Welcome! We're glad you are interested in pursuing a PhD at Mississippi State University. Dr. Rieger really enjoys working with students and would be honored to mentor you in your research and research-informed practice careers. 

Dr. Rieger is reviewing applicants for the current admission cycle, with the opportunity to admit 1-2 new clinical psychology PhD students. The strongest applicants are those who have research or evaluation experience and - perhaps most importantly - who are passionate about the topics of rural health, violence prevention and response, and/or trauma-focused interventions. Action-oriented research is a team sport, and to be part of CHORAL you need to be a thoughtful, kind, humble human being on a research team and with community partners. 

Learn more about the Clinical Psychology PhD program, including admission requirements and processes, here: https://www.psychology.msstate.edu/graduate-programs/clinical-psychology-program Please note that our applications are due on December 1. 

Research Mentorship in CHORAL

CHORAL is a clinical and community psychology research group. We work collaboratively with nonprofits and community members to design, interpret, and dissemintate research. If you are interested in pursuing a research or evaluation career, and/or a career dedicated to public service, then we could be a collegial and productive place for you to complete your graduate education!  

CHORAL is a great fit for prospective students who would like to research rural health, violence prevention and response, and/or trauma-focused interventions - and especially for those who would like to do so using mixed-methods and community-engaged designs. Read more about our current/ongoing projects, and feel free to email Dr. Rieger at ar3029@msstate.edu to check on the progress of any upcoming grants. 

Clinical Training at Mississippi State

All PhD students consistently engage in compassionate, evidence-based clinical training with an emphasis on cognitive-behavioral approaches. Congratulations to our clinic director, Dr. Emily Stafford, who recently won a national award from  the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology in recognition of the Department of Psychology's excellent clinical training! 

As interested, clinical students who would like to be clinically supervised by Dr. Rieger can count on receiving strong training in:

• youth and family trauma-focused interventions, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) 

• evidence-based youth interventions for a variety of youth mental health concerns, including First Approach Skills Training (FAST) Programs; Modular Approach to Therapy for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, or Conduct Problems (MATCH-ADTC); and the Unified Protocol for Emotional Disorders (UP) for children and adolescents 

• couples interventions, primarily Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy (IBCT)