Current Students

How do I get more involved?

Psychology Club

The Psychology Club is open to all students who are interested in psychology.  Club members meet regularly on topics of interest (i.e., graduate school, GRE), perform philanthropic tasks, and participate in fund-raising. Students are encouraged to watch the Department of Psychology’s bulletin boards to find out about upcoming events. If you are interested in joining or taking a leadership role in the Club, you should attend meetings or contact the faculty sponsor, Dr. Melanie Leuty.

 

 

Psi Chi

Psi Chi is the national honor society for psychology students. Membership is by application only. In order to be eligible, you must have completed at least three semesters of courses (including nine credit hours of psychology) and must be in the top 35% of your class.Check with Dr. Sheree Watson, Psi  Chi faculty sponsor, for more information. 

 

 

Research

PSY 491 (Research in Psychology) enables students to get credit for assisting a professor in conducting research. If you are interested in getting involved in PSY 491, you should check with a professor who is conducting research in an area that interests you to determine if they are taking undergraduate assistants in their lab. In addition to learning about ongoing research through your coursework with professors, you can learn about professors’ research through our departmental website or in discussion with your faculty mentor Grading for PSY 491 is pass/fail. A maximum of 12 hours of 491 may count toward the degree. PSY 491 may notcount toward your Psychology electives. PSY 492 (Special Problems in Psychology) is a course that may serve a variety of learning opportunities including current topic classes, independent study, and honors thesis projects. PSY 492 is graded A-F. PSY 492 may count toward your Psychology electives.

 

 

Are there scholarships available?

Yes! Information about scholarships and an application form is available through the College of Education and Psychology and online. Psychology students should pay particular attention to the Larry & Elizabeth Payne Education and Psychology Scholarship Fund and the Zed Houston Burns Scholarship Fund. 

Are there awards available?

Yes! The Department of Psychology offers three awards, offered annually for students displaying outstanding academic achievement.

Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award: Any undergraduate student involved in research is eligible. To apply, students must fill out the application and provide a 50 word summary of their project.

Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award: One award is given at each academic level: sophomore, junior, and senior. Students are evaluated on criteria such as GPA and achievements in psychology (e.g., research involvement, clubs, leadership roles, community work, etc.). The award at the junior level serves as the Zed Houston Burns Scholarship (which may have a small stipend attached – we don’t find out until April).

Outstanding Graduate Research Award: All graduate students are eligible. Theses and dissertations are welcome, but submissions are limited to one per student. To apply, students must complete the application and provide a 500 word summary of their project.

 

Applying to Graduate School?

Check out these helpful guides:

  • Getting In: A Step-by-Step Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School in Psychology
  • Graduate School in Psychology
  • Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology 

Additional books to consider:

  • Psychology Licensure and Certification: What Students Need to Know
    T. J. Vaughn
  • The Complete Guide to Graduate School Admission: Psychology and Related Fields
    P. Keith-Spiegel
  • Preparing for Graduate Study in Psychology
    William Buskist, Caroline Burke

Online Resources

  • Dr. Greg Neimeyer produced a helpful 75-minute webinar covering various topics on careers in psychology including areas of psychology, and the difference between levels of training (Masters and Ph.D.). Parts of this webinar can be accessed for free online.