Dear Visitor:

Once again the ETSU Department of Psychology is enjoying the excitement of many new successes, faces, and initiatives. In the last year, we have welcomed two new faculty member, and have a developed plans for a revolutionary new emphasis in undergraduate psychology.

The new Ph.D. concentration in Translational Experimental Psychology has welcomed its second class of six new doctoral students, with research interests ranging from testing models of neural functioning to testing models of executive functioning in babies. Although the idea of "translational science" is not widely known in the general public, it is a hot topic in the health sciences. In health science fields like psychology, translational science reflects how basic research informs the development of a treatment or intervention, while practical challenges of the treatment or intervention inform the basic research. To our knowledge, our concentration in translation psychology is the first such program in the US.

Meanwhile, the Clinical Ph.D. concentration continues to grow and mature. It's hard to imagine that we have now welcomed a 6th cohort of students into our unique brand of rural, primary care psychology. But just as important, and owing much to the very hard work of our Director of Clinical Training, Dr. Peggy Cantrell, is that we have submitted our self-study to the Commission on Accreditation (CoA) of the American Psychological Association. Stay tuned for the results of that review process.

It may not be surprising that one consequence of our considerable focus on graduate education over the last several years, has been that we have been less focused on developing the undergraduate major. But this disposition will change over the coming semesters as we begin a new phase in undergraduate psychology training. Comparable to the cutting edge foci of both of its big sister doctoral programs, the undergraduate program will embrace a new international movement in promoting student awareness called "psychological literacy." The goal of this new undergraduate emphasis is multifaceted. But if properly implemented, it will ensure that when psychology majors complete their baccalaureate training at ETSU, they will "value the intellectual challenges required to use scientific thinking and the disciplined analysis of information to evaluate alternative, and ultimately, the most reasoned courses of action in all aspects of their lives" (from Undergraduate Education in Psychology: A Blueprint for the Future of the Discipline). We will be sure to update you regarding our progress in implementing this exciting new initiative. But it will be challenging now that our undergraduate majors are approaching the 600 mark.

Lastly, we welcome two new faculty members to the department: Drs. Jill Stinson and Matthew Palmatier. Jill, a clinical forensic psychologist, comes to us from Fulton State Hospital, Fulton, MO, where she serves as the Coordinator of Sex Offender treatment; and Matt, a behavioral neuroscientist, comes to us from the faculty at Kansas State University. Both have already started teaching their courses 2012-2013 and getting their research labs up and running..

Sincerely,




Wallace E. Dixon, Jr.
Chair and Professor

“Find something you love to do, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” -Harvey MacKay

Department Mission Statement

The ETSU department of psychology advances the scientific understanding of human behavior and mental processes; first by conducting and applying original and substantive scientific inquiry, and second by apprenticing students, through both hands-on experience and classroom didactics, in the process of conducting and applying original and substantive scientific inquiry. The Department provides sufficient didactic experiences to enable students to make continuous and adequate progress toward completion of the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree, in psychology and in other disciplines more generally.  Individual faculty strive to contribute to the collective good of the department, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the university; and to advance the good works of the community and profession at large.

Experimental Mission Statement

The primary mission of the PhD concentration in Experimental Psychology at East Tennessee State University is to provide students with broad and general training in translational research in the psychological sciences, including the areas of developmental, cognitive, and social psychology, personality, affective behavior, and behavioral neuroscience.

Clinical Mission Statement

The primary mission of the articulated master's/doctoral concentration in Clinical Psychology at ETSU is to provide training in clinical psychology emphasizing rural behavioral health and practice in the context of integrated primary health care.

ETSU Mission Statement

http://www.etsu.edu/president/mission.aspx

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