Undergraduate Training of Some Psychologists.

The author points out some problems, as he sees them, in undergraduate psychology training. He suggests urging some selected undergraduate students, who express an interest in psychology, to develop skills and understanding in some other area of science during their college years. In this scheme, and along the minimal lines for training in psychology states that he has included a course in general, experimental, psychological statistics, and perhaps one other such as tests and measurements. Among the major areas he has recommended are mathematics, physics, and zoology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quality benchmarks in undergraduate psychology programs.

Performance benchmarks are proposed to assist undergraduate psychology programs in defining their missions and goals as well as documenting their effectiveness. Experienced academic program reviewers compared their experiences to formulate a developmental framework of attributes of undergraduate programs focusing on activity in 8 domains: curriculum, assessment issues, student learning outcomes, program resources, student development, faculty characteristics, program climate, and administrative support. A continuum of performance was conceptualized for each attribute in each of the domains to characterize underdeveloped, developing, effective, and distinguished achievement for undergraduate programs. The authors hope to inspire a national conversation about program benchmarks in psychology in order to improve program quality, encourage more effective program reviews, and help optimally functioning programs compete more successfully for resources on the basis of their distinguished achievements. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Submasteral" psychologists.

The APA is in for another round on the topic of subdoctoral training. Many are convinced that much work in psychology can be performed without the doctorate. I should like, here, only to call attention to the possibility that some and perhaps much work of a psychological nature can be performed by persons at the bachelor's level. Such a solution of psychology's perpetual problem might have many advantages over the conventional solution of a two-year MA program. If the focus is changed from subdoctoral training to a consideration of the requirements for a technician, the perplexing question of the role of the MA can be avoided. A moderate curricular change at the undergraduate level will prepare technicians with almost the same level of skill and will save them and the universities two very expensive years in graduate school. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Developmental planning for a graduate program in psychology.

Presents a flexible framework for an orderly developmental plan for a graduate program in psychology: (1) development of psychology as a scientific discipline, (2) "responsibility for the professional preparation of graduates to perform service functions in society," (3) application of psychological knowledge and methodologies to public affairs, (4) involvement of other disciplines in the psychology of research and instruction, (5) enhancement of the impact of graduate programs on undergraduate education, and (6) division of organizational structures and procedures to "provide effective operational mechanisms for the attainment of program objectives." The graduate program in psychology at Claremont Graduate School is viewed through all 6 criteria. 2 major objectives, involving conceptualization and investigation, and professional preparation are presented and discussed in relation to the past and present program of the department. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On recruiting graduate students.

"In the fall of 1955, the Committee on Undergraduate Education conducted a questionnaire survey of American colleges regarding their undergraduate psychology programs." About ? of the country's 4 year liberal arts colleges cooperated. 73% of responding institutions offer a major in psychology. About 75% of the colleges offering majors have 1 term courses in introductory psychology, the other 25% have 2 terms 10 colleges require less than 20 semester hours work for the major in psychology, 12 require 35 semester hours or more. Data are also presented in answer to the following questions: (a) How many students enter graduate school each year? (b) What proportion of seniors and senior majors continue into graduate study? (c) Are small colleges better at producing graduate students? (d) Did the survey identify any single variable associated with rate of producing graduate students? (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Character and Fitness Requirements for Professional Psychologists: Training Directors' Perspectives.

Do directors of psychology training programs consider whether program applicants and students possess essential moral character and psychological fitness characteristics? A survey revealed that directors of clinical training (DCTs) in clinical and counseling psychology training programs are very concerned about both character and fitness. DCTs reported that evidence accrued during interviews and from undergraduate references is most salient preadmission and that behavior in the program and in clinical situations is most meaningful postadmission. The authors highlight the practices and perspectives of DCTs when it comes to evaluating character and fitness and conclude with several recommendations for training programs, licensing boards, and psychology training organizations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Undergraduate training for psychologists.

"The chairmen of the psychology departments of the 167 institutions listed in the December 1956 issue of the American Psychologist as offering graduate work in psychology were surveyed as to their opinions regarding an ideal undergraduate curriculum for prospective graduate students. One hundred and forty-nine (89%) of the questionnaires were returned… . A large majority of the chairmen (85%) agreed that the best undergraduate major would be psychology." Biological science and mathematics were listed most frequently as the best minor. Tables are presented of the preferred undergraduate nonpsychology courses for graduate training applicants and preferred undergraduate psychology courses for graduate training applicants. The preferred nonpsychology courses listed by at least 70% of all the chairmen were algebra, anthropology, physics, physiology, and sociology. Preferred psychology courses were beginning statistics and experimental psychology (indicated by 96% and 95% of the chairmen, respectively). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Why mathematical models?

Attempts to convey to undergraduate students of psychology some feeling for the processes involved in formulating and testing quantitative theories of behavior. The role of mathematics in psychology is discussed, the advantages of phrasing psychological notions in quantitative terms are outlined, and 2 simple examples of mathematical models are examined. The question of why undergraduates might want to find out something about mathematical and computer models is also considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the teaching of psychological tests and testing.

The nature of undergraduate courses involving psychological testing "deserve close study and scrutiny, with a view to self-imposed discipline and improved standards, with respect both to the teaching of psychology as part of a liberal education and to the development of psychology to a high professional level." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assistance in the development of the experimental course.

"What needs exist in our colleges and universities for introduction of or improvement in the undergraduate courses in experimental psychology? What resources in skills and materials are available for mobilization to meet these needs? These are the major questions this new committee of Divisions 2 and 3 is considering… . A number of trends indicate that there exists a need to strengthen training in experimental psychology… . The committee wishes to receive communications from two groups of psychologists: those who have needs in establishing, expanding, or modifying laboratory courses and those who have new ideas, projects, apparatus, and the like, which can be made available for more general use." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Postgraduate occupations of psychology major students.

During the last ten or fifteen years we have seen an increase in enrollment in undergraduate psychology courses that is far out of proportion to the general increase in overall university attendance. Psychology departments are overwhelmed with undergraduate students, and the numbers continue to increase each year. Since we are allocating so much of our time, energy, and resources to undergraduate teaching, it is important to determine what these students are being educated for. This note reports the results of an inquiry into the postgraduate occupations of the members of the first three graduating classes of the psychology major programme at McGill University. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Feedback Study of Psychology Graduates.

Comment on the article "Feedback from bachelor of arts psychology graduates" by W. Leslie Barnette, Jr. (see record 1962-02017-001). The reviewer states that the study conducted in this article shows some interesting parallels to a similar study conducted at Southern Illinois University at about the same time. All but one of the BA psychology graduates were sent a questionnaire regarding their retrospective evaluation of our undergraduate psychology program. With one follow-up letter, an 80% return was obtained. Of these, 55% had taken or were taking graduate work in psychology, while the remainder were mostly distributed in professional, sales and managerial, and military positions. When asked if they would major in psychology again 80% said they would. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Undergraduate grades and the Miller Analogies Test as predictors of graduate success.

Ss were "124 students who entered the graduate program at the University of Michigan during the years 1951 through 1955… . Information available on each applicant at the time of entrance included the following measures": total undergraduate grade point average (GPA), undergraduate GPA in science and mathematics, undergraduate GPA in psychology courses, MAT score, objective comprehensive examination in psychology. Measures of "success" included: GPA in graduate courses, marks on doctoral preliminary examinations, faculty ratings of potential professional contribution and potential scientific contribution. 6 tables of results are presented. The best predictor of marks in graduate courses was undergraduate GPA in science courses; it also best predicted preliminary examination grades. "The MAT significantly predicted graduate course grades and was the best predictor of potential scientific contribution of the student." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Issues in the education and training of women in Canadian psychology.

The high attrition rate of female students in graduate programmes in psychology is documented. Some of the literature (largely American) on the problems of female students is explored for possible reasons for this high rate. The problem areas identified are: admissions practices, financial support, inflexibility of graduate programmes, faculty attitudes toward graduate students, scarcity of female role models, and psychology as a "masculine" discipline. Recommendations for action by the Canadian Psychological Association are made in each of the problem areas with a special plea for the inclusion, in both graduate and undergraduate psychology programmes, of courses on the female experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Lectureship Program of Division 1.

Beginning with the academic year 1960-61, Division 1 of the APA is initiating a lectureship program designed to stimulate interest in psychology in certain selected undergraduate colleges. The plan of the lectureship is to have a distinguished psychologist visit the college for one day, delivering a formal lecture and holding informal discussions with students and faculty members. Colleges invited to participate in the program will contribute entertainment of the lecturer and will make a contribution toward his honorarium. Division 1 has been very fortunate in the quality of the lecturers who have agreed to participate in the venture. We believe that a lectureship program of this sort may prove to be of distinct service in advancing interest in psychology in colleges which do not have a graduate program in the subject. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Breadth and Depth in Teaching History.

This article discusses the place and role of the history of psychology in the undergraduate curriculum. The author believes that a rigorous standardization, at least at this stage, would be undesirable. Instead, an introductory sequence of courses is suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Drop in Undergraduate Degrees.

Examines reasons for the drop in undergraduate training in psychology between 1950 and 1954. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Community psychology training in Canada in the new millennium.

Ten years ago, Walsh-Bowers (1998) described in Canadian Psychology the marginalized status of community psychology in Canada. The purpose of this research was to investigate the current status of community psychology training in Canadian universities. The online calendars for undergraduate and graduate programs in departments of psychology in Canadian universities were reviewed for course offerings in community psychology. Subsequently, an e-mail survey of program directors was conducted to confirm and extend the findings of the online search. Results were compared with those of similar previous surveys conducted in 1980–1981 (Nelson & Tefft, 1982) and 1992–1994 (Walsh-Bowers, 1998). Findings show a small amount of growth in community psychology training at the undergraduate level since the last survey in 1992–1994, with more courses available in more Canadian psychology departments. There are also marginally more graduate courses in community psychology offered now than 15 years ago, but these are located in fewer psychology departments. Findings are discussed in the context of contemporary professional psychology and future directions for growing community psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Practicums in consulting psychology: Working with doctoral clinical programs.

Practical training in consulting psychology is sorely lacking in most doctoral programs. This article explores the role that practicums can play in the training and development of the consultant. A program case study in clinical and consulting psychology serves as the focus. Several examples of psychological consultation involving trainees are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)