Psychology

The psychology major provides a broadly based education in the content, methods, principles, and theories of the science of psychology. The required courses in the major expose students to the traditional important subject areas of psychology; the elective courses in the major allow students to pursue their own interests and goals.

Typical bachelor's level careers in mental health settings include hospitals, halfway houses/group homes, community agencies, and hospice programs. Some public sector and business-related careers are personnel testing, advertising, and human resources. For those who obtain a master's or Ph.D. degree, career opportunities and pay expand significantly; jobs are available in mental health, research, teaching, and business. Some of the mental health careers for individuals with graduate degrees are clinical psychologist, social worker, professional counselor, marriage and family counselor, and school psychologist.

Students who intend to pursue graduate study in psychology or a related field should discuss this with their advisers as early as possible to develop a plan of study that will prepare them for graduate school. These students should plan to take more than the minimum 39 credits for the major and should complete an Independent Study Research Project (PSYC 499) or Externship (PSYC 410) under the guidance of a faculty member. They should also consider completing one or both of our certificate programs.

Students majoring in psychology may be eligible for membership in Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology. This organization, which is affiliated with the Psychology Club, co-sponsors activities that are of broad interest to psychology students (e.g., workshops on graduate school, and discussions of employment opportunities). Consult the department for information about how to join Psi Chi and/or the Psychology Club, as well as for a schedule of events.

One of the most unique aspects of the psychology, professional counseling, and neuroscience department is the opportunity to conduct research at the undergraduate level. Our talented faculty supervise student researchers in several different labs on campus.

Perception, Cognition, and Neuroscience Lab
Social Psychology Lab
Adolescent Socioemotional Development Lab
Moral, Emotional, and Social Development Lab
Neuroscience of Motivated Behaviors Lab

PROGRAMS

The department is quite multi-faceted, offering traditional courses in Psychology, but also Neuroscience courses, a Neuroscience Concentration, a Neuroscience Certificate, a Mental Health Skills Certificate, a Certificate in Psychological Research, and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR

NEUROSCIENCE CONCENTRATION

PSYCHOLOGY MINOR

HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY MINOR

PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH CERTIFICATE

MENTAL HEALTH SKILLS CERTIFICATE

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATE

NEUROSCIENCE CERTIFICATE

FACULTY

Our faculty are outstanding researchers and dedicated teachers. Many of our faculty have received teaching awards, external funding to conduct their research, and several are actively engaged in interdisciplinary collaboration with other departments.

Sylvia Beyer, Ph.D.

Professor - Psychology

I have spent over 29 years at UW-Parkside, 5 of which I was chair of the Psychology Department. I was the recipient of a $430,000 NSF research grant. I was awarded the Research and Creative Activity Award and the Stella Gray Teaching Award. In fall 2005 I was the commencement speaker. My publications have appeared in the major journals in Social Psychology and Computer Science education.

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Robtrice Brawner, Ph.D., LCPC (MD)

Associate Professor

Dr. Brawner is a tenured Associate Professor and Program Director for the clinical mental health counseling (CMHC) program. She earned her doctoral degree in Counselor Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) for the state of Maryland. She has been a practicing counselor for over 15 years to include almost 20 years in higher education.

Dr. Brawner began her career as a mental health therapist working in residential, school, and outpatient environments; and spent eight years working as a college counselor and administrator at Northern Virginia Community College. At the community college level, Dr. Brawner worked as a disability counselor, transfer and general advisor, personal and crisis counselor, teaching faculty member, and coordinator for programs designed to improve the retention of community college students. Prior to joining the faculty at UWP Dr. Brawner taught both masters and doctoral level counseling courses at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, DC campus and served as a department chair. Dr. Brawner is a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and has served as a co-chair of the ACA presidential targeted task force on LGBT individuals for the young adult age group. Dr. Brawner has been a member of the ACA Research & Knowledge committee, and a past chair of the Diversity and Inclusion committee for the ACA American College Counseling Association (ACCA).

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Aaron Carlstrom, PhD, LP

Associate Professor – Psychology

I co-advise the undergraduate certificate in Mental Health Skills, was a co-developer and former Program Director of the M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, and past recipient of the Advising Excellent Award.

The courses I teach are in the areas of counseling and clinical psychology, at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, including courses in counseling theories, assessment, career counseling, and abnormal psychology.

My research interests are in vocational psychology and career development, with a focus on the connection between work, career development and mental health, and the evaluation of career development interventions.

Prior to joining UW-Parkside in 2012, I was a psychotherapist with the University Counseling Services, and an Assistant/Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs. I received a B.A. in psychology from Marquette University, and a M.S. in Educational Psychology-Community Counseling and Ph.D. in Urban Education-Counseling Psychology (APA Accredited) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

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Sharazazi Dyson, PhD, LPC

Assistant Professor of Counseling

Sharazazi Dyson, Ph.D. LPC (IL), is an Assistant Professor of Counseling in the Psychology, Professional Counseling, and Neuroscience Department. She earned her doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from Northern Illinois University (NIU). Her research areas include power, race and ethics. As a counselor educator, Dr. Dyson is interested in culturally responsive teaching strategies and supervising. As a counselor, Dr. Dyson works with clients ranging from adults, minors, couples and families.

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Erin Graham

Assistant Professor

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Melissa Gregg, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Dr. Gregg is an Associate Professor in the Psychology, Professional Counseling, and Neuroscience department. She also directs the Perception, Cognition, and Neuroscience Lab at Parkside, where she conducts research with several brilliant Parkside students. Her research examines the plasticity of sensory systems, the psychological and neural mechanisms underlying natural scene perception, long-term memory for environmental objects, and the design of human-machine interfaces.

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Erin Hillard

Assistant Professor

Dr. Erin Hillard joined the Psychology Department at UW-Parkside in Fall 2019 as an assistant professor. She teaches undergraduate courses in Lifespan Human Development, Psychological Statistics, Adolescent Development, and Eating Disorders. Her primary research interests lie in the prevention of body image problems and disordered eating, as well as the sociocultural risk and protective factors that influence the course of body image development among adolescents and college-aged women.

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Meredith McGinley, PhD

Associate Professor and Department Chair

I received my B.A. in Psychology from Lebanon Valley College (Annville, PA) in 2002, and completed my M.A. (2004) and Ph.D. (2008) in Developmental Psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. My dissertation focused on examining the joint effects of temperament and sensitive parenting on prosocial (i.e., helping) behaviors across childhood. I have published articles examining the social, cultural, and individual influences on empathy and prosocial behaviors in children, adolescents, and emerging adults, as well as the role of victimization and stress on anxiety, depression, and drinking behaviors across the lifespan. Additionally, I have published papers examining the psychometric properties of instruments used to assess these factors, and serve as a statistical consultant on multiple longitudinal NIH grants examining the well-being of children, adolescents, and working adults. Before accepting a position at UW-Parkside, I was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Northern Illinois University, a Visiting Senior Research Specialist at the University of Illinois at Chicago, an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Chatham University, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology at North Central College.

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Ignacio Rivero Covelo

Assistant Professor

Dr. Covelo is a neuroscientist interested in motivation. In his laboratory, Dr. Covelo uses non-human animal models to study the neurobiological mechanisms underlying motivated behaviors (v. g. feeding, drinking, sex, drug intake, etc.). His main interest is the study of brain circuits that control overeating or non-homeostatic feeding. Before joining the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Dr. Covelo was a researcher at the Psychiatric Institute studying schizophrenia and obtained a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Illinois at Chicago studying the neural control of non-homeostatic feeding. After defending his doctoral dissertation, Dr. Covelo completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Neuroscience Institute at the University of Michigan studying pre-clinical models of addiction. Finally, Dr. Covelo moved to Wisconsin, taught biology and psychology courses at Marquette University, and joined the department of psychology at Parkside in 2019.

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Jordan Snyder, Psy.D.

Assistant Professor

I am a licensed clinical psychologist. My interests include clinical-community psychology, global mental health, serious mental illness, interventions for mental health in low and middle-income countries, and mental health and social processes related to conflict. Ultimately, through my research, teaching, and applied work, I seek to empower individuals, communities, and organizations to answer the questions that are important to them so that they can effectively change themselves and their communities. When not working, I enjoy eating, traveling, running, and spending time with family.

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FACULTY + STAFF

Joy Lee
Administrative Assistant
GRNQ 346 & TLNT 180
262-595-2480 | leej0@uwp.edu

Sylvia Beyer
MOLN 266
beyer@uwp.edu

Robtrice Brawner
TLNT 244
brawnerr@uwp.edu

Aaron Carlstrom
MOLN 282
carlstro@uwp.edu

Sharazazi Dyson
TLNT 263
dyson@uwp.edu

Michele Gloede
MOLN 263
gloede@uwp.edu

Erin Graham-Murray
MOLN 271
grahame@uwp.edu

Melissa Gregg
MOLN 270
greggm@uwp.edu

Erin Hillard
MOLN 264
hillard@uwp.edu

Meredith McGinley
MOLN 262
mcginley@uwp.edu

Ignacio Rivero-Covelo
MOLN 268
riveroco@uwp.edu

Jordan Snyder
MOLN 372
snyderj@uwp.edu

LEARNING GOALS

COMMUNICATION
Students successfully communicate psychology related material.

CRITICAL THINKING
Students apply critical thinking skills to reading scholarly material and writing a scholarly paper.

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Students apply psychological principles.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE
Students can explain the major theories and research findings in cognitive, developmental, social, and personality psychology.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Psychology Department is committed to: promoting knowledge, understanding, and appropriate application of the scientific approach to Psychology among UW-Parkside students and in the communities we serve; involving students and faculty in collaborative research and scholarship which in part addresses community needs; and providing service appropriate to our training and perspective at campus, local, national, and global levels.

INFORMATION

STUDENT RESEARCH

GRADUATE RESOURCES

PROGRAM CONTACT INFO

Meredith McGinley | 262-278-0527 | mcginley@uwp.edu

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Psychology

PROGRAMS

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