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General Contact Information

Psychological Sciences MA Program
Department of Graduate Psychology and Department of Psychology
70 Alumnae Dr., MSC 7401
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA 22807

Program Director:
Bernice Marcopulos, Ph.D., ABPP
Department of Graduate Psychology
Office: Johnston 215
Phone: 540-568-5002
Email: marcopba@jmu.edu

Staff

School Psychology Staff
Name Phone E-mail Room
Guerin, Carl A.
Administrative Assistant
540-568-6439 guerinca@jmu.edu Johnston 101
Henriques, Andee
Administrative Assistant
540-568-5352 henriqas@jmu.edu Johnston 112
Moroniak, Lisa
Part-time Administrative Assistant
540-268-2556 moronilr@jmu.edu Johnston 114

Over 20 faculty from both the Department of Psychology and Department of Graduate Psychology contribute to the Psychological Sciences graduate program. The program operates on a mentorship philosophy, where students enter the program based on their fit with a particular faculty member who serves as the student's research advisor. Below is a list of faculty members accepting students in Fall 2024.

Faculty Accepting Students in Fall 2024:

Since Psychological Sciences works on a mentorship model, students are admitted to work with a particular faculty. Here are the current faculty members who are accepting students for the school year 2024-2025.

Psycsciences Faculty
Name and Contact Concentration
Barron, Kenn
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin - Madison
Office: Miller Hall, 1161
Phone: 540-568-4065
Email: barronke@jmu.edu
Concentration: Applied Research
Motivation, goal setting, well being, program evaluation, research methodology and statistics
Blankenship, Benjamin
Ph.D. The University of Michigan
Office: Miller Hall, 1155
Phone: 540-568-4915
Email: blankebt@jmu.edu
Concentration: Applied Research
Structural Oppression as Feelings Attitudes and Behaviors (S.O.F.A.B.) Psychology Lab at JMU (sofabpsychlab.com). Examining the effects of personality, identity, and social context on a variety of outcomes related to the social inclusion and engagement of marginalized groups in society, as well as differences between visible and concealment identity groups, and trust/engagement in social institutions.
Finney, Sara
Ph.D., University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Office: Lakeview 1128
Phone: 540-568-6757
Email: finneysj@jmu.edu
Concentration: Quantitative
Examinee motivation, emotional reactions to testing, outcomes assessment in student affairs
Good, Megan
Ph.D., James Madison University
Office: Lakeview 1122
Phone: 540-568-7103
Email: good2mr@jmu.edu
Concentration: Quantitative
Exploring student learning and employability outcome connections, learning improvement in higher education, and perceptions of learning in higher education by various stakeholders
Hall, Michael
Ph.D., SUNY Binghamton
Office: Miller Hall 1115
Phone: 540-568-7877
Email: hallmd@jmu.edu
Concentration: Experimental
Auditory Perception Laboratory website
Auditory perception and cognition
Speech perception
Music perception
Hathcoat, John
Ph.D., Oklahoma State University
Office: Lakeview 1120
Phone: 540-568-2516
Email: hathcojd@jmu.edu
Concentration: Quantitative 
Assessing Student Learning in Higher Education, Reliability and Validity Issues in Authentic Assessment Practices, Instrument Development, Mixed Methods Research
Irons, Jessica
Ph.D., Auburn University
Office: Miller Hall 1177
Phone:540-568-6565
Email: ironsjg@jmu.edu
Concentration: Experimental
CASHLab: Changing Activity, Substance Use, and Health
Behavioral pharmacology (effects of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol),.Behavioral interventions of health risk behaviors, specifically contingency management for substance use, activity, and eating, Behavioral choice related to health risk behavior, Scholarship of teaching and learning
Note: Please contact Dr. Irons directly before applying
Jakobsen, Krisztina
Ph.D., University of Georgia
Office: Miller Hall, 1159
Phone: 540-568-4301 
Email: jakobskv@jmu.edu
Concentration: Experimental
Cognitive development, visual attention, face perception 
Kush, Joseph
Ph.D., University of Virginia 
Office: Lakeview 1122 
Phone: 540-568-7103
Email: kushjm@jmu.edu
Concentration: Quantitative 
Multilevel structural equation modeling, causal inference, measurement invariance, moderated nonlinear factor analysis, propensity score methods
Leventhal, Brian
Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh
Office: Lakeview 1124
Phone: 540-568-5004
Email: leventbc@jmu.edu
Concentration: Quantitative 
Response Styles; Multidimensional Item Response Theory; Bayesian Item Response Theory; Classification Errors; Survey Development
Meixner, Cara
Ph.D., Antioch  
Office: Johnston 211
Phone: 540-568-6522
Email: meixnecx@jmu.edu
Concentration: Applied Research
Brain injury and access to crisis intervention; brain injury and statewide needs assessment; neurotrauma and caregiving; mixed methods research
Moore, Kethera
Ph.D., Saint Louis University
Office: Miller Hall 1169
Phone: 540-568-2931
Email: foglerka@jmu.edu
Concentration: Experimental
Research Interests: Memory, Language, Cognitive Aging
Owens, Caitlyn
Ph.D., North Carolina State University
Office: Johnston 202
Phone: 540-568-6835
Email: klotzca@jmu.edu
Concentration: Applied Research
Young Children’s Mental Health, Parenting Interventions, Family Homelessness, ACEs, Trauma, Bridging Gaps Between Research, Clinical Work, and Policy
Salvatore, Jessica
Ph.D., Princeton University
Office: Miller 1123
Phone: 540-568-2555
Email: salvatja@jmu.edu
Concentration: Experimental Research
Intergroup relations, social norms, stereotypes and meta-stereotypes
Saville, Bryan
Ph.D., Auburn University
Office: Miller Hall 1143
Phone: 540-568-2277
Email: savillbk@jmu.edu
Concentration: Experimental
Psychology of passion (specifically, passion for activities), interteaching and other behavioral teaching methods
Shoup-Knox, Melanie
Ph.D., SUNY - University at Albany
Office: Miller Hall 1145
Phone: 540-568-6846
Email: shoupml@jmu.edu
Concentration: Experimental
Central nervous system thermoregulation, Yawning, Evolved mate choice mechanisms 
Stokes, Trevor
Ph.D., University of Kansas
Office: Johnston Hall 119 
Phone: 540-568-5067 
Email: stokestf@jmu.edu
Concentration: Behavior Analysis
Applied Behavior Analysis, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Parent Child Interaction Therapy and Teacher Child Interaction Training
Sturm, Debbie
PhD, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Office: Johnston 105 (Works primarily remote).
Phone: 704.807.0091
Email: sturmdc@jmu.edu
Concentration: Applied Research
Nature connection and mental health; climate change and mental health; trauma and crisis response; advocacy.
Szwedo, David
Ph.D., University of Virginia
Office: Johnston 206
Phone: 540-568-3568
Email: szwedode@jmu.edu
Concentration: Applied Research
Romantic relationship development; Emotion regulation, coping, resilience; Young adult independence and success; Attachment in adolescence and young adulthood; Social and relational competence; Online social networking behavior; Social predictors of physical health; Intervention development
Zinn, Tracy
Ph.D., Auburn University
Office: Miller Hall 1167
Phone: 540-568-6309
Email: zinnte@jmu.edu
Concentration: Applied Research 
Behavior analysis in industry and education, industrial/organizational psychology, student/faculty interactions, and maternal health issues 

Over 20 faculty from both the Department of Psychology and Department of Graduate Psychology contribute to the Psychological Sciences graduate program. The program operates on a mentorship philosophy, where students enter the program based on their fit with a particular faculty member who serves as the student's research advisor. Below is a list of faculty members accepting students in Fall 2024.

Faculty Accepting Students in Fall 2024:

Since Psychological Sciences works on a mentorship model, students are admitted to work with a particular faculty. Here are the current faculty members who are accepting students for the school year 2024-2025.

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