Alan Hughes

Dr. Alan Hughes is the Dean of the Charter School of Education (CSEHS) and Professor of Psychology. A native of Mt. Sterling, KY, he received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Berea College, a master’s degree in experimental psychology from Western Kentucky University, and a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of Louisville. Since earning his doctorate, Dr. Hughes has been tenured and promoted at two residential liberal arts colleges, both regarded for their focus on undergraduate education, their commitment to graduate education in select professional programs, and their community outreach and dedication to civic betterment. Over the last 25 years, his scholarly activity included conducting and publishing research related to visual neuroscience, collaborating with students on numerous research projects, and doing research as it relates to the scholarship of teaching.

As Dean, Dr. Hughes oversees several diverse programs under one umbrella. Berry’s CSEHS houses pre-professional and professional (accredited) programs in Psychology, Teacher Education, Nursing, Exercise Science, and Sport Leadership and Strategy; a graduate Physician Associate (PA) program; a graduate program in curriculum and instruction; a graduate program in educational leadership; and minors in Applied Behavior Analysis, Family Studies, Strength and Conditioning, and TEFL. Berry recently launched an Inclusive Post Secondary Education program (IPSE) and that program is housed in the CSEHS as well. Additionally, the CSEHS supports three accredited and licensed laboratory schools—two serving PreK and Preschool children as well as an elementary and middle school (K-8).

In addition to his role as Dean, Dr. Hughes serves the Berry community in other ways. Between 2020 and 2022, he co-directed Berry’s Institutional Effectiveness initiative where he helped to promote, to lead, and to manage institutional capacity for outcomes assessment at the institutional, department, and program level. Dr. Hughes transitioned from this role in 2022, and currently serves as Berry’s SACSCOC Institutional Accreditation Liaison, a position that connects him with institutional officers to ensure that compliance with accreditation requirements is incorporated into the planning and evaluation process of the institution.