SENIOR CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE INFORMATION
The department is pleased to announce the Senior Capstone Experience course offerings for the 2013 academic year (Summer, Fall, and Spring). Please read the choices carefully and respond promptly. The Department of Psychology faculty are committed to making sure each student receives the tools and skills necessary to compete for jobs and graduate school positions.
Capstone Experience Requirement
The Capstone Experience requires ONE 3 credit course from the four courses below:
- Field Experience (401), or
- Research Topics (432), (Fall only)
- Seminar (430) or
- Classic and Contemporary Readings in Psychology (435) (Summer only)
The number of seats available is limited. If necessary, the number of credit hours earned (i.e., closest to graduation) will be used to select those students most in need of the Capstone Experience. Other factors to be considered include:
- GPA, and
- A statement of interest for the Capstone Experience.
What you need to do:
1. Submit the completed application to the Psychology Main Office in WH 102. The summer applications (doc) or (PDF) are due by Friday, Feb. 3. The fall applications (doc) or (PDF) are due by Friday, March 26. The spring applications (doc) or (PDF) are due by Friday, October 26. Remember to rank order your preference for the different capstone classes.
2. You will be notified if upon your admittance to a Capstone option. Once an override has been entered, you can register for the class. An override does not register you for the class. You still register after the override has been processed by the office manager. If you are selected for fieldwork course, there will have a meeting to answer questions and provide information about placement opportunities.
What you need to know:
1. You may not get your first choice, but we will try to honor as many first choices as possible.
2. It is possible that some students will not be allowed into the Capstone Experience for their requested semester (particularly if there is no clear evidence that you are close to graduation.) The exact number allowed to enroll will be dictated by available resources.
3. Preference for Capstone Experience choices will be given in the following order: 1) number of credits earned in the major (i.e., those closest to graduation); 2) overall G.P.A.; 3) statement of interest.
Senior Capstones Summer 2012
PSY 401: Field Experience
You will complete a 90-hour supervised internship in a community setting that is relevant to psychology. It is your responsibility to arrange for an internship site, which must be approved by Dr. Melcher prior to the beginning of the course. Possible sites (PDF) might include group homes, nursing homes, children’s programs, the VA hospital, the prison, women’s shelters, schools, the Whitney Senior Center, and human resources offices. Following the application deadline, and the selection of students for the course, there will be an orientation meeting about the field experience class. Enrollment is limited to 12 students. Applications are due Friday, Feb. 3.
PSY 435: Classic and Contemporary Readings in Psychology
You will have the option to take our Capstone Experience Readings course taught by Dr. Joe Melcher. Students will read and discuss classic and contemporary psychological articles and or books. Enrollment is limited to 15 students. Applications are due Friday, February 3, 2012.
Senior Capstones Fall 2012
PSY 401: Field Experience
You will complete a 90-hour supervised internship in a community setting that is relevant to psychology. It is your responsibility to arrange for an internship site, which must be approved by Dr. Rockenstein prior to the beginning of the course. Possible sites (PDF) might include group homes, nursing homes, children’s programs, the VA hospital, the prison, women’s shelters, schools, the Whitney Senior Center, and human resources offices. Following the application deadline, and the selection of students for the course, there will be an orientation meeting about the field experience class. Enrollment is limited to 24 students. Applications are due Friday, March 26, 2012.
PSY 430: Seminar on Canine Cognition
Dogs have served humankind in myriad ways throughout time and in every part of the world. The relationship between humans and dogs is estimated to be at least 15,000 years old. Dogs herd flocks, assist people with both physical and mental illnesses and disabilities, apprehend criminals, guard facilities, perform search and rescue missions, and serve as family companions. The relatively new field of canine cognition is being studied in the psychology laboratories of prominent universities around the world. In this course, we will examine canine cognition as an aspect of comparative psychology. We will consider the roles played by such factors as genetics, instinct, intelligence, early neurological stimulation, socialization, personality type, and training in the development of the unique partnership between dogs and humans. Enrollment is limited to 15 students. Applications are due Friday, March 26, 2012.
PSY 432: Research in Individual Differences
Students will design an empirical study, collect and analyze data, and summarize the findings of the project in a research report (paper) under the supervision of Dr. Illies. Enrollment is limited to 6 students. Applications are due Friday, March 26, 2012.
Senior Capstones Spring 2013
PSY 401: Field Experience
You will complete a 90-hour supervised internship in a community setting that is relevant to psychology. It is your responsibility to arrange for an internship site, which must be approved by Dr. Rockenstein prior to the beginning of the course. Possible sites (PDF) might include group homes, nursing homes, children’s programs, the VA hospital, the prison, women’s shelters, schools, the Whitney Senior Center, and human resources offices. Following the application deadline, and the selection of students for the course, there will be an orientation meeting about the field experience class. Enrollment is limited to 24 students. Applications are due Friday, October 26, 2012.
PSY 430: Seminar on Attention
Students will learn about the theoretical perspectives and practical applications of attention research. The class will have small group discussion. Enrollment is limited to 15 students. Applications are due Friday, October 26, 2012.
General Capstone Questions
Joe Melcher, Ph.D., jmmelcher@stcloudstate.edu
Whitney House 102, (320) 308-2188
See the Department’s website at http://www.stcloudstate.edu/psychology for latest information. Applications are available online or in Whitney House 102.
