Psychology Department

College of the Sciences
Ellensburg
Psychology Bldg., room 421
Mail Stop 7575
509-963-2381
Fax: 509-963-2307
www.cwu.edu/psychology
See the department website for how this major may be used for educational and career purposes (see the Career Guide under Prospective Students tab).

Faculty and Staff
Chair
Stephanie Stein, PhD

Assistant Chair
Heidi Perez, PhD

Professors
Kara I. Gabriel, PhD, general experimental psychology, spatial skills, risk-taking, biopsychology
Susan D. Lonborg, PhD, health psychology, substance abuse, clinical and research ethics, career development, gender, social networking
Heath Marrs, EdD, school psychology, educational psychology, response to intervention, gender issues in education
Megan D. Matheson, PhD, nonhuman primate social behavior, evolutionary psychology, self-injurious behavior, comparative psychology
Stephen B. Schepman, PhD, organization development, work motivation, personality theories, social psychology, statistics
Anthony J. Stahelski, PhD, industrial/organizational psychology, social psychology, small group interaction, leadership, cults and extremist groups, aggression and violence, terrorism
Stephanie Stein, PhD, school psychology, curriculum-based measurement, behavior disorders in children, lifespan development, psychopathology

Associate Professors
Sara Bender, PhD, psychotic disorders, clinical expectations related to recovery, efficacy of online learning, cyber-supervision
Ralf Greenwald, PhD, cognitive brain dynamics, event-related potentials, critical thinking, psychology of video gaming, general cognitive psychology
Jeffrey M. Penick, PhD, mental health counseling, group counseling, counseling supervision, adult aging and development, health psychology
Liane Pereira, PhD, youth mental health, human development, social determinants of health, educational psychology
Heidi Perez, PhD, school psychology, efficacy of school-based interventions, graduate student success, social-emotional functioning and behavior in children
Danielle Polage, PhD, cognitive psychology, psychology and law, memory, eyewitness testimony, lying and jury deliberation
Wendy A. Williams, PhD, applied behavior analysis, general experimental psychology, adults with autism, canine behavior, single-subject research

Assistant Professors
Tonya Buchanan, PhD, experimental psychology, social psychology, implicit and explicit attitudes, power, interpersonal perceptions, deception
Maribeth Jorgensen, PhD, researcher and professional identity development, gatekeeping and ethics, sport counseling, research mentorship, suicide prevention, grief and loss
Richard Marsicano, PhD, academic and behavioral interventions, intervention adherence, performance feedback, and response to intervention
Meaghan Nolte, PhD, mindfulness, addictions treatment, counselor training, identity, epistemological development
Mary Radeke, PhD, use of facial cues in personality assessment, conversation development in young children, personality traits, technology in the classroom, primate communication

Senior Lecturer
Cristina Bistricean, MS, high-functioning autism, behavior in rehab/nursing facilities, anxiety, intrusive thoughts

Lecturers
Christopher Beeman, PhD, behavioral neuroscience, biology of long term memory, teaching in psychology, neuroscience outreach
Joshua Buchanan, PhD, self-conscious emotion, emotion expression, judgment and decision-making, coordination, psychology of video games
Kim Collucci, MS, mental health counseling in correctional facilities, social psychology, cultural influences on human development, and memory and remembrance
Sara Jones, MEd, school psychology, special education law, early childhood development and learning, emotional and behavioral disorders in children, lifespan development, and multicultural issues in psychology
Jennifer Kassing, MA, couples counseling, family therapy, disorders of childhood, ecotherapy, integrative care, developmental and health psychology

Staff
Debbie Thomas, secretary supervisor
Loretta Ney, secretary lead
Chris Buchanan, engineering technician III

Department Information
The Department of Psychology offers courses of study leading to the master of science degree in experimental psychology, applied behavior analysis, and mental health counseling and to the education specialist degree in school psychology. For students already holding the master’s degree, a certification-only program is offered in school psychology.

Admission Requirements
Admission to these programs is based on evaluation of the student’s prior scholastic record: verbal, quantitative, and writing scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), recommendations by instructors and/or employers, a statement of professional objectives, and, where appropriate, the applicant’s potential to succeed in required practica and internships. If prerequisite background courses or their equivalents have not already been completed, they must be taken as soon as possible. Courses will not be accepted as meeting program prerequisites if taken on a credit/no-credit basis.

Each student is required to file a course of study form with the Office of Graduate Studies and Research by the end of their first quarter. The course of study is structured in consultation with the student’s academic advisor and is approved by the department chair. The student is expected to complete at least 30 credits after full admission to the program. Students who wish to use faculty time or departmental resources for completion of thesis work must register for at least one (1) credit of PSY 595 or PSY 700 during each quarter in which they require assistance and resources. Students must be registered for two (2) credits of PSY 595 or PSY 700 during the quarter in which the final thesis defense is held.

Background Check and Liability Insurance: Students admitted to the Mental Health Counseling, or School Psychology programs will be required to have on file a completed, current background and fingerprint check. Also, in order to enroll in clinical training courses (practicum or internship), a student must arrange to purchase individual professional liability insurance. More information regarding procedures, costs, and types of insurance coverage available may be obtained from the department chair or program director.

Practica and Internships: Satisfactory completion of all required practica and internships is mandatory for retention in all degree and certification programs. Grades assigned in these courses are S or U.

Final Examination: Candidates for the master’s and education specialist degree must pass an oral final examination on work offered for the degree. This examination will include a presentation and defense of the thesis and may include a review of courses completed in the student’s area of specialization.

Education Specialist and/or Certification in School Psychology
The mission, purpose, and governance structure of the School Psychology program is based in the scientist-practitioner model. This approach asserts that:

The practice and theory of counseling and the provision of school psychological services must be interconnected
Applied skill must be melded with existing scientific knowledge
While school psychologists are primarily trained as practitioners, scientific principles, methods, and approaches should be utilized when working with clients
Knowledge evolves through the interaction of experimentation, practice, and study

This framework for the professional preparation of school psychologists is divided into three facets:

Facet 1: Coursework
Facet 2: Practica
Facet 3: Internship and thesis

The three facets are interrelated. Students begin without significant academic knowledge. As they begin academic work, their initial assumptions are challenged, guiding them to new understandings of practice and knowledge of counseling and psychology. Their maturity through academics and practica culminate with the final facet where they begin their independent work both in practice (internship) and science (thesis). Students are highly encouraged to meld their academic work with their applied work at each level, and their theses are encouraged to connect to the work they pursue in their internship.

Program Outcomes
For information on program outcomes, please go to: www.cwu.edu/mission/assessment-improvement/slo-assessment-plans.

Course Offerings
Frequency of course offering information can be found at the department website: www.cwu.edu/psychology or by contacting the department directly.

Programs

Education Specialist (Ed.S.)

School Psychology, EdS

Master of Science (M.S.)

Courses

Psychology (PSY)