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Undergraduate Apprenticeships

About Apprenticeship

The Psychology Apprenticeship Program immerses students in the professional world of psychological research and practice. Through a two-course sequence, this program aims to:

  • Provide hands-on experience in applying scientific methods to behavioral research in faculty-led laboratories and applied settings.
  • Develop students’ skills in presenting and disseminating psychological findings and applications.
  • Engage students in faculty-mentored experiences that span both research and applied psychology initiatives.

As integral members of active research laboratories or professional practices, Psychology Apprentices contribute to the production of professional-quality research, services, and writing. The program fosters the development of critical thinking, scientific inquiry, and essential professional skills.

Apprentices are expected to:

  1. Function as full team members, treating colleagues with professionalism and respect.
  2. Responsibly complete assigned tasks and assist others in their work.
  3. Think critically about their own work and that of their peers.
  4. Attend all research and small group meetings as scheduled.
  5. Communicate clearly and professionally within their teams.
  6. Actively participate in all aspects of their assigned sites, including involvement in all designated tasks.

This comprehensive approach prepares students for successful careers in psychology and related fields by providing real-world experience in research methodologies, practical applications, and professional conduct within the discipline.

Check out recent apprenticeship projects here.

 

From the Undergraduate Bulletin

4301 PSYCHOLOGY APPRENTICESHIP I Participants apply the scientific method to behavioral research questions in a faculty-led research laboratory and practice the fundamentals of presenting psychological science. Apprenticeship in Psychology category requirement. Prerequisite: PSYC 2331. [UD BTĚěĚĂCore: Z]

4302 PSYCHOLOGY APPRENTICESHIP II Participants apply the scientific methods and/or data-based skills of psychology to behavioral research questions and applied psychology programs and initiatives in a faculty-mentored experience. All participants gain experience with the skills involved in disseminating psychological research and application. Apprenticeship in Psychology category requirement. Prerequisite: PSYC 4301. Course may be completed up to 3 times for credit (9 credits total).

Faculty Available for Apprenticeship for Spring 2027

NOTE: Some labs allow students to pre-register to work in their lab the following semester.  Any lab with the note “Available for pre-registration” invites students to contact the faculty mentor before advance registration to discuss their lab, priorities, activities, and expectations. If interested in one of these labs, please contact the faculty mentor by email to begin the pre-registration discussions.

Preregistration for Spring 2027 apprenticeships closes on Monday, October 26.

  • Students participating in PSYC 4301 & 4302 will present their work on Saturday, April 17, at the .
  • Please verify your availability for this date before registering for a Spring 2027 apprenticeship.
  • Students enrolled in an in-person lab must attend in person. Students enrolled in an online lab may attend in person or virtually.
This spring, Dr. Charlton’s lab will explore topics related to the future of undergraduate psychology in the United States. The work will focus on enhancing the psychology curriculum to better serve students pursuing graduate school and direct workforce entry. The lab will also examine ways to integrate technology, including AI, into psychology education while developing flexible learning paths for non-traditional students. The main objective is to better understand how the psychology curriculum can prepare students to tackle individual, social, and global challenges. Students in Dr. Charlton’s apprenticeship will help author the Psychology in the Headlines column for the Eye on Psi Chi Magazine.
Dr. Lee’s research focuses on developmental psychology, emerging adulthood, psychology education, student learning, and the role of technology and AI in teaching and learning. This spring, students in Dr. Lee’s apprenticeship will engage in a structured literature mapping project designed to help them understand how psychologists build research questions, evaluate empirical evidence, and identify gaps in the literature. In Apprenticeship I, students will select a focused topic, review 15-25 empirical articles, create a literature matrix, and complete a mini scoping review paper, poster, and brief oral presentation. In Apprenticeship II, students will extend this work into a more polished scholarly product, such as a manuscript-style literature review, conference proposal, revised poster for a research symposium, or introduction for a future empirical project. Through a draft, feedback, peer review, and revision process, students will learn how to move from summarizing research to developing a clear, evidence-based scholarly argument.
Dr. Nam’s Lab explores how culture and context shape psychological processes, with a focus on cultural differences, social behavior, and developmental pathways. Our work spans topics such as the influence of socioeconomic status on decision-making, cross-cultural perspectives on emerging adulthood, and the role of education in promoting equity and engagement. We also investigate innovative approaches to teaching and learning, including active learning strategies and the integration of artificial intelligence in education. By combining social psychology, cultural research, and educational studies, our lab seeks to advance understanding of how individuals grow, adapt, and thrive within diverse social and cultural environments.
Dr. Anna Park (Spring 2027: Sabbatical)
Dr. Park will be on Sabbatical in spring 2027. 
As principal investigator of the Intergroup, Diversity, and Equity Attitudes (IDEA) Lab, I am an experimental social psychologist who specializes in diversity attitudes and intergroup relations. My research area examines attitudes toward diversity, strategies to improve outgroup attitudes, and ways to reduce prejudice and discrimination. My work also considers social and group identity, and factors which influence peoples’ thoughts and experiences regarding those identities. My work has traditionally examined theories which influence intergroup attitudes, attitudes toward diversity, and group and social identity. Students’ apprenticeship research projects in the IDEA Lab will involve factors such as these and others known to influence diversity attitudes, intergroup attitudes and group and social identity. Students will be required to complete both weekly online, asynchronous and weekly, online, synchronous components for this course. Students should complete this apprenticeship who are interested in diversity attitudes, intergroup relations, and group and social identity.
More information about my research and the IDEA Lab is available on my website: 
Dr. Reed’s apprenticeship course uses service-learning and community partnerships to provide students with hands-on research experiences that impact the university and local community. Students work with local agencies to provide research assistance, data collection, data analysis, and/or project evaluation. Current projects are in partnership with the Pediatrics Plus in Conway and the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences’ (UAMS) Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative (AGEC). Students may also conduct research projects that focus on goal pursuit and self-regulation, which are Dr. Reed’s areas of research expertise.
Dr. Deanna Rumble (Available for pre-registration; Spring 2027: 11:00 – 11:50 MWF)
Welcome to the WeLP Lab, where Dr. Rumble studies pain and physical discomfort, including individual differences in pain sensitivity and tolerance and how pain relates to cognition, behavior, and motor performance. This spring, students will work on projects involving menstrual pain simulation, conditioned discomfort and pressure pain using an algometer, and likely cold pressor pain paired with external stimuli. Research in the WeLP Lab is hands-on and sometimes a little unusual, so expect to work with research equipment, help run participants, collect data, and troubleshoot protocols. Because these studies depend on scheduled participant testing and team-based data collection, this apprenticeship is best suited for students who can consistently attend and reliably participate. Previous coursework in the Biological Foundations cluster, particularly Physiological Psychology or Sensation & Perception, is recommended but not required. Cognitive Psychology is also helpful for many of Dr. Rumble’s projects. If you are curious about why people experience pain so differently and want hands-on research experience, the WeLP Lab is a great place to explore those questions.
Dr. Marc Sestir (Available for preregistration; Spring 2027: 12:00 – 12:50 MWF)
Hi, in my lab we conduct research on media effects, with a focus on the associations and interpretations media consumers make. Specific topics include things like the influence of social media stimuli, reactions to AI-generated content, transportation into narratives, and the relationship between media consumption and sleep. Hope to see you there!
Dr. Ken Sobel (Available for preregistration; 9:25 – 10:40 T/R)
In Ken Sobel’s lab, we will take basic stimuli like words, numbers, shapes, and images, and mess around with them. These stimuli have perceptual aspects like the way they look and sound, and semantic aspects like what they mean. For example, a numeral like “4” consists of a set of lines, and can be written in a tiny or gigantic font, but it also refers to a set of things containing four items. We will look at how the perceptual and semantic aspects of a stimulus interact with each other in attention and memory.

As an apprentice with Dr. Wages, you will become an active member of the Research in Social Cognition (RISC) Lab, where we explore how people think about, relate to, and make decisions about others. Our teams work on empirical research projects in social cognition, intergroup relations, and decision-making—examining both fundamental psychological processes and real-world applications. This is a great opportunity to gain valuable research experience and meaningfully contribute to psychological science. More information about the RISC Lab is available here: .

College of Health and Behavioral Sciences Internship and Clinical Placement Policy

  • One or more clinical or internship components are required of most degree programs in CHBS. The majority of clinical and internship components are mandated by licensure boards and accrediting organizations.
  • Clinical and internship facilities have a variety of requirements that must be met by students, including vaccinations.
  • Vaccination status of students is not considered when making clinical or internship assignments. (BTĚěĚĂdoes not require a student to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or to produce any documentation regarding vaccination for COVID-19.)
  • Exemptions to vaccination requirements must be requested by the student through the clinical or internship facility.
  • Failure to comply with the requirements of the clinical or internship assignment may result in an indefinite delay of degree completion.