James Calvert

Senior Lecturer II

Psychology

Email

jcalvert@smu.edu

Office Location

Hyer Hall 311D

Phone

214-768-3519

Education

2007 – Postdoctoral M.S., Clinical Psychopharmacology, Fairleigh Dickinson University
1989 – Ph.D., Clinical Psychology (minor in school psychology), Louisiana State University
1983 – B.A., Psychology, Clemson University

 

Biography

Dr. Calvert has been a licensed clinical psychologist since 1990. After New Mexico and Louisiana passed laws licensing psychologists to prescribe medication, he obtained a post-doctoral master’s degree in clinical psychopharmacology and became licensed as a medical (prescribing) psychologist in 2007. 
He has spent over 30 years in healthcare as a practicing psychologist, program director, training director, clinical director, and executive director at community mental health agencies, hospitals, and private practices. Prior to coming to º£½ÇÖ±²¥, he also taught at numerous universities, including Louisiana State University, University of Alabama, Texas A&M – Texarkana, and Midwestern State University. He has developed numerous courses at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ (e.g., psychopharmacology, psychology of evil, ethics in psychology) and teaches multiple courses in both the undergraduate and doctoral programs. He is the author of the textbook, Psychopharmacology: Drugs of Pharmacotherapy and Addiction.
He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in Divisions 55 (Pharmacotherapy), 53 (Child and Adolescent), and 43 (Couples and Family).
In his spare time, Dr. Calvert likes to watch movies, go to museums, shop for art and antiques, dine with friends, and visit his adult children. He is currently writing two novels.

Courses

Spring 2026
PSYC 3372 | Ethics in Psychology

Provides students with a foundation of knowledge about ethical practices and procedures, models of ethical decision making, and current issues of ethics in psychology.

PSYC 4321 | Behavioral Action of Drugs

Addresses the principles of drugs and behavior, classification, and chemical effects of behaviorally active drugs; influences of environmental, response, and task variables; and the evaluation and treatment of addiction.

PSYC 4334 | Psychological Disorders of Children

Theories, causes, assessment, and treatment of abnormal behavior from infancy through adolescence. Topics include behavioral and emotional disorders, as well as developmental and learning problems. Historical and cultural perspectives, ethics, and research methods are also addressed.

PSYC 4352 | Intro to Clinical Psychology

Surveys important issues and subfields of clinical psychology and compares clinical psychology to other related disciplines, such as counseling, social work, and psychiatry. Covers research, assessment, diagnosis, and theories of psychotherapy. Through the review of training models (e.g., scientist-practitioner, practitioner-scholar) and admission requirements for graduate school, this course helps guide students contemplating graduate school in clinical psychology or related fields.