Psychology Honors Program

Qualified psychology majors who wish to pursue a career in research are encouraged to consider the department’s Honors Program which leads to a B.A. with honors in psychology. The program’s purpose is to provide an intensive, supervised research. Completion of the Honors Program also satisfies the SAGES capstone graduation requirement. The program consists of PSCL 375: Research Design and Analysis and PSCL395: Psychology Capstone and Honors Program and begins in the junior year, when students receive instruction in research design and methodology through completion of PSCL375. This course provides the foundation needed for PSCL395 which is taken in the senior year where they work under close supervision with a department faculty member. Before the end of the senior year, the research project is designed, executed, written in scholarly form, and presented in a public setting. Psychology majors who successfully complete PSCL395 with a minimum of a 3.25 GPA in psychology coursework and at least a 3.0 overall GPA will graduate with honors in psychology. The Honors Program requires significant time and commitment. Only those students majoring in psychology with a serious interest in the behavioral sciences should consider completing the Honors Program. An important part of the Honors Program is the selection of a faculty advisor. A student should select a faculty advisor with interests as close as possible to the area the student intends to study. Contact the faculty member as early as possible (junior year is recommended) to inquire about the possibility of registering for PSCL395 with them. Each section of PSCL395 is assigned to a specific faculty member and registration is by permit only.