[Psychmasters] An invitation to doctoral training

[Miller, Rowland Spence]

Dr. Murrie suggested I forward this to y'all:
 

 

 

October 24, 2005

 

Daniel Murrie, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
P.O. Box 2447

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX 77341

 

Dear Dr. Murrie:

 

I am writing you to request your assistance in helping me recruit applicants with interests in criminal justice psychology to apply to the Counseling Psychology doctoral program at Texas Tech University to study under my supervision.  In addition to the broad range of experiences and learning opportunities provided by our Counseling Psychology program, students working under my supervision focus on correctional and forensic psychology, both in research and practice.

 

Our Counseling Psychology doctoral program, operating under the scientist-practitioner model of training, has been accredited by the American Psychological Association for over 40 years.  The program fosters students' proficiency in understanding and application of psychological theory, research methodology, professional ethics, and counseling, psychotherapy, and assessment skills.  Our primary objective is to prepare students for positions as psychologists in a variety of applied, academic, and research settings.

 

My research interests are in correctional mental health, forensic assessment, and training and professional development.  We are currently working on a variety of studies (see http://webpages.acs.ttu.edu/romorgan/default.html for a complete review) including inmate service utilization, treatment outcome evaluations, and evaluation of criminal thinking styles.  Of particular relevance for new graduate students entering my lab is a new National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) grant I've received that will allow me to support two graduate students on a work investigating criminal thinking in mentally ill offenders.

 

Aside from the practicum opportunities provided by our in-house Psychology Clinic, we offer a variety of external practicum sites I the community (e.g., health psychology, neuropsychology).  Two of our external practicum sites will be of particular relevance to students with correctional or forensic psychology interests.  The John T. Montford Psychiatric/Medical Correctional Facility, located approximately 10 minutes from campus, is a psychiatric prison for adult male offenders.  Training opportunities at the Montford Unit includes psychological assessment (e.g., malingering, diagnostic, risk), and individual and group psychotherapy.  A purer forensic psychology experience is offered at Lubbock Regional Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services (LRMHMR).  As the Associate Director of Clinical and Forensic Services with this agency, I provide supervision of forensic services to include pretrial evaluations (competency to stand trial, insanity) and competency restoration services.  In addition, students have an opportunity to provide psychological services (e.g., evaluations, individual and group psychotherapy) on an acute inpatient unit.  These two practica offer students excellent training in correctional and forensic psychology. 

 

Student interested in applying to our doctoral program should visit our website at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/psy/psy.php?page=graduate/counseling/counseling (this site provides information regarding our program including the application process).  Please note that the application deadline is January 2, 2006.  Information regarding the Graduate School application form can be accessed through the Office of Graduate Admissions web site (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool/).  Letters of recommendation should be sent to the Department of Psychology, but official transcripts and GRE scores are sent directly to the Graduate School.

 

I thank you for assisting my in the recruitment of your students by informing them of our criminal justice opportunities at Texas Tech.  Please do not hesitate to contact me, or have students contact me, at 806-535-4271, ext. 231 or via email at robert.morgan at ttu.edu, with any questions or concerns regarding our program or my work specifically.

 

Sincerely,




Robert Morgan, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Director, Division of Counseling Psychology (TTU), and

Associate Director of Clinical and Forensic Services (LRMHMR)