The J. Douglas Shand Program supports faculty-student research in psychology at Gettysburg College. The purpose of this program is to provide a summer opportunity for promising students to work collaboratively with members of the Psychology Department faculty. In this program, students propose a research project to be conducted together with a psychology faculty member. Psychology faculty members evaluate the proposals and select a few for funding.
How to Apply:
- A call for proposals is sent to all psychology majors early each spring semester.
- Interested students must consult with and receive endorsement from the faculty member with whom they propose to work
- Applicants should submit an approximately two-page written proposal describing the intended scope and purpose of the proposed research.
- Proposals should include:
- beginning and ending dates of the project
- a brief research plan, including the purpose of the research and an overview of proposed methods
- estimated expenses for carrying out the project
- estimated number of hours to complete the project
- a method of project evaluation/assessment
- the contribution of the project to the student's development
- Proposals should be submitted to the chair of the psychology department via email, by the deadline specified in the call for proposals (usually late March / early April). In addition, the sponsoring faculty member should submit a brief email stating that they have consulted with the student and support the proposal.
Additional Important Information:
- Some students prefer to apply for funding for a project that will take most of their time for the entire summer (usually estimated as ten weeks); others may apply for a shorter project or a project that involves a few hours per week. Similarly, some students will propose original research, but others may propose to receive research training by participating in a faculty member's research. These arrangements are all acceptable.
- Project selection depends on the proposal quality, availability of the faculty mentor, and available funds. In most summers, two to three projects are funded. Preference is given to proposals from students who have taken Psych 205 and Psych 305.
- In addition to carrying out the proposed research, students participating in the program may be asked to work in the Psychology Department as needed during the summer months to assist other faculty. This work will be paid and is most likely to be asked of students who plan to spend a large amount of time in the department over the summer.
Summer Housing:
- Students in the program may be eligible for college housing over the summer at student rates, but they are responsible for finding out if housing is available and for making all housing arrangements.