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Honors Program in Psychology |
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DOCUMENTS: Policies and Procedures Manual OTHER LINKS:
FOR QUESTIONS, CONTACT: Dr. Edwin Cook, program director
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Purpose: The
Honors Program in Psychology is designed to enhance the educational experience
and level of preparation of academically successful Psychology majors who are
planning to attend graduate or professional school in psychology or a related
discipline. In the past, program graduates have gone on to graduate
school in many areas of psychology, including clinical, cognitive,
counseling, developmental, behavioral neuroscience, and
industrial/organizational; medical school, especially in the areas of
pediatrics and psychiatry; and law school. Program Components: The Honors Program in Psychology consists of three main components: 1. completion of an Honors thesis describing a research project conducted by the student under the supervision of a faculty member in Psychology or a related field. Some examples of ongoing or recently-completed honors theses in Psychology include: Motivation of Binge-eating Prone vs Binge-eating Resistant Rats to Cross Low-Level Foot Shock for Palatable Food (with Dr. Boggiano) Examination of the Broad Autism Phenotype Through Past and Current Real-life Preferences and Hobbies (with Dr. Griffith) Awareness of Potential Safety Hazards to Small Children: A Comparison of Mothers and Non-Mothers (with Dr. Schwebel) Brain Atrophy as a Contributor to Motor Deficit in Chronic Stroke (with Dr. Taub) Influence of Reactance on Effort and Associated Cardiovascular Responses (with Dr. Wright) While completing this research, students are enrolled in PY 398: Research Practicum in Psychology. Six semester hours of PY 398 are required. 2. participation in 3 semesters of the Honors Seminar (PY 399), a small-group 1-semester-hour seminar aimed at in-depth discussion of theory and research in the behavioral sciences. 3. completion of advanced coursework: Honors students are required to take an additional 300-level course from the designated list of foundation topics in Psychology. However, this requirement does not increase the total requirements for the Psychology major, as Honors students are not required to take an additional 300+ (listed or unlisted) course, beyond those that are required from the list. Psychology Honors students are not required to complete a minor. Application: Ideally, students apply to the
Psychology Honors Program during their sophomore year. This provides
sufficient time to complete the thesis and honors seminar requirements during
the junior and senior years. To apply to the Honors Program in
Psychology, complete an Application for Admission and return it to
Dr. Edwin Cook, Program Director. He will then contact you to schedule
an interview to discuss how the program relates to your interests and career
goals. Students must maintain cumulative and psychology GPAs of 3.25
and above in order to be admitted to and graduate from the Honors Program in
Psychology. Outcomes:
Over the past five years, approximately 38% of graduates of the Psychology
Honors Program have pursued doctoral study in Psychology and an additional
35% have entered professional schools, typically in medicine or
counseling/social work. Others have gone directly to jobs in research
(12%) or clinical service (5%). For More Information: The Policies and Procedures Manual contain additional useful information regarding the program. If you have other questions that are not addressed by these documents, feel free to e-mail Dr. Cook. |
