Graduate School Preparation Track
The major in Psychology has been designed so that students take classes that will help them compete in applying for graduate school. Students completing the graduate school track need to become actively involved with faculty research, form an association with Psi Chi, and enroll in independent research and readings courses. It is recommended that students take at least one upper-division course in statistics from Psychology, FCHD, or Sociology.
Students who pursue the skills tracks in Psychology are encouraged to become involved with the faculty in independent research or applied experiences. Involvement in these experiences is associated with greater chances of successful graduate school admission and/or competitive post-baccalaureate employment, especially for students who pursue this involvement early in their undergraduate careers.
The faculty who teach courses satisfying the skills track requirements are committed to working closely with students to hone their experiences and accomplishments in research methodology and applied fields of psychology.
These faculty have a solid track record in mentoring students. Their students have achieved remarkable success in procuring funding to support student-initiated research projects via Utah State University’s competitive University Research Cooperative Opportunity (URCO) mechanism and the national honor society of psychology (Psi Chi).
Their students have been first authors or co-authors on numerous scholarly presentations at regional, national, and international conferences in psychology (e.g., Association of Behavior Analysis, American Psychological Association, European Conference of Developmental Psychology, International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development, Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Society for Research in Adolescence, and Society for Research in Human Development). Their students have competed successfully each year for awards that recognize their achievements. Together with the faculty, the students have published in premier research journals in psychology (e.g., Developmental Psychology, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Clinical Psychology, Journal of Experimental Psychology, and Sex Roles) and books in psychology.
The Department of Psychology and Utah State University actively support students’ efforts by awarding matching funding to support the attendance of conferences at which they can present their accepted conference presentations.
Breadth Social Sciences (BSS):
Depth Social Sciences (DSS):
Communications Intensive (CI):
Quantitative Intensive (QI):
Note:
Although these courses may be applied toward fulfilling the University Studies breadth, depth, communications intensive, and quantitative intensive requirements, students must be prepared to complete additional writing or library assignments, as required for University Studies.
