About the Department
About our Department
Welcome to the Department of Psychological Sciences in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas!
Psychology is the scientific investigation of mind and behavior, encompassing clinical psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, neuroscience, and many other areas. Think about any area of human endeavor — business, art, law, medicine, politics, education, mental health, sports — and the science of psychology is there to understand and improve human performance, human happiness, and human thriving.
About our Degrees
Given the prominence of the science of psychology, it is no surprise that psychology is one of the most popular fields of study.
In Fulbright College, 1 in 6 undergraduate students is a psychology major, making it the largest major in the college. Approximately 1,700 undergraduate students are majoring or minoring in psychology — with career opportunities in business, social services, medicine, law and with graduate school opportunities in psychology and related disciplines.
We are also home to a highly successful graduate program in psychological science. Currently, about 50 students are pursuing graduate training in our Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program or Experimental Psychology Ph.D. programs where they explore the fundamental aspects of human psychology and generate ground-breaking research to better understand human mind and behavior. They go on to careers in academia, business, industry, and direct provision of mental health services.
About our Faculty
Our success is made possible thanks to the impressive faculty of the Department of Psychological Science.
Our faculty are widely published and internationally acclaimed. They have won prestigious awards from national and international professional organizations. They have published numerous books and highly cited research articles. Their research is funded by grants from that National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, and private foundations.
We have experts in just about every area of interest: substance abuse disorders, anxiety, mental health utilization, the impact of social media, political decision making, legal decision making, stereotyping and discrimination, creativity, memory, reading, sleep disorders, children’s reactions to frustration, children’s word learning, autism spectrum, and many other areas. And we are growing rapidly: hiring new faculty and staff to accommodate the increasing growth importance of psychological science.
About our Psychological Clinic
As a department that leads by serving, we are also home to the University of Arkansas Psychological Clinic — committed to Chancellor Robinson's call to take on our land-grant mission of improving the lives of all Arkansans.
Housed in Memorial Hall and in partnership with numerous community organizations around Northwest Arkansas, the Psychological Clinic provides evidence-based mental health care to the Northwest Arkansas community on an income-based sliding scale. In one year alone, the Psychological Clinic provides the equivalent of $325,000 in mental health treatment on an annual budget of about $40,000.
The U.S. is experiencing what has been accurately referred to as a burgeoning mental health crisis, which has become increasingly critical in Arkansas where the number of trained mental health professionals falls far short of the community’s needs (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2023). We are committed to doing our part of address that crisis by providing services through the clinic, by training the next generation of mental health professionals, and by conducting research into the basic psychological processes that can impact human thriving.
To address these state-wide needs, the Clinic’s leadership actively seeks opportunities for growth and expansion, including establishing an endowment to permanently fund and support research, training, and provision of mental health services through the Psychological Clinic.
Join our Transformative Mission
This is an exciting time to be part of the Department of Psychological Science. We are on a growth track, and we are on a mission: to provide world class education to our students, to conduct cutting-edge research in psychological science, and to serve and improve the lives of those in our community and state.
If you are a student at the University of Arkansas, we encourage you to become a Psychology major or minor or take a class or two.
If you are considering graduate school opportunities where you will make a difference, send us an application for one of our Ph.D. programs.
If you are a benefactor, consider directing your philanthropy to support our mission.
I am so proud to be chair of this department where the devotion of the faculty, students, and staff make people’s lives better. I know that this department can continue to make an impactful difference in our state, and I am committed to the idea that this is a department that can lead by our service.
I hope you will join us in this pursuit!
Jim Lampinen, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Psychological Sciences