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Much of the preparation for a career in developmental psychology occurs outside of the role of being a student in classes. Students should, in every semester, be involved in teaching and research as part of their professional training.
Students should become involved in research with a faculty member their first semester and continue to be involved in research every semester. Students may work as a paid research assistant, voluntarily "plug into" a faculty member's ongoing program of research, or develop research ideas of their own in collaboration with relevant faculty. The best way to learn how to do good research is to work with a good researcher. The general idea is to increase gradually one's responsibility and independence as one becomes more experienced. Note that, when appropriate, this research experience may come from other units, e.g., the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Shands, Neuroscience, the Speech and Hearing Clinic in the Speech department and Clinical Psychology.
To be competitive in the job market, students should have several articles accepted for publication by the beginning of their last year of graduate school. The time from initiation of a study to having it accepted for publication is typically a minimum of 1.5 to 2 years. Thus, it is critical that students become involved in research from the beginning of their graduate career.
Whether or not a student is aiming toward a career involving teaching, one essential professional skill is the ability to present ideas to a group in a clear and organized way. Typically, in the first two years students would give at least one lecture each semester in an undergraduate course (e.g., Developmental Psychology). This is particularly important for students who are not teaching assistants. Be sure to ask for feedback on teaching effectiveness, as often as possible, from faculty or other students. Involvement in teaching should continue throughout graduate school, with an increase in the number of teaching presentations over time. Students are required to serve as a course instructor (e.g., General Psychology, Developmental Psychology) at least once during their graduate careers (see Department Regulations.)
"Applied" experiences. Students wishing experiences in applied settings have opportunities in various programs at Shands, Baby Gator Nursery or other area nursery schools, counseling-related organizations, agencies with aging services, etc. See your advisor to discuss these possibilities.