The psychology department faculty members have a diverse set of research interests. Faculty expertise includes training in clinical, counseling, developmental, experimental, cognitive, neuroscience, educational, industrial/organizational, statistics, and social psychology. All psychology majors receive close contact with faculty members through our unique research team program.
Research teams offer students the opportunity to work with a professor and a small group of students in the creation of original research in areas such as motivation, emotion, media effects, social judgment, neuroscience, mental health, educational psychology, and humor. Research team is unlike any other course. The experience spans three semesters with the same team and provides exposure to opportunities to learn both about the research process and about a field of interest to the student. This close collaboration and practical experience prepares students for graduate training and can also increase employment opportunities for students after graduation.
Three semesters of research team are required for students in the Psychology BA program and are an option for students in the Applied Psychology BS program.
Our students regularly present the results of their research at psychology conferences, including the
- American Psychological Association
- American Psychological Society
- Eastern Psychological Association
- Society for Personality and Social Psychology
- Society for Research in Child Development
- New York State Psychological Association
- National Council for Undergraduate Research
- Eastern Colleges Science Conference
Students have also won awards for their research work from:
- Eastern Psychological Association (Psi Chi Regional Research Awards)
- New York State Psychological Association
- Eastern Colleges Science Conference
How Do You Sign Up for a Research Team?
In order to be part of most teams, you need to have completed Statistics in Psychology. In addition, you must either have completed Research Methods or be enrolled in it during your first semester on the team. If you have questions about this for a specific team, you should talk to the professor of that team.
In addition to the course prerequisite for Research Team, you also must have the permission of the professor leading the team to enroll. There are numerous research teams, so most students can find a team that fits their interests. To increase the chances that you can get onto the team that most interests you, it is best to begin learning about the options for team during sophomore year. You can find information about each team on the department website. Before registering for your first semester of Team, you MUST meet with each faculty member who leads a team you are interested in joining. You and the professor will discuss what his or her team does, your interests, and the fit between the two. An email will be sent to Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors when it is time to sign up for a Research Team.