At the University of Dallas, psychology is the third largest major and the largest major without representation in the core curriculum. Hence, it is fascinating to explore the way this major comes to be in such high demand. And, like everything, it starts at the beginning – with the hiring process. This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Garza about this initial step.
Dr. Gilbert Garza graduated with a BA in psychology from the University of Dallas in 1988. He came back in 1997 and has been part of the full-time teaching faculty in the psychology department since.
As a former student, Dr. Garza has the experience of doing the hands-on student work of the field, including actually writing the thesis, which is a major capstone of the major. The fact that he has been here for so many years made him the ideal candidate to discuss the way the department chooses their faculty, and the consideration given to the student’s point of view.
Dr. Garza noted, “In psychology in particular, the thesis process at the undergraduate level is a full year, and during that time, the students work very closely with their advisor. We usually divide it up to where there is one advisor for every 9-10 students.” Thus they need to have some sense as to whether the students can see themselves working with a certain individual or not.
The hiring process for a UD psychology professor includes having the candidates present sample lectures where both the students and faculty are present. These lectures consist of their individual passions and research in specific fields of psychology. Afterwards, both students and faculty are given surveys, which address questions like whether the lecture was engaging and informative. The faculty surveys focus on the aspects such as scholarship, thoroughness and engagement of students, whereas the student survey focuses more on communication skills and providing stimulating discussions.
Dr. Garza says, “Our rationale is based on three main criteria: teaching, scholarship and service. And there are certain perspectives that only students can provide that you want to weigh as part of the process.”