Student Resources

Service Learning: Learning through community outreach

The Psychology Department offers three different internship opportunities in which undergraduate students can gain experience in "real world" settings within the community. Each of these internships have both a classroom component and a service learning component allowing students direct experience in the application of psychological principles. Students participate in specified community settings for 10-15 hours per week as well as attend a weekly classroom seminar. The three opportunities provide students with exposure to different aspects of the field of psychology. While these experiences are not required for our majors, many students find these internships to be an excellent culminating undergraduate experience. Students interested in these courses should contact the course instructors for more information about the specific internship and the process of application.

Psych 430: Internship in Psychology - Instructor: Kathy Kogan
Psych 431: Psychology Internship: Community-Based Organizations - Instructor: Karen Suyemoto
Psych 484: Psychology Internship: Field placement in early child development - Instructor: Abbey Eisenhower

Research Training: Learning through laboratory experience

The department provides many opportunities for students to participate in research. Faculty maintain active research labs that often include undergraduates as observers and assistants and coordinators. Undergraduates may work with faculty by volunteering in their labs or by arranging to do course work through the two research apprenticeships (Psych 286 or Psych 486). Students interested in exploring research opportunities might want to look at faculty research interests identified on the faculty page for the department. Inquiries about available research slots can be made directly to the faculty member whose research interests the student. More information can be found on the Research Opportunities for Students page.

Student Organizations

The Psychology Department has several active student organizations which provide extra-curricular life for students interested in psychology and related fields. Application materials are available in the office of the Psychology Department. Click on the name of the organization below to reach its home page.

Psi Chi: The International Honor Society in Psychology. Every semester, Psychology students are invited to apply to the UMass Boston Psi Chi chapter. In order to join, you must qualify for membership. You can learn more about the requirements for and benefits of membership here. If you do qualify, you need to complete the online application and, once approved by the faculty advisor, pay the one-time lifetime membership fee of $55 to Psi Chi. Please contact the Psi Chi faculty advisor, Dr. Susy Gallor, for information about this semester’s application deadline as well as other application requirements.

Psychology Club: Open to all students. Learn about careers and campus events related to psychology. Faculty advisor: Susanna Gallor

Neuroscience Club: Open to all students. Learn about research in the expanding area of neuroscience. Faculty advisor: Vivian Ciaramitaro

University-wide clubs and organizations can be found here: https://umb.campuslabs.com/engage/

Mentoring by Graduate Students

Sometimes it is helpful to have someone to guide you as you think about careers and further educational opportunities. One source of help might be a graduate student mentor. Undergraduates can request a graduate student mentor by filling out a mentoring request form located on the Psychology Connections Committee's website. Undergraduates are paired with available graduate students. Undergraduates can have as much or as little contact with the mentor as they would like. Sometimes one conversation will help to guide an undergrad to an important "next step" decision. Sometimes mentors and mentees meet several times or are in contact by email.

University Resources for Behavioral and Educational Skills Training at UMass Boston

UMB-UR-BEST is a group of faculty members and graduate students in the Clinical Psychology PhD Program at UMass Boston that provides coaching, workshops, assessment and consultation to members of the University community during the academic year, with an emphasis on providing culturally responsive services that are sensitive to contextual factors and promote health and well-being. Services are provided by request and through referrals from faculty and staff across several offices and departments.

Advising and Faculty Drop-In Hours
Psychology's Blackboard Guide for Students
Resources4U (Hub for Student Success)
Clinical Psychology PhD Program

Careers

Planning for a Career in Psychology

One of the reasons psychology is such a popular major at universities around the country is that a degree in psychology prepares you for a wide array of career paths. The American Psychological Association also produces two publications that can help you plan for a career in psychology. First, a 37-page booklet titled “Psychology/Careers for the Twenty-First Century” is available free of charge by calling 1-800.374.2721. Second, a 297-page book called Career Paths in Psychology: Where Your Degree can Take You is available for $19.95, and can be ordered by calling the same number. Students may also want to look at the portion of the American Psychological Association's (APA) website that focuses on career topics.

Planning for Graduate Work in Psychology

Many careers in psychology require master's or doctorate level training, for example, counseling, clinical psychology, teaching, and research. However, competition for admission to graduate schools in psychology is very strong and graduate level work difficult. There are several different degrees, both at the masters and doctoral levels, that allow students to work professionally in the field of psychology. These include but are not limited to masters level degrees in social work, school psychology, counseling, and marriage and family therapy. Doctoral degrees in the field include PhDs in clinical work in a variety of psychology related-research fields and practice oriented degrees like PsyDs. Students who think that they might want to pursue a graduate degree after completing their BA or BS are encouraged to talk with a faculty advisor, participate in the various clubs that are available through the department or attend informational events that are held that focus on choices after graduation.

A student who is thinking about graduate school should have a high overall grade point average (GPA) and a high GPA in psychology. Good performance in courses such as Statistics (Psych z270) and Experimental Methods are especially important. Graduate schools also look for relevant research and work experience, honors work, extracurricular activities, excellent letters of recommendation from professors who know the student well, and good scores on exams such as the Graduate Record Examination.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

Most graduate programs require applicants to take the GRE General Test, which is designed to measure verbal and quantitative abilities (similar to the SAT test), and the GRE Advanced Psychology Test, an achievement test. The exams are administered in a computer-based format, which offers greater scheduling flexibility as well as the ability to see your score immediately. Two free booklets, the current GRE Information Bulletin and Description of the Advanced Psychology Test, are available upon request from GRE, Educational Testing Service, Box 955, Princeton, New Jersey 08540. The Educational Testing Service, which administers the GRE, also has an extensive web page at http://www.gre.org which provides scheduling information, sample questions, test-taking tips, and other information.

Many graduate schools place a great emphasis on GRE scores, so students are advised to prepare well for the exams. Ideally, the GREs should be taken the summer before applying to schools, when you have more time to prepare and study for them. The advanced test in Psychology covers all areas (personality/clinical, social, developmental, cognitive, and psychobiology). Courses that are especially helpful for this test include History and Systems of Psychology (Psych 380). Before taking the test a student might want to review an introductory textbook.

The Miller Analogies Test (MAT)

Some graduate programs in Psychology require the MAT, a 50-minute test consisting of l00 word analogies. Many colleges administer this test on an appointment basis. A free booklet describing the MAT can be obtained by writing to The Psychological Corporation, 304 East 85th Street, New York, New York l00l7.

Coursework

Students planning to attend graduate school should choose their undergraduate courses carefully. Statistics (Psych z270) is required by most graduate programs. An Experimental Methods course and History and Systems of Psychology will both help prepare you for graduate study. Graduate programs also look favorably on students who have some research experience; you can get such experience through the Directed Study in Psychology (Psych 488, 489), or a Research Apprenticeship (Psych 486), and/or through the Psychology Honors program. Finally, if you are thinking of an applied Psychology graduate program, consider taking the Internship in Psychology (Psych 430 or Psych 442) course, which is offered in both fall and spring semesters as well as in the summer. Close consultation with your faculty advisor is the best way to be sure that you are choosing your courses wisely.

Letters of Recommendation

Graduate school applications typically require three to five letters of recommendation, primarily from faculty members. Usually schools provide forms for these letters in the application packet. The student should request permission of the people who will be asked to serve as references before their names are submitted. It is then advisable to prepare a short biography for the referee in order to familiarize the professor with your record. This should include accurate and up-to-date information about courses taken, grades obtained (if possible, include a copy of your transcript), academic awards or honors, research experience, teaching experience, psychology-related work experience, extra-curricular activities (Psychology Club, student government, etc.), and interests. It may also be helpful to give the professor copies of papers written for courses taken with them. A stamped addressed envelope for each letter of recommendation should be provided to the referee.

Scholarships & Awards

Senior Honors in Psychology

The Psychology Department offers a year long Honors Program to seniors with excellent academic records. The program is designed to give students the opportunity to carry out a research study and complete a thesis in an area of interest, under the supervision of a faculty advisor.

Why Honors?  Honors is an excellent opportunity for students to receive training and experience in conducting original research. It is especially recommended for students who plan to attend graduate school in programs that will require a Masters thesis or Doctoral dissertation.

What is Honors?  Students typically enroll in the Honors program during their senior year. The Honors program is a 12 credit program which consists of two semesters of Honors Research (3 credits each semester) and two semesters of the Honors Seminar (3 credits each semester). Because it is a demanding program that entails a major time commitment, it is strongly recommended that students do not take more than two additional courses in each semester of the senior year.

Who is Eligible? Students must be Psychology or Psych/Soc. majors entering their senior year. They must have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 and a GPA in their Psychology major of 3.5. Psychology 370 (Statistics) must be completed before entering the Honors program. Any exceptions to these qualifications must be petitioned to the Curriculum Committee for approval and admission to the program.

How does one Apply? The first step is to find a faculty mentor who is willing to sponsor the Honors application. Students should identify an advisor from among the full-time members of the Psychology Department. We recommend that students approach faculty with whom they have already taken at least one course; many faculty will not agree to sponsor a student whom they do not know. The faculty member’s research interests should correspond generally to the type of work the student would like to do.   It is not necessary to have a research idea planned out - a faculty mentor will work with a student to develop a project that is within his or her own program of research.

Once a mentor has been identified and a project has been selected, students apply for the Honors program by writing a letter of application to the Psychology Department Curriculum Committee. The letter should include a brief description of the project. The letter should also be accompanied by the form attached to this summary and a copy of the student's most recent transcript, including a list of courses in which the student is currently enrolled. Applications are reviewed in early May of each year.

For more information please contact Dr. Laurel Wainwright in the psychology department (laurel.wainwright@umb.edu).

Undergraduate Prizes & Awards

Outstanding students in Psychology are recognized with prizes and awards as part of the CLA Honors Convocation each year. Immediately before the Convocation, the Department holds its own festivities for honored graduates and their families and friends. The cording ceremony for graduating Psi Chi members is a high point of this annual event.

Writing Prizes:

The Department awards two named prizes to students who do the best work in scholarly writing competitions that are judged by a committee of the faculty. Both prizes consist of a cash award, inscription of the winner’s name on a plaque that is displayed permanently in the Psychology Department, and special mention at the honors convocation and graduation ceremonies. Papers are judged based on their thoroughness, clarity and originality as well as the over all quality of writing. Winning papers are typically between 10 and 30 pages in length. Deadlines for these competitions are in March of each year. Interested students should inquire in the department or speak with faculty members who might sponsor their work.

The Adrian Jill Barnett Memorial Prize is awarded for an outstanding theoretical paper or literature review on a topic of relevance for psychology. This writing prize is given in memory of Adrian Jill Barnett, a psychology major and honor student who was tragically killed in a traffic accident shortly after her graduation.

The Ina Samuels Memorial Prize is awarded for an outstanding research proposal or an already completed research project in psychology reported in a standard journal format. This prize is giving in memory of a former faculty member.

Departmental Book Award:

Each year the faculty of the Department of Psychology selects one or more graduating majors to receive the Departmental Book Award, on the basis of an outstanding academic record and service to the department. The award is announced during Convocation.

Undergraduate Advising

Do you have questions about your psychology degree? Questions about registration or add/drop? Wondering if you need a specific course? Need to get in touch with a faculty member? We are here to help.

Drop In Academic Advising Program

Check back soon for details!

Contacts

Laurel Wainwright, Department Chair
Office Location: M-04-208
laurel.wainwright@umb.edu

Tahirah Abdullah, Psychology Director of Undergraduate Studies
Office Location: M-04-411
Tahirah.abdullah@umb.edu

Michelle Browning, Department Manager & Advising Coordinator
Office Location: M-04-204 (In Office Mon, Tues, Fri; Remote Wed, Thurs)
michelle.browning@umb.edu or 617-287-6351

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