Psychology

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Department Head: Scott Bates
Location: Emma Eccles Jones Education 487E
Phone: (435) 797-2975
Department Mailing Address:

Department of Psychology,
Utah State University, 2810 Old Main Hill,
Logan UT 84322-2810

FAX: (435) 797-1448
E-mail: psychology@usu.edu
WWW: psychology.usu.edu

Program Coordinators:

Behavioral Analysis PhD:
Gregory Madden, Education 498, (435) 881-8477, greg.madden@usu.edu

Brain and Cognition PhD:
Kerry Jordan, Education 473, (435) 797-2797, kerry.jordan@usu.edu 

Combined Clinical/Counseling PhD:
Mike Levin, CCE 493, (541) 531-3892, mike.levin@usu.edu, Director of Clinical Training
Renee Galliher, EDUC 430, (435) 797-3391, renee.galliher@usu.edu, Associate Director of Clinical Training

Neuroscience PhD:
Ron Gillam, (435) 770-1704, ron.gillam@usu.edu

Quantitative Psychology PhD:
Christian Geiser, Education 479, (435) 243-7095, christian.geiser@usu.edu

School Psychology EdS:
Tyler Renshaw, Education 480, (801) 906-3550, tyler.renshaw@usu.edu

School Psychology PhD:
Tyler Renshaw, Education 480, (801) 906-3550, tyler.renshaw@usu.edu

School Counseling M.Ed.:
Camille J. Odell, Education 482, (435) 797-5576, camille.odell@usu.edu

Sociobehavioral Epidemiology PhD:
Jamison Fargo, Education 453, (435) 797-8558, jamison.fargo@usu.edu

Undergraduate Program Faculty Coordinator:
Christian Geiser, Education 479, (435) 243-7095, christian.geiser@usu.edu

Undergraduate Advisors:
Becca Boman, Education 475, (435) 797-1456, becca.boman@usu.edu
Tressa M. Haderlie, Education 477, (435) 797-0097, tressa.haderlie@usu.edu

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Arts (BA), in Psychology; Master of Education (MED), Educational Specialist (EdS), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Neuroscience, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology

Graduate specializations: M.Ed.—School Counseling; EdS— School Psychology; PhD—Behavior Analysis, Brain and Cognition, Combined Clinical/Counseling Psychology, Quantitative Psychology, School Psychology, Sociobehavioral Epidemiology

Full details of the learning objectives, assessment plan, student outcomes, and evidence of continuous improvement for these programs of study can be found at psychology.usu.edu/assessment/.

Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate Psychology Program Learning Objectives

The psychology undergraduate training objectives are based on the 2013 Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major: version 2.0. The full report can be found at http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/about/psymajor-guidelines.aspx.

Learning Objectives

1. Knowledge Base in Psychology

Students should demonstrate fundamental knowledge of major concepts, theoretical perspectives, historical trends, and empirical findings.

Performance Indicators:

• Scores on Undergraduate Major Field Test
• Course Grades

2. Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking

Students should learn basic skills and concepts in interpreting behavior, studying research, and applying research design principles.

Performance Indicators:

• Exam Scores for Psychology 5330: Principles of Psychological Measurement and Test Theory
• Scores from Psychology 3500: Research Methods in Psychology

3. Ethical and Social Responsibility in a Diverse World

Students should become familiar with professional ethics and begin to embrace the values that will contribute to positive outcomes in response to multicultural and global concerns.

Performance Indicators:

• Psychology 4230: Psychology of Gender Attitude Pre/Post Test added Spring 2016
• Psychology 4240: Multicultural Psychology Attitude Pre/Post Tests

4. Communication

Students should demonstrate competence in writing and in oral and interpersonal communication skills.

Performance Indicators:

• Psychology 4950: Undergraduate Apprenticeship proposal papers, vita, and final papers
• Psychology 3500: Scientific Thinking and Methods in Psychology research proposals, lit review, and paper

5. Professional Development

Students should develop abilities that sharpen student readiness for postbaccalaureate employment, graduate school, or professional school.

Performance Indicators:

• Psychology 4950: Undergraduate Apprenticeship research and applied experiences
• Undergraduate participation in publications and presentations
• Independent coursework and experiences

To view a complete description of these goals and outcomes

Assessment Plan in the Psychology Undergraduate Program at Utah State University

Methods:

1. Field Supervisor’s Assessment of students’ acquisition skills or integration of knowledge/skills in practicum and internship settings
2. Examination in psychology to assess cumulative knowledge (senior year) - the E.T.S. Major Test is currently used
3. Demonstration of data analysis and/or research design skills via actual analyses
4. Post-graduation (follow-up) data regarding employment status, program satisfaction, and recommendations for program improvement
5. Assessment of written communication skills through one or more of the following: written reports, essays, literature reviews, comprehensive research reports, and proposals

Requirements

Requirements for Psychology may be found at psychology.usu.edu.

Pre-psychology Admission Requirements

Students are admitted to the Department of Psychology as Prepsychology majors by meeting the Utah State University admissions requirements. To be a Psychology major, a student must meet the following prerequisites:

1. Completion of at least 40 semester credits with an institution GPA of 3.0 or higher
2. Completion of at least 18 credits of the University Studies requirement with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
3. Completion of PSY 1010 , PSY 1100 , PSY 1400 , PSY 1410 , PSY 3010 , and PSY 2010  with a GPA of 3.0 or higher

A student who wishes to be officially recognized as a psychology major must notify advisor of requirement completion. This contingency applies to all students, including those in the on-campus programs and in any of the USU Statewide and Online programs.

Students who wish to fulfill the major requirements via any of the USU Statewide sites or online must contact the Psychology Department Advising Office on the Logan campus to be informed of the contingencies regarding timely progression through the program. Students need to carefully review their program of study with the Psychology Department Advising Office. 

Suggested Sample Four-year Plan for Psychology Major

A suggested semester-by-semester four-year plan for students working toward a bachelor’s degree in Psychology can be found in the department.

Students should consult with their advisor to develop a plan of study tailored to their individual needs and interests.

Important Contingencies for Psychology Courses

Prerequisites for Psychology courses are strictly enforced. The prerequisites are indicated, at the end of course descriptions, within the Psychology course listings .

Students desiring to receive credit for psychology courses taken at other institutions must request review of those courses for approval by the Psychology Undergraduate Advising Office.

Students who can complete a baccalaureate degree within seven years of enrollment at USU can qualify for graduation by meeting (1) the General Education/University Studies requirements in effect when they initially enrolled and (2) the major requirements in effect when they officially declared their major, even though there may have been changes in General Education/University Studies and major requirements since that time. Students who have not completed the baccalaureate requirements within seven years of their initial enrollment at USU must have their General Education/University Studies and major requirements evaluated and approved by their department head and dean. However, exceptions to this seven year policy may be necessary for mandated changes in degree requirements.

Undergraduate psychology coursework (USU or transfer) that is more than ten years old may not be used toward meeting the specific psychology coursework requirements for a psychology major or psychology minor. Contact Becca Boman at becca.boman@usu.edu or Tressa Haderlie at tressa.haderlie@usu.edu with questions.

Graduate Programs

Graduate Admission Requirements

Admissions requirements vary somewhat across Psychology graduate programs. Therefore, applicants should review program web pages for more details. However, applications submitted to the School of Graduate Studies must include the following:

1. Transcripts from all previous universities attended
2. Report of (GRE) test scores from ETS
3. Three letters of recommendation
4. A statement of professional goals and intent
5. A curriculum vitae/resume

The deadline for submitting applications for the PhD programs is December 1^st. The application deadline for the EdS School Psychology program is December 1^st. Applications for the MED program in School Counseling must be submitted by May 1^st.

Students are admitted to the MED program in School Counseling, following completion of a bachelor’s degree. Prospective EdS students in School Psychology and prospective PhD students can possess either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree.

Prerequisites for Admission to Graduate Programs

Applicants to the Master of Education (MED), Educational Specialist (EdS), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs are advised that they should possess a broad base of knowledge at the undergraduate level in a substantive subgroup of the following: general psychology, human development, learning theory, cognition, personality theory research, psychometrics, elementary statistics, history and systems, physiological, sensation and perception, and social psychology.

Research Opportunities for Students

Departmental faculty are heavily involved in basic and/or applied research. A sampling of the diverse research interests of tenured and tenure-track faculty available to students includes:

• Barrett, T. - social/educational data science, R programming, applied statistics
• Bates, S. - adolescent problem behavior prevention, community-level prevention, higher education teaching and learning
• Bench, S. - emotion, predictions of the future, prosocial behavior, self-other asymmetries
• Blais, R. - PTSD and Veterans
• Brown, K. - applied behavior analysis, severe behavior, treatment adherence and integrity
• Buhusi, C. - behavioral and computational neuroscience
• Buhusi, M. - neuroscience, animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders
• Callan, G. - self-regulated learning assessment and intervention, motivation, metacognition, academic and mental health interventions in school settings. 
• Crowley, S. - anxiety, depression, supervision and training
• Cruz, R. - child clinical psychology, Latino mental health
• DeBerard, S. - health psychology, behavioral medicine, spinal surgery outcome and technique efficacy
• Domenech Rodríguez, M. - Latino family dynamics, parent training programs
• Earl, H. - clinical neuropsychology, child and family psychotherapy
• Fargo, J. - homeless prevention, social policy
• Galliher, R. - social and dating relationship processes and dynamics in adolescence and rural mental health service delivery
• Geiser, C. - structural equation modeling, multitrait-multimethod analysis, longitudinal modeling, spatial abilities/mental rotation
• Hill, W. - child and adolescent psychiatric disorders, psychotropic medication management
• Johnson, C. - health psychology
• Jordan, K. - cognitive development, multi-sensory perception
• Levefor, T. - religiousness/spirituality, sexual and gender minority health
• Levin, M. - acceptance and commitment therapy, web-based interventions
• Madden, G. - experimental analysis of behavior
• McClain Verdoes, M. - neurodevelopmental disabilities, school-based assessment and intervention, evidence-based practices with culturally and linguistically diverse students in schools
• Odum, A. - experimental analysis of behavior, behavior pharmacology
• Peacock, G. - ADHD, behavioral disorders of children
• Renshaw, T. - mindfulness, school mental health, school psychology
• Schwartz, S. - statistics, quantitative methods, multilevel analysis
• Serang, S. - longitudinal modeling, structural equation modeling, data mining/machine learning, cognitive development/aging
• Shahan, T.  - experimental analysis of behavior, drug self-administration, behavior momentum, conditioned reinforcement, behavior economics
• Tehee, M. - Native American mental health, law and policy
• Tschanz, J. - neuropsychology of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias
• Twohig, M. - behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, anxiety
• Warren, C. - neuromodulation (norepinephrine and dopamine), attention, learning, and decision making. 
• White, K. - educational research, hearing loss detection in infancy, and program evaluation

Graduate Student Financial Assistance

Financial support for students enrolled in the MED program is limited. These students should meet with their academic advisor for information about possible assistantship opportunities.

PhD and EDS students receive assistantship for support. Graduate students with assistantships are eligible for tuition remissions and/or awards. Furthermore, the department has some scholarship support specifically available to psychology graduate students.

FACULTY - Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services  
 

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