision | 6-0-0-6 | All previous courses |
| 5 | PSY501 | Neuroimaging Techniques | 3-0-0-3 | PSY401 |
| 5 | PSY502 | Behavioral Economics | 3-0-0-3 | PSY301, MAT201 |
| 5 | PSY503 | Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology | 3-0-0-3 | PSY203 |
| 5 | PSY504 | Psychological Interventions for Mental Health | 3-0-0-3 | PSY302 |
| 5 | PSY505 | Cross-Cultural Psychology | 3-0-0-3 | PSY202 |
| 6 | PSY601 | Advanced Clinical Psychology | 3-0-0-3 | PSY302 |
| 6 | PSY602 | Data Science for Behavioral Research | 3-0-0-3 | PSY404, MAT201 |
| 6 | PSY603 | Neuroplasticity and Rehabilitation | 3-0-0-3 | PSY401 |
| 6 | PSY604 | Research Internship | 6-0-0-6 | All previous courses |
| 7 | PSY701 | Thesis Project I | 9-0-0-9 | PSY405, PSY604 |
| 8 | PSY801 | Thesis Project II | 9-0-0-9 | PSY701 |
Advanced Departmental Electives
The program offers a range of advanced departmental electives designed to deepen students' understanding of specialized areas within psychology:
- Behavioral Analytics: This course explores how data analysis and behavioral insights can be used to predict user behavior, optimize digital products, and improve decision-making processes. Students learn about machine learning algorithms, consumer psychology, and ethical considerations in behavioral research.
- Cognitive Neuroscience: This course examines the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive functions such as attention, memory, language, and perception. Students gain hands-on experience with neuroimaging techniques and computational modeling tools.
- Digital Mental Health: Focused on leveraging technology to address mental health challenges, this course covers telehealth platforms, mobile apps, digital therapeutics, and AI-powered interventions for psychological disorders.
- Forensic Psychology: Students study the intersection of psychology and law, including criminal profiling, eyewitness testimony, competency evaluations, and rehabilitation programs for offenders.
- Health Psychology: This course investigates how psychological factors influence health outcomes, including stress management, chronic disease prevention, and behavioral interventions for lifestyle-related illnesses.
- Industrial/Organizational Psychology: Students explore organizational behavior, leadership development, team dynamics, employee motivation, and workplace productivity. The course includes practical applications in business settings.
- Psychological Assessment: This course teaches students how to design, administer, and interpret psychological tests and assessments. Topics include reliability, validity, ethical considerations, and standardized testing procedures.
- Social Psychology: Students examine how individuals are influenced by social situations and group dynamics. The course covers prejudice, attitudes, conformity, interpersonal relationships, and social identity theories.
- Developmental Psychology: This course explores human development across the lifespan, including cognitive, emotional, and social changes from infancy to old age. Students study theories of learning, personality development, and family systems.
- Neuroplasticity and Rehabilitation: Students investigate how the brain adapts and recovers after injury or disease. The course includes topics such as stroke rehabilitation, neurofeedback techniques, and cognitive training programs.
Project-Based Learning Philosophy
The program emphasizes project-based learning as a core component of education, ensuring students develop critical thinking, research skills, and practical expertise. Mini-projects are introduced in the third year, where students work on research questions under faculty supervision. These projects typically span 2-3 months and involve designing experiments, collecting data, analyzing results, and presenting findings to peers and faculty.
The final-year thesis or capstone project is a comprehensive endeavor that allows students to demonstrate mastery of psychological principles and research methodologies. Students select their topic in consultation with faculty mentors, ensuring alignment with current trends and scholarly interests. The project involves literature review, hypothesis formulation, methodology development, data collection, statistical analysis, and academic writing.
Project selection is guided by faculty expertise and student interests, with opportunities to collaborate with external partners or industry sponsors. Evaluation criteria include originality, methodological rigor, data interpretation, presentation quality, and contribution to the field of psychology.