In its recent report outlining principles for teaching undergraduate students in psychology, the American Psychological Association Board of Educational Affairs recommended including experiential learning in the curriculum and identified study abroad opportunities as being particularly valuable. Unfortunately, although American universities offer…

We conducted a national survey of psychology department chairs, and, based on their responses, we concluded that psychology programs differ in the number of students enrolled in various types of classes; the degree of focus on each of the goals recommended by the "American Psychological Association (APA) Guidelines for an Undergraduate…

To determine characteristics of and opinions about undergraduate student research in psychology at small liberal arts colleges, 337 schools were surveyed via questionnaires. The return rate was 81 percent. Eighty-four percent of the respondents support such activity. A student research program is not related to number of students per faculty. (RM)

Examines a class project for the study of development across the life span that requires students to interview individuals from different phases of the life cycle and write a paper discussing their subjects' lives in terms of major developmental psychology concepts. Describes student preparation and project evaluation, discussing some potential…

To provide undergraduate and graduate psychology students with exposure to a wide range of parenting perspectives, eight videocassette programs were produced focusing on the child rearing strategies of parents. Described are project background, rationale, activities, materials development, and program implementation and evaluation. (RM)

A serious problem for large psychology departments is providing adequate advising for its majors. Described are unsuccessful attempts to establish effective advising at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in the past and the current system, which is regarded as the first successful advising system in the past 15 years. (RM)

In response to the need to offer undergraduates research experience, the National Science Foundation created the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program. The number of psychology sites has fluctuated in the Division of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences between 8 and 12 over the last several years. To increase the number of sites in…

This six-week program involving minority honor students juxtaposed didactic and experiential research components in psychology to provide a breadth of exposure to researchers and topics while achieving in-depth training in research methodology. Interns initially participated in faculty-sponsored research but later developed and implemented their…

A project that combined a research practicum for 17 psychology undergraduates with the implementation and evaluation of an assertiveness training program for physically disabled college students is described. A follow-up of students' postbaccalaureate activities revealed that the majority were using skills that they had learned in the project.…