Empirical Research, and Community Placement Options

Empirical research: This is supervised empirical research leading to a journal quality paper. Students, in collaboration with a faculty supervisor, design a project, prepare an IRB as necessary, collect and analyze data, and write up a paper in a manner appropriate for a peer-reviewed journal. Examples of such research articles can be found in the Journal of Social Issues, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, and Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Students choosing this option are required to present a poster of their research during the second semester of their project.

Community Placement: This is a project completed in the community under the direct supervision of a Westminster faculty member. In addition to the service component, the project results in a final paper (e.g., grant/program application, critical summary) that is negotiated between the supervising faculty, the student, and the agency director.   The Community Placement experience culminates in an extensive theoretical paper including a literature review  that synthesizes previous findings from the field with observations and experiences from the field setting. 

Empirical Research Projects and Community Placements Require Pre-Planning with a faculty member and an application to the department.

 Preparation for Empirical Research or Community Placement Options
Proposal for Empirical Research or Community Placement Options