Department of Psychology

Psychology > Undergraduate > Join a Lab

Join a lab as a research assistant

Overview

The first step is to find a  in the Psychology department who is willing to supervise student research and whose research is of interest to the student. This should be done at least a month before the semester in which the student wishes to be a research assistant. Research occurs 12 months of the year so you can join well before a semester starts, and summer and winters are a good time to do research when you’re not taking classes.  You do not have to be a Psych major to join a lab in the Psychology Department; you can be any major.  The decision to accept students into a lab is up to the faculty lab head. Students may volunteer their time without registering for course credit, or register for research credit (e.g. Psych 391, Bio 390, HMNS 102, etc).

How do I join a lab?
  1. Spend some time looking through the faculty web pages to find research that interests you.
  2. Send emails to the faculty heads of labs you would like to join.
    In your email say that:
  • You have been to their website.
    · Include your major
    · You are interested in working in their lab as a volunteer, or for course credit
  • Include: your year, major, GPA, whether you have research experience, and if so, doing what, where, with whom.
    · Include: how much time you could spend in the lab per week and for how many semesters
    · Attach: non-official transcript
  • Ask if they have room in their lab and if they would like to meet with you.
Course Credit for Research: Psychology 391– Special Problems
  1. Contact the head of the lab you are working in to approve a research project and for permission to register. The student and faculty member must agree on an outline of the work to be done.
  2. The student must complete the 391 form (Download PSYCH 391 Application Form), and return it to the faculty member for processing. The form and written proposal are submitted to and approved by the chairperson.

PSYCHOLOGY 391.1…………..1 credit
PSYCHOLOGY 391.2…………..2 credits
PSYCHOLOGY 391.3…………..3 credits

 

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