Job Analysis

by: Brock Addison, Olivia Szendey, Marcos Contreras, Kiana Dickinson

I. Introduction
A. Job Description: A psychology professor at James Madison University educates students
and contributes to the science of psychology through practice and research. The professor
performs weekly lectures and/or guides interteaching sessions, in addition to holding weekly
office hours for any troubles students may have. The professor should also relate lecture
concepts to the future careers of students and implement ongoing trends within the field of
psychology. The professor must also complete service activities, which may include serving on
committees or coordinating assessment. The professor is encouraged to become involved with
student organizations and contribute to learning outside of the classroom.
i. Job Title (titles)
Jeff Dyche: Ph.D. Associate Professor and Director of Psychological Sciences M.A.
Program
Daniel Holt: Ph.D. Associate Professor
Jaime Kurtz: Ph.D. Associate Professor
Tracy Zinn: Ph.D. Professor

(Other job title can include Adjunct faculty or Lecturer)

ii. Education required
Ph.D. or doctorate level degree is preferred, but a Masters is acceptable

B. Important work values necessary for this work

Inspiring the leaders of the future
Open to different opinions and cultures
Structured, while making changes where applicable
Interested in research for solving new problems or forming better solutions
Integrity
Commitment to professionalism
Passion towards education and teaching

C. Interests that are fulfilled via this work

Working with, communicating with, and helping people
Investigating new problems or ideas of interest through research
Ability to share a vast knowledge of information that can be applicable in students
everyday life
Mentorship of students
Interests related to teaching and conveying material

B. Uses for this Job Analysis

This job analysis facilitates understanding of what the profession truly entails. In essence, it
gives a well-rounded view with abstract ideas made clear through real life examples. It
synthesizes the experiences of professors, while considering background research, to provide
context and newfound understanding of the nuances of the profession. In addition, it gives
perspective to potential professors and augments gratitude for an effective and professional
professor.
C. Organizational Setting
Founded in 1908, James Madison University is a public, co-educational school located in
Harrisonburg, VA that offers degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level
(https://www.jmu.edu/jmuplans/about.shtml)
JMU Mission Statement: We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated
and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.
JMU Vision Statement: To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with
ideas and the world.
JMU Values:
Academic Quality: We are dedicated to exemplary learning experiences because they are the
essence of our mission.
Community: We thrive when we collaborate, respect and serve others, and appreciate our
interconnectedness.
Diversity: We strive to be an inclusive community that values the richness of all individuals and
perspectives.
Excellence: We seek to be innovative and to perform at the highest levels.
Integrity: We pursue ethical reasoning because it is essential to meaningful citizenship.
Student Focus: We provide experiences that challenge and support students.
JMU Department of Undergraduate Psychology:
The vision of the Department of Psychology is to sustain and advance a nationally recognized
department focused on promoting scientific proficiency within the interdisciplinary field of
Psychology. To that end, the curriculum is designed to provide students with a strong foundation
in psychological science that reflects multiple perspectives within the discipline. The hallmarks
of our program are learning opportunities that promote the skills necessary to conduct and
evaluate research and to interpret findings. We train our students to be responsive to emerging
trends and apply their knowledge of psychological science as responsible global citizens.
The Department of Psychology is a dynamic contributor to the general education program and
the university community through the delivery of high quality courses and other educational
experiences emphasizing psychological science. Our faculty strive to create and implement
creative and effective pedagogy, embracing the dual role of teacher/scholar. The department will
foster a collegial and collaborative environment within which divergent opinions as well as
cultural diversity are respected, valued, and promoted.
(http://www.psyc.jmu.edu/ug/mission.html)
II. Job Analysis Method
Background research included obtaining CVs from two different faculty members in the
department of psychology at JMU. These faculty members included Dr. Matthew Lee &
Professor Kimberly Duvall. Their CVs were able to provide a lot of insight into the JMU
environment, as they both have two very different experiences. Dr. Lees is more traditional, as
he has his doctorate and is tenured. His CV displays a number of publications/presentations
related to his diversity research. He is also about to travel abroad on a fulbright scholarship in
Croatia to teach his psychology and culture curriculum. Professor Duvall has a very different
background, as she is only at a master's degree level. However, she has a lot of industry
experience which makes her CV more eclectic. She focuses on lecturing PSYC 160, advising
first year students, and running the psychology peer advising program. Most of her publications
and presentations are related to her work in the peer advising program.
*See appendix for questions and answers of the group interview session*
One major point that was learned during the group interview session was the immense
emphasis the JMU psychology department has on teaching. Instead of being an R1 university,
resources are allocated towards the education of undergraduate students and allowing graduate
students to help in that process. The faculty of the department are satisfied with this setup and
enjoy the fact that they are able to maintain a work life balance, while interacting with students
on a regular basis.
Other research was conducted by looking into the department of psychology website,
including the mission statement. We also researched O*net in order to pick out KSAOs that
would be critical to this position. On JMU Joblink, there is a posting for a graduate level
psychology professor in the school counseling program. While it is not the exact position being
hired in this analysis, the description provided insight into qualities the JMU psychology
department may look for in a potential professor These qualities include but are not limited to:
professional affiliation, doctoral degree, ability to mentor students, teaching experience, and
publications. (https://www.onetcenter.org/)
III. Job Analysis Outcomes
1. Approachable/ Personable
The professor should smile, greet students, initiate conversations, invite questions, and respond
respectfully to student comments. The professor should be inviting and make time to talk to
students. They also should listen well in dialogues.
2. Effective communication
The professor should articulate complex ideas in understandable ways. They should speak
clearly/fluidly, use precise English, and give clear/compelling examples.
3. Knowledgeable
The professor should easily answer questions and should not read straight from book or notes.
They should also use clear and understandable examples.
4. Prepared
The professor should come to class on time and have appropriate lectures/notes for the day,
which are organized in a logical order.
5. Provides constructive feedback
The professor should provide comments on assignments turned in, answer questions, clarify
topics/content students have difficulty with, and set clear guidelines for assignments.
6. Professional
The professor should be able to interact with students, other faculty members, and
administration in an appropriate manner. Their dress can be casual, but still presentable and
appropriate. They should wear professional business attire to meetings and presentations when
appropriate. The tasks associated with professionalism may include daily interactions with
students, faculty, administration, as well as attending committee meetings or faculty interviewing
days and professional conferences/presentations.
7. Accessible
The professor should be available when students of other faculty members may need to reach
them. Tasks may include holding regular office hours, while rarely cancelling and responding to
electronic communication during regular business hours.
8. Presents current information
A professor should be able to articulate current information and research to students. Tasks may
include being up to date with current theories and research, changing syllabus accordingly each
semester, and integrating real world examples wherever applicable.
9. Realistic Expectations
Expectations should be clearly laid out in syllabus with dates and some sort of instruction. They
should stick to these expectations and gives grades based on completeness of expectations.
They should also be accommodating to students on a situational basis.
10. Promotes critical thinking/ intellectually stimulating
The professor should promote students to think outside the box and establish creative solutions.
Knowledge should be gained through interactions, whether that be through class or research.
The professor should allow students to be involved in the research process by specifically
solving problems, such as methodology techniques or analyzing results/shortcomings. They
should promote discussion and leave some answers up to personal opinion. In addition, they
should have course assignments where students specifically apply critical thinking, whether that
be through exams, papers, etc.
Appendix:

I) Interview Questions

General:
1. Describe your typical work week.
2. JMU is being recognized for an award, what does that award recognize you for?
3. How long have you been in your current position?
4. Why did you choose to be a professor?
5. If you had a conflict with a student, how would you resolve that situation?
6. What distinguishes a good professor from an outstanding professor?
7. What types of professional affiliations do you have and how are you involved in those
organizations?

Teaching:
8. What changes would you be interested in bringing to the JMU psychology department?
9. How would you define effective teaching?
10. How do you adjust your teaching style to the least motivated student, while also challenging
the most motivated student?
11. What continues to motivate you to do well as a professor?
12. Have you taught at other universities? If so, what have you learned from that department
and how can you carry it over to JMU?

Research:
13. If funding and resources were not an issue, what research study would you conduct?
14. How do you structure your research lab?
15. What resources do you need in order to properly conduct your current lab?

Service:
16. What contributions have you made to the psychology department?
17. How are you actively involved in the Harrisonburg community?
18. What impacts have you made on JMU or the psychology department?

II) Notes from the interview:

1) What contributions have you made to department, community or society in general since your
time @ JMU
o Dan: taken away from society. (lol) service: collaborated w/ stokes to create a clinic for
training/ teaching/ research for children with autism uses expertise to help community
o Jeff: weakness is service. Would like to give school board talks again but doesnt.
Service: director of psyc sciences graduate program: lots of meetings!!! Help grow and
stabilize graduate education
o Jaime: lots of committees. Curriculum and instruction representative. Community
service in Charlottesville-> track club board. Blogs about psyc today. Research out there
for the public. Writing a book on happier vacationing
o Tracy: Assessment!!!! Birth Matters Virginia, infant mortality reduction. Rocktown
Rallies for refugees.
2) Since coming to JMU what skills have you had to develop
o Jeff: first civilian job (military background) dress, get used to large class sizes
o Jaime: prior experience was survival mode, with permanent job it's important to think
big picture ability to define long term plan
o Dan: taking on responsibility, navigate complexities of co workers, getting things done.
No funding/ resources
o Jaime: Untranslatable words in other countries ie hygge, lagom, some kind of
international research on these terms: going in winter to see what its like, hiring
someone to speak language to translate
o Tracy: worklife integration international policies that support new families go to other
countries to figure out how they integrated these things
o Dan holt: unlimited resources means spending too much time using those resources.
Chose this job because he isnt in a position where he doesnt have to get it all. Does not
want enormous amount of responsibility, want to enjoy what he does.
o All interested in being involved with undergraduates
3) Teaching experience prior
o Jeff: 8 classes prior phd program valued learning how to teach as a part of getting phd
o Dan: taught as grad student, phd regularly taught research methods, bx analysis
courses, was not at an institution that cared bout teaching but he loved it and sought out
teaching opportunities
 o Jaime: UVA, distinguished teaching fellowship teach capstone in speciality area. Two
different visting faculty positions helped to build wide range of coursework
o Tracy: graduate program at auburn valued education grads on how to teach
Teaching = priority, doe sit effect research
o Jeff: undergrads leading projects, but doesnt worry about publication more
experience.
4) What gives freedom?
o Department is focused on undergrad, not on professor. IT comes at a cost for
research but allows for flexibility
o 4 courses every semester, however one of those courses can count for a research lab
What about you makes you a good teacher
o Diversity within department of teaching styles options.
o Dan: teach things that I like. Teaches time of day, content, and style that he likes
o Jaime: teaches classes she sees alive out in the world.
o Tracy: likes students
Challenges needed to overcome:
o Jaime: unwritten rules of the job ie committees how to do they work how to effectively
run a research lab
o Jeff: so happy when he got here
o Tracy: figuring out structure v freedom, accessibility boundary
5) Changes to the department
o Jaime: live closer
o Tracy: where JMU decides to spend money, no financial priorities. Like to change
things before they have data that they should change it. Or they have data to change
and they dont.
o Jeff: more faculty would be great.
6) Qualities for students to leave with:
o Growth mindset valuing effort and working hard
o dan: leave here thinking this is the hardest thing youve ever done in your life
o jeff: critical thinking understanding the value of the skills you learned from your
degree
o Tracy: proactive, figure out shit on your own, help other people figure shit out, not be
afraid to help other figure shit out
7) Required education: phd or doctoral degree

III) CVS
Lee, Mathew PhD.
Duvall, Kimberly.
-see attached CVs-