Educational Psychology and Research Major, PhD

Major Core (13 hours)
The major core in educational psychology and research reflects the connections between concentrations and their foundation in educational psychology. The core also includes a departmental doctoral seminar that orients new students to doctoral study and scholarly activities. In addition, all students must take as one of their research courses a departmental course that introduces modes of inquiry through appropriate selection of quantitative and/or qualitative methods. Students may select other research courses according to preference and concentration requirements as described below. Core courses include EDPY 507 , EDPY 513 , EDPY 525 , EDPY 533 , EDPY 601 .

Adult Education Concentration

Requirements
The PhD concentration in adult education involves a minimum of 79 hours of study beyond the master’s degree. This includes at least 55 hours of course work and 24 hours of dissertation.

¹ The major core consists of courses as described above.
² Courses for the concentration are from adult education courses such as those listed under the master’s degree requirements and electives.
³ A departmental course introducing quantitative and qualitative methods is required for all students as a part of the minimum 15 hours of research. To meet the research requirement, students take courses that provide them with knowledge and skills in both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
⁴ At least 6 hours must be taken in a cognate area outside the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.
⁵ Dissertation hours are taken after all or most course work is completed. Once a student registers for course 600 (dissertation/research), he/she must continually thereafter register for a minimum of 3 hours every semester until the dissertation is defended and submitted.

Applied Educational Psychology Concentration

The applied educational psychology concentration provides study for students with varying interests in the areas of human learning and development or statistics and measurement. Doctoral students selecting the first specialization focus on acquisition and participatory theories of learning and development and the role of the teacher/mediator of learning experiences. Doctoral students selecting the second specialization focus on quantitative methods, research design, and test construction. This concentration involves a community of learners in which beginning students, advanced students, and faculty members come together regularly to share with and learn from one another. The cornerstone of this concentration is a seminar attended by all students (for their first three years), as well as the concentration’s faculty members. Collaboration on research projects, group trips to professional meetings, and social events also help to create the sense that “I belong; others care about me; and everyone benefits from the group’s array of skills, knowledge, background, and contacts.”

Requirements
The concentration requires a minimum of 88 hours of graduate credit beyond the baccalaureate degree distributed among the following seven categories.

¹ The major core is described above and includes one designated 3-hour course from each concentration in educational psychology and a 1-hour doctoral seminar, which is taken during the student’s first semester.
² All applied educational psychology students enroll in 2 hours of the applied educational psychology doctoral seminar during every fall and spring semester during their first three years.
³ Applied educational psychology students select a specialization in either applied statistics and measurement, or human learning and development. For students with the learning/development emphasis, course options include (but are not limited to) mediated learning theory, educational applications of cognitive learning theories, educational applications of behavioral learning theories, collaborative learning, and facilitation of group change. For students with the applied statistics and measurement emphasis, course options include (but are not limited to) survey design and analysis, categorical data analysis, applied multivariate methods, and scale construction.
⁴ A departmental course introducing quantitative and qualitative methods is required for all students as a part of the minimum 15 hours of research. In addition to this course, students can elect to take a set of courses that deal with quantitative methodologies (e.g., experimental design, seminar in applied psychometrics) or they can elect to take a full set of courses that deal with qualitative methodologies (e.g., phenomenology, discourse analysis, or a survey of qualitative methods) or they can elect to take a mix of these courses.
⁵ The cognate requires a minimum of two courses outside the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling. Many students choose psychology or statistics, although many other cognates are possible.
⁶ Toward the end of the program, each student will take 12 hours of courses that involve the refinement of professional skills including technical or scholarly writing, two independent study course experiences, and an internship in educational psychology. Students planning to teach in a college or university setting are encouraged to take an additional course in instructional design for higher education.
⁷ All students will enroll in a minimum of 24 hours of dissertation. Further details are described elsewhere in this catalog.

Collaborative Learning Concentration

The collaborative learning concentration addresses the advanced educational needs of professionals working in a variety of settings including business, government, higher education, and non-profit organizations. Participants study the collaborative learning process and engage in action research in the context of their own professional practices. A cohort of doctoral students is admitted every other year.

Requirements
Doctoral students in the collaborative learning concentration are expected to complete a minimum of 94 hours of graduate credit beyond the baccalaureate degree. Required is a two-year residency, consisting of six consecutive semesters in which the student will enroll in a minimum of 6-9 hours of course work in each of four semesters and a minimum of 9 hours in each of two consecutive semesters. These hours are distributed among the following categories.

¹ The major consists of courses in each concentration and a departmental seminar course as described in the major section above.
² The concentration core consists of four courses in the area of collaborative learning plus the doctoral seminar. Educational Psychology 630 is taken on a continuous basis beginning with the first semester of the student’s residency and culminating at the end of the second year of residency, excluding summers. Three hours are awarded per semester for a total of 12 hours of credit.
³ This set of courses includes courses in qualitative and quantitative research methods and statistics.
⁴ Courses taken in an area outside the major area of study.
⁵ Additional courses of the student’s choice that support his or her program emphasis.
⁶ The focus of the student’s dissertation research is his or her own professional practice and therefore must involve some form of action research methodology.

Evaluation and Assessment Concentration

Requirements
The PhD concentration in evaluation and assessment involves a minimum of 82 hours of study beyond the master’s degree distributed among the following categories.

¹ The major core consists of the following courses: Educational Psychology 507, 513, 525, 533, and 601. In addition, all students take Educational Psychology 506 as part of the research requirement.
² This concentration consists of the following Educational Psychology courses: Educational Psychology 581, 651, 652, 653, 654, and 670.
3 A departmental course introducing quantitative and qualitative methods is required for all students as a part of the minimum 15 hours of research. In addition to a mix of both qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies, at least six hours of statistics are strongly encouraged.
4 Students are to explore other fields related to their areas of interest. The courses may include curriculum, instructional technology, educational administration/higher education or others courses within and beyond education.
5 At least 6 hours must be taken in a cognate area outside the program.
6 All students will enroll in a minimum of 24 hours of dissertation. Further details are described elsewhere in the catalog.