George Mason’s Department of Psychology focuses on conducting innovative high-impact research and providing intensive training of undergraduate and graduate students in the development and application of scientific psychology. Our ultimate aim is to facilitate the generation of new knowledge and the application of evidence-based practices in order to enhance human potential and promote the individual and common good for all people.
Our department contributes strongly to the university’s Research I status, with a range of research programs across a number of subdisciplines. Faculty and students alike publish findings, present at conferences, and secure extramural funding, with an emphasis on translational research.
Our research spans the gamut from basic to applied, but all with an eye toward supporting practice-informed research that can solve real-world problems and generating knowledge that can improve human experience. We also support researched based practice because want to bring our findings to the practice of psychology.
In line with George Mason’s values, our department is strongly student-centered. We have one of the largest undergraduate programs in the university, in large part because of how fascinating the field is and versatile and useful a degree in psychology can be. We are committed to training students at all levels, from high school students who intern with us through post-doctoral students seeking to gain additional skills after receiving their doctoral degree.
We also have a number of masters-level and doctoral graduate programs that offer advanced training to students. At all level, students receive high-quality instruction in the classroom and opportunities for hands-on research working side-by-side with faculty in their research labs. Our faculty are not only world-renowned for their research, but they are widely recognized for their excellence in teaching and mentorship.
Students at all levels have the opportunity to work side by side with our faculty in their labs; some of these students go on to do their own independent research through our undergraduate honors program.
Also in line with the values of George Mason, our department is committed to creating an environment of inclusive excellence. We define our success not by how many students we exclude, but by how many we can include and mentor toward their goals. We recognize that our society has created several ways of categorizing people that have resulted in false hierarchies of value and unequal access to resources – and we further recognize that psychology as a discipline has been an active participant in such actions. As a department, we firmly embrace the equality of individuals and the goal of equitable opportunities, and we understand that we can achieve our broader goal of furthering the individual good for all only by fostering an inclusive environment where all are welcome and all can thrive.
We are also at the forefront of evolving technologies in education, with an undergraduate degree that can be completed entirely online. We have also added a Master of Professional studies Degree that can be completed online and is targeted towards working adults.
We welcome you to our department, and invite you to learn more through our website and by reaching out to contact us.
The Department of Psychology is chaired by Dr. Keith Renshaw.
The Graduate Program is administered by Dr. Adam Winsler.
The Undergraduate Program is administered by Dr. Erin Murdoch.
Contact us for questions or concerns.