Psychological Science (PSYC)

Jim Lampinen
Department Chair
216 Memorial Hall
479-575-5805

Ellen Leen-Feldner
Associate Chair
216 Memorial Hall
479-575-4256

Email for Clinical Psychology program: ctcgrad@uark.edu
Email for Experimental Psychology program: etcgrad@uark.edu

Degrees Conferred:
M.A., Ph.D. (PSYC) (Note: The department does not offer a terminal master's degree.)

Areas of Study: The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is offered in the fields of experimental psychology and clinical psychology. The program is designed to produce experimental and clinical psychologists with broad knowledge of the field. Specialization for research is required during the student’s last two years of study.

Program Description: The Experimental Training Program is designed to provide the basic skills and an approach to scientific investigation that will allow the graduate to engage in research in any of several broad areas. In addition to this broad training, the program provides specialty training the subareas of social, cognitive, and developmental psychology, as well as in neuroscience. The faculty and students typically have their primary research programs within one of these subareas, although collaboration is common across these areas. Students in the Experimental Training Program are trained to have excellent statistical and writing skills, to become competent and autonomous researchers, and to contribute to the field of psychology through presentations at professional conferences and publications in scholarly journals. Opportunities for extensive supervised teaching experience are also available to our students. Graduates of the Experimental Training Program typically obtain teaching and academic positions after graduation, while others take jobs in the private sector.

The Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology follows the scientist/practitioner model of training. Although some of our graduates obtain applied, direct service provision positions, our training curriculum is such that those students whose career aspirations have been directed toward academic and research positions also have been successful. The Clinical Training Program is based on the premise that clinical psychologists should be skilled practitioners and mental health service providers as well as competent researchers. To facilitate these goals, we strive to maximize the match between the clinical and research interests of the faculty with those of the graduate students. The academic courses and clinical experiences are designed to promote the development in both areas. The objective of the Clinical Training Program is to graduate clinical psychologists capable of applying psychological theory, research methodology, and clinical skills to complex clinical problems and diverse populations. The program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association.

Primary Areas of Faculty Research: The faculty in the Department of Psychological Science engage in research ranging from memory to child psychology to emotion and more. Find out more about individual faculty member's interests at the Psychological Science faculty page.

M.A. in Psychology

Prerequisites to Degree Program: The candidate for admission to graduate study in psychology must satisfy the requirements of the Graduate School and have the approval of the Admission Committee of the appropriate training program. Scores on the Graduate Record Examination General Tests must be submitted with the application. The student normally will be expected to have had at least 18 semester hours in psychology, including statistics and research methods, or their equivalents.

The program of study is designed primarily for the student who seeks the Ph.D. degree. Students interested in pursuing a terminal master’s degree should not apply for admission. However, all Ph.D. candidates must complete requirements for the M.A. degree.

Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree:

Clinical– minimum 30 hours. A student who seeks only the Master of Arts degree will be advised on selection of courses that will meet specific objectives. The student must complete 24 semester hours of course work and submit a research thesis. The thesis should be finished no later than the end of the second year of study.

Experimental – minimum 30 hours. A student who seeks only the Master of Arts degree must complete 24 hours of courses, including the following required courses:

PSYC 52203	Perception	3
PSYC 50103	Advanced Developmental Psychology	3
PSYC 50603	Advanced Social Psychology	3
PSYC 51103	Theories of Learning	3
PSYC 51203	Cognitive Psychology	3
PSYC 51403	Advanced Descriptive Statistics for Psychology	3
PSYC 5230V	Research Practicum	2
PSYC 61303	Advanced Behavioral Neuroscience	3

In addition, the student must submit a research thesis.

Students should also be aware of Graduate School requirements with regard to master's degrees.

Ph.D. in Psychology

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree:

Students in the experimental psychology program must fulfill all the requirements for the Master of Arts degree and take four 6000-level experimental psychology seminars.
Clinical students who do not have a course in History and Systems prior to enrolling in the program will need to present evidence of having completed a course on this topic either at the University of Arkansas or another institution with a grade of B or above prior to degree completion. In addition, the clinical students must take the following required courses:

PSYC 50103	Advanced Developmental Psychology	3
PSYC 50303	Psychopathology Theory & Assessment	3
PSYC 50403	Assessment of Intellectual and Cognitive Abilities	3
PSYC 50603	Advanced Social Psychology	3
PSYC 53103	Introduction to Clinical Science: Research Design and Ethical Guidelines	3
PSYC 50703	Introduction to Clinical Practice: Core Skills and Ethical Guidelines	3
PSYC 51103	Theories of Learning	3
PSYC 51303	Inferential Statistics for Psychology	3
PSYC 51403	Advanced Descriptive Statistics for Psychology	3
PSYC 51603	Personality: Theory & Assessment	3
PSYC 61303	Advanced Behavioral Neuroscience	3
PSYC 61603	Psychotherapy	3
PSYC 62103	Psychotherapy Outcomes	3

3. The clinical student must take a clinical practicum (PSYC 6070V) each semester on campus and three electives as described in the Departmental Handbook. The student must complete a one-year pre-doctoral internship at an approved facility. It may precede or follow completion of the dissertation at the discretion of the advisory committee, but it must be completed prior to formal granting of the degree.

4. All students must pass a written candidacy examination at a time recommended by the student’s advisory committee.

5. All students must complete a dissertation demonstrating independent scholarship and originality in research and its oral defense.

The candidacy examination focuses upon methods characteristic of the field and upon specific content areas that are appropriate for each student. This examination may not be given until the M.A. thesis has been accepted, and it must be completed before dissertation research is begun. The final oral examination deals primarily with the dissertation research.

Students should also be aware of Graduate School requirements with regard to doctoral degrees.

Graduate Faculty

Behrend, Douglas A., Ph.D. (University of Minnesota), B.A. (Kalamazoo College), Professor, 1989, 2009.
Beike, Denise R., Ph.D., B.A. (Indiana University), Professor, 1995, 2010.
Bridges, Ana Julia, Ph.D. (University of Rhode Island), M.S. (Illinois State University), B.S. (University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign), Professor, 2007, 2019.
Brown, Mitchell J., Ph.D. (University of Southern Mississippi), M.A. (University of Dayton), B.A. (Lake Erie College), Instructor, 2022.
Cavell, Timothy A., Ph.D. (Louisiana State University), M.S. (Texas A&M University), B.A. (Louisiana State University), Professor, 2002.
Chapman, Kate M., Ph.D., M.S. (Penn State University), B.A. (New Florida College), Teaching Assistant Professor, 2016.
Ditzfeld, Christopher, M.S. (University of Oklahoma), Instructor, 2011.
Eidelman, Scott H., Ph.D. (University of Kansas), B.A. (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Associate Professor, 2008, 2013.
Feldner, Matthew T., Ph.D. (University of Vermont), M.A. (West Virginia University), B.S. (University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point), Professor, 2005, 2015.
Ham-Holm, Lindsay S., Ph.D., M.A., B.A. (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), Associate Professor, 2007, 2012.
Judah, Matt, Ph.D., M.S. (Oklahoma State University), B.A. (Ozark Christian College), Assistant Professor, 2020.
Lamm, Connie, Ph.D., M.A. (University of Toronto, Canada), B.A. (University of Waterloo), Assistant Professor, 2016.
Lampinen, James Michael, Ph.D., M.S. (Northwestern University), B.S. (Elmhurst College), Distinguished Professor, 1998, 2016.
Leen-Feldner, Ellen Winifred, Ph.D. (University of Vermont), M.A. (West Virginia University), B.A. (University of Notre Dame), Professor, 2005, 2017.
Leong, Josiah, Ph.D. (Stanford University), B.A. (University of California, Berkeley), Assistant Professor, 2020.
Levine, William H., Ph.D., M.S. (State University of New York at Binghamton), B.S. (DePaul University), Associate Professor, 2001, 2007.
Makhanova, Anatasia, Ph.D. (Florida State University), B.A. (Hendrix College), Assistant Professor, 2019.
Quetsch, Lauren, Ph.D., M.S. (West Virginia University), B.A. (Georgetown University), Assistant Professor, 2019.
Shields, Grant, Ph.D., M.A. (University of California, Davis), B.A. (Simpson College), Assistant Professor, 2020.
Vargas, Ivan, Ph.D. (University of Michigan), B.S. (Notre Dame University), Assistant Professor, 2019.
Veilleux, Jennifer Celene, Ph.D., M.A. (University of Illinois at Chicago), B.A. (Macalaster College), Associate Professor, 2011, 2017.
Zabelina, Darya, Ph.D. (Northwestern University), Assistant Professor, 2017.
Zamboanga, Byron L., Ph.D., M.A. (University of Nebraska), B.A. (University of California, Berkeley), Professor, 2020.
Zies, Brenda June, Ph.D., M.A. (University of Arkansas), B.S. (East Texas State University), Teaching Assistant Professor, 2005.

Courses

PSYC 50103. Advanced Developmental Psychology. 3 Hours.

Critical examination of the research relevant to the psychological factors influencing the growth processes of the individual from birth to maturity. (Typically offered: Spring)

PSYC 50303. Psychopathology Theory & Assessment. 3 Hours.

Psychological and somatic factors contributing to pathological behavior. Interrelations of these factors will be analyzed in terms of how they lead to differential abnormal states. Includes guidelines for using structured interviews in the diagnosis and clinical assessment of major psychological disorders. Prerequisite: PSYC 30203 and enrollment in the Graduate Program in Psychology, or instructor consent. (Typically offered: Fall)

PSYC 50403. Assessment of Intellectual and Cognitive Abilities. 3 Hours.

Training in the theory, administration and interpretation of individual tests of intelligence and mental ability. Prerequisite: PSYC 40503 and enrollment in the Psychology Graduate Program. (Typically offered: Fall)

PSYC 50603. Advanced Social Psychology. 3 Hours.

Theory, methodology, and contemporary research in the major areas of social psychology. Topics include attitude theory and measurement, group processes, social and cultural factors. (Typically offered: Spring)

PSYC 50703. Introduction to Clinical Practice: Core Skills and Ethical Guidelines. 3 Hours.

An introduction to clinical practice focusing on a) interview methods and techniques and b) ethical principles and guidelines. Includes an introduction to clinic policies and procedures. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the Psychology graduate program. (Typically offered: Spring)

PSYC 50800. Orientation Practicum. 0 Hours.

Orients new clinicians to the clinical psychology doctoral program and to practice in the Psychological Clinic. Includes training on clinic procedures, observation of senior therapists, training on hours tracking, and program policies. Pre- or corequisite: Doctoral students only. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer) May be repeated for up to 0 hours of degree credit.

PSYC 51103. Theories of Learning. 3 Hours.

Major concepts in each of the important theories of learning. (Typically offered: Fall)

PSYC 51203. Cognitive Psychology. 3 Hours.

Contemporary theories and research on human information processing including topics such as memory, language, thinking, and problem solving. (Typically offered: Spring Even Years)

PSYC 51303. Inferential Statistics for Psychology. 3 Hours.

Inferential statistics, including representative parametric tests of significance. Special emphasis on analysis of variance, covariance, and component variance estimators as applied to psychological research. Prerequisite: PSYC 20103. (Typically offered: Fall)

PSYC 51403. Advanced Descriptive Statistics for Psychology. 3 Hours.

Special correlation techniques followed by a survey of representative nonparametric tests of significance. Major emphasis on advanced analysis of variance theory and designs. Prerequisite: PSYC 51303. (Typically offered: Spring)

PSYC 51603. Personality: Theory & Assessment. 3 Hours.

An introduction to empirically based theories of personality and personality disorders with an emphasis on standardized instruments in the assessment of normative and pathological personality. Includes training in the interpretation, integration, and reporting of results. Pre- or Corequisite: PSYC 50403. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the Psychology graduate program or instructor consent. (Typically offered: Spring)

PSYC 51703. Structural Equation Modeling. 3 Hours.

Introduction to concepts and methods of structural equation modeling. Major emphasis on advanced techniques to model latent variables using large sample survey data. Prerequisite: PSYC 51303 and PSYC 51403. Corequisite: Lab component. (Typically offered: Spring Even Years)

PSYC 52203. Perception. 3 Hours.

Theories and representative research in the areas of sensation and perception. Graduate degree credit will not be given for both PSYC 41203 and PSYC 52203. Prerequisite: Six hours of psychology, not including PSYC 20103. (Typically offered: Irregular)

PSYC 5230V. Research Practicum. 1-3 Hour.

Presentation, evaluation, and discussion of on-going research proposals. Required of all experimental graduate students in the first 2 years of their program. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

PSYC 53103. Introduction to Clinical Science: Research Design and Ethical Guidelines. 3 Hours.

Provides a) guidelines for designing and conducting empirical research in clinical psychology, b) ethical principles that regulate clinical research, and c) supervised opportunities to develop a clinical research proposal. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the Psychology graduate program. (Typically offered: Fall)

PSYC 6000V. Master's Thesis. 1-6 Hour.

Master's Thesis. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer) May be repeated for degree credit.

PSYC 6020V. Seminar: Teaching Psychology. 1-3 Hour.

Survey of the literature on teaching of psychology in college. Includes: planning the course, method, examining and advising students. Prerequisite: Teaching assistant. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

PSYC 6070V. Clinical Practicum III. 1-3 Hour.

Provides supervised experience in the application of the more complex and lesser known psychodiagnostic techniques and training and experience in psychotherapeutic techniques with the more severe functional disorders, with special topics in these domains emphasized across sections. Prerequisite: PSYC 50703; Enrollment in the Psychology graduate program. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer) May be repeated for degree credit.

PSYC 6090V. Clinical Graduate Seminar. 1-3 Hour.

Provides intensive coverage of specialized clinical topics. Open to all graduate students. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring) May be repeated for up to 9 hours of degree credit.

PSYC 6110V. Individual Research. 1-18 Hour.

Individual research. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer) May be repeated for up to 18 hours of degree credit.

PSYC 61303. Advanced Behavioral Neuroscience. 3 Hours.

Examination of the biological basis of behavior, with emphasis on underlying neural mechanisms. (Typically offered: Fall)

PSYC 61603. Psychotherapy. 3 Hours.

A conceptual overview of psychotherapy, with emphasis on a) common mechanisms, and b) cognitive, affective, and interpersonal approaches. Prerequisite: PSYC 50303. (Typically offered: Fall)

PSYC 62103. Psychotherapy Outcomes. 3 Hours.

Provides a critical evaluation of theory and research on empirically supported programs and interventions for major psychological disorders. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the Psychology graduate program. (Typically offered: Spring)

PSYC 63203. Seminar in Developmental Psychology. 3 Hours.

Discussion of selected topics in the area of human development. Emphasis will be on a review of current theory and empirical research. Topics selected for discussion could range from early development (child psychology), to later development (psychology of adulthood and aging-gerontology), to current attempts to integrate the field (life-span developmental psychology). (Typically offered: Fall Odd Years)

PSYC 63403. Seminar in Quantitative Methods. 3 Hours.

Discussion of selected mathematical approaches to theorizing and research in psychology. Emphasis will be on generalization of a given approach across several content areas of psychology. Hence, while each area must be treated in reasonable depth, current thinking and research spanning more than one content area will be stressed. (Typically offered: Irregular)

PSYC 63503. Seminar in Learning/Memory/Cognition. 3 Hours.

Discussion of selected topics in learning, memory, or cognition. Emphasis on current theory and empirical research. Topics selected for discussion may be in the areas of learning, memory, problem solving, or language. (Typically offered: Spring Odd Years)

PSYC 63703. Seminar in Personality and Social Psychology. 3 Hours.

Discussion of selected topics in social psychology and personality. Current theoretical positions and recent research findings are emphasized. Topics selected for discussion will be in areas of intrapersonal processes, interpersonal processes, group processes or any of various areas of personality. (Typically offered: Fall)

PSYC 64103. Seminar in Physiological Psychology. 3 Hours.

Discussion of selected topics in physiological psychology. Emphasis will be on a review of current theory and empirical research. Each offering of the seminar will examine the biological basis of a specific aspect of behavior, utilizing both animal and human data. (Typically offered: Spring Odd Years)

PSYC 6980V. Field Work. 1-3 Hour.

Provides academic credit for field work in multidisciplinary setting, involving supervised experiences in assessment and psychotherapy. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer) May be repeated for degree credit.

PSYC 6990V. Clinical Psychology Internship. 1-3 Hour.

Supervised experience in a multidisciplinary setting of assessment and psychotherapy. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer) May be repeated for degree credit.

PSYC 7000V. Doctoral Dissertation. 1-18 Hour.

Doctoral Dissertation. Prerequisite: Candidacy. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer) May be repeated for degree credit.