What facilities does the
Psychology Department have?
The Department operates
laboratories including the Nursery
School, enrolling eighty
3-5 year old children, as well as animal and experimental labs
located in the Science Center.
How can I do an independent
study?
Normally your work in psychology
will take place within the curriculum of courses listed in the
catalog. However, in exceptional circumstances, you can take
an independent study (Psychology 199 or 299 or 399) to study
a topic not covered in our courses, or to do a research project,
or to study a specialized topic in depth. Speak to your advisor
to find out more. Normally not more than one independent study
can be counted toward your psychology major.
How Can I Apply for Senior
Thesis & Departmental Honors?
If your overall G.P.A.
is at least 3.0 and your major course average is 3. 33 or greater,
speak to a professor in the area of your interest about a project
you want to do - empirical or library research. If the two of
you agree, plan to take two semesters of Psychology 500. This
can begin in your junior year. At end of your project, a committee
of three (advisor, another member of psychology department and
a faculty member outside the psychology department) will read
your written thesis and give you an oral exam.
What honors can I aim
for in psychology?
Psychology majors are invited
to apply to the department to do independent senior research
and to be a candidate for Departmental Honors.
1. To be eligible students
must have a GPA of B+ (3.3) in all courses in the major and an
overall GPA of 3.0.
2. Interested students
should meet with their major advisors to discuss their desire
to do a thesis.
3. Students should submit
an application to the department in the Fall (October 31st) or
Spring (April 1st) of their Junior Year. The application should
include:
a. a brief description
of why the student wants to do an honors thesis.
b. a brief description
(one page at most) of the topic he or she would like to study.
This could include any or all of the following: questions that
might be addressed in the thesis,theories that seem useful, populations
of nterest, and possible research methods to be used.
c. a copy of the student's
transcript
d. a copy of a psychology
paper that demonstrates the student's writing skills.
4. The department will
review the applications of all candidates. The week before course
registration students will be informed whether or not they have
been accepted to complete an senior thesis. The student will
be assigned an appropriate thesis advisor.
5. If a student is accepted
to do an Honors Thesis, he or she would enroll for two semesters
of Psychology 500 (Individual Research Thesis) beginning in either
the second semester of junior year or the first semester of senior
year.
6. A student who has completed
a thesis can be nominated for departmental honors if the student
has a an overall GPA of 3.0, a GPA of 3.3 in the major, and a
grade of B+ or higher on the senior thesis.
What opportunities for
field work exist?
The Psychology Department
encourages students to take advantage of the numerous opportunities
in the Providence-Boston area for field-work experiences. These
first-hand, on the job experiences are valuable extensions and
elaborations of your course work, and they often provide a first
glimpse at the career areas that might interest you. Field work
opportunities are included in Psy 334 (Community Psychology),
Ps 335 (Applied Behavior Analysis) and other courses. The Filene
Center also lists
placement opportunities.
To get a closer description of each of the courses above, go
to the Psychology course
catalog and look
for each specific class.
Still have questions? Contact
the department chair, David
Wulff (dwulff@wheatonma.edu),
and leave him a message.
