Lessons from Psychology About Learning and Success

Course Description

How does psychology actually help us understand how people learn, and how can that knowledge make a difference in your life as a college student? This first-year seminar bridges the gap between academic research and everyday practice of psychology, focusing on theories and research that explain how people learn and what factors contribute to both academic and personal success.

With a focus on the concept of grit, students will read, discuss, and write about the topics explored in class while also engaging with key aspects of the first-year college experience. The course is designed to support students by providing opportunities to reflect on the transition to college and build a foundation for success both during and beyond the first year.

Faculty Spotlight

Caitlin Brez, Ph.D. – QEP Co-Director and Associate Professor, Psychology

Academic background

Dr. Caitlin Brez completed her undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University, where she majored in psychology and minored in biology. Following her undergraduate experience, she spent a year working in a research laboratory at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She then moved to Austin, Texas, where she earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology, with a focus on cognitive development. After receiving her Ph.D., Dr. Brez completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Kansas, gaining additional research experience in child development. In 2012, she joined the faculty at Indiana State University, where she taught until coming to UNC Asheville in the fall of 2019.

What makes this course meaningful for students?

Dr. Brez loves teaching this course! As a developmental psychologist, she is deeply interested in how people learn and navigate life transitions. She enjoys helping students develop skills and strategies that will support them in college and beyond. She sees the first-year seminar as an ideal opportunity to have meaningful conversations around these topics and to help students prepare for success at UNC Asheville. She hopes students leave the course having had time to process their transition to college and feeling both prepared and motivated for what lies ahead.

Favorite spot in Asheville

Dr. Brez enjoys exploring new places in Asheville and she is currently on a quest to hike to new waterfalls.