Kate Norwalk, Class of 2007
Doctoral Student in Penn State's School Psychology Program
David Vernon Bullough Outstanding Senior in Psychology
Recipient of the SUNY Chancellor's Award
"My undergraduate work in the Psychology department at Buff State really prepared me for graduate school, and made my transition much easier. The professors are extremely knowledgeable and invested in their students, and there are many opportunities to get involved and meet new people. I have nothing but great things to say about my experience in this department."
Research in psychology is an important part of psychology. When students get involved, they become active members of the field, asking new questions and contributing new information.
All students should consider taking part in research. There are several ways to do this.
- PSY 499 (Independent Study) and PSY 495 (Independent Project)
Students interested in research (and grad school!) are encouraged to consider completing an Independent Study or Project. These experiences allow students to design and conduct a one-semester project under the supervision of a faculty member. Experiences are designed to match faculty and student interests. Students should see their advisors for more details. Prior to registration and in conjunction with the faculty supervisor, students must complete a departmental contract for both 499 (DOC, 29KB) and 495 (DOC, 28KB). For further instructions on how to register for 499, 495, or 496, download this document.
- Honors Thesis in Psychology
The Department also tries to respond to the needs of our high achievement students through its "Honors Thesis" track in Psychology. This is a two-semester experience and is part of our Honors Degree Program. The first semester (PSY 496) is devoted to developing a research proposal and the second semester (PSY 498) focuses on conducting and writing up the research. The student's work is directly supervised by a faculty mentor and must receive the approval of an Honors Thesis Committee consisting of faculty in the Department. Recruitment of students to the Honors Thesis is selective and students must have met the requirements of the Honors Program to be considered. To register for the Honors Thesis, students must complete the required departmental form. For assistance, download this document.
- Faculty Supervised Research
Teams Under the tutelage of the faculty member several students with similar interests form a team to study a particular research area in a systematic and on-going basis. This is a great option for students just starting out who are not yet ready to tackle a project of their own.
- Psychology Club Research Team
Every year, the Psychology Club sponsors a group project. This is open to everyone and is a fun and stress-less first experience with research. For more information, see the Psych Club advisor or one of the officers.
These projects often result in publications and presentations.