Psychology

Honors Program

In 1993 the Psychology Department began the Plymouth State’s first departmental honors program. This program allows a student to work one-on-one with a faculty member on an independent project of the student’s design. The program was instituted for those students who wished to do more than routine class work.

The Psychology Honors Program is especially beneficial to those students wishing to pursue graduate school in psychology. According to research on psychology graduate admissions (Lawson, 1995), research experience and letters of recommendation are the two most important criteria used by psychology graduate programs after grades and standardized scores are examined.

Gaining Admission to the Program

• 3.25 GPA after 60 credit hours
• Completion of Research Methods (PS 3150)
• Support of a faculty mentor
• Assent of the Psychology faculty

Completing the Program

• The program is typically completed by students during their last 2 semesters at PSU.
• In the first of the 2 semesters, students register for 3 credits of Independent Study (PS 4910). During this time, students will research a topic of interest and draft a formal research proposal with the help of a faculty mentor.
• At the end of the first semester, students will propose a project in the form of an oral presentation to the psychology faculty for suggestions and approval.
• The following semester, students register for 3 credits of Independent Research (PS 4940). During this time, students will execute their projects by collecting data, analyzing and interpreting their results, and writing up the results in a formal research manuscript.
• At the end of the second semester, students will submit their research manuscripts to the psychology department and provide an oral presentation of their findings to the psychology faculty for discussion and approval.