Educational Psychology

 

 

About the Program:

Educational Psychology is an academic program in the Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership. The program equips students with a comprehensive knowledge of learning, motivation, development, and educational foundations. Additionally, students learn to apply quantitative and qualitative research skills in a manner that promotes educational improvement while valuing  diversity. Thus, educational psychology attracts students from various educational and professional backgrounds including education; psychology; human sciences; business; sports sciences; and health sciences.

Standards

Program work within Educational Psychology is developed and guided by a strong conceptual framework, the standards from the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), guidelines from the American Psychological Association (APA), American Educational Research Association (AERA), and National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the sound professional judgment of an experienced and caring faculty.

Degree programs of study

Students may seek either a Doctoral (Ph.D.) or Master’s degree (M.Ed.) in Educational Psychology. The doctoral program emphasizes research and teaching and prepares students for career positions in academia. Additionally, Educational Psychology prepares students for careers in educational research and measurement, such as those found in universities (e.g., institutional research), government agencies, and testing companies. However, students may also choose a practitioner-oriented emphasis or specialization, such as school psychology or sport psychology, by crafting an individualized, interdisciplinary degree plan.

The master’s program is designed to provide students with content knowledge that facilitates the application of research in educational psychology to educational settings. Teachers are especially encouraged to select the applied master’s degree plan that is designed to prepare highly effective, culturally sensitive educators.