Undergraduate Resources

The Department of Psychology has limited funds for assisting students to attend undergraduate and professional psychology conferences. There are two cycles for applications during the year.

• October 1 (for travel November 1 to April 1)
• February 1 (for travel April 2 – October 31)

Psychology students may receive up to $400 toward their conference expenses.

Only student presenters or others on the conference program are eligible for funds.

After conference attendance, the student must submit receipts for transportation, food, room, or registration (up to the amount awarded) so that reimbursement can be made.

Applications are available in the wall files next to the Psychology Office, or see the psychology professor supervising your research.

Psychology students may become members or affiliates of a number of professional organizations in psychology. Listed below are web sites for some of these organizations that may be of interest to psychology undergraduates, as well as qualifications, benefits and dues for students.

American Counseling Association (ACA)

Reduced fees are offered for conference registration and journals at numerous membership levels.

American Psychological Association (APA)

APA is the largest membership organization for psychologists. Its members come from all fields of psychology, but the interests of practicing clinicians are very strongly represented. APA’s activities cover science, education, practice, and the public interest. The organization publishes many academic journals and books and holds a large annual meeting each August.

To qualify as a student affiliate of APA, you must be taking a course in psychology. Student affiliates receive a subscription to the Monitor on Psychology (the official newspaper of the APA) and the American Psychologist (the organization’s professional journal), can subscribe to APA publications at membership rates, and are given a reduction in annual convention registration fees. Dues are greatly reduced for graduate and undergraduate students. All graduate student affiliates are enrolled in APAGS, the organization for Graduate Students and receive the APAGS newsletter. Undergraduates may receive it as well for an additional small fee annually.

Association for Psychological Science (APS)

APS is smaller than APA, and its emphasis is the “promotion, protection and advancement of the interests of scientifically oriented psychology in research, application, and improvement of human welfare.” Members are more likely to be researchers and academics and less likely to be clinicians in private practice. There is an APS conference each summer.

The APS Student Caucus (APSSC) is the membership organization for student affiliates, and dues are reduced.

American Psychology Law Society (AP-LS)

Student members are accepted for reduced rate.

Comparative Cognition Society

Undergraduate students interested in animal work or human/animal cognition are welcome to join the society for a reduced rate.

Southeastern Psychological Association

Undergraduate students in psychology and related fields may become Student Affiliate Members by sending an application addressed to the Administrative Officer of SPA, including proof of their current student status and enclosing dues for the current year. Student Affiliate Members may participate in meetings and serve on ad hoc committees, but they may not vote or hold office. They receive a reduced registration fee for the annual conference.

Society for Personality and Social Psychology

Membership in SPSP is open to students as well as professionals; anyone interested in personality and social psychology is welcome to join. The benefits of SPSP membership include publications, annual conference events, public interest activities, and support for student education and research.

The cost of membership is reduced if you are an undergraduate, graduate student, or retired. SPSP members receive subscriptions to the following three publications:

• Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
• Personality and Social Psychology Review
• Dialogue (the Society’s semiannual newsletter)