Faculty within the department of psychology maintain active research programs and students are involved at all levels. Hands on experiences allow students to ask their own research questions, develop hypotheses and design studies to test those hypotheses.
The effects of such experiences have been widely studied and we know that students who participate:
- improve critical thought
- learn tolerance for obstacles
- develop understanding for how knowledge is constructed
- increase self-confidence
- develop independence
- are prepared for more demanding work
These benefits are an advantage in any career path. Importantly, these experiences make them better students, thus increasing student persistence and retention. Research conducted by the National office of Psi Chi (Psychology Honorary) also suggests that the independent research experience is the critical factor that sets students apart on graduate school applications.