Education PhD, Educational Psychology Emphasis

Admission and General Requirements

In addition to meeting the application and admissions requirements of the Graduate School, students must submit: 

• Three letters of recommendation (at least two from individuals with earned doctorates, preferably prior instructors). 
• An original essay. 
• A professional resume. 
• Evidence of above-average academic records. A GPA of 3.5 or higher is preferred.
• GRE scores. Quantitative and verbal scores at or above the 50th percentile are preferred. An analytical writing score of 4.0 or higher is preferred.

Admission is competitive, and a favorable vote of an admission interview committee, composed of faculty in the emphasis area, is required.

Degree Program

• Coursework: A minimum of 60 credit hours is required beyond the master’s degree, including 6 hours of dissertation research. A minimum of 42 of these hours must be completed in residence. For students who have not completed a master’s degree, a minimum of 90 hours, postbaccalaureate, is required, including 6 hours of dissertation research (the Graduate School’s residency requirement applies). Students in the Counseling emphasis area complete the following requirements: a minimum 90 hours, postbaccalaureate, including 12 hours of dissertation research (the Graduate School’s residency requirement applies).
• Dissertation: All students must defend orally a written dissertation proposal to their dissertation committee. A dissertation embodying the results of original research must be accepted by the dissertation committee and the Graduate School.

Admission Application

To ensure time for review and decision, applicants should submit the Graduate School application, college transcripts, and any program-specific materials (e.g. supplemental application, letters of recommendation, etc.) well in advance of the December 1st deadline. Please note that unofficial transcripts can be uploaded with the Graduate School application to expedite admissions decisions; however, official transcripts must be received directly from all prior institutions attended before regular admission to any program will be granted. In addition, applicants are urged to request transcripts and letters or recommendation two weeks before completing the online application. Consideration of applications cannot be undertaken until all materials are available.

Degree Requirements

Students in the Teaching-Learning Processes, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and Educational Psychology emphasis areas complete the following requirements.

1. Research Methods		15-18
Students in the Teaching –Learning Processes, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and Educational Psychology emphasis areas should complete the following research methods courses (or equivalent).
ED REM 6735	Statistical Analysis for Education Research (Prerequisite)
ED REM 6750	Advanced Research Design In Education
Plus any three methods courses from the following:
ED REM 7771	Quantitative Research Methods I
ED REM 7772	Quantitative Research Methods II
ED REM 7781	Qualitative Methods in Educational Research I
ED REM 7782	Qualitative Methods in Educational Research II
This sequence totals 15 hours of methods courses. Remaining hours can be completed with other ED REM courses numbered 6000 or higher or research courses in another curriculum.
2. Program Area of Study to Develop Discipline Knowledge (as determined by student, advisor, and program)		24-26
3. Core courses		10-14
EDUC 7490	Directed Readings in the Education Research Literature	1-3
EDUC 7050	The Research Process I: Framing Research Questions in Education Research	3
EDUC 7625	Building Socially Just and Ethical Educational Communities	3
Electives		2-4
4. Dissertation Proposal Writing
EDUC 7950	Preparation for Writing the Dissertation Proposal	1-3
5. Dissertation
EDUC 7999	Dissertation Research	6

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

• Access, critically examine, and use theoretically informed literature in educational administration, educational leadership, education policy, reform, and practice.
• Examine and apply complex interrelationships that affect issues of diversity, equity and social justice from multiple and cross-disciplinary perspectives to educational leadership and policy studies contexts.
• Formulate questions, increase knowledge, use statistics intelligently, and make ethical decisions integrating multiple perspectives using reason, evidence, and educational leadership and policy studies contexts.
• Analyze, categorize, and evaluate qualitative, quantitative, and/or mixed methods approaches within an education context.
• Design and produce rigorous research projects as an independent scholar using qualitative, quantitative, and/or mixed methods approaches.
• Apply and demonstrate leadership skills to promote community engagement or civic action to benefit the public good related to educational leadership and policy studies settings.
• Communicate effectively and engage with others constructively across contexts, languages, and media.