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Message from the chair
 On behalf of the faculty
and graduate students in the Department of Psychology
at Miami University, I extend a welcome to you and thank you for your
interest in our doctoral training programs. Our programs offer excellent
opportunities for advanced training in six areas of psychology: clinical,
social, cognitive,
developmental, human
factors, and psychobiology.
Our website reviews the research and teaching interests of our
faculty, all of whom are actively engaged in research and graduate
teaching. I hope you will take the time to correspond with any faculty
member whose research interests you.
Our goal is to provide an environment in which students thrive intellectually.
We strive for a balance between enough structure to gauge your progress
and provide grounding in the breadth of psychology and enough freedom for
you to design a program optimal to your own professional goals. The doctoral
program provides a training and experience in research, teaching, and application
of psychology. Our graduate stipends are competitive. All of our graduate
students receive financial support, which allows them to devote maximum
time and effort to their graduate studies and research.
We look forward to receiving your application
for graduate study with us. Please stop by my office if you visit
our department.
Carl Paternite
Professor of Psychology and Department Chair
About the Department of Psychology
The Department of Psychology offers the M.A. and Ph.D. in three primary subareas
of psychology: clinical, social,
and brain and cognitive psychology. The
experimental program includes three areas of emphasis: behavioral neuroscience,
perception and cognition, and ergonomics and
human factors. There is no terminal masters degree program.
The department encourages individualized programs of study in which
students and faculty work closely together. There are 29 full-time faculty
members in psychology, all of whom are actively involved in the graduate
program. Currently, there are 61 graduate students. We do not permit
students to pursue graduate studies on a part-time basis. The doctoral
program is grounded in our philosophy that graduate students should
develop the scholarly background and technical skills that will enable
them to become active creators of knowledge through scholarship, research,
and practice. Students are expected to be involved in research throughout
the course of their studies. Through participation in research and course
work, students develop expertise in the content of their subarea of
study as well as research tools, such as statistics, research design,
and laboratory methods associated with their subarea of study (e.g.,
electronics, computer programming, and physiological recording techniques).
In view of the changing nature of the field, there is an increasing
emphasis for students to develop a working knowledge in related areas
in order to appreciate the context in which they are working.
In addition to its emphasis on research, we encourage the application
and practice of psychology. Clinical practice is an essential component
of the clinical program; throughout the course of the program, students
are provided with extensive opportunities to engage in assessment and
therapy activities. There are opportunities for students in all programs
to engage in practica and internships, as well as conduct applied research.
The Center for Ergonomic Research, which is housed in the Department
of Psychology, regularly offers the opportunity to work and consult
on a variety of applied projects, many of which are conducted in cooperation
with business, industry, or government. Graduate students are able to
tailor their individual programs of study to include as much or as little
applied work as they choose. This approach to applied work makes extensive
use of their research training. We believe than an emphasis on research
and scholarship provides a solid foundation for pursuing a career in
either an applied setting or an academic institution.
Facilities
 The Department of Psychology
has just moved into the brand new Psychology Building. With its opening in the Fall of 2006, the 100,000 square foot building provides expanded space for offices, state-of-the-art classrooms and discussion spaces, and custom-designed laboratories for research, including state-of-the-art animal care facilities, and social interaction labs. The new building also houses the on-campus Psychology Clinic, which is offered
to University students and the Oxford Community.
Research with children is facilitated by a good relationship with the
area schools, including the Center for School-Based Mental Health. Access to clinical populations is available through
the psychology clinic and through cooperative arrangements with mental
health centers in nearby communities.
The Scripps Gerontology Center, one of several federally-funded facilities
in the country, is available to students interested in gerontology.
The center, a clearinghouse for gerontological study, has an extensive
library and provides assistance in preparing grant proposals. It also
provides some financial support for research.
About Miami University
Miami University, founded in 1809,
is the second oldest state-assisted liberal education institution in Ohio.
Located in the rolling country of southwestern Ohio, the Miami campus
covers more than 1,100 acres and is considered by many to be one of the
most beautiful campuses in the Midwest. Miami is renowned for its academic
excellence and commitment to the liberal arts. About 1,800 graduate students
and 14,200 undergraduates are on the Oxford campus, with about 4,000 students
on the nearby regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown. The main campus
consists of 100 major buildings -- nearly half have been built since 1955.
Miami university is located in Oxford, a town of about 8,500 non-student
residents, offering a relaxed atmosphere for graduate study. It is 35
miles north of Cincinnati and 45 miles southwest of Dayton and Middletown,
combining the advantages of a college town location with the diversity
of big city living.
Where are our graduates employed?
Our approach to graduate education emphasizes the importance of acquiring
current research, communication, and teaching skills by providing a
background in a broad area of psychology as well as expertise in a particular
area. As a result, our graduates acquire the skills and expertise that
enable them to function successfully in a variety of settings. Our Ph.D.
graduates have been very successful in obtaining employment.
One group of students typically seeks a more applied route, often involving
mental health practice. A common goal is direct delivery of services
in a hospital, a mental health clinic, or private practice. Recent graduates
are working at Indiana University School of Medicine, McLean Hospital
and North Shore Children's Hospital in Massachusetts, Rochester Medical
Center in New York, and as director of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorders
Unit at the VA Medical Center in Cincinnati. But most students do not
want to be involved exclusively in the delivery of services.
They want to teach, or carry out research or evaluation, either as part
of, or along with, their service delivery.
Another group of students typically seek academic or industry research
positions. More than 40 percent are currently teaching and conducting
research in a college or university setting. Some graduates initially
opt to obtain postdoctoral training which has opened opportunities for
them to work in research institutions. Many graduates have chosen to
work in business, industry, or government service; they are often involved
in research as well as applying psychology to address real-world problems.
Our graduates are employed by a variety of large and small companies,
including Boeing, McDonnell-Douglas, IBM, Exxon, Mead Data, AT&T
, Klein Associates, Science Applications International, and Sonanalysts,
Inc., as well as the Air Force, Navy, and the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) .
The goals expressed by our students are also those of the faculty. We
think the students' desire for mixed careers reflects their understanding
and appreciation of these different activities and the need for each to
influence the other.
Regardless of where they choose to work, our graduates are recognized
as leaders, making significant contributions to the field of psychology
and society in general. Almost 10 percent of our graduates have served
at some point in their careers as chair of academic departments in colleges
or universities. In April 1994, one of our graduates, Dr. Patricia Bauer
(University of Minnesota), was awarded a prestigious Early Career Award
by the American Psychological Association.
A commitment to diversity
Our guiding principle for recruitment of both faculty and students
is one of diversity with respect to areas of specialization, theoretical
orientation, ethnic group, gender, prior experiences, and career goals.
The diversity of theoretical orientations among faculty means that we
keep one another from falling into easy cliches, as sometimes happens
in narrowly specialized groups where everyone espouses the same party
line. Our model emphasizes student exposure to these different points
of view. We believe this commitment helps stimulate you to think through
issues more critically than if you were given a single formulation.
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