Examine how teachers, classroom environments, and schools can enhance or diminish student motivation and performance. You will gain insight into cognitive and emotional changes in children, adolescents, and adults and develop a solid foundation in the theoretical frameworks that guide different styles of teaching.

This 36-credit hour program teams you with nationally known researchers exploring motivation, learning, social development of children, aggression and bullying in schools, and family influences on child development. It also includes a strong emphasis on statistical analysis, assessment, and inquiry methodology.

Degree Requirements

Major Requirements (36 cr.)
Educational Psychology Requirements (12 cr.)
Courses are selected from one or more of the sub-areas of psychological studies, which include human development or learning and instructional cognition. Most if not all P-prefixed courses should count, including but not limited to the following:

• P513 Gerontology: Multidisciplinary Perspectives (3 cr.)
• P514 Life Span Development: Birth to Death (3 cr.)
• P515 Child Development (3 cr.)
• P516 Adolescent Development (3 cr.)
• P517 Adult Development and Aging (3 cr.)
• P518 Social Aspects of Aging (3 cr.)
• P540 Learning and Cognition in Education (3 cr.)
• P544 Applied Cognition and Learning Strategies (3 cr.)
• P545 Educational Motivation (3 cr.)
• P566 Social Psychology in Education (3 cr.)
• P590 Independent Study or Research in Educational Psychology (3 cr.)
• P600 Topical Seminar in Learning, Cognition & Instruction (3 cr.)
• P622 Social Development (3 cr.)
• P623 Child Development (3 cr.)
• P624 Biology of Behavior (3 cr.)
• P625 Family Processes (3 cr.)
• P640 Thinking and Learning in Social Contexts (3 cr.)
• P650 Topical Seminar in Educational Psychology (3 cr.)

Learning (3 cr. minimum)
Select at least one course from the following:

• P540 Learning and Cognition in Education (3 cr.)
• P544 Applied Cognition and Learning Strategies (3 cr.)
• P545 Educational Motivation (3 cr.)
• P566 Social Psychology in Education (3 cr.)
• P590 Independent Study or Research in Educational Psychology (3 cr.)
• P600 Topical Seminar in Learning, Cognition & Instruction (3 cr.)
• P640 Thinking and Learning in Social Contexts (3 cr.)
• P650 Topical Seminar in Educational Psychology (3 cr.)

Foundations in Education (9 cr. minimum)
Doctoral students are required to take courses outside their major and minor areas to obtain alternative theoretical perspectives to their studies. These courses may be taken in areas such as the history, philosophy or sociology of education, curriculum theory and other social sciences. Students are allowed to take no more than 6 credits in the same area.

Inquiry Core (15 cr. minimum)

The Inquiry component emphasizes methodological skills which provide a basis for conducting original research. The following three courses are required:

• Y521 Methodological Approaches to Educational Inquiry (3 cr.)
• Y502 Intermediate Statistics Applied to Education (3 cr.)
  • Must be taken concurrently with Y500
• Y527 Educational Assessment and Psychological Assessment (3 cr.)
• Select two courses from the following:
  • H510 Foundations of Educational Inquiry (3 cr.)
  • H601 Historical Inquiry in Education (3 cr.)
  • Y535 Evaluation Models and Techniques (3 cr.)
  • Y603 Statistical Design of Educational Research (3 cr.)
    • Must be taken concurrently with Y500.
  • Y604 Applied Multivariate Statistics (3 cr.)
    • Must be taken concurrently with Y500.
  • Y611 Qualitative Inquiry in Education (3 cr.)
  • Y617 Psychometric Theory (3 cr.)
  • Y627 Seminar in Educational and Psychological Measurement I (3 cr.)
  • Y635 Methodology of Educational Evaluation (3 cr.)
  • Y750 Seminar in Inquiry Methodology (3 cr.)

Minor Requirements (12 cr.)
The minor must have integrity in its own right and must complement the major. The minor field must demonstrate wholeness within itself and contribute to the student's overall doctoral program. Minors are normally formulated within a single program area. However, an interdisciplinary or individualized minor is also possible. Interdisciplinary or individualized minors require a written description of the minor's underlying theme along with a rationale for each course's contribution to that theme through the Minor Justification form. This form should be submitted and approved by the Graduate Studies Office prior to enrolling in the minor courses.

Students will select a minor field of study to complement their major in educational psychology. The minor serves to develop students’ substantive area of interest. Major area courses may not be used in the minor.

Elective Requirements
Elective courses are chosen to fill out the major and to contribute to the integrity of the student’s program. These courses are taken in the student’s area of interest, within or outside the department, in order to fulfill the total program requirement of 90 credit hours.

Dissertation Requirements (15 cr.)

• G795 Dissertation Proposal Preparation (3 cr.)
• G799 Doctoral Thesis in Counseling Psychology (12 cr.)