Research Apprenticeship Program

• Use the concepts, language, and major theories of the discipline (Objective 1.1)
• Evaluate the appropriateness of conclusions presented in psychological research (Objective 2.2)
• Execute appropriate ethical safeguards in the treatment of human and nonhuman participants in the design, data collection, interpretation, and reporting of psychological research (Objective 2.4)
• Generalize research results appropriately (Objective 2.5)
• Recognize the necessity for ethical behavior in all aspects of the science and practice of psychology (Objective 4.1)
• Seek scientific evidence to evaluate behavioral claims (Objective 4.3)
• Tolerate ambiguity and assume behavioral explanations will be complex (Objective 4.5)
• Develop skills and experiences relevant to achieving selected career objectives (Objective 5.4)
• Demonstrate computer skills: creating files; using word processing, database and data analysis programs; search the World Wide Web; use e-mail, incorporate emerging technologies into existing practices (Objective 6.4)
• Use critical thinking effectively (Objective 7.1)
• Engage in creative thinking (Objective 7.2)
• Approach problems effectively (Objective 7.4)
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal communication skills (Objective 9.4)
• Demonstrate appropriate, effective relationships with others in diverse settings, such as work, family, and other social environments (Objective 10.3)
• Display high standards of personal integrity to promote trust with peers and colleagues (Objective 10.5)

Specific learning objectives for students enrolled in PSY 290 will vary depending upon the faculty mentor, the research project, and the student's responsibilities.

Most students begin by enrolling in PSY 290 Research Apprenticeship to earn credit for their research experience.

Students wishing to complete their capstone requirement need to take PSY 290 for 3 credits then PSY 390 Advanced Research Apprenticeship (for 3 credits) with the same instructor. PSY 390 must be taken during the student’s senior year if they want to use research experience to fulfill their capstone.

Another research option is PSY 287 Independent Study. Honors students may complete HON 285 Honors Undergraduate Research I, HON 286 Honors Undergraduate Research II, and HON 395A03 Honors Thesis: Psychology.

No. PSY 390 is only required if you want to use research experience to complete your senior capstone. If you are not using your research experience to fulfill your senior capstone, then you can take PSY 290 by itself. The senior capstone requirement could instead be fulfilled with PSY 391, 392, 393, or 395/398 or HON 395A03.

The prerequisite for PSY 290 is an ISU GPA of 2.0 or higher.

The prerequisites for PSY 390 are senior standing, ISU GPA of 2.0 or higher, and PSY 290 for 3 credits with the same instructor, and being a PSY major. 

Please consult Course Finder for more details.

Students can find faculty research mentors in different ways:

• The most common way is by contacting faculty directly (i.e., by email or office hour visit) to express your interest in their research and to discuss possibilities for the following semester. Doing so around the time of registration is helpful. 
• By exploring the list of faculty by area to learn more about their research experiences, then contacting them to see if they are accepting new research apprenticeship students.
• By responding to invitations from faculty or advisors. Sometimes faculty post short notes to the PSY majors’ listserv about their need for research apprentice students in coming semesters or they may mention this opportunity in class. 

Enrollment in PSY 290 and other research experiences is by override only.

A research contract will be prepared that is to be completed by the faculty supervisor and the student. PSY 290 Special Projects- Research Apprenticeship Contract. The faculty supervisor sends the contract to the Undergraduate Coordinator, who then sends it to one of the Psychology advisors to process the override. An advisor will email students when their overrides have been processed, at which point students can register for their research course.

After a research project is developed, the student and faculty member should complete the PSY 290 Special Projects- Research Apprenticeship Contract. The contract is an interactive Microsoft Word document that is processed electronically. All sections of the contract should be completed. Talk to your faculty mentor about this, but typically the student completes the top portion of the form with their name and ID information and the faculty member completes the section that describes the project and grading criteria.

The student and faculty mentor add their names to the bottom before the faculty mentor sends the contract to the Undergraduate Coordinator for processing and approval. If the contract is approved, the department will process an override so the student can register for PSY 290. It could take one to three weeks for the contract to be approved. Students must register for the specific number of credits identified in the contract; otherwise, the registration will not be valid.

Students can earn 1- 3 credits per research experience per semester. 1 credit is 3 hours of research work per week. 2 credits are 6 hours per week. 3 credits are 9 hours per week. The number of hours required is negotiated between the student and the instructor when completing the contract needed to register.

Students can enroll in more than one PSY 290 during the same semester or across multiple semesters, earning up to 9 credits total. 

Students taking PSY 390 must enroll in 3 credits.

Students may not register for more than 17 credits of out of class experience credits overall.

PSY 290 credits count toward the 120 total credit-hours required for graduation, as well as for the 40 hours of senior college credit-hours required (ISU courses numbered 200 or above).

If a Psychology major substituted 3 hours of introductory psychology course credit for the 4-hour PSY 111 course, then PSY 290 credits can count as an elective toward making up the 1-credit shortage.

PSY 390 fulfills the senior Psychology capstone and counts toward the 120 total hours for graduation and the 40 credits of senior college hours.

PSY 290 can be repeated up to a maximum total of 9 credits. That can be done either by working with different instructors or by continuing with the same instructor for more than one semester.

Psychology majors may not register for more than 17 credits of any combination of the following courses: PSY 287, 290, 291, 292, 299, 390, 391, 393, 398, and HON 395A03.

Yes, students earn letter grades in PSY research experience courses such as PSY 290 and PSY 390. Grading details are outlined in the contract as specified by the faculty mentor.