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[an error occurred while processing this directive] Psychology Department
Carroll Building
P.O. Box 8041
Statesboro, GA 30460-8041
912-681-5539
912-681-0751 (fax)

The Psychology Beat
A publication of the Psychology Department at Georgia Southern University

Volume 1: Issue 2

Spring / Summer , 2006

Phone: 912-681-5539
Fax: 912-681-0751
E-mail: JMurray@georgiasouthern.edu

Department of Psychology
Post Office Box 8041
Statesboro, GA 30460-8041
We're on the web:
http://class.georgiasouthern.edu/psychology/

 

PSY.D. OFFICIALLY APPROVED BY BOR!!

First Class to Enroll in Fall, 2007

At its April 2006 meeting, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved Georgia Southern to offer a doctor of psychology degree (Psy.D.) in clinical Psychology. The program is designed to train students in psychotherapy and psychological assessment, with a special focus on rural practice. The program requires a five-year commitment, with the last year in a full-time internship. This is the first doctorate offered outside of the College of Education and the first to be offered from a department within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. We expect to offer admission to 4-6 students for the first year. Ultimately, the class sizes will range from 6-8 students per year. The program was first proposed about 9 years ago.

Programmatic Outcomes for Psychology Major

As part of an outcomes-oriented approach to student learning, the Psychology faculty assembled the following list of outcomes associated with our undergraduate program:

To teach scientific (critical) thinking principles and research skills

To teach content associated with the field of psychology

To encourage sensitivity to those with mental illness

To facilitate personal growth and help students meet their professional goals

To provide students an enjoyable and satisfying experience

Psychology Clinic to Open Aug 1

The Georgia Southern Psychology Clinic will open its doors to adult clients from the community on August 1. This clinic will serve as a training site for master's degree psychology students in the clinical track. The clinic will be coordinated by Ms. Taunia Locker, a masters-level therapist with extensive clinical training experience. For more information, see the department website

New Promotions

This spring, Drs. John Murray and Janie Wilson were promoted to the rank of Professor . For the 2006-07 year, the department will be made up of 6 Assistant Professors, 3 Associate Professors, and 5 Professors.

Dr. Ryan Joins Faculty

The Psychology Department is excited to welcome Dr. Rebecca Ryan to the faculty, starting Fall 2006. . Ryan is a 2006 graduate from West Virginia University, earning her Ph.D. in developmental psychology. She will be teaching Research Methods, Psychology of Aging, and Senior Seminar . More about Dr. Ryan and her research interests in our next issue.

Department Hosts Spring Banquet

The 2005-06 academic year finished off with a bang at the year-end banquet held at the beautiful W.W. Mann Center in Brooklet. Drs. Amy Hackney and Kathy Wiegand organized the event, which involved games, awards, skits, and great food. It was an awesome event. Watch for it next year!

Changes in Department's Graduate Programs

Starting Fall 2007, the department will replace the clinical track of the MS program with the Psy.D. program in Clinical Psychology. The experimental track of the MS program will still be offered, and will share some courses with the Psy. D. program.

Mia Tran Presents at Stanford U. in May

Mia Tran presented research at an undergraduate research conference at Stanford University. Her paper, Juror Decision making: The Impact of Race, Aggression Levels, and Self-Esteem on Decisions of Guilt and Punishment., was presented in the context of a Psi Chi Undergraduate Research Conference. The conference was designed to be a showcase for high-quality undergraduate research projects. Tran's research mentor was Dr. Amy Hackney.

Recent Faculty Publications

Parks, F.R. & Kennedy, J.H. (in press). The impact of race, physical attractiveness, and gender on education majors' and teachers' perceptions of students. Journal of Black Studies

Dawson, B.L. & McIntosh, W. D. (in press). Sexual strategies theory and internet personal advertisements. Cyberspace and Behavior

Wilson, J.H. (in press). Predicting student attitudes and grades from perceptions of instructors' attitudes. Teaching of Psychology.

Wiegand, K.E., & Weiss, H.M. (in press), Affective reactions to the thought of "God": Moderating effects of image of God. Journal of Happiness Studies .

Alumni News:

Megan Pinkston (98): Clinical Health Psychology PhD program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City

Kelly Burke (02): earned her Ph.D. in Human factors psychology, University of Central Florida, 2006

Jasmine Cyprian (05): Masters of Social Work program, University of Georgia

Rebecca Doak (05): serving as an officer in the US Army stationed in Iraq

Grad-School Bound!:

Kirsten Barnard: Appalachian State (NC)

Melissa Layton: Augusta State (GA)

Devon Davis: Florida State (FL)

Drew Caspar: Southern Miss (MS)

Amanda Dawes: Nova Southeastern (FL)

Calvina Colquitt: Univ Wisconsin, Madison

Nicole Withers: Salem State Colleg (MA)

Tell us where you are, what you are doing. Share your stories with other Psych. alums!!!

INVEST in Psychology!!! We need your dollars!

The Department of Psychology greatly appreciates any support you can offer. You can give to the department and specify how you would like your funds to be used, or allow to use the funds where we need them most.

There are opportunities for naming (e.g., The Psychology Clinic) or funding endowed scholarships or faculty positions. Please contact the Georgia Southern University Foundation for more information. They can be reached at:

Georgia Southern University Foundation

Post Office Box 8053

Statesboro, GA 30460-8053

Phone: (800) 416-1906

http://welcome.georgiasouthern.edu/foundation/

Again, be sure to designate your gift to the Psychology Department.

Any questions, comments can be directed to   Department Chair, John Murray, at 912-681-5539, or JMurray@georgiasouthern.edu

Your investment (of any amount) will help fund:

  • a lecture series or other special program
  • Research/Travel needs for undergraduate   and graduate students
  • Undergraduate scholarships
  • A GRE-test fund (to help defray costs of   GRE tests for students pursuing graduate study)
  • Field experiences for undergraduates
  • Undergraduate and Graduate   recruitment efforts
  • The Psychology training clinic
  • Psy D programmatic expenses (lectures, supplies, scholarships, endowments)