Capstone Experiences

Students should enroll in PSY 390 Advanced Research Apprenticeship for this capstone experience. PSY 390 must be completed with the same faculty member who supervised students in the prerequisite course PSY 290 Special Projects: Research Apprenticeship. Students learn about a faculty member's research project in PSY 290. In PSY 390, students assume greater responsibility for specific aspects of the research project. PSY 390 also requires students complete a final work product (e.g., write a research paper or present the research at the University Research Symposium or a professional conference). Any research conducted by psychology students must comply with the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct of the American Psychological Association.

The availability of positions with faculty members research projects varies from semester to semester. Eligibility to enroll in PSY 390 depends on how many research experiences students seek and how well students fulfilled their responsibilities while enrolled in PSY 290.

After completing PSY 290, students should ask faculty members if their research projects have positions for advance research apprenticeships. If a position is available, the student and faculty member should complete the PSY 390 Advanced Research Apprenticeship Contract 5-25-23. Click on the link to download the contract. The contract is an interactive Microsoft Word document that should be completed on a computer. If necessary, the contract can be saved and sent to the faculty member as an email attachment. The completed contract should be printed, signed, and dated by the student and faculty member. The signed contract should be submitted to the department for approval. If the contract is approved, the department will also approve an override for the student to register for PSY 390. Students may not register for PSY 390 until the contract has been approved and the override has been processed. Students must register for the specific number of credits identified in the contract; otherwise, the registration will not be complete. If the PSY 390 Contract is approved after the first week of the semester, students must register in 107 Moulton.

Students should enroll in PSY 391 Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Apprenticeship for this capstone experience. PSY 391 must be completed with the same faculty member who supervised students in the prerequisite course PSY 291 Special Projects: Undergraduate Teaching. In PSY 291, students assist a faculty member who is teaching a psychology course. Generally, this assistance is helping with class, tutoring, grading course material, and meeting to discuss with the faculty member issues that arise in teaching. In PSY 391, students design and evaluate a teaching project related to the faculty member's psychology course. This experience is especially useful to students who are interested in a teaching career.

After completing PSY 291, students should ask the faculty member if they they have positions for advance teaching apprenticeships. The student and faculty member should complete the PSY 391 Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Apprenticeship Contract 10-23-23. Click on the link to download the contract. The contract is an interactive Microsoft Word document that should be completed on a computer. If necessary, the contract can be saved and sent to the faculty member as an email attachment. The completed contract should be printed, signed, and dated by the student and faculty member. The signed contract should be submitted to the department for approval. If the contract is approved, the department will also approve an override for the student to register for PSY 391. Students may not register for PSY 391 until the contract has been approved and the override has been processed. Students must register for the specific number of credits identified in the contract; otherwise, the registration will not be complete. If the PSY 391 Contract is approved after the first week of the semester, students must register in 107 Moulton.

PSY 392 Senior Seminar is provided for students whose schedules do not allow them to take advantage of the other capstone opportunities. The topics discussed in Senior Seminar are variable, depending on the instructor teaching the course. The department strongly recommends students participate in one of the other capstone experiences where psychology is applied to teaching, research, and practice endeavors.

This capstone experience involves completing a professional practice internship at a community agency or company. In doing so, students gain valuable experience and skill development as they apply what they have learned in their Psychology courses to supervised activities in professional work settings. Internships also provide wonderful opportunities for students to explore career interests that will enhance their preparation for bachelor’s-level employment or graduate studies.

For this capstone experience, students enroll in PSY 395 Professional Practice Seminar (3 credits) and PSY 398 Professional Practice in Psychology (3 credits) during the same semester. PSY 395 is a classroom seminar course that covers topics related to internships and professional development. PSY 398 is an out-of-class experience that provides students with an opportunity to earn academic credit for work or volunteer experience related to Psychology. Completion of a 3-credit PSY 398 internship with a passing grade is required in order to pass PSY 395.

Please see the Psychology Undergraduate Internship page for complete details about PSY 395, PSY 398, internship requirements, and how to obtain an internship. Contact Dr. Karen Mark at kimark@IllinoisState.edu to address questions, receive guidance about internship selection, and prepare the required internship contract.

Enrollment in PSY 395 and PSY 398 is by override only.

Once an internship has been obtained, an internship contract will be prepared that will be completed by the internship coordinator, the internship site supervisor, and the student. The student also completes two additional internship-related documents. After all three completed documents have been returned to the internship coordinator (Dr. Karen Mark), overrides for PSY 395 and PSY 398 are processed. Students will be emailed when their overrides have been processed, at which point students can register for their internship courses.

Honors students should enroll in IDS 395.03 Honors Thesis: Psychology for this capstone experience. Students should review the information for completing a Honors Thesis.

In order to register for IDS 395.03, students must complete the Honors Thesis contract with the faculty member supervising the research project. The contract is available from the Honors Office. The contract must be approved by the department and the Honors Program. After the contract has been approved, the Honors Program will give students a permit to register for IDS 395.03. The Honors Thesis contract must be returned to the Honors Office by the 15th day of the semester.

IDS 395.03 requires students to complete an in-depth research project and write an Honors Thesis. Any research conducted by psychology students must comply with the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct of the American Psychological Association. At the end of the semester, students must present their research results at the Psychology Honors Colloquium. The Colloquium is presented to the department and is open to faculty, students, and the University community. Students should contact the Psychology Honors Coordinator, Dr. Jeff Wagman, at jbwagma@IllinoisState.edu if they have any questions about Honors Research.

Students should enroll in PSY 393 Advanced Peer Mentoring and Student Success Apprenticeship for this capstone experience. PSY 393 must be completed with the same faculty member who supervised students in the prerequisite course PSY 292 Special Projects: Peer Mentoring. In PSY 292, students assist with a variety of peer mentoring activities. In PSY 393, students complete research focusing on peer mentoring and/or student success in psychology.

After completing PSY 292, students should ask the faculty member if they have positions for advanced peer mentoring and student success apprenticeships. The student and faculty member should complete the PSY 393 Advanced Peer Mentoring and Student Success Apprenticeship Contract. Click on the link to download the contract. The contract is an interactive Microsoft Word document that should be completed by the student and faculty member. The signed contract should be submitted to the department for approval. If the contract is approved, the department will also approve an override for the student to register for PSY 393. Students may not register for PSY 393 until the contract has been approved and the override has been processed. Students must register for the specific number of credits identified in the contract; otherwise, the registration will not be complete. If the PSY 393 Contract is approved after the first week of the semester, students must register in 107 Moulton.