psychology phd kent state

Graduate Students

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GRADUATE STUDENTS

UNDERGRADUATE/POST BAC RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

CURRENT COLLABORATORS

Aaron Jasnow, PhD – Kent State University University Kathy Kerns, PhD – Kent State University University Jeff Ciesla, PhD – Kent State University University Mary Beth Spitznagel, PhD – Kent State University University John Gunstad, PhD – Kent State University University Joel Hughes, PhD – Kent State University University Doug Delahanty, PhD – Kent State University University John Dunlosky, PhD – Kent State University University Christopher Sheppard, PhD – Oak Clinic Mike Kane, PhD – University of North Carolina, Greensboro Eva Gilboa Schechtman – Bar Ilan University, Israel Kathy Berenson, PhD – Columbia University George Bonanno, PhD – Columbia University Geraldine Downey, PhD – Columbia University Anthony Mancini, PhD – PACE University Anthony Papa, PhD – University of Nevada, Reno Eshkol Rafaeli, PhD – Bar Ilan University, Israel

• Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research
• Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Compliance
• Online Experience

Accelerate your career with a clinical research certificate program online

With the healthcare and social services sector poised to generate 45% of new U.S. jobs through 2032, developing expertise in clinical research can generate dynamic and promising career prospects. 1 Whether you're transitioning into clinical research from an unrelated field or advancing from a clinical healthcare role into management, Kent State University’s clinical research certificate program sharpens the core skills needed for these roles.

In this post, we'll identify key traits for success in clinical research, discuss how Kent State’s online Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research equips you for career growth and address common career change concerns.

Discovering Your Fit in Clinical Research

Clinical research is a field that thrives on diversity—of backgrounds, skills, and experiences. Whether you come from a healthcare background, the sciences, or fields less directly connected, like IT or management, your past experiences bring valuable perspectives. What's critical is your passion for advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes.

Core skills that transition well into clinical research include meticulous attention to detail, analytical thinking, and robust interpersonal communication. These competencies help manage complex research protocols and collaborate effectively with diverse teams. If these abilities are part of your current skill set, you might already be more prepared for a career in clinical research than you realize.

Furthermore, being naturally curious and resilient are personal traits that complement professional skills in this field. Clinical researchers often face unforeseen challenges and complex questions requiring innovative solutions. Such traits help navigate these challenges and drive discoveries in medical research.

Evaluating these skills and traits against your current capabilities can be an illuminating first step to uncovering your potential in this dynamic field. The following sections will guide you on how to translate your existing skills into a flourishing career in clinical research with help from a flexible, robust educational program.

Empower Your Transition with a Clinical Research Certificate Program

Deciding to pursue a career in clinical research can be transformative, but making the leap requires solid, reliable support. Kent State's online clinical research certificate program provides that foundation, designed specifically to prepare individuals from diverse backgrounds for the challenges and opportunities in clinical research.

The program is structured to ease the burden of transition for busy professionals. It offers online coursework that allows students to balance their studies with personal and professional responsibilities. This format respects your current lifestyle and ensures that you can advance your education without sacrificing other areas of your life.

Clinical Research Skills for Clinical Healthcare Managers

Clinical care professionals, including nurses and physicians, can accelerate their careers through specialized clinical research training for healthcare professionals, enhancing their clinical research management skills and understanding of clinical studies. Available courses cover crucial topics like clinical research study design, clinical research results analysis, and effective clinical research grant writing.

Each course within the online clinical research certificate program delivers practical and theoretical knowledge for a successful career in clinical research. You will learn from experienced professionals who bring real-world insights into the classroom. Choose your focus from critical areas, including regulatory compliance, effective clinical management practices, and up-to-date methodologies. Design your curriculum, with help from Kent State’s esteemed faculty and dedicated staff, to equip yourself to excel in your niche of this dynamic industry.

Support Beyond the Virtual Classroom

Support continues beyond comprehensive curriculum choices . Kent State also offers practicum opportunities that help bridge the gap between academic and professional achievements, further enhancing your readiness for career advancement.

Additionally, the program encourages collaboration and networking among peers, which enhances your learning experience and builds a professional network that can be beneficial throughout your career. This community aspect fosters a sense of belonging and mutual support among students, which is vital as you navigate your new career path.

Addressing Your Career Change Concerns

Embarking on a new career path, particularly in a specialized field like clinical research, can evoke excitement and concern. At Kent State, the clinical research certificate program online addresses these concerns directly with a structured yet flexible learning environment designed for your success. Understanding that continuity in work and personal life is essential, the courses are delivered entirely online, with asynchronous course delivery. This format allows you to navigate your studies on your schedule, ensuring you do not have to put your professional life on hold.

A common concern for career changers is whether the investment in graduate-level education will lead to real job opportunities. Kent State carefully tailored the online clinical research certificate program to meet industry demands. The program not only educates you on the fundamentals but also on advanced topics that are immediately applicable in the workforce, such as biostatistics, clinical epidemiology, and regulatory affairs.

Moreover, the certificate program’s optional practicum, which you can complete locally, equips you with practical, hands-on experience under the guidance of experienced professionals, smoothing your transition into a new career role.

By addressing typical concerns head-on, Kent State's clinical research certificate program helps make your career transition as seamless and rewarding as possible. With a clear focus on educational quality and practical application, you are well-prepared to meet the challenges of a new role in this dynamic field.

Embrace a Future in Clinical Research with Confidence and Support

Earning Kent State’s online Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research opens the door to a future rich with opportunity. This program thoroughly prepares you with skills and practical experiences directly supporting your career goals. Contact an admissions outreach advisor to learn more about how the clinical research certificate program can help you shape your future.

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Kent State University has engaged Everspring , a leading provider of education and technology services, to support select aspects of program delivery.

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Kent State Students Create Lesson Plans for Cleveland Landmarks

The Educational Psychology classes taught by Anne Morrison , Ph.D., a professor in the College of Education, Health and Human Services, have been taking field trips to Little Italy and University Circle in Cleveland for the past 20 years to help them create integrated lesson plans as a course assignment.

This semester, more than 30 mentors, students and some of their parents and friends started the trip with Morrison with pizza from Little Italy’s Mama Santa’s Restaurant and then walked to Lake View Cemetery, a nationally recognized landmark where President James A. Garfield and John D. Rockefeller are buried. The cemetery lends itself to the possibility of many different integrated lesson plans because of its rich history, architecture, sculptures, geology, literature, poetry and nature on its 285 acres on the edge of metropolitan Cleveland.

The students continued their trip to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, located in University Circle, and were given the opportunity to explore hands-on activities and nature exhibits; receive a demonstration of how to use an inflatable planetarium in their school; and experience the new outdoor wildlife center and woods garden that houses fish, owls, coyotes, porcupines, red foxes, sea otters and other small animals during the annual Teacher Open House.

Kent State student Haley Galaska , a sophomore early childhood education major from Chagrin Falls, enjoyed her visit to the museum.

“I loved having the opportunity to go somewhere that offers so many different exhibits and learning opportunities,” she says. “It was one of the first times I was treated as an educator, and I was shown how to incorporate different exhibits and themes into lessons for different age groups. I also was given the chance to learn how to use the teacher resources at the museum.”

Morrison says she provides the two Cleveland sites with the integrated lessons plans created by her students so that other teachers can use these resources in their own classroom or on field trips.

Learn More About The College of Education, Health and Human SERVICES 

Kent State Team Places Second Nationally for PR Campaign Focused on Childhood Cancer Research Funding

Only 4 percent of federal funding is directed to childhood cancer research, leading to a scarcity of clinical trials advancing treatment.

Video: One University Commencement 2018

Check out highlights from Kent State’s One University Commencement that took place on Saturday, May 12. The ceremony recognized graduates from the university’s eight campuses and featured Kent State alumnus and commencement speaker Michael Keaton . Congratulations to the Class of 2018!

Virginia Dressler, University Libraries

Virginia Dressler , University Libraries, presented “Preserving the Full Historic Record in Holistic Newspaper Digital Preservation: From the Backend to the Front” at the 2018 IFLA International News Media Conference in Gainesville, Florida, on April 19, 2018.

Virginia Dressler, University Libraries, and Koon-Hwee Kan, School of Art

Virginia Dressler , University Libraries, and Koon-Hwee Kan , School of Art, authored “Mediating Museum Display and Technology: A Case Study of an International Exhibition Incorporating QR Codes” in Journal of Museum Education , 43(2), 159-170, 2018.

Jennifer N. McDonough | June 11, 2018

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Jennifer n. mcdonough.

Associate Vice President Academic Affairs Operations and Administration Kent Campus

Tim Wince | June 11, 2018

Academic Advisor I College of Communication and Information Kent Campus

Are all faculty required to complete Beyond Compliance training?

Although all Beyond Compliance training information is sent to all faculty and staff, tenure-track and full-time nontenure track faculty members are not required (but strongly encouraged) to complete the training. All staff (including adjunct faculty) are required to complete at least two hours of Beyond Compliance training each fiscal year (July 1-June 30).

Lunch and Learn: Making the Most of Your Paycheck — Livestream

Join presenter Daron Larson on June 19 from noon-1 p.m. as he helps participants learn to identify financial goals and develop a plan to reach them. This workshop will include worksheets that participants can use in their daily lives. Tracking spending, prioritizing expenses and incorporating goals into one’s everyday spending plan (and more!) will be discussed. Topic areas include:

Bike Rides Begin June 14

Bring your bike from home or check out a bike through the Flashfleet bike-sharing program at one of eight locations around the Kent Campus. Flashfleet locations include the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, Eastway Center, Van Campen Hall, Tri-Towers, Terrace Hall, Stopher-Johnson, the Kent Student Center and PARTA in downtown Kent. 

Kent State Board of Trustees Approves Design Innovation Hub to Spur Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

Innovators, problem solvers and designers are a growing force at Kent State University, bringing a renewed vibrancy to the heart of campus. Soon they will have a dynamic, new space designed to spark creativity and collaboration.

The Kent State Board of Trustees voted June 6 to transform the former School of Art building into a new state-of-the-art, student-centered Design Innovation Hub and Dining facility.

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University Catalog 2024-2025

Psychology - b.a..

About This Program

The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program provides a comprehensive understanding of the human mind and behavior, preparing you for a wide range of career opportunities. With experienced faculty, hands-on learning opportunities and access to cutting-edge research facilities, you will gain the skills and knowledge needed to make an impact in the field. Read more...

Contact Information

• Program Coordinator: Jocelyn Folk | [email protected] | 330-672-4095
• Ashtabula Campus
• East Liverpool Campus
• Geauga Campus
• Kent Campus
• Salem Campus
• Stark Campus
• Trumbull Campus
• Tuscarawas Campus
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor: Kent Campus | Regional Campuses

Program Delivery

Examples of possible careers and salaries*, clinical, counseling, and school psychologists.

• 3.1% about as fast as the average
• 171,500 number of jobs
• $79,820 potential earnings

Industrial-organizational psychologists

• 2.5% slower than the average
• 1,100 number of jobs
• $96,270 potential earnings

Psychologists, all other

• 2.3% slower than the average
• 19,800 number of jobs
• $105,780 potential earnings

Psychology teachers, postsecondary

• 8.8% much faster than the average
• 46,800 number of jobs
• $78,180 potential earnings

Social science research assistants

• 5.8% faster than the average
• 40,100 number of jobs
• $49,210 potential earnings

* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook . Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students .

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices .

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students .

Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students .

Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website .

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies .

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the program's Coursework tab.

Program Requirements

Graduation requirements, major requirements.

Students in a double major with either Sociology or Criminology and Justice Studies may substitute SOC 32220 and SOC 32221 for PSYC 21621 .

On the Kent Campus, students take PSYC 41980 , which has a pre/corequisite of PSYC 31574 . Students who take PSYC 41901 (offered on the regional campuses only) must take an upper-division course in psychology as a corequisite. That course cannot be any of the following: PSYC 31498 , PSYC 41498 , PSYC 41573 or PSYC 41993 .

A minimum C grade must be earned in one course to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

Additional Requirements for Students Not Declaring a Concentration

Maximum 6 credit hours of PSYC 31498 , PSYC 41492 and PSYC 41498 combined may be applied toward major requirements in psychology.

Child Psychology Concentration Requirements

Maximum 9 credit hours of PSYC 41395 may be applied toward concentration requirements.

Counseling Careers Concentration Requirements

Foreign language college requirement, b.a..

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete 14-16 credit hours of foreign language. 1 To complete the requirement, students need the equivalent of Elementary I and II in any language, plus one of the following options 2 :

• Intermediate I and II of the same language
• Elementary I and II of a second language
• Any combination of two courses from the following list:
• Intermediate I of the same language

All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer credit hours and fewer courses. This may be accomplished by (1) passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level; (2) receiving credit through one of the alternative credit programs offered by Kent State University; or (3) demonstrating language proficiency comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language. When students complete the requirement with fewer than 14 credit hours and four courses, they will complete remaining credit hours with general electives.

Certain majors, concentrations and minors may require specific languages, limit the languages from which a student may choose or require coursework through Intermediate II. Students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular language coursework.

Psychology Major (No Concentration)

Child psychology concentration, counseling careers concentration.

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

University Requirements

All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.

NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.

Kent Core Requirements

Program learning outcomes.

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Describe the basic theoretical perspectives, principles, concepts, empirical findings and historical trends in psychology.
• Understand and use fundamental data analysis techniques.
• Understand and apply basic research methods/tools in psychology and evaluate the adequacy of research designs.
• Write effectively in the discipline.
• Recognize, understand and respect the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity.

Full Description

Students in the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology apply the science of understanding and explaining thoughts, emotions and behavior to solving real-world problems. Topics include stress, biological influences on behavior, growth and development of children and diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders. Elective courses may be used to specialize in a number of areas of psychology and to gain hands-on experience in research labs. The degree prepares students for graduate school and employment in a range of fields, including clinical, applied and experimental areas of psychology and related fields such as education, law, human resources and health care.

The Psychology major includes the following optional concentrations:

• The Child Psychology concentration is designed for students who are interested specifically in children and adolescents. Topics include child development, psychological disorders of childhood and adolescence, children's cognitive processes, personality development and child-related research experience. The concentration prepares students for graduate study and employment in a range of fields, including clinical psychology, school psychology, school counseling and employment in settings such as child development centers and related agencies.
• The Counseling Careers concentration is designed to prepare students for employment in a range of fields and for master's-level study in all fields of counseling. Topics include human adjustment, stress and coping, human development, personality, psychological disorders, treatment and intervention techniques, psychometrics, psychopharmacology and clinical or counseling-related research experience.

Students interested in other career paths within psychology may pursue the major without a concentration.

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