Many students are interested in working as a research assistant in a Psychology lab to develop the skills and knowledge they need for the next steps in their careers, whether those involve direct entry into the workforce or continuing their educational journey in graduate or professional school. There are several options available to students in our department and all require faculty approval in advance. Listed below are what students typically choose:
1. Volunteering
This is the least formal option, where students volunteer their time as research assistants in a Psychology lab under the supervision of a faculty member.
2. Research Experience for course credit
"Undergraduate Research" (PSY 4800) is a popular option for undergraduate lab assistants, where students may register for 1 to 6 credits under the supervision of a faculty member. You must have faculty approval to register for PSY 4800.
3. Capstone Research Options
The Capstone Research Project (PSY 4967), which is typically completed during students' Junior or Senior year, requires students to engage in research projects under the supervision of a faculty member and you must have faculty approval before registering for this option. The Capstone projects are intensive experiences and the research option typically involves considerable pre-planning. Please discuss with your psychology faculty mentor or your research lab supervisor if this is the best option for you.
The Advanced Research Methodology and Statistics (PSY 4960) course serves as a research capstone course, where students work in teams to carry out a research study under the supervision of the course instructor. This course must be taken in direct sequence with PSY 3060 and thus requires a year-long commitment.
For more course details, please visit the SLU Course Catalog, which can be accessed through http://myslu.slu.edu
You have many different options for getting started in research. Students need not be Psychology majors to be research assistants. Please note that faculty have different requirements for their research lab assistants, ranging from requiring minimal experience and others will have specific requirements (e.g., must have completed research methods courses, have specialized skills, or are advanced students). In order to discover if there are openings or a good fit, we have several suggestions to help you get started:
1. Set up a meeting to discuss research opportunities with your Psychology Faculty Mentor. Your Psychology faculty mentor will be knowledgeable about ongoing projects and research interests of many faculty and graduate students.
2. Browse the SLU Psychology research lab information sites.
2a. NEW! We have compiled a list of labs that have indicated they typically have positions for undergraduate students to become involved here
2b. You may also visit the SLU Psychology Faculty page and learn more about there interests here or visit the Psychology research lab page here. Faculty members are accustomed to receiving messages from students interested in working with them in their labs, so do not hesitate to contact them. When you contact faculty about their research lab, be sure to let them know why you have selected their lab.
3. Talk with a Psychology course instructor whose research program align with your interests. Sometimes the best collaborative partnerships arise from the coincidental enrollment of a student in a class with an instructor with matching interests.
4. Attend research assistant recruitment events hosted by SLU's chapter of Psi Chi (the Psychology honor society). SLU's Psi Chi chapter hosts numerous events throughout the year that are open to non-members (and even non-majors). Visit their website to see a listing of upcoming events.
5. Of course, word-of-mouth is another way to discover opportunities to work in Psychology labs. Talk with fellow Psychology students and see if any of them know of lab openings or have recommendations that might suit your interests.