Psy 3902W: Major Project (3 credits)
Important Changes for Psychology Majors
The Department of Psychology is excited to offer multiple options for fulfilling the Major Project in Psychology (Psy 3902W). You may choose the major project option that best suits your learning style, personal interests and future goals.
All three options involve attending a large lecture and a small weekly lab meeting. In each lab meeting, graduate student instructors will help you develop your project idea and final products. Some major project options include additional outside components, so be sure to keep reading and learn more.
Major Project Options:
1. Research Lab Project
Take full advantage of psychological research happening in the Psychology Department by connecting your major project to participation in a faculty member's research lab. For this option, you will enroll simultaneously in Major Project (Psy 3902W) and Directed Research (Psy 5993). You wil develop your final project topic and structure, drawing from your experience gained via the research assistantship.
2. Community Engagement Project
Interested in connecting your studies of psychology to important issues in your local community? In the Community Engagement Project option, you will work onsite at a community organization four hours each week. As you develop a learning partnership with the community organization, you will draw from this engagement experience to formulate your major project topic and structure.
3. Individual Interest Project
If there's an area of psychology you'd like to investigate in depth (e.g. a profession, psychological construct, or topic of interest) the Individual Interest Project option will allow you to explore that interest in your major project. For this option, you will write a final paper that reflects your disciplinary or career interests, searching psychological literature to support and deepen your understanding of your chosen topic.
Course Structure
The course structure of 3902W is largely the same for all three major project options. The community engagement and research lab options contain additional components outlined below.
For ALL enrolled students:
- Large lecture once each week. On-line viewing of these lectures will be an option after the first week of the term. Everyone must attend the first day of lecture.
- Small lab once each week. A graduate student instructor will guide you through developing your project idea and final products.
- Final paper. You will write a final paper of approximately 15 pages. The paper format will reflect your topic and the type of major project option you have chosen. For example, students in the Research Laboratory Project class will likely complete a research project proposal/paper.
- Poster session. You will present your work at the class poster session held at the end of the term.
- Single Credit Supplement (Optional). You may simultaneously enroll in Psy 3960: Major Project in Psychology Supplemental Seminar for 1 credit. During this book discussion seminar, you will read a psychological text, discuss it with peers and a discussion leader, and write a final paper. It is intended as a 1-credit supplement for students who cannot otherwise meet the 36 credit requirement for the psychology major.
For the Research Lab Project students:
In addition to components 1-4 above, you will also need to secure a laboratory research opportunity and register for three credits of Psy 5993: Directed Research in Psychology (3 credits = 9 hours/week in lab). Securing a research assistantship in a faculty member's lab is your responsibility and although this arrangement does not necessarily need to have been finalized in order to register for the course, it does need to have been completed by the first day of the class.
For Community Engagement Project students:
In addition to components 1-4 above, you will spend four hours each week on site at a community organization. Your registration for the Community Engagement option of Psy 3902W will prompt communication from Community Involvement and Service-Learning (CSL) staff regarding the process of selecting a community organization. Soon after you register, you will be contacted and provided with a list of detailed position descriptions at a number of local community organizations. You will need to go through an application process laid out for you by the CSL staff well before the first day of class.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I register for the section that's most convenient and then choose any of the three options?
Where do I get some help figuring out what I need to do? I'm so confused!