Department of Psychology

Chairperson of Department: Jocelyn O. Turner-Musa, Ph.D.

Associate Chairperson: Amber B. Hodges, Ph.D.

Endowed Chair in Psychometrics & Predictive Analytics: Michael T. Nettles, Ph.D.

Professors: Micahel T. Nettles, Ph.D., Jocelyn O. Turner-Musa, Ph.D.

Associate Professors: Terra Bowen-Reid, Ph.D., R. Trent Haines, Ph.D., Amber B. Hodges, Ph.D., Kimberly Warren, Ph.D., Anita M. Wells, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors: Justin W. Bonny, Ph.D., Damon U. Bryant, Ph.D., Kori L. Krueger, Ph.D., Ingrid K. Tulloch, Ph.D., Karen Watkins-Lewis, Ph.D.

Lecturers: Stacey R. Stanley, Ph.D.

THE MAJOR IN PSYCHOLOGY MISSION:

The Department of Psychology is committed to educating the next generation of scholars in the psychological and behavioral sciences. Our mission is to serve a diverse student body and to help ensure that the benefits of higher education are enjoyed by a broad segment of the population. The Department of Psychology provides a solid foundation and exceptional educational experience that emphasizes psychology as a scientific endeavor that seeks to understand behavior and mental processes in humans and animals and use the knowledge to make a difference in improving the human condition. We are dedicated to creating and fostering a diverse educational environment with a scientific and culturally sensitive approach to understanding human behavior and mental processes. The Department meets students’ academic needs by 1) providing a comprehensive and challenging curriculum that increases students’ knowledge and understanding of the field of psychology and of psychology as a science, through a curriculum that is evidence-based and empirical in approach; 2) offering hands- on opportunities, research and academic internships, service learning, and community service activities, to apply theoretical background obtained from courses in practical experiences; and 3) providing academic and career development opportunities that facilitate successful acceptance to and matriculation in graduate school or gainful employment into the workforce. Faculty, who have diverse backgrounds in social, clinical/community, counseling, neuroscience, cognitive, health, experimental, developmental, educational, industrial/organizational, and personality psychology, endeavor to strengthen their individual teaching expertise through developing innovative and leading-edge curriculum and foster their individual research enterprises through publications, research collaborations, intra- and extramural funds, and professional activities.

GOALS:

(1) Emphasize psychology as the scientific study of behavior and mental processes and expose students to the practical applications of this knowledge.

(2) Provide a solid intellectual and academic foundation and skill set for advanced and professional study or entry into the workforce.

(3) Enhance undergraduate and graduate experiences in psychology through internship and research programs designed to make relevant course materials.

(4) Serve a variety of curricular offerings that support the requirements emphasized as part of the liberal arts education within the University as well as satisfy the objectives of other programs.

**LEARNING OUTCOMES*:**

(1) Content Knowledge and Applications: Students demonstrate comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, historical trends, and empirical or evidence-based findings to discuss how psychological principles apply to behavior and mental processes.

(2) Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking: Psychology is a STEM discipline that uses the same research practices found in other scientific fields (Dovidio et al., 2010). The skills in this domain involve the development of scientific reasoning and investigation, including developing proficiencies in research methods and statistics.

(3) Values in Psychological Science: The curriculum promotes the development of ethical and socially responsible values and behaviors in personal, professional, organizational, and institutional settings.

(4) Communication, Psychological Literacy, and Technology Skills: Students will develop the skills to build and maintain effective communication skills in processing and expressing information.

(5) Personal and Professional Development: Students will develop the abilities that sharpen readiness for the workplace whether their future involves graduate school or a job following their baccalaureate degree.

* American Psychological Association (2023, August). APA Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major.

Retrieved December 5, 2023, from https://www.apa.org/about/policy/undergraduate-psychology-major.pdf

The Department offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree in Psychology, Master of Science (M.S.) in Psychometrics, and Doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in Psychometrics.

Programs

Bachelor of Science

Psychology, B.S.

Minor

Psychology Minor