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Department of Psychology
University of Mississippi

Our Values and Beliefs

A professor stands before his class, gesturing toward a whiteboard and projector screen.

The study of psychology centers around understanding the diversity of behavior and cognition—and how we develop and interact with one another. As a community of teachers and learners, we value excellence in teaching, mentorship, and research.  Equally, we value diversity, inclusion, and integrity in every aspect of our work.

Our Vision

We strive to advance the discipline through significant contributions to research and scholarship, excellence in teaching and mentoring within our undergraduate and graduate programs, dissemination and application of psychological science, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Our Mission

We aspire to be a leading contributor to the field of psychology and to enhance the human experience through a commitment to excellence in research, teaching, and mentoring in an open and inclusive environment.

We, the faculty, staff, and students of the Department of Psychology at the University of Mississippi are committed to diversity as a key part of our academic and professional missions.

As psychologists, we appreciate the diversity of human behavior and experience and how these individual differences can and do shape attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors. Our view of diversity encompasses, but is not limited to, ability, age, culture, gender, language, nationality/geography, political views, race/ethnicity, religious beliefs and practices, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status/class. Our commitment to diversity enhances the missions of the Department of Psychology and University of Mississippi by fostering more engaging and enlightening classrooms, encouraging more rigorous and impactful research, and promoting more harmonious and collegial relationships.

To this end, we seek to:

  • Promote research, practice, and scholarship that recognizes and highlights the role of diversity in understanding human behavior.
  • Encourage diverse viewpoints in the department by attracting, recruiting, and retaining faculty, staff, and students of diverse backgrounds who are committed to fostering diversity.
  • Nurture a departmental community that embraces the diversity of our students, faculty, and staff and advocates on their behalf.
  • Increase departmental visibility and campus/community partnerships in order to offer insight into psychological research and interventions that may proactively address diversity issues.