BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT YOU MUST:

1.  Read the advising syllabus: It is helpful to read the advising syllabus before you meet with your advisor.
2. Prepare for your appointment and run a “what-if” or “academic requirement” report.  Before your appointment, please check your myWSU for any holds you may have that are NOT academic in nature. Please try to take care of those holds BEFORE you meet with us. We also ask that you run a “What if” or “Academic Advisement” report so that you have a better idea of the classes YOU still need to take before you meet with us.
3. Create a proposed schedule of classes.  Please visit schedules.wsu.edu (you can get a 4-digit schedule line number to plug in here: schedules.wsu.edu class search or search through your myWSU: myWSU class search)
4. Update your student information if needed.  We need to be able to reach you so you can take advantage of some of our experiential learning opportunities AND so you know about restricted classes! If your email or phone numbers change, PLEASE use your myWSU BEFORE your appointment and update your info. To do this: myWSU sign-in > Main Menu > My Profile > Update Personal Information

SCHEDULE AN ADVISING APPOINTMENT:

Bookings is the scheduling tool students use to schedule appointments with their advisor.

1. To schedule an appointment in Bookings, first log into my.wsu.edu

2. Select the “Academic Advising” icon on the homepage

3. On the landing screen your advisor’s Bookings link will be labeled under the “Schedule an Appointment” column. Select the “Bookings” link.

4. Save your confirmation message in case you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

This short video shows you how easy it is to schedule an appointment through Bookings:

Note: Continuing for fall 2022, all scheduled advising appointments will be conducted virtually via Zoom. Further instructions on how to login to Zoom for your scheduled appointment will be sent to you through the automated appointment reminder email.

Have you been admitted to your major and completed Psych 105?  You are ready to submit the minor request form.

Have questions about the minor or want to visit an advisor during drop ins? Send a message to psych.advising@wsu.edu and one of the Psych advisors will be happy to assist you!

Step 1: Determine your math course

If you did NOT complete an equivalent to WSU’s Math 103 or higher while at community college OR you scored lower than 45 on ALEKS you will need to take a Math class prior to enrolling in Psych 311.

Step 2: Determine your Biology course

If you did NOT take a general biology with lab course prior to enrolling at WSU you will need to take Biol 102, Biol 106 or Biol 107 at WSU. Please consult with your advisor regarding which of these classes would best suit you.

Step 3: Transfer your courses INCLUDING your AA where applicable

It is imperative that you transfer all your classes into WSU as soon as you possibly can to avoid taking redundant coursework. You can use the Transfer Course Equivalency site:transfer course to determine how your coursework will transfer in. Visit the Transfer Student Guide for instructions on transferring credits. Also, you need to transfer your actual AA to WSU in order to complete your UCORE classes. Once your transcript posts, you will be able to tell when you run a “what-if” report. Your UCORE classes will show as being “satisfied by DTA.”

Step 4. Create a two-year plan

Step 5: Run a “What-If” or “Academic Requirements” report

Before your appointment, please check your my.WSU for any holds you may have that are NOT academic in nature.  Please try to take care of those holds BEFORE you meet with us. We also ask that you run a “What if” or “Academic Requirements” report so that you have a better idea of the classes you still need to take before you meet with us.

Step 6: Create a proposed schedule of classes

Please visit schedules.wsu.edu to view available classes.

Step 7: Update your student information if needed

It is each student’s responsibility to keep contact information up to date in order to receive timely appointment notifications. To do this: my.WSU sign-in > Main Menu > My Profile > Update Personal Information

Step 8: Sign up for your appointment now!

The Bachelor of Science degree is designed to provide student with foundational knowledge and training across the entire discipline of psychology. However, flexibility within the degree requirements enables students to tailor their courses, research training, and experiential learning opportunities around more focused area of study. These are suggested areas of study only, NOT formal degree programs.

The following links provide some examples of how students could structure their training in select specialized areas:

Various undergraduate courses incorporate service learning as part of their course requirements. To fulfill the service learning component, students spend a set number of hours working at a community site related to the course material. Service learning provides students with the unique opportunity for hands-on, experiential learning. Students are able to apply the information they have learned in the classroom, develop skills related to specific employment options, and obtain exposure to the daily functions of particular agencies. In addition, students provide valuable volunteer assistance to agencies that may be either understaffed and/or underfunded.

Students interested in conducting research under the direction of psychology faculty may enroll in Research Participation (Psych 498 or 499).

1. Check the bulletin board for listings. It is located on the 2nd floor of Johnson Tower or contact Psychology research faculty via email.
2. Go to Johnson Tower 233 to pick up a “Psych 497, 498, 499” form.
3. Take the form to the person you will be working with and ask him/her about the work. If you agree to work with him/her, the Mentor’s signature is required on the form.
4. The cumulative maximum credit hours for Psych 498 is (8). You may take (4) credits of Psych 499 per semester and it may be repeated for an unlimited number of credits.
5. Remember, one credit is equivalent to 3 hours of work per week.
6. Be sure to register for Psych 498 or 499 along with your other courses.

To develop and showcase outstanding undergraduate research in psychology, the Department of Psychology awards research grants each fall and spring semester to undergraduates conducting independent research projects under the direction of psychology faculty.

To be eligible for a research grant, the student project must fulfill the following criteria:

1. It must be developed in collaboration with a mentor on the psychology faculty.
2. It must have scientific merit.
3. It must include an original contribution by the student. That is to say, the scientific question and the written proposal should be as student-driven as possible.

In addition, applicants should have some previous research experience before they apply (e.g., Psych 498 credits) and they must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.

Research grants of up to $750.00 will be awarded to defray costs associated with conducting the project. Applicants may request any amount of money up to, but not exceeding, $750.00. In their proposals, applicants should outline why the funds are needed to complete the project and provide a budget that specifies how the funds will be used. Grant recipients will be selected and announced annually in March and November. All recipients will present the results of their projects at the Department of Psychology’s Undergraduate Research Symposium, held each year in April. For this reason, projects funded in November must be completed by April of the following year. Those funded in March must be completed by April of the following year.

Applications for research grants are available in the Department of Psychology main office (Johnson Tower 233). Proposals are reviewed each fall and spring semester by the selection committee. Deadlines for submission vary from semester to semester, but typically occur in late Oct each fall semester and mid-March each spring semester. Students interested in applying for a research grant are encouraged to talk to their faculty research mentors about this opportunity.

Initiated in 2002, the Undergraduate Research Initiative is designed to recognize and reward outstanding undergraduate research within the Department of Psychology. Each year, undergraduate students are invited to submit proposals for original research projects. Students design these projects with the assistance of psychology faculty. These projects reflect the diverse interests of our students and faculty, and include both basic and applied research. Each spring, the results of these projects are presented at Department of Psychology Undergraduate Research Symposium, an event open to the entire university and Pullman/Moscow community. Joining the grant recipients are other undergraduate presenters who are conducting psychological research under the direction of faculty mentors. This event has steady grown in size since 2002.

In conjunction with the symposium’s poster session, a guest speaker gives an invited presentation on his/her research within the field of psychology. Past guest speakers have included:

• 2003: Dr. Robert Horner (WSU alumnus; Department of Psychology, University of Oregon)
  “Conducting Behavioral Science to Improve Our Schools and Communities”
• 2004: Dr. Carl Swander (WSU alumnus; co-owner of Ergometrics and Applied Personnel Research, Inc.)
  “The Future of Hiring: Research Drives Exciting Advances in Job Simulation”
• 2005: Dr. Gregory Belenky (research professor and director of the Sleep and Performance Research Center at WSU Spokane)
  “Sleep and Human Performance.”
• 2006: Dr. Rand Walker (Clinical Services Director of the Center on Disabilities and Human Development)
  “The Real Scoop on the Role of Research in Clinical Psychology”
• 2007: Dr. Timothy Smith (Department of Psychology; University of Utah)
  “Marriage and the Heart: Behavior During Marital Conflict Predicts Coronary Artery Disease”
• 2008: Dr. G. Alan Marlatt (Department of Psychology; University of Washington)
  “Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention in the Treatment of Addictive Behaviors”
• 2009: Dr. David Strayer (Department of Psychology, University of Utah)
  “Multi-Tasking in the Automobile: Are We Being Driven to Distraction?”
• 2010: Dr. Maureen Schmitter-Edgecomb (Department of Psychology, Washington State University)
  “Aging and Dementia: Memory, Everyday Activities and Intervention”
• 2011: Dr. Brady Duchaine (Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College)
  “Exploring Human Social Perception via Deficits and Disruptions.”
• 2012: Dr. Scott Lilienfeld (Department of Psychology, Emory University)
  “Public Skepticism of Psychology: Why Many People Perceive the Study of Human Behavior as Unscientific.”

The following are quotes from past grant recipients about their experience conducting research as an undergraduate:

“My experience in research goes onto my resume as well as my transcript. I feel that it gives me an edge over other applications and shows my responsibility and determination to potential employers and graduate programs.”
(Kristie-Lea Kelley, ’04 Zoology BS)

“This experience strengthened my knowledge about psychology and I hope that the knowledge and experience gained will benefit my future goal of graduate school. I hope this experience, along with my previous experience with neuroscience research, makes me a first choice candidate.”
(Summer Sweet, ’04 Psych BS & Neuroscience BS)

“Being encouraged to produce and develop research proposals at the undergraduate level is very motivating and inspiring. It gives a student the chance to test out areas of interest in research and further helps to decide post-graduation plans.”
(Kelby L. Holtfreter, ’05 Psych BS & Neuroscience BS)

“My experiences involving research will aid me in my future goals of becoming a valued researcher in the field of behavior analysis. The opportunity to perform my own research will contribute to better performance and acclimation in any type of scientific environment. It promotes flexibility in problem-solving and critical analysis of theoretical concepts.”
(Shea Colleen Bower, ’04 Psych BS)

“I now feel that medicine without understanding the foundations of research is rather pointless. I hope to combine my knowledge of medicine and clinical psychology.”
(James Bales, ’04 Psych BS & Neuroscience BS)

“[Research] helped me to improve many skills such as time management, verbal and written communication and collaborative skills. Although my current research is not directly related to the field [I eventually hope to enter], it taught me many skills that will enable me to pursue my goals. Graduate school and Ph.D. programs require a lot of research and with this background, completing such projects should be a lot easier.”
(Emily Verbon, ’04 Psych BS)

“The best part about doing research is the extended interactions I have had with people I work with, both professors and graduate students.”
(Jeremiah Brown, ’03 Psych BS)

“The best part about undergraduate research is the chance to gain practical experience in your chosen field (or a related one) that can help you determine if you actually enjoy doing that type of work. It is also a great opportunity to make contact with researchers in the field and expand your knowledge of career possibilities.”
(Victoria Cussen, ’03 Psych BS)

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