Prospective Students | Applied Research Consultants | SIU

Current SIU juniors and seniors majoring in Psychology can apply to be in the Applied Psychology Accelerated Master's Program, which will position them as ARC associates. To enroll in the program, there are a few requirements to apply:

• Obtain a grade of B or higher in both PSYC 211 Research Methods & Statistics and PSYC 311 Advanced Research Methods & Statistics.
• Take 9 credits of 400-level PSYC courses.
• Have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Have an interest in learning how to be a consultant in such areas as statistical methodology, research design, data analysis, program evaluation, survey design, and similar areas.

(For more information about the Accelerated Master's Program, click on the link under our list of Related Links). 

Students in the Accelerated Master's Program are not required to lead an ARC project during their time in ARC, but can choose to do so after gaining enough experience.

It is recommended that students apply for the Accelerated Master's Program during their junior year in order to receive the most experience out of ARC during their time at SIU. If students apply for the Accelerated Master's Program during their senior year, they will undergo the same training, but will experience less semesters as an ARC Associate. If students apply for the Accelerated Master's Program during their junior year, they can expect the following timeline in ARC:

• Fall of Senior Year:
  • Become an intern for ARC. As an intern, you will begin to learn more about ARC and the projects we do, help out on our consulting projects as desired, and begin to learn consulting-based skills from older students.
• Spring (Last Semester) of Senior Year (1-2 ARC Credits):
  • Continue interning in ARC. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects as desired and continue learning skills from older students. 
• Summer before beginning the Accelerated Master's Program (3 ARC Credits): 
  • Become an Associate in ARC. As an Associate, you will continue helping out on our consulting projects and continue learning skills from older students. As you are still new to ARC, you will likely not be positioned to lead a project yet. 
• Fall of 5th Year (1st semester in the Accelerated Master's Program) (3 ARC Credits): 
  • Continue as an ARC Associate. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects and continue learning skills from older students. You may have enough experience to lead a project at this point and may be put in a project leadership position.
• Spring of 5th Year (final semester of the Accelerated Master's Program) (3 ARC Credits): 
  • Continue as an ARC Associate. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects and continue learning skills from older students. If you are already leading a project that began the previous semester, you will continue leading the project to completion. If you are not already leading a project, you may be given a leadership position if the project is expected to end before the semester is over.

Prospective Applied Psychology graduate students currently enrolled in a Bachelor's degree program should apply to be in the Applied Psychology Program during their senior year of their Bachelor's degree program. The requirements to apply to the program can be found on this page https://cola.siu.edu/psychology/graduate/admissions/.

All students in the Applied Psychology Program will be required to lead an ARC project during their time in ARC.

For students who come in with a Bachelor's degree, they can expect the following timeline in ARC:

• Spring of 1st Year:
  • Become a Shadow in ARC. As a Shadow, you will help out on our consulting projects as desired and begin learning consulting-based skills from older students. As you are new to ARC, you will not be put in a position to lead a project yet. 
• Summer of 1st Year (1-3 ARC Credits):
  • Become an Associate in ARC. As an Associate, you will continue helping out on our consulting projects and continue learning skills from older students. As you are still new to ARC, you will likely not be positioned to lead a project yet.
• Fall of 2nd Year (3 ARC Credits): 
  • Continue as an ARC Associate. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects and continue learning skills from older students. At this point, you will have enough experience to lead a project, and you may be put in a leadership position.
• Spring of 2nd Year (3 ARC Credits): 
  • Continue as an ARC Associate. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects and continue learning skills from older students. You may be put in a leadership position on a project.
• Summer of 2nd Year (1-3 ARC Credits):
  • Continue as an ARC Associate. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects and continue learning skills from older students. At this point, you will likely be put in a leadership position on a project. If you have already led a project, you may be put in a co-lead position to help a less-experienced ARC Associate lead a project.
• Fall of 3rd Year (3 ARC Credits):
  • Continue as an ARC Associate. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects and building your skillset. If you have not led a project yet, you will be put in a leadership position on a project. If you have already led a project, you may be put in a co-lead position to help a less-experienced ARC Associate lead a project.
• Spring of 3rd Year (3 ARC Credits):
  • Continue as an ARC Associate. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects and building your skillset. If you have not led a project yet, you will be put in a leadership position on a project. If you have already led a project, you may be put in a co-lead position to help a less-experienced ARC Associate lead a project. This is your final required semester of ARC, unless a project you are leading/co-leading continues beyond this point.
• Optional: Senior Advisor Status:
  • After completing the required semesters of ARC outlined above and finishing up any ongoing projects you are leading/co-leading, you can elect to remain in ARC as a Senior Advisor. Senior Advisors have amassed advanced skillsets and help out on a variety of projects as necessary and can lead or co-lead projects as necessary. If they desire, students can remain as Senior Advisors for the rest of their time in the Applied Psychology Program.

Prospective Applied Psychology graduate students currently enrolled in a Master's degree program should apply to be in the Applied Psychology Program during their final year of their Master's degree program. The requirements to apply to the program can be found on this page https://cola.siu.edu/psychology/graduate/admissions/.

All students in the Applied Psychology Program will be required to lead an ARC project during their time in ARC.

For students who come in with Master's degree, they can expect the following timeline in ARC:

• Fall of 1st Year:
  • Become a Shadow in ARC. As a Shadow, you will help out on our consulting projects as desired and begin learning consulting-based skills from older students. As you are new to ARC, you will not be put in a position to lead a project yet.
• Spring of 1st Year (3 ARC Credits):
  • Become an Associate in ARC. As an Associate, you will continue helping out on our consulting projects and continue learning skills from older students. As you are still new to ARC, you will likely not be positioned to lead a project yet.
• Summer of 1st Year (1-3 ARC Credits): 
  • Continue as an ARC Associate. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects and continue learning skills from older students. At this point, you will have enough experience to lead a project, and you may be put in a leadership position.
• Fall of 2nd Year (3 ARC Credits): 
  • Continue as an ARC Associate. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects and continue learning skills from older students. You may be put in a leadership position on a project.
• Spring of 2nd Year (3 ARC Credits):
  • Continue as an ARC Associate. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects and continue learning skills from older students. At this point, you will likely be put in a leadership position on a project. If you have already led a project, you may be put in a co-lead position to help a less-experienced ARC Associate lead a project.
• Summer of 2nd Year (1-3 ARC Credits):
  • Continue as an ARC Associate. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects and building your skillset. If you have not led a project yet, you will be put in a leadership position on a project. If you have already led a project, you may be put in a co-lead position to help a less-experienced ARC Associate lead a project.
• Fall of 3rd Year (3 ARC Credits):
  • Continue as an ARC Associate. You will continue helping out on our consulting projects and building your skillset. If you have not led a project yet, you will be put in a leadership position on a project. If you have already led a project, you may be put in a co-lead position to help a less-experienced ARC Associate lead a project. This is your final required semester of ARC, unless a project you are leading/co-leading continues beyond this point.
• Optional: Senior Advisor Status:
  • After completing the required semesters of ARC outlined above and finishing up any ongoing projects you are leading/co-leading, you can elect to remain in ARC as a Senior Advisor. Senior Advisors have amassed advanced skillsets and help out on a variety of projects as necessary and can lead or co-lead projects as necessary. If they desire, students can remain as Senior Advisors for the rest of their time in the Applied Psychology Program.