NU Editorial Contributors
National University Editorial Contributors include writers, editors, and academic professionals who are experts in creating high-quality educational content that is timely, accurate, informative, and easy to understand. All contributors who develop content for National University follow strict guidelines to ensure they provide credible and authoritative information that is independent, free from advertiser influence, and aligns with the high standards our readers and students expect from National University.
Our editorial expertise at work
At NU, we rely on expert feedback and knowledge to craft and vet the information we present to our learners and staff. Learn more and get some process information about the curation of our blogs, how we ensure accuracy, and what to expect from our written materials.
Articles by NU Editorial Contributors
- August 17, 2021
Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist: What’s the Difference?
The core difference is medical training and prescribing authority: a psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MD or DO) who can diagnose and treat mental health conditions through a combination of therapy, medication, and medical interventions, while a psychologist holds a doctoral degree in psychology (PhD or PsyD) and focuses primarily on psychotherapy, psychological testing, and behavioral interventions. Psychiatrists complete medical school and a four-year psychiatry residency, approximately eight to ten years of postgraduate training, and because they attend medical school alongside future surgeons and physicians, they are trained to understand the whole body before specializing in mental health.
- August 13, 2021
Essential Skills Needed to be a Forensic Psychologist
Set aside what you think you know about forensic psychology from popular media. The deep and dramatic analysis of criminal suspects and the profile-making process found in TV shows might have their place in some roles, but the application of forensic psychology in the real world is much broader and entirely more complicated. It’s also ...
August 10, 2021Helping Students Overcome Social Anxiety in School [Updated 2026]
Helping a student with social anxiety at school requires a coordinated approach across school, home, and the student's own coping toolkit, with gradual exposure to social situations being consistently more effective than avoidance, which reinforces anxiety over time.
- August 5, 2021
Pros and Cons of Teaching Cyber School
COVID-19 has led to a surge in online learning, with record numbers of students attending school virtually in order to maintain social distancing. This unprecedented shift toward distance learning has presented a new and unique set of challenges to educators, demanding creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. If you are planning on becoming an educator, it is ...
- August 3, 2021
ABA Psychology and Autism
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a psychology-based therapy widely used to support individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), applying learning theory to improve communication, build essential life skills, and reduce challenging behaviors through positive reinforcement and individualized intervention plans designed and supervised by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs).
July 30, 2021What is Sociological Imagination?
Sociological imagination is the ability to connect personal experiences to broader social, historical, and structural forces, seeing how individual circumstances are shaped by the society and historical moment in which a person lives. The concept was coined by sociologist C. Wright Mills, who argued that neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be fully understood without understanding both together.
July 27, 2021Sociological Theories of Crime & Deviance
Sociological theories of crime view criminal behavior not as an inherent individual trait but as a product of social conditions, relationships, and structural inequalities, explaining how crime arises from the environment rather than from individual moral failure. The three major sociological paradigms each offer a distinct explanation: functionalists argue that deviance is a social necessity that reinforces norms and reminds people of the consequences of violating them; conflict theorists argue that crime stems from systemic inequality that keeps those with power protected and those without it disproportionately criminalized; and symbolic interactionists focus on how the labels society applies to individuals, not the acts themselves, construct deviant identity over time.
July 22, 2021Popular Theories of Sociology
Sociological theories are frameworks used to explain how society influences people and how people, in turn, shape society, and three paradigms have come to dominate sociological thinking: structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. Structural functionalism views society as an interconnected structure of parts designed to meet the biological and social needs of individuals, with social institutions such as family, education, and government each serving specific functions that maintain overall stability.
- July 13, 2021
What is School Psychology?
School psychologists work at the intersection of education and mental health, supporting students' academic, social, and emotional development through psychoeducational assessments, counseling, consultation with educators and parents, and crisis response within TK–12 school systems.
- July 8, 2021
The Importance of Mental Health During a Pandemic
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that over 17 million Americans, or about 7 percent of the population, suffered “at least one major depressive episode” during 2017. Anxiety, which frequently overlaps with depression, is even more prevalent in the United States. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), roughly 40 ...
- July 6, 2021
Helping Students Overcome Procrastination
Helping students overcome procrastination requires addressing both the behavioral patterns and the emotional root causes, since research shows procrastination is less often about laziness and more often about emotional avoidance, perfectionism, or the cognitive paralysis of facing a large, undefined task. The most evidence-supported behavioral strategies are breaking tasks into micro-steps that create actionable checklists rather than intimidating wholes; the 5-minute rule, which eliminates the activation energy barrier to starting; time-blocking, 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break, which prevents burnout while building sustained momentum; shifting the reward system so completion precedes leisure rather than following it; and reducing environmental friction by removing phone access and creating a dedicated, distraction-minimized study space.
- July 1, 2021
Engaging Students in Distance Learning
As part of the ongoing effort to combat the spread of COVID-19, thousands of schools have transitioned toward distance education, replacing conventional classrooms with online courses, websites, and apps. Thanks to innovations in educational technology, or “edtech,” students can take tests, attend lectures, collaborate on group assignments, and participate in class discussions — all while ...
- June 24, 2021
Sociology vs. Psychology [Updated 2026]
Psychology and sociology both study human behavior but from fundamentally different scales: psychology examines the individual, focusing on internal processes including brain chemistry, cognition, personality, and personal development, while sociology examines groups and societies, studying how culture, institutions, social class, and structural forces shape collective behavior. A practical illustration of the distinction: a psychologist asks why an individual experiences anxiety, while a sociologist asks how poverty, housing instability, or systemic inequality affect anxiety rates across an entire population.
- June 15, 2021
Creating Reward Systems for Virtual School
Effective virtual school reward systems combine clear, measurable goals with consistent progress tracking and incentives tailored to individual student interests, balancing immediate rewards that provide frequent reinforcement for younger learners with longer-term milestones suited to older students.
- June 8, 2021
How to Keep Your Students Motivated to Learn
Motivation has a powerful influence over learning outcomes, with research suggesting that demotivated students are at higher risk of dropping out. Students have a better chance of succeeding when they are driven and engaged, meaning educators should take steps to help students find and maintain motivation. COVID-19 made distance learning inevitable, forcing teachers to innovate. ...
- June 3, 2021
Providing Effective Feedback to Students in Online Courses
Effective online course feedback must be timely, specific, and actionable, creating the instructor presence that research shows directly boosts student motivation, retention, and critical thinking in asynchronous environments where learners lack the real-time cues of a physical classroom.
- June 1, 2021
Essential Skills Needed for a Child Psychologist
A child psychologist is a licensed doctoral-level mental health professional who specializes in the psychological, emotional, and behavioral wellbeing of infants, children, and adolescent, evaluating, diagnosing, and treating conditions including ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, depression, trauma, and learning disabilities. Core responsibilities include cognitive, intellectual, and behavioral assessments; evidence-based interventions such as play therapy, CBT, and family-centered care; and consultation with parents, teachers, and pediatricians to build coordinated support environments around each child.
- May 20, 2021
What Does It Take to Be a Psychologist?
Becoming a licensed psychologist is a multi-stage process that typically takes 10 to 13 years after high school: four years for a bachelor's degree in psychology or a related field, four to seven years for a doctoral program (PhD or PsyD), and one to two years of supervised postdoctoral experience before sitting for licensure. The doctoral stage divides into two paths: a PhD, which emphasizes original research and scientific methodology and is the standard credential for academic and research careers; and a PsyD, which emphasizes clinical training and applied practice and is the primary pathway for those planning to work directly with clients in therapeutic or assessment settings.