Psychology Department

Randal Quevillon, Chairperson
South Dakota Union Building, Room 205
(605) 677-5351
http://www.usd.edu/arts-and-sciences/psychology/
Psychology@usd.edu

FACULTY:

Professors:

Jan Berkhout, Ergonomics and Safety
Elizabeth Boyd, Family Systems, Native American Mental Health
Gerard Jacobs, Disaster Psychology
Randal Quevillon, Rural Mental Health, Disaster Psychology
Frank Schieber, Aging and Human Performance, Vision, Transportation
Jeffrey Simons, Psychology of Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Cindy Struckman-Johnson, Social Psychology, Sexual Coercion, Transportation Safety
Barbara Yutrzenka, Professional Ethics, Diversity, Clinical Training
X.T. (XiaoTian) Wang, Physiological and Cognitive Psychology, Decision Making

Associate Professors:

S. Jean Caraway, Traumatic Victimization, Cross-Cultural Psychology
Michael Granaas, Quantitative Methods
Douglas Peterson, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Aviation Psychology
Gemma Skillman, Developmental and Cultural Factors in Adjustment, Assessment
Holly Straub, Cognitive Psychology

Assistant Professors:

Raluca Gaher, Stress, Military Personnel and Alcohol
Martin Dennis, Cognitive Psychology

MAJOR:

Psychology, B.A., B.S.

MINORS:

Psychology
Disaster Response

SPECIALIZATION

Disaster Response

Psychology is both a scientific discipline concerned with understanding, explaining and predicting behavior, and a profession dedicated to the application of this knowledge to the solution of practical human problems. The courses and independent study opportunities offered in the department are designed to expose our students to both aspects of the field. The Psychology Department at The University of South Dakota is the most comprehensive in the state and has won several national awards for excellence.

Our curriculum provides comprehensive coverage of the core areas of general and experimental psychology as well as exposure to psychological applications in several areas. Students may choose to emphasize course in the human factors/applied industrial area or in the human services (clinical/counseling) area and can work with their advisors to ensure optimal course selection. Department facilities include a computer laboratory, the Heimstra Human Factors Laboratory, the Disaster Mental Health Institute and the Psychological Services Center. The Disaster Mental Health Institute conducts cutting-edge work in the developing field of disaster psychology. Advanced undergraduate students in Psychology are encouraged to participate with faculty in research projects to earn academic credit and gain valuable experience. More information is available at website listed above.