The Psychology Undergraduate Advising Center at Penn State's University Park campus provides a variety of advising and related services to undergraduate majors and minors in psychology. Students at other Penn State locations considering the University Park psychology major as well as students considering attending Penn State as a psychology major from other institutions, are also welcome to contact the Advising Center.
Our advising philosophy is to provide information and assistance to students as they navigate the sometimes complex environment of a large university like Penn State, and to provide resources and guidance for students exploring the field of psychology and possible careers in psychology. Our goal is to equip students to make and take responsibility for their own decisions as they do this. Preparing for an advising meeting, whether you are coming in as a walk-in for a Quick Question Session or are scheduling an appointment, will be vital to getting your questions answered fully. Please visit our "Preparing for an Advising Meeting" page to learn the steps to take.
Parents of Psychology Students, continue to read more here.
Contact Information
Psychology Undergraduate Office
111 Moore Building
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: (814) 863-1811
Fax: (814) 865-9516
New Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30AM till Noon, 1PM till 4:30PM
Major Advising Staff
Professor, Associate Head and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Psychology
Dr. Richard Carlson (cvy@psu.edu)
Professor and Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies, Psychology
Dr. Karen Gasper (kxg20@psu.edu)
Lead Academic Advisor
Beth Brown (bbrown@la.psu.edu)
Academic Advisor - PreMajors
Maureen Mulenga (mmm323@psu.edu)
Academic Advisor
Joelle Sherlock (jps13@psu.edu)
Undergraduate Records Staff Assistant
Heather Read (hxh129@psu.edu)
Visiting the Advising Center
Experience has shown that many advising issues can be covered during Quick Question Sessions. However, some topics that require more time - for example, the first advising appointment for transfer students from other colleges or universities, review of concurrent major applications, discussing change of location, and other complex issues -- are better handled in an appointment. Please read below to help you determine when a Quick Question Session will suit your needs and when an appointment may be the better option.
It is our goal to provide accurate and complete information in response to all inquiries. Towards that end we would prefer to have face-to-face meetings with our students. Telephone and email advising do not offer the same quality of communication that good old-fashioned meetings offer. Many issues seem simple on the surface, but with a few clarifying questions from your adviser, are actually quite deep. It will take more time, but you will get more out of it. Trust us and come see us - in person.
Advising in Psychology
Please note that advising in the psychology department will be on a quick-question, walk-in-only basis through September 4. Appointments will be available beginning September 8. If you are currently a Psychology major, you should be assigned to one of the following advisers:
Beth Brown, 115A Moore Building
Maureen Mulenga, 115B Moore Building
Joelle Sherlock, 114B Moore Building
If you don't know who your adviser is, log on to eLion and click "adviser information" in the menu on the left side of the page. If you have not been assigned an adviser, you may make an appointment with any of these advisers, or phone 863-1811.
To schedule an appointment, go to the on-line advising calendar at http://www.la.psu.edu/advising-appt/ . If you haven't used the system before, you will first need to register with the site and create a log-in and password. Be sure to include your reason for the appointment when you schedule it, so the adviser can adequately prepare to meet with you.
For general advising questions feel free to e-mail psychologyadvising@la.psu.edu
Advising Hours
PLEASE BRING A CURRENT DEGREE AUDIT WITH YOU FOR QUICK QUESTION ADVISING AND APPOINTMENTS. THANK YOU.
Spring/Fall 2009 Advising Hours for Quick Question Sessions :
Day |
Time |
|---|---|
| Monday | 1:30PM - 3:30PM |
| Thursday | 1:30PM - 3:30PM |
| Friday | 8:30AM - 11:00AM |
**Hours subject to change
Advising availability changes each semester. Be sure to check back with the website to ensure you are arriving during appropriate times.
For items that will take longer than 10 minutes, we ask that you make an appointment with your assigned advisor. Starting Spring 2009, students will use the on-line appointment schedule system called Appointment Plus. To schedule an appointment please go to the Appt Plus website. Check eLion if you do not know who your advisor is.
Quick Question Advising Hours
Quick Question Advising (10 minutes): Student should look at doing no more than 2 of the items listed below as a walk-in for a quick question session. For more than 2 items, the student should schedule an appointment.
Quick Question Advising sessions are intended for quick trips to see an advisor. Things for which neither the advisor nor the advisee needs to do any significant preparation are ideal opportunities for a quick question advising session. Every effort is made to contain these sessions to 10 minutes in order to accommodate as many students as possible during these times and to alleviate the lines waiting on the bench.
- Review Degree Audits (Bring a fresh one with you)
- Review Course Schedule
- Graduation Check
- Discuss Entrance to Major Requirements
- Discuss/Sign for Minors other than Psychology
- Obtain Introductory Resources for Graduate School, GRE, Internships, or
- Study Abroad
- Discuss Single Course Substitution
- Discuss Late Drop
- Discuss Withdrawing from a Semester
- Discuss Re-enrollment
- Obtain Information on Petitioning the Faculty Senate
Appointments
Appointments (30 minutes): Students who are more than 10 minutes late will forfeit their appointment.
Scheduling an appointment gives both the advisor and the advisee a chance to prepare, and to set aside a block of time to focus on the student’s academic progress, plans and goals. If the student feels it is necessary to make a list of their concerns, these concerns are most likely complex enough to merit an appointment. Students with particularly busy semesters might prefer an appointment in order to avoid waiting their turn during walk-ins.
- Change of Major Paperwork
- Concurrent Major (Review Possibility/Sign Paperwork)
- Discuss Multiple Course Substitutions
- Transfer Students from Other Institutions
- Review Possible Courses for Study Abroad
- Discuss Change of Location
- Discuss the need for a Recommendation Letter
- Review and Sign Act 48 Form
Please schedule an appointment for discussions that will take a significant amount of an advisor's time.To do this, please go to the Appt Plus website. Every appointment is planned for 30 minutes unless otherwise scheduled by the advisor. If you must cancel an appointment, please do so 24 hours in advance so that we may open up the space to other students.
NOTE: If a parent will be accompanying you to the appointment, please notify us ahead of time as you will need to sign a permission form for us to speak with them.
Caution: The Center makes every effort to meet with students… our reality is that there are over a thousand of you and only a few of us…. So, you may have to wait up to two weeks for an appointment, especially at busy times of the semester…. So, please, plan ahead, call early, and write down your appointment date and time. Missed appointments cause problems for everyone!
Drop-offs/Drop-by
Drop-offs/Drop-by: Some things can be handled without seeing an advisor.
Many items can be addressed by the staff in the office during our regular office hours.
- PSY Minor
- Drop Off Signed Research Forms
- Drop Off Signed Independent Study Forms
- Admission to Controlled/Full PSYCH courses (Ask to see Heather or fill out a Wait List form and return to 111 Moore Building))
- Proctoring (See Elaine in Room 127 beginning January 26, 2009)
- Drop Off Research Alternatives