PSY 4911-4914 and PSY 4920
Students in good academic standing can arrange with individual faculty members to participate in supervised research projects. The nature of the project is negotiated between each student and the specific faculty member, and may include laboratory research, field research, library research, etc. Participating in a DIS provides diverse training experiences for those interested in careers in psychology or related fields. Importantly, it also provides the opportunity for students to work hard in a more individualized and independent setting than a classroom, which allows students to earn strong letters of recommendation from faculty. Such letters are necessary to be admitted to most graduate programs. These opportunities also are useful in helping students secure good jobs after graduation. To identify faculty members that may be doing research in an area of interest to you, check out our faculty listings. Go to the psychology home page www.psy.fsu.edu click on “People,” and search by area (clinical, cognitive, etc.). Also, go to the DIS Opportunities page http://www.psy.fsu.edu/undergrad.prog/DIS-OPP.htm for a list of projects that are actively recruiting students. Contact researchers of interest to set up an appointment to discuss opportunities in their research lab.
Administratively, faculty may either have you sign up for a DIS (PSY 4911-4914) or a Supervised Research (PSY 4920). Generally, you sign up for PSY4920, and your supervisor will give you a reference number so that you can register.
Six (6) semester hours of DIS (or 4920) work can be counted toward the psychology major (i.e., the psychology elective requirement), and an additional eighteen (18) semester hours can be counted toward graduation. To take more than one DIS or PSY4920 in the same semester, be sure that your two supervisors approve and that the schedules required for each lab do not conflict.
