2009-2010 University Catalog

Psychology

■ Psychology

Phone: 703-993-1342
Web: gmu.edu/departments/psychology

Faculty

Professors: Ascoli, Boehm-Davis (chair), Cortina (associate chair for graduate studies), Denham (director, Applied Developmental Program), Klimoski, Maddux, Mandes, Naglieri, Parasuraman (director, Human Factors/Applied Cognition Program), Pasnak, Riskind, Rojahn (director, School Psychology Program, director, Center for Cognitive Development), R. Smith (director, Biopsychology Program), Tangney, Tetrick (director, Industrial/Organizational Program), Winsler, Zaccaro

Research professors: Butler, Olds

Associate professors: Bitler, Blackwell, Buffardi, Flinn, Greenwood, Kello, Kozhevnikov, Peterson, Sanford (associate chair for undergraduate studies), Short (director, Clinical Program)

Research associate professors: Bachus, Warren

Assistant professors: Baldwin, Cattaneo, Dalal, Kashdan, Kaplan, King, McKnight, Mohr, Monk, Perez-Edgar, Rowe, Thompson

Term associate professors: Chrosniak, Wanschura

Research assistant professors: Bassett, Fu, McDonald, Stuewig, Tran

Term assistant professors: Battaglia, Hurley, Meier

Affiliates: Eby, Hunt

Adjuncts: Anderson, Benedi, Curtin, Dechman, Hawley, Hirsch, Levitas, Mayfield, Perez, Pomeroy, Schumann, Shiraev, Stanhope, Steve, Werber

Course Work

The Psychology Department offers all course work designated PSYC in the Courses chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

The department offers a bachelor of arts degree and a bachelor of science degree in psychology. All psychology majors complete a broad range of courses from social and abnormal psychology to cognitive and biospychology. Students can also choose from special topics courses such as forensic psychology and romantic relationships.

Students in psychology may have the opportunity to do research with a faculty member or do a service learning course, which allows them to put into practice what they’ve learned in the classroom.

Students interested in graduate study should be aware that undergraduate research experience and letters of recommendation are major factors for admission to graduate study. Such students should distribute courses across a number of areas in psychology and work closely with one or more professors on individual projects during their junior and senior years.

Honors in the Major

Highly qualified students may apply to graduate with honors in the major. To be eligible for admission, psychology majors must have completed at least 50 credits and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 and a minimum GPA of 3.40 in psychology courses.

If accepted, students must take a sequence of three courses (PSYC 490, 491, and 492), which cumulates in the successful completion and presentation of an independent honors thesis. To graduate with honors, students must earn at least 3.50 in the three honors courses and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 and a minimum GPA of 3.40 in psychology courses.

Minor

The department offers a minor in psychology available to students in any major.

Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program

The department offers highly qualified undergraduate majors the opportunity to apply to an accelerated master’s degree program in psychology with a concentration in biopsychology. If accepted, students will be able to earn both an undergraduate and a graduate degree in psychology, the master’s with a concentration in biopsychology, after satisfactory completion of 146 credits, sometimes within five years.

Graduate Programs

The graduate programs in psychology are distinguished by an emphasis on basic research and the application of research to solving practical problems in families, schools, industry, government, and health care settings.

The department offers master’s and doctoral degrees with concentrations in applied developmental psychology, biopsychology, human factors/applied cognition, and industrial/organizational psychology. They offer a doctoral degree with a concentration in clinical psychology. Finally, they offer a master’s degree with a concentration in school psychology as well as a certificate of advanced graduate studies in school psychology.

Funding

The department offers teaching and research assistantships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Other sources of funding such as grants, loans, and employment on campus are also available. Students awarded assistantships must register for a minimum of six credits a semester and show satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Certificates

The department offers graduate certificates in aviation psychology, usability, and cognitive neuroscience. These have been designed to meet the needs of students who desire to upgrade their skills and earn a certificate as evidence of their skill attainment. Students may take these as stand-alone certificates or pursue them concurrently with a graduate degree program. Part of the certificate course work may be able to be applied to the degree. Students must apply and be accepted to a graduate certificate program.

The certificate programs are open to all students who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and meet the admissions requirements for the master’s degree in psychology with a concentration in human factors and applied cognition.

Nondegree Status

Applicants who have not been admitted to a graduate degree program or a certificate program may apply for nondegree status. Nondegree students must meet the same admission requirements as degree-seeking students. Nondegree status is not intended as a way to qualify for admission as a degree-seeking student.

While it may be possible to transfer the credits earned in nondegree status to a degree program, such transfers are not automatic. They require the approval of the graduate director and the dean. If approved, a maximum of 12 credits earned in nondegree status may be applied to a degree program. Nondegree students who intend to transfer their credits to a degree program should discuss this with the appropriate program director.