Welcome

Welcome to the Appalachian State University Dr. Wiley F. Smith Department of Psychology. The University is a member institution of the seventeen-campus University of North Carolina. Boone is located in the beautiful western mountains of North Carolina. With mild summers and winter skiing, the area is quite attractive to visitors with interest in outdoor activities.

The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online.  Appalachian State University has been ranked by US News and World Report as one of the top 15 universities among southern public and private institutions since 1986. Most recently, it was ranked #3 out of 136 Regional Universities in the South and #2 out of 58 Public Regional Universities in the South.

The Department has 33 full-time doctoral-level faculty members, approximately 1400 undergraduate majors, 500 undergraduate minors, and 80 full-time graduate students in the the clinical psychology (Psy.D.) doctoral program and three master's degree programs including Psychology (with a clinical psychology concentration or psychological science concentration), Industrial Organizational/Human Resource Management, and School Psychology (which also provides a specialist degree in addition to the MA). The Department provides a clinic for training, research, and service to the community. The faculty are dedicated to the mentoring of students and to offering opportunities for experiential learning.

Department of Psychology Mission Statement 

The mission of the Dr. Wiley F. Smith Department of Psychology is to engage in teaching, scholarship, and service, in order to promote and advance understanding of the science of psychology, its application, and its utility to our students, fellow scholars, the University, and the public.

Department of Psychology Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement 

The faculty and staff of the Department of Psychology reject injustice and inequity, and we are committed to creating and nurturing an inclusive community that welcomes, respects, and supports everyone, including those from underrepresented and marginalized groups. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral to building and maintaining an environment that fosters academic excellence, professional development, and personal growth. We recognize the inherent value and dignity of each person, and we value the diversity of human behavior and experience and how individual and group differences shape attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors.

Our commitment to inclusion and equity enhances the missions of the Department of Psychology and the University by fostering engaging and enlightened teaching, encouraging rigorous and impactful research and service, and promoting collegial and equitable relationships. To these ends, we commit to:

  • Cultivating an inclusive departmental community that values diverse perspectives and nurtures people with varied identities and experiences
  • Recruiting and retaining faculty and staff with a range of identities and experiences, particularly those from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups
  • Recruiting and retaining, supporting and advocating for students with a range of identities and experiences, particularly those from underrepresented and marginalized groups
  • Promoting teaching, research, scholarship, and practice that recognize and highlight the centrality of diversity in our understanding of human behavior
  • Using psychological research to proactively address issues related to diversity, inclusion, and equity, through partnerships across our campus and the broader community
  • Creating and enacting Departmental policies, structures, and practices to ensure representation, inclusion, and equity    

News

Mariana Solanilla is a senior psychology major from Cornelius. Photo submitted

SAFE Student Spotlight: Mariana Solanilla

Mariana Solanilla, a senior psychology major from Cornelius, received a Fall 2023 Student and Faculty Excellence (SAFE) grant to present a poster at t...

Psychological Science MA Student Inducted Into the Cratis D. Williams Society of Outstanding Graduate Students

Chase Riddell, a second year student in the Psychological Science MA program, was recently inducted into the Cratis D. Williams Society of Outstanding...

The App State Disaster Relief Hub opened in the Plemmons Student Union on Oct. 1, providing students, faculty and staff with resources and support after Hurricane Helene, including financial assistance through the App State Disaster Relief Fund. Alumnus Ryan Kennedy ’22, an administrative assistant in the Department of Psychology, volunteered at the hub for nearly three weeks. Photo by Kyla Willoughby

App State students, faculty and staff volunteered to help neighbors after Hurricane Helene

BOONE, N.C. — Hurricane Helene left a lasting impact on the High Country when it hit on Sept. 27, causing widespread and unprecedented flooding, lan...

Rachel Weaver is a junior psychology major from Greensboro. Photo submitted

SAFE Student Spotlight: Rachel Weaver

Rachel Weaver, a junior psychology major from Greensboro, received a Fall 2023 Student and Faculty Excellence (SAFE) grant to present a poster at the ...

Cassidy Zekas is a graduate student in the Master of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management program from Salt Lake City, UT. Photo submitted

SAFE Student Spotlight: Cassidy Zekas

Cassidy Zekas, a graduate student in the Master of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management program from Salt Lake C...