Research Assistantships
Students interested in gaining research experience beyond their laboratory class can register for Psy 405 or 406 (Research Problems I & II), Psy 420 or 421 (Readings and Research in Psychology I & II), or Psy 422 (Research Experience) with instructor approval.
Explanation of Psy 405, 406, 420, and 421: These courses are utilized by many psychology professors to provide credit to students for unique research experiences working with psychology professors within the department. These courses are 1 – 3-credit hour courses and you can take each course a maximum of two times for credit. Psy 405 and 406 are not graded (Z grade) and Psy 420 and 421 are, thus only Psy 420 and 421 will impact your GPA. All courses count as elective courses within the psychology major but you can only use 6 credit hours towards your major requirements (any credits over that would go towards your overall credits towards graduation). You cannot enroll in these courses without instructor approval (in other words you cannot add them to your schedule on myOleMiss), so you will need to follow the advice below for how to obtain a research experience. Scheduling your time for these courses in on an individual basis; it depends on the faculty members’ research schedules and the nature of the project(s).
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
When should I try to get a research experience? Many professors fill their lab positions for the following semester or year as early as possible (within the first half of the semester before or during the spring semester for the following year), so look into this as soon as possible.
How do I obtain a research experience? If you are interested in taking one of these classes, first use the information about the labs/professors currently offering Psy 405, 406, 420, or 421 experiences to students (see link to labs below). Second, once you have read through the potential experiences and know which experience you are most interested in gaining, make sure you meet the expectations that professor has for research assistants (e.g., most have a minimum expected GPA). Third, if you meet their expectations, contact the professor via e-mail or during their office hours to express your interest and see how you can apply for a position. Fourth, apply to the position as soon as you are given the information for how to do so. This can be similar to applying for an internship, so be professional. Fifth, if you are offered a position, make sure you can honor the commitments expected of you before you formally accept the position. Finally, you cannot add these classes to your schedule on myOleMiss, so you will need to complete an “Add class” form and have the professor sign it so that you can be added to their section of Psy 405, 406, 420, or 421.
