Department Consulting Service

The Departmental Consultant Service (DCS) is a service offered to psychology departments through the joint efforts of the APA Education Directorate and the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP). Developed in response to an increasing need for evaluations, the consultant service provides departments of psychology with a list of qualified consultants who will provide feedback that will enable them to improve their programs.

The Departmental Consulting Service maintains a database of faculty consultants with expertise in a broad range of areas. Specific areas include (but are not limited to): curriculum (evaluation, development, designing/improving special programs or courses, fieldwork or honors); faculty (writing grant proposals, developing funding sources, writing for publication, promoting professional development, enhancing/evaluating teacher effectiveness); advising (student advising for career planning, graduate school preparation, changing enrollments, minority recruitment and retention); research facilities (designing psychology labs, designing teaching facilities, computer applications for courses, labs, or administration); departmental program evaluation (self-assessments, program evaluation, department evaluation).

Individuals wishing to become consultants should contact the DCS Coordinator for application materials. Completed applications are returned to the DCS coordinator, who forwards them to the DCS Task Force for screening. These materials are subsequently forwarded to APA's Board of Educational Affairs (BEA) for approval at their fall or spring meetings. Applicants should have expertise in a number of the areas listed under "Purpose" above. Experience as a program evaluator is also desirable.

Departments interested in requesting a consultant can contact David Kreiner, OTRP Assistant Director for Department Consulting Services, at the address below. A minimum of three consultants will be recommended whenever possible. Departments are asked to pay for all travel expenses that may be incurred during a site visit. Additionally, departments will be encouraged to pay an honorarium (jointly determined by the department and the invited consultant). Departments with limited finances may request a reduced or waived honorarium which consultants are free to agree to, but are under no obligation to accept.

Departmental Consulting Service
Attn: David Kreiner
Professor of Psychology
Lovinger 1111
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, MO 64093-5089
phone: 660 543-8076
fax: 660 543-8505
kreiner@ucmo.edu