in the Department of Psychology and Special Education at Texas A & M - Commerce

Overview

The Doctoral Program has its focus on Cognition and Instruction. The program has a cognitive science perspective with a strong foundation in methodology. Interdisciplinary activities are promoted, especially those related to current technology and instructional design. These emphases are intended to prepare students to apply, integrate, and construct knowledge across a variety of occupational, educational, and content matter domains that involve research or evaluation. Graduates of the program are educated to: Understand human cognition, conduct research, and employ technology to promote effective learning and training. Primary faculty include Shulan Lu, a former student of Art Graesser at Memphis; Benton Pierce, who joined us after a post-doctoral stint with Dan Schacter at Harvard; Ray Green (Rutgers), who also serves as Director of the University Honors Program, Department Head Tracy Henley (Tennessee), Curt Carlson (Oklahoma), the Director of the Doctoral Program, and our two newest additions, Lacy Krueger (Virginia) and Stephen Reysen (Kansas).

In the last few years over 1 million in grants have been secured from NSF, as well as additional monies from APA, the State of Texas, major area industries (e.g., L3 ComCept) and philanthropic foundations (e.g., Sid Richardson). Also within the last 2-3 years, the Doctoral faculty has had work appear (or about to appear) in several notable journals including: Applied Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, Cognitive Science, Journal of Language and Social Psychology, Memory and Cognition, Social Cognition, and Neuropsychology. Likewise, the faculty has authored books and/or chapters published by Allyn and Bacon, APS, Cambridge University Press, Houghton Mifflin, LEA, and Palgrave McMillan. Work from TAMU-Commerce has also recently been presented at APA, Cognitive Aging, Cognitive Science, Psychonomics, and will be included at this year’s Psychology World Congress in Berlin.

Primary research areas include memory, in both basic and applied contexts (such as the courtroom and the classroom); embodied cognition, with special attention to the perception of risk and to training in virtual environments; theory of mind in varied populations (children, adults, clinical, normal); stereotypic social cognitions; applied cognitive linguists, typically focused on metaphor and analogy; social and cognitive factors related to successful college student achievement; and game-based instructional design.

We have also been most pleased with the placement of our PhD students. Recent students have come from almost every major school in Texas (Baylor, Houston, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech ) as well as from such institutions as Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona State, LSU, and UCLA. Our program graduates (and ABDs), just since 2004, have accepted positions at Tarleton State University, L3 Systems, Angelo State University, Dallas Independent School District, Collin County Community College, Southern Methodist University, Indiana University-Southeast, TAMU-C, The Dallas Cowboys organization, University of Texas at Tyler, Missouri State University, and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. This extends a long tradition that we take great pride in, with past graduates having landed positions at Washington State University, Dalhousie University, University of Virginia – Wise, University of Southern Illinois – Edwardsville, University of Louisiana – Monroe, and The Pro Ed Corporation.

Admissions and Funding

Admission begins with an application to the Graduate School. Departmental requirements can be provided through discussions with Dr. Curt Carlson as listed above. Funding is available, but highly competitive. For more information regarding the program, please check out http://shulanlu.com/?page_id=15