FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR
WHAT IS THE FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE PROGRAM FOR DECLARED PSYCHOLOGY MAJORS?
Students entering the University in the fall term as declared psychology majors are placed in a course called
Introduction to the University
Experience (ASI 150). This is a required, one-credit, pass/fail course intended to orient the student to the University and to the psychology major. The course is supervised by Dr.
Carolyn Roecker Phelps, the Director of Undergraduate Psychology Programs. She is assisted by upper-class student mentors who have demonstrated success as students in psychology. Each mentor
provides support for an academic advisor for the incoming psychology majors and works with the entering majors in smaller
groups. Individual class sessions are devoted to learning about the campus and
its resources, learning about the library and its many tools, learning what it means to be a psychology major, and about volunteering and joining organizations. Several faculty members, who are typically advisors to the new students, address the students as a larger group to introduce them to
different areas of psychology. Additionally, students learn about the registration
process and requirements for the degree programs. Thinking about careers and the
resources of the Career Services Center also is begun. This course enables the incoming student to get a better understanding of psychology at the University of Dayton. Further, it enables all new, incoming psychology
majors to develop a camaraderie that facilitates their success as students at the University.
HOW DO I DECLARE PSYCHOLOGY AS A MAJOR AND GET AN ADVISOR?
All psychology majors are assigned a faculty advisor from the Psychology Department by the Director of Undergraduate Programs in Psychology. First year entering students (fall semester) who have declared psychology as a major,
are informed by mail of their advisor and meet with their advisor on the day before classes begin. Students changing from undeclared status, or from another major, inform the department
administrative assistant that they want to declare a psychology major and complete a change of major form. Once the Department is informed of a student's declaration of psychology as a major, an advisor from psychology is
assigned and the student is notified by e-mail of this assignment. When possible, it is advisable to make this change before registration for the next semester so the new advisor can assist in the scheduling process.
All full-time psychology faculty advise students and are very happy to help students with their educational and career plans. (See section on Advising at the University of Dayton.)
WHAT IS THE REGISTRATION PROCESS?
In order for a student to register for classes, he or she needs the
approval of the advisor. Before obtaining this approval, the student should obtain the latest Undergraduate Class Schedule and Registration Form from the Registration office in Albert Emanuel Hall, room 240. The student should also print
out the latest version of the computerized Advising Report/Degree Audit from
WebAdvisor. By reviewing the Advising Report the student can determine what requirements (general education, cluster, basic skills, breadth, psychology, electives) remain to be satisfied. The
Bulletin in effect when the student entered the University governs those requirements. If new degree requirements are instituted, the student has the option to switch to the new Bulletin requirements or to stay under the Bulletin in effect when UD was entered. The student should come prepared to discuss those requirements and should make an appointment with the advisor some time before the date assigned for registration. This date is found in the front of the Undergraduate Class Schedule under scheduling information. The student should come prepared for the advising session by checking the
Bulletin for general courses, the departments
themselves or department web pages for specific course descriptions, and the
Registration office web page or WebAdvsior for course availability. Students need to be aware that some courses have prerequisites and to ensure that they have satisfied those requirements before registering for a course. Certain courses require permission before one is allowed to register and this must be obtained from the chair of the department offering the course. It is sometimes possible to be admitted to a closed course; this also requires the signature of the chair of the department offering the course.
Some classes are offered only on a grading basis of Option 2. With this option students receive a grade of S (Satisfactory) if they get an A, B, or C and they receive an NC (No Credit) if they get a D or F. A student may also opt to take some classes on an Option 2 basis. There is a limit, however, of 15 semester hours within the graduation degree requirements, above any courses requiring Option 2 that can be taken under this option. Additionally, all courses that are used to fulfill general education, basic skills, and psychology major requirements [excluding child psychology field experience (PSY 352), internship (PSY 490), independent study (PSY 493), readings in psychology (PSY 494) and Service Leaning Experience (PSY 497)] must be taken under Option 1. Under this option a student is graded using an A,B,C,D,F
scale, including plus/minus.
Once the course choices are approved by the advisor, and the student's assigned registration date has arrived, the student
can use the web registration process and register on line (see
instructions) or use the paper version which is to be brought to the
Registration office in Albert Emanuel Hall, room 240. Because some courses may be closed by the time a student registers, students should
be prepared with alternate courses. The best way to lower the probability of courses being closed is for students to register as soon as possible after their assigned time.
HOW DO I DROP OR ADD A CLASS?
All changes in schedule have to be approved by your assigned advisor or the Director of Undergraduate Programs, with the exception of a change in the section of a course. If a student wants to ADD a class, through the last day to add a class, only the advisor's signature is required on the DROP/ADD form available in the Registration Office in Albert Emanuel Hall-240. If a student wants to DROP a class during the drop without a record period, only the advisor must sign. To drop a course during the "drop with a W period," the course instructor as well as the advisor must sign the DROP/ADD form. To drop a class for extenuating circumstances, after the last day to drop, requires the signature of the Dean of Arts and Sciences (O'Reilly Hall-112). Check the most current
Undergraduate Class Schedule booklet for specific dates on adding and dropping courses. For students doing very poorly in a course, with little opportunity to improve a grade, it is an acceptable option to drop a course. What should be considered is the number of hours that a student will have after dropping a course. It is possible that one's financial aid or health insurance coverage under a parent's plan could be impacted. The student should investigate these issues before dropping below full-time status.
IS THERE A CLASS ATTENDANCE POLICY?
Although there is no general attendance policy for upper class students, it is desirable for students to attend all classes. Students are responsible for being aware of the proceedings and material covered in each class period. Students must attend all announced tests and submit assigned work on the date set by the instructor. The action taken as a consequence of missing a test or an assignment is determined by the instructor and will be based on a consideration of the individual circumstances involved.
To assist first-year students in their transition to college responsibilities, it is felt that a policy of compulsory attendance is necessary. Therefore, first-year students are permitted only a limited number of absences. For first-year students, the allowable number of absences in the first two terms is equal to twice the number of meeting times a week (or four class days in any third-term session). For example, if a student has a class that meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, then a maximum of six absences is allowed. A student exceeding this number will be referred to the student's Dean for possible counseling and appropriate action. Any undergraduate student who has not accrued 30 semester hours of credit is considered a first-year student.
In addition to the first-year-student policy, faculty may institute an attendance requirement. This may be done for any course provided that the policy is approved by a faculty committee of the department and/or the department chair. If attendance is used as a grading component, the instructor is obligated to clarify his or her policy regarding absences in writing in the syllabus provided during the first week of the semester. To insure accuracy of records, every student must be present at class during the first week of each term.
TRANSFER STUDENTS AND TRANSFER CREDIT: WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?
Students who transfer to the College from another institution have their transcripts evaluated by the office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences (O'Reilly Hall). Credit is received for all courses deemed acceptable and these courses are entered into the advising report as either their UD equivalency or as generic courses with either a 1XX, 2XX, 3XX, or 4XX prefix. Courses with no equivalent, but which satisfy a general education requirement, transfer with a "G" in the prefix, for example 3XG. Courses that are transferred to UD do not affect the grade-point-average and are transferred as "K" credit on the Advising Report. Students who transfer with an associates degree must complete at least 54 hours at UD for any baccalaureate degree. Additionally, a transfer student is considered for a degree only if the last 30 semester hours are taken on the UD campus and all other requirements for graduation are met. As a psychology major, students may transfer up to19 hours of psychology courses toward the required 34 hours of psychology courses. At least 15 hours of psychology must be taken at UD to receive a Psychology degree from UD.
For current UD students who may want to transfer summer courses taken at another university, it is necessary to get prior approval for the desired courses. This approval comes from the office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences. If this prior approval is not obtained, it is possible that credit will not be transferred. The student must submit a transcript from the other institution to receive credit.
SHOULD I FOLLOW THE BACHELOR OF ARTS (B.A.) OR
THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (B.S.) CURRICULUM?
The choice is a matter of personal preference and is up to the student. The required psychology courses are the same for both degrees. The differences between the two curricula are mainly in the increased number of math and science courses, and the decreased number of humanities and social and behavioral science courses, required for the B.S. degree in comparison to the B.A. degree. The B.A. degree is typically viewed as roughly equivalent to the B.S. degree by most employers and graduate programs (indeed many fine undergraduate institutions offer only a B.A. degree). If a student is strong in the math and science areas, then the B.S. is the appropriate choice. However, if a student is not strong in math and science courses, then the B.A. degree is most probably the better choice. In the Psychology Department, about 80% of the students follow the B.A. curriculum and about 20% follow the B.S. curriculum. It is possible to change from one degree program to the other without difficulty if the change is made early in the student's career. Students have only to inform the
Psychology Department that they want to follow an alternative curriculum. The Department will then
inform the Dean's office of the desired change. (See section describing the two programs using the Advising Report/Degree Audit.)
WHAT PSYCHOLOGY COURSES SHOULD I TAKE?
The answer to this question depends on your answers to several other questions. Are you planning to go to graduate school in psychology? Will you have to take the Graduate Record Examination? If the answers to these questions is a definite yes, you will want to concentrate on the core psychology courses during your undergraduate years, as well as the History of Psychology. The questions on the GRE are based on the core body of knowledge in the field, and are divided into three areas: an experimental or natural science orientation (about 43% of the questions); a social science orientation (about 43 percent of the questions); and a general orientation (about 14% of the questions) (from Educational Testing Service, 1994). The experimental questions come from the fields of learning, language, memory, thinking, perception, ethology, comparative psychology, sensation, and physiological psychology. The social questions come from the areas of clinical and abnormal, developmental, personality, and social psychology. The general questions include the history of psychology, applied psychology, measurement, research designs, and statistics. Altogether there are about 220 multiple-choice questions. The test yields two subscores in addition to a total score.
More specifically, ETS tells us that 22 to 32% of the test questions are likely to be on the topics of learning, language, memory, thinking, and perception; 3 to 7 % of the test questions are likely to be on the topics of ethology and comparative psychology; 9 to 13% of the questions are likely to be on the topics of sensory and physiological psychology; 10 to 14% of the questions are likely to be on the topics of abnormal and clinical psychology; 10 to 14 % of the test questions are likely to be on topics from developmental psychology; 5 to 9% of the questions are likely to be on topics from personality psychology; 10 to 14 % of the questions are likely to be from social psychology; and 11 to 17% of the questions are likely to be on topics from the history of psychology, applied psychology, measurement, research designs, and/or statistics. Questions on the GRE are designed to assess students' knowledge of theories and the theorists associated with them, as well as students' ability to draw conclusions from experimental data and to evaluate experiments (Waters, Drew, & Ayers, 1988).
If you are going on to graduate school, you may want to consider limiting the number of hours you take in psychology and not going far above the departmental requirement. You will be taking psychology courses for two to four years after you have obtained your bachelor's degree. Take advantage of the offerings in other departments as an undergraduate. Courses in the arts, literature, and other humanities, the other social sciences, and the natural sciences, will broaden your knowledge base and prepare you for a rewarding life as well as a successful a career.
If you believe that graduate school in psychology is not something you will want to consider, you have much more flexibility as you choose your psychology courses. You must, of course, meet the departmental requirements, but after that you may choose courses based on your personal interests and goals. You and your academic adviser can identify the courses that will be best for you. Courses appropriate for different careers in psychology are listed under the section titled Careers in Psychology.
WHAT CAN I DO WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY?
It must be realized that an undergraduate degree in psychology has to be understood in the context of a liberal arts education. A bachelor's degree in psychology is not a professional degree like accounting, music therapy, or nursing and does not allow one to call oneself a psychologist, a professional counselor, or a social worker. Because of the diversity of the field of psychology however, and the liberal arts education that undergraduate psychology majors receive, many occupations and careers are options although not all are directly related to psychology. Many of our graduates work in the business world, in human service careers, in marketing research, as teachers, in community services, as psychological research assistants etc., where no further graduate education is required. To be called a "psychologist" however, requires advanced training and is governed by state licensure. It is recommended that our students who are not intending to pursue further graduate education take appropriate courses in business, communication, computer science, criminal justice, English, and sociology that will supplement the excellent training they receive in psychology. The undergraduate degree in psychology is perceived by many employers to be superior to many other liberal arts degrees in preparation for the job market., The skills one learns from the required statistics and experimental psychology courses are very valued in the world of work. For additional information on this frequently asked question see the sections on The
Bachelor's Degree in Psychology : Employment Opportunities and Strategies, The Psychology Bachelors Degree as Preparation for Careers
That Do Not Require Graduate Training, and
I'm Getting My
Bachelor's Degree in Psychology--What Can I Do With It?
Another recent article
from Eye on Psi Chi also addresses this question.
HOW CAN I INVESTIGATE GRADUATE SCHOOLS?
The University supports an office that is devoted to assisting students with questions about graduate school. The
Center for Graduate Guidance
and Post-Baccalaureate Scholarships
is located in Alumni Hall-124 (229-
5415) and is open daily from 8:30 to 4:30. Found in this office are the latest catalogs from many graduate programs around the country. Also found are copies of Peterson's Guide to Graduate Schools and books on preparation for the Graduate Record Exams (GRE).
The faculty of the Department are another appropriate resource for information about investigating graduate schools. After discussing their own knowledge of schools, they will typically refer you to the best source available on graduate programs in psychology, the American Psychological Association (APA) book on
Graduate Study in Psychology. This book is published every other year with an addendum published in the between years. It can be found in Roesch library as well as the Graduate Guidance Center and can also be purchased from APA for approximately $25. Additional resources on psychology graduate education are available and include directories for programs in clinical psychology, clinical child psychology/pediatric psychology, neurosciences, sports psychology, human factors, and industrial and organizational psychology. These resources are all found in Roesch library and should be consulted by those interested in the different types of programs. Check the section on Careers in Psychology for specific references to these directories.
Additional information regarding assessing one's potential for graduate work, how to apply to graduate schools, getting letters of recommendation, and rankings of graduate programs in psychology, can be found in sections dealing with these topics. Check out a
directory of all graduate programs at GRADSCHOOLS.COM . To check a listing of all colleges and universities with psychology departments, investigate the Psych-Web Psychology Departments or the listing of
all psychology departments at the American Psychological Society homepage.
WHAT ABOUT MINORS AND DOUBLE MAJORS?
There is no requirement of a minor for students following a psychology major. However, many students want to obtain a minor to supplement or complement their interests or skills. The minor requirements are determined by the individual departments, typically range from between 15 and 21 hours, and may include specific course requirements. Minors are typically monitored by the student and the advisor until graduation time. At this time, an assistant dean certifies completion of the minor and records this on the final transcript. The College offers two interdisciplinary minors that are attractive to psychology majors: a minor in family development and a minor in women's studies. The
minor in
family development requires 16 hours, all of which have to be outside of psychology. Further information on this program can be obtained by contacting the
minor coordinator in the Center for Leadership in Community at St. Joseph Hall-435 (229-4651). The
minor in women's studies has a requirement of 13 hours, including an interdisciplinary seminar, and 12 hours in 300/400 level specific courses from at least three different disciplines. Information about this program can be obtained from the Women's Studies office in
Alumni Hall-208 (229-4285).
Many psychology students have taken minors in other areas, to prepare for careers at the bachelor's level, as preparation for further education, or out of interest. These minors have included, but are not limited to,
communication,
English,
history, management, marketing,
philosophy,
religious studies,
social work,
sociology, and
theatre.
Some students have opted to pursue two majors. A student with a double major declares one of the majors as the first major and one as the second. The student is assigned an advisor from each major and should discuss the requirements of each program with the respective advisor. The student should receive an Advising Report for each of the majors. To complete a double major, a student has to complete all the University requirements (humanities base, clusters, basic skills, general education, breadth) and the requirements of the first department, as well as the departmental requirements of the second major.
Most students are able to complete the two majors in a four year time frame while other students may require an extra semester. Some students have even completed two degrees, for example a B.S. in one department and a B.A. in another department. This situation requires a student to complete all the requirements, both University and department, for each major, and is thus more rare and typically takes more time. Second majors taken by previous psychology students have included, but are not limited to, communication, computer science, criminal justice, education, English, finance, geology, history, languages, mathematics, music, philosophy, premedicine, religious studies, sociology, theatre, and visual arts.
WHAT ARE THE PSYCHOLOGY 493 AND 494 COURSES?
PSY 493 and 494 are independent study and readings courses for students interested in pursuing research or getting more in-depth coverage of an area of psychology. Students in PSY 493 conduct research under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Students registered for PSY 494 independently work with a faculty member, in the pursuit of knowledge for which there is no course, or to obtain a more thorough understanding of a subject than that provided in an introductory course. Each course can be taken for either 1, 2, or 3 credits. Prior to registering for either course, students must complete a form available in the office of the Department of Psychology (St. Joseph Hall-329). This form is a contract specifying research procedures or reading topics to be covered, mechanics of the course, and evaluation procedures. It must be signed by the student, the faculty member, and the Chair of the Psychology Department and is then placed in the student's file in the Department office. A maximum of 6 credits is allowed toward graduation requirements for any combination of
honors thesis (477/478), internship (490), independent study (493), readings (494), and service learning experience (497).
ARE INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE IN PSYCHOLOGY?
The Psychology Department sponsors an internship course, PSY (490), which is a convenient vehicle for students to explore career possibilities or to acquire work experience to add to a resume. Past students
who had taken an internship have worked at some of the following types of settings: child abuse treatment centers, runaway shelters, retirement villages, probation departments, hospital adult care centers, human resource offices, child development centers, children's treatment centers, correctional institutions, and with autistic children.
Other possibilities exist. The course may be taken for 1-6 credit hours. If students take 6 credits of internship, counting toward graduation requirements, they may not sign up for independent study (PSY 493), readings in psychology (PSY 494), or service learning experience (PSY 497) to count toward graduation requirements as a total of 6 credits is allowed for the combination of all these courses,
including honors thesis credits (PSY 477/478). Students typically register for 1 to 3 credits of internship and receive 1 credit for each 50 hours of work. Students may complete their internship requirements at several different agencies, thereby gaining additional experiences. For example, they may sign up for 1 or 2 credits at each of two agencies. A student must have a minimum grade-point-average of 2.5 to register for PSY 490, which is only taken on a grading Option 2, Satisfactory/No credit, basis. If arrangements are made in advance, students may complete their internship requirements away from the University during the summer. To register for internship, students must
be at the Junior or Senior level and see the Internship Coordinator, Dr. Carolyn
Roecker Phelps in St. Joseph
Hall-329D (229-2618), to sign a contract. Additional information on
finding internship placements can be found at the
Internship Office of the
Career Services Center. Online resources about internships can be found at Idealist,
Internships in Youth
Development, Jobweb
(summer jobs and internships),
Rising Star Internships,
Volunteermatch,
Wetfeet, and Internweb.
Summer camp jobs, can be used for
internship credit if you have an interest in working with children. A bulletin board
opposite SJ323 also lists job
and internship possibilities for psychology students.
WHAT IS PSY 352 - FIELD EXPERIENCE IN CHILD PSYCHOLOGY?
This is a course appropriate for students who want to get experience working specifically with children. It is a one credit course that is available to any student who has already completed PSY 351, Child Psychology, or is concurrently registered for PSY 351. Students taking this course volunteer 50 hours in the semester, working at different agencies dealing with children. Students must provide their own transportation to get to their work sites and usually work 4-5 hours per week. Past students have volunteered at some of the following types of agencies: Big Brother/Big Sister organizations, day care and child development centers, Head Start agencies, runaway shelters, children and adolescent treatment centers, schools for the handicapped, children's hospitals, child abuse hotlines, and regular schools where tutoring may be required. Supervision is provided by the staff of the agency with some agencies requiring intensive training programs. The course is only offered on an Option 2, Satisfactory/No Credit, basis. See Dr.
Carolyn Roecker Phelps for further information (SJ
329D; 229-2618).
WHAT ARE MINI-COURSES?
Each semester, the University offers mini-courses, short-term, intensive sessions that focus on timely topics or interdisciplinary themes not provided for in the regular curricula. These courses are developed and offered by faculty, or sometimes are proposed by students with the advice and consent of a faculty member. They are free of charge to all full-time students even if the course puts them over the full-time credit hour limit, and are open to part-time and non-UD students for credit or audit. The typical mini-course carries 1 semester hour of credit, or 15 class hours, but can vary from .5 to 3 semester hours. Classes can be in various sequences, extending over several weeks, or concentrated within a few days. Some mini-courses take the form of workshops. Occurring at various times in the year, mini-courses are publicized throughout campus. They can be added to a student's schedule during the term by obtaining the advisor's signature. Some recent mini-courses of interest to psychology majors have included: Basic literacy tutor training; Introduction to career development; Searching out life/faith patterns; Women, health and society; The media and social justice; and Reflections on community service. For a fuller, current listing of mini-courses consult Continuing Education in O'Reilly Hall
(229-2347).
WHAT IS THE E-11 PROGRAM?
The E-11 program is for students in the College of Arts and Sciences who want to enroll in the teacher education program of the School of Education . It is designed for students in the College who wish to pursue secondary-school teaching certification and a major program of study concurrently. This is appropriate for a student wanting to teach high school psychology. Students admitted to the program must satisfy all the requirements for the psychology B.A. or B.S. in the College as well as the requirements designated by the School of Education and the State of Ohio for secondary school certification. Application for admission to the program is made through the office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences. Applicants should normally have a cumulative grade-point-average of at least 2.9 at the time of the application. In order to complete the program in four years, students need to process the application for admission no later than the third semester and then begin the professional education sequence. Once accepted into the program, students are subject to the School of Education regulations including the passing of the Preprofessional Skills Test (PPST), the maintenance of an overall grade-point-average of 2.5, the completion of field-clinical and student teaching hours (300 each), and the taking of the comprehensive National Teacher Examination (NTE).
Interested students should contact the chairperson of Teacher Education in
Chaminade Hall-114 (229-3344) to get the details of the program and speak with
Assistant Dean Ricki Huff in the College of Arts and Sciences (O'Reilly Hall).
WHAT ARE PSI CHI AND THE PSYCHOLOGY CLUB?
Psi Chi is the national honorary society in psychology with chapters in
about 1000 colleges and universities. The purposes of Psi Chi are to recognize outstanding students in psychology, to encourage excellence in psychology, and to advance the science of psychology. The University of Dayton chapter of Psi Chi was installed on May 2, 1959, thus making it one of the older chapters of this organization. The
national web site for Psi Chi provides a wealth of information and services including past articles from the new magazine Eye on Psi Chi, its predecessor, the Psi Chi Newsletter, and abstracts from the Psi Chi Journal. Information about
awards and grants eligibility to Psi Chi members is available also.
Psi Chi annually sponsors activities which typically include the following: faculty presentations on thinking about and applying to graduate school; faculty and community member presentations on areas of psychology and careers in psychology; trips to local agencies; a student discussion on choosing courses and instructors; a member initiation event; and other social events including fund raisers.
Check the Psi Chi page on the Psychology Department's
website.
Membership in Psi Chi is open to students with the following qualifications: (a) registration for a major or minor in psychology with completion of at least 3 semesters of college work, (b) completion of 9 semester hours in psychology with a minimum GPA in psychology of 3.0, and (c) a class rank in the upper 35% of one's class in general scholarship (i.e., overall GPA).
Students who meet the above qualifications can apply for membership. Membership in Psi Chi is highly recommended for students who are interested in pursuing a career or further education in psychology. Information about the Psi Chi honorary society is available from any of the officers of the organization or from the current faculty co-advisors: Dr. Cathy Lutz, St Joseph Hall 308, 229-2164 and Dr Mark Rye St Joseph Hall 310, 229-2160. An events calendar, including the officer's names and phone numbers, is
usually available outside of the Psychology Department office (St. Joseph Hall 329).
The Psychology Club is an organization that has no criteria for membership. It is open to all students of the University, whether or not they major or minor in psychology. The only criterion for attendance is an interest in the activities, which are typically those sponsored by Psi Chi.
IS THERE AN HONORS PROGRAM IN PSYCHOLOGY?
The Psychology Department does not have its own honors program. However, a student may participate in the University Honors program and major in psychology.
Beginning in 2003 participation in the University Honors program is automatic
for students entering with certain test scores or achieving and
maintaining a certain cumulative gpa after being a UD student. An Honors student must complete a specified sequence of honors seminars which typically satisfy University general education and breadth requirements. Additionally, students must complete an honors thesis, which psychology majors may count towards elective psychology credits
(PSY 477/478). The honors thesis is a major research project, selected by the student in conjunction with a faculty advisor, and
usually begun during the second semester of the junior year and completed in the senior year. Students
can apply to receive an Honors research grant to cover housing, travel, and supplies expenses while working on the honors thesis. Students in the Honors program may also register for smaller sections of courses designated only for
Honors and Scholar students and may register for unlimited hours each semester. Information about the
Honors and
Berry Scholars Program may be obtained from its director, Dr.
Patricia Hart, at Alumni Hall-125 (229-4615).
FOR WHICH AWARDS ARE PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS ELIGIBLE ?
Psychology majors are eligible for two awards given by the Department. The Rev. Raymond A. Roesch, S.M., Award of Excellence to the Outstanding Student in Psychology is presented to the student recognized for excellence in the study of psychology, as evidenced by academic achievement and by accomplishment in subject matter closely supporting either the understanding of psychological phenomena or the ability to conduct research in psychology. The Kenneth J. Kuntz Award for Outstanding Service in Psychology is presented to a recipient recognized for excellence in service as evidenced by activity in the psychology Department, the University, and the community. Departmental
and/or psychologically related service is necessary for a student to be considered for this award.
There are three other awards for which psychology majors are eligible. These include The Dean Leonard A. Mann, S.M., Award of Excellence to the Outstanding Senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. Nominations for this award are forwarded to the College of Arts and Sciences where the final determination is made. The Jack E. Riley Award is available to a student in the junior year who has a sustained record of leadership/service in student/campus organizations or programs. The recipient's accomplishments reflect the Marianist ideals of promotion of community and contribute to the quality of student life at the University. Nominations from faculty are forwarded to the John E. Riley Award Committee, which makes the final determination. The last award, the Nora Duffy Award, is sponsored by Continuing Education and is awarded to a reentry student who has overcome significant obstacles in order to complete a college degree.
WHAT IF I'M NOT SURE WHAT I WANT TO DO?
Many educators and career advisors suggest that the way to go through college is to find a subject that you are really interested in--even passionate about--and pursue it. Your career will follow. An article by Bob Weinstein in the Boston Globe (No major yet? Not to worry. There's time, July 28, 1996), states that data indicate that one of every three high-school students is uncertain about career choice, and more than half of college students change their major at least once during their first year of college. The article advises students to choose a major based on their strengths and interests, not on future career prospects. In the first place, with the economy in flux, the demands for employees in certain fields is constantly changing. More importantly, if you are involved in a field you find exciting and challenging, you will find a career and do much better in it than you would in an area you choose simply because of career opportunities. Most majors, and especially psychology, can lead to many different careers. The challenge is to learn about the career possibilities. Read all you can, take advantage of campus resources, interview people in careers you find interesting, and never stop asking questions!
Many students are unsure of whether they want to go on to graduate school or pursue a career immediately after graduation. The good news is that preparation for a bachelor's level career and for graduate school can be very similar. Rather than think in terms of career goals, think in terms of the skills you will need for your post-baccalaureate life, whatever it may be. Tops on your list will be good written and spoken communication skills. Regardless of your future plans, you will want to be able to communicate effectively. Most graduate schools ask your referees about your oral and written communication skills,. These skills are also vital to employers. Thus advanced courses in English and Communication should be considered by every psychology major.
No student who is graduating from college at the end of this century should be without computer skills. Further, these skills, just as the communication skills, will benefit you during your college career. Take these courses as soon as you can! Do you enjoy foreign languages? For students entering the mental health fields, as well as many other professions, Spanish can be a significant asset. Being able to think logically is a primary goal. Mathematics? Economics? Additional philosophy courses? There are many choices. Carefully consider the courses you will take outside of psychology. Remember that only
between one quarter and one third of your college career is spent on courses in your major!
If you think in terms of skills rather than careers you will soon find that choosing courses is not difficult, and you will wish you had much more time to spend obtaining your baccalaureate degree. More importantly, you will have kept your options open. You will be well prepared to go on to graduate school if you decide to do so or to seek a career immediately after graduation.
Additional information regarding the above issues can be found at the following links:
The Bachelors Degree in Psychology: Employment Opportunities and Strategies
Psychology
major: Career options and strategies for success
Career Paths in Psychology