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Welcome Back to Spring 2010

Psychology major FAQs:

How do I contact my professor?

Who is my advisor?   Updated for Fall 2009.    If your name is not on this list, please contact Dr. Berger

What classes do I need to take?    

How do I take an internship for credit?

How can I do research with a Professor for credit?       (see some examples of this research)

Is there a Psychology Club?

What are the requirements for the Psychology Honor Society?

What can I do with a degree in Psychology?

How do I get ready for Graduate School?                     Timeline         Links

Where can I learn more about Psychology?

 

Psi Chi : The National Honor Society in Psychology

Faculty Advisor : Dr. Rita Dytell

Psi Chi is the National Honor Society in Psychology.   Students have the opportunity to join Psi Chi if they meet certain standards required by Psi Chi and the Association of College Honor Societies.    Members are eligible to present research papers or posters at Psi Chi programs held at national and regional conventions.  In addition, members may participate in Psi Chi's undergraduate and graduate research award competitions, and undergraduate members may submit their research for publication in the Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research. The names of new members and activities of chapters are published in Eye on Psi Chi and are preserved for historical purposes.

Students may join Psi Chi during the Spring semester.   The induction ceremony and dinner with faculty, family and friends is held in the Spring.  Psi Chi members and officers work with the Psychology Clubs on programs throughout the year.

Look for announcements about the membership deadline and applications on the Blackboard Psychology Majors course.

The requirements for membership are:

1. Completion of at least 3 semesters of college courses.
2. Completion of 12 credit hours in psychology.
3. Registration for major or minor in psychology.
4. Ranking in the upper 35% of class in general scholarship
(this currently requires an overall G.P.A. of 3.2)
5. A GPA in psychology classes of 3.2
6. High standards of personal behavior

For more information on the national organization, see www.PsiChi.org

 

Psychology Club

Psi Lambda, the Psychology Club, is open to Psychology students and any other students with an interest in Psychology.   Events that have been sponsered by the club include practive GRE tests, Movie Nights, Psych Fest, and Graduate School Information nights.    If you want to be involved as an officer or member or simply attend an event contact Dr. Berger (faculty info) or the club president Kerri Weiseman(kweiseman.student@mountsaintvincent.edu).

Psi Lambda officers for 2009 - 2010:

President: Kerri Weiseman
Vice president: Michael Lenzi
Secretary: available
Treasurer: available
Event Coordinator: Emma Weigman

Internships in Psychology                                                                                                                       

PSYC 375, 475

Catalogue Description:

The internship provides students with the opportunity to explore the ways in which psychologists function in various institutional settings. Students are required to sign a contract which specifies the number of hours or days that will be spent in the institution, the responsibilities that must be fulfilled, and the project that must be completed. The contract is signed by the supervisor, the faculty member, and the internship coordinator at the time of registration.

Students may enroll for one or two internships in their junior or senior years.

The student, having consulted with their advisor, must make an appointment to seek permission from the Department (or faculty in charge of internships for the department) before the registration period for the semester in which the internship is to be done. They will discuss suitable internship opportunities and requirements.

The student will contact the Director of Internship and Career Development (Diane Machado) with their complete curriculum vitae (CV) to get permission to do the internship. They will research various placements and select an appropriate site or two. This may entail further consultation with faculty member.

The student will contact the site supervisors and make appointments for interviews.

Having secured the placement, student will complete the contract as described above.

Working closely with the faculty member (as well as the internship coordinator and site supervisor) the student will complete at least 120 hours at the field site and all requirements (site, departmental and college).

During the semester:

                                               • The student completes at least 120 hours at the field site.
                                               • The student meets with faculty advisor weekly.
                                               • The student keeps a log on field experiences to be discussed with supervising faculty.
                                               • The student completes a paper and evaluation for the Office of Career Development.
                                               • The student works with the faculty to select a research question that is highly relevant to the internship responsibilities.
                                               • The student then explores recent studies in this area and completes a 10 to 15 page research paper.

The internship experience is enhanced by completion of an internship project which is of high academic quality. Many students have successfully integrated a description of this experience into their graduate school applications or job interviews.

 

Research in Psychology                                                                  

PSYC 429-430

Catalog Description:

Supervised participation in research design, data collection, statistical analysis, and interpretation of results in conjunction with ongoing research projects in psychology. Permission of the faculty mentor is required at the time of registration. Students may register for one or two semesters.

Application for spring 2010 Research in Psychology is Due October 28th.

        Working with a Psychology professor on research is a valuable experience for any student and is especially recommended for students who will continue their education in graduate school. This course gives students the opportunity to take responsibility for different parts of a research project from literature reviews and developing design to collecting and analyzing data. Many projects result in a conference presentation with students listed as authors, depending on the extent of their contributions to the project (for recent examples go to the Conference page).

         Pre-requisites for this course differ depending on the individual professor. Some professors prefer students who have earned high grades in Psychological Statistics and Research Methods, others take students as volunteers as early as their freshman year. Some professors require a year-long commitment. If you are interested in pursuing this course, first speak to your professors about their research. Once you find a professor whose requirements match your qualifications and who is looking for assistants, you will need signed permission from that professor to register for the class.

         During the semester, the work you do will vary widely depending on the phase of the project. Generally, you will meet once a week for a lab meeting and spend about 9 hours working on various assignments. The most successful research assistants are reliable, available, enthusiastic and able to work independently.

Last update : Oct.  2009
If you have suggestions for this site, please contact Dr. Berger :   stephanie.berger@mountsaintvincent.edu