Research Opportunities in Psychology
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There are 5 types of research opportunities in Psychology:
Read interviews with some of the undergraduates who have engaged in research and internships. |
Research Courses
The Department offers the following Research courses. These courses meet the laboratory/research requirement.
- 215 Research in Emotion (deRivera)
- 216 Research in Health Psychology (Bibace)
- 218 Research in Learning and Culture (Correa)
- 219 Research in Development and Culture (Jensen)
- 220 Research in Family Violence (Hines)
- 221 Research in Social Psychology (Laird)
- 222 Research in Cognitive Development (Wiser)
- 223 Research in Motivational and Emotional Development in
Children, and Adolescents (Grolnick) - 224 Research on Identity Development (Bamberg)
- 225 Research on Intergroup Conflict and Cooperation (Vollhardt)
- 226 Research in Men's Mental Health (Addis)
- 227 Research in Addictive Behaviors (Palm)
- 229 Research in the Development of Language (Budwig)
- 230 Research in Cultural Psychology (Valsiner)
- 231 Couples Research (Cordova)
- 232 Research in Community (Cardemil)
- 233 Research on Thinking in Societal Context (Falmagne)
- 235 Research in Diverse Families (Goldberg)
- 292 Capstone Research
- 297 Honors
Honors in Psychology
Honors work in psychology is available as a three-semester honors sequence, beginning in the spring semester junior year, to students who have demonstrated high scholastic achievement and the ability to work as scholars. Students with an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher may apply in the fall semester of their junior year by completing an application, which is available in the Psychology Main Office, Jonas Clark 306. Students who apply must have a faculty sponsor, or must be signed up for a research course with a faculty member concurrently with Junior Honors in the spring semester of their junior year. Materials should be submitted to Professor James Cordova (jcordova@clarku.edu), who will then notify students whether the department's faculty committee has accepted them for admission.
Students in the program carry out an independent research project under the sponsorship of one or more faculty members. This research provides the basis for a thesis that, upon completion, is presented and defended by the student before an examining committee and the student's project advisor. The project may also be presented at the University's Academic Spree Day in April. Level of honors (Highest Honors, High Honors, or Honors in Psychology) is determined by the full department on the basis of recommendations from its examining committees. The honors program should be especially, but not uniquely, attractive to students interested in pursuing graduate study in psychology or another related discipline such as medicine, teaching, or law.
The honors sequence begins with Junior Honors (Psyc 297-Junior Honors) which is a seminar providing students more in-depth knowledge of the history of psychology, philosophy of science, psychological theory and psychological methods of inquiry. During the seminar, students are also beginning to plan their projects with their faculty advisor. During both semesters of senior year, the honors student signs up for Honors Research (Psyc 297 with a faculty member) and works closely with the faculty sponsor on his/her project. Given that the sequence starts second semester junior year, students interested in Study Abroad are encouraged to spend the fall semester of junior year abroad and then participate in Junior Honors in the spring semester of junior year. Students who are already set to study abroad in the spring of their junior year may apply for a waiver of Junior Honors. These waivers will be granted on a very limited basis to qualified students accepted into the program.
View a list of honors thesis titles for 2007.
Capstone Research
Students who have completed one research course can then meet the capstone requirement by signing up for a Capstone Research course (Psyc 292) with the same faculty member, or with another faculty member with permission.
Take a look at the faculty members' research interests. Contact individual professors if you are interested in conducting research on a credit or non-credit basis.
Additional Opportunities
On a volunteer basis, there are opportunities for conducting research with various faculty members on a non-credit basis. (See individual faculty members for opportunities.)
Academic Spree Day
There is opportunity for those students working on research with psychology professors to participate, on the faculty member's recommendation, in Academic Spree Day which is held in April.