Selections from the career counseling literature indicated that the undergraduate psychology curriculum is a potential source of generic liberal arts skills--for example, numeracy, literacy, critical thinking--said to be useful to baccalaureates entering the workforce. A "meritocracy hypothesis" stated that psychology and other liberal…

Early study of the curriculum focused on the ideal array of experiences that should comprise the psychology major. We developed a standardized coding scheme to identify common curricula and course titles across institutions and current implementation of the curriculum. We compared psychology major programs in 2005 to programs described a decade…

Few online psychology graduate programs are accredited and thus may not provide students with the same career opportunities as programs from traditional universities. We investigated whether psychology majors are more likely than other majors to consider applying to online graduate programs and whether students considering these programs have…

The authors surveyed graduate programs to see how they use the Graduate Record Examination Analytic Writing (GRE-AW) Test. Only 35% of the graduate programs that responded use the GRE-AW test in their admission policy; of the programs not using it, most do not plan to do so. The programs using the GRE-AW rated it as medium or low in importance in…

I surveyed 2 samples of Canadian undergraduates (N = 629) concerning their views of a "perfect instructor." Students identified as many descriptors as they wished; I categorized them into 26 sets of qualities and behaviors. The top 10 categories included: (a) knowledgeable; (b) interesting and creative lectures; (c) approachable; (d)…

Summarizes responses to a questionnaire identifying ways that students could improve their graduate school applications. Includes a table which shows the characteristics preferred by clinical counseling and school psychology programs. Concludes with suggestions for enhancing applications and summarizes expected changes in programs, numbers of…

Discusses a study undertaken to assess student evaluations of a behavior analyst program at Bowling Green State University. Analysis of survey data from students who had completed the program since 1973 indicates that students are generally very supportive of the program and that many of them continue to participate in the mental health field. (DB)

We surveyed departments nationally to better understand the extent of scientific opportunities and experiences for undergraduate psychology students. Results showed intradepartmental variability, but overall students can expect 7 courses that offer research experiences in the typical psychology curriculum. Nonetheless, research is often not the…

Computer-administered exams offer many advantages, but instructors may be reluctant to use them due to concerns that computer anxiety may increase student test anxiety. Introductory psychology students (N = 265) completed surveys prior to their first exam about their anxiety related to the upcoming exam, computers in general, and taking exams on…

Numerous studies have found a host of factors that are likely to result in more successful applications to graduate schools. This study was a retrospective examination of the variables that distinguish graduate students who believed they were better prepared for graduate school. We examined several of these factors, including variables associated…

Reports responses to an alumni survey designed to evaluate an undergraduate psychology program. Focuses on gender differences, evaluation of curriculum and faculty, and benefits of graduate study. Concludes that educational programs could increase occupational versatility of baccalaureates and that faculty advising of female students should be…