Career Preparation

Our faculty help students prepare for their future careers and assist them in tailoring their college experience to individual goals. We do so in several ways, including individual advising by psychology faculty, a career development seminar, research experiences, for-credit internships, and teaching assistantships.

Individual Advising

Psychology majors are assigned the same faculty advisor from their sophomore through senior year. This approach allows advisors and advisees to know each other better over the years. (All freshmen are advised by the CAS Academic Advising Center).

Career Development Seminar

PSYC 390 is a 1-credit seminar devoted to applying information on academic planning, career development, and graduate school. Students take it during their junior year. The course:

  • Provides practical information on planning their courses
  • Dispenses essential information on preparing for graduate school and obtaining employment
  • Clarifies realistic career goals.

Research Experiences

We strongly encourage students to engage in research as part of their academic experience. This recommendation applies to all students, independent of your particular interests and aspirations.

The department provides 4 avenues for faculty-sponsored student research:

  1. All students may volunteer as a research assistant without academic credit.
  2. The Faculty/Student Research Program (FSRP) enables undergraduates to conduct research and receive transcript recognition. 
  3. Students may enroll in Undergraduate Research in Psychology (PSYC 493 and 494) for both academic credit and transcript recognition. 
  4. Students may conduct research and write a thesis as part of the Honors Program.

For-Credit Internships

Psychology majors may complete the Field Experience in Clinical Settings (PSYC 480) or Field Experience in Applied Settings (PSYC 481). The former is offered every Fall and Spring semester, the latter typically offered only in the Spring. About half of all psychology majors will complete a credit-bearing field experience.

Teaching Assistantships

Our department prides itself as a leader in experiential education and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Part of that movement involves juniors and seniors serving as Teaching Assistants (TAs). In fact, more than one-third of our majors do so. 

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