Undergraduate Research

The Psychology Department offers students opportunities to become involved in research. Hands-on research experience provides valuable skills in literature review, experimental design, research methods, and data analysis.  The skills obtained through research experience will help students further understand concepts relating to psychology and research and will also help prepare students for graduate study.

Faculty members are often more than willing to mentor and supervise student research projects or have students help with faculty research projects. The Psychology Department faculty here at UW-Whitewater study a wide array of research topics spanning from school and social psychology to cognitive psychology and neuroscience.

By enrolling in PSYCH 498 (Independent Study) or PSYCH 499 (Senior Thesis), students can earn credit for their research.  Students may also apply for grants to fund faculty-mentored research projects through the UW-W Undergraduate Research Program.  Students must have taken the appropriate prerequisite courses in order to enroll in Independent Study or Senior Thesis.

FORMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

• Dr. Ashley Acheson is a 1998 graduate in psychology. Before graduation, he conducted research in the Behavioral Neuroscience Lab. He is now an assistant professor of psychiatry and research imaging at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.
• Amanda Rewoldt, spring 2013 graduate, is current the Child and Adolescent Day Treatment Coordinator at Rogers Memorial Hospital.  She intends to apply to graduate programs in clinical psychology in the near future. 
• Julia Lamping, spring 2013 graduate, is currently enrolled in UW-Stout's Master of Science in Applied Psychology.  She is completing a dual concentration in both industrial/organizational psychology and evaluation research. 
• Mason Wehse graduated with a BA in Psychology and Social Work in 2014. He completed his senior thesis working in the Laboratory for Language and Emotion. The title of his senior thesis project was, "Semantic satiation and the comprehension of emotional language." Mason has been accepted to a Ph.D. program in Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience at North Dakota State University.
• Thomas Haasl graduated with a BS in Psychology in 2013. He completed his senior thesis working in the Laboratory for Language and Emotion. The title of his senior thesis was, "Effects of facial muscle fatigue on emotional language comprehension." Thomas has been accepted to the Master's program in Applied Economics at UW-Whitewater.
• Nicholas Walker graduated with a degree in Psychology in 2016.  He was awarded a Undergraduate Research Grant while doing research in the Laboratory for Language and Emotion, and was accepted to the Master's program in Applied Economics at UW-Whitewater. 
• Sephora Wawa graduated with a bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2017.  She conducted research through independent study (PSYCH 498) and was supported by the McNair Scholars Program.  Sephora was accepted for graduate work in the UW-Whitewater Master's program in Counselor Education (Clinical Mental Health Counseling emphasis).