The State Board of Higher Education today approved a new Ph.D. in Applied Psychology at Portland State University, effective immediately.

The program trains research professionals with the tools and expertise to contribute to defining and solving significant problems facing society today. Program concentrations within the Applied Psychology doctoral program include Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Applied Social and Community Psychology, and Applied Developmental Psychology. The Ph.D. in Applied Psychology will require 52 credit hours beyond the 56 credits required for the master’s degree, a total of 108 credits.

The Industrial/Organizational concentration applies psychological principles to organizational and workplace issues. The Applied Social/Community concentration highlights the manner in which applied issues are shaped by social relationships, social groups, socialization practices, culture and community. The Applied Developmental concentration brings a life-span perspective to the study of developmental processes in their social and historical contexts.

The new doctoral program in Applied Psychology responds to demand for the specialties and the applied focus of the degree as documented by professional societies, Department of Labor forecasts and by increased numbers of applicants for graduate study in these fields. Within five years, the program is expected to graduate 15 to 20 students annually, each prepared to enter a host of diverse occupations related to the various program specialties, ranging from industrial and organization psychologists addressing issues of employee selection, retention and motivation, to those evaluating mental health and community services, to jobs with organizations working with youths, the elderly and their families at local, state and national levels.

“This program will train professionals who use principles of accountability and rigorous research design to address community, social and organizational issues. It will produce a new breed of psychologists who will use applied research results to improve our communities, our workplaces and our lives,” said Bill Feyerherm, dean of Graduate Studies at Portland State University.

The program emphasizes community collaboration in the preparation of Ph.D. recipients, accomplished through community-based learning classes, internships and practical applied research initiatives in keeping with the mission and strategic direction of the University and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which houses Psychology undergraduate and graduate programs. Department of Psychology faculty, along with community professionals, jointly supervise these experiences to ensure quality and program relevance.

Portland State University, Oregon's only urban university, is the largest and most diverse in the state system. The University's position in Oregon's economic and cultural center allows for deep community engagement and the creation of partnerships with hundreds of organizations throughout the region—partnerships that give PSU students valuable learning opportunities as they solve real-world problems of business and community. Portland State offers more than 100 undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as graduate certificates and continuing education programs. PSU serves more students and confers more master's degrees annually than any other Oregon university.

Source:
William Feyerherm (503-725-8211)
Office of Graduate Studies and Research

For Immediate Release (#05-030)