About the Ph.D. Degree
Both the face-to-face and online Ph.D. program in Educational Psychology and Research (EDPR) follows a research apprenticeship model (through one-on-one and direct faculty mentorship). Admitted students are taught to understand and apply educational and psychological theory, and research methods, to solve “problems of practice” in education and beyond.
The EDPR program focuses on: Educational Psychology (theory in human development and learning and cognition/motivation) and Educational Research (quantitative and qualitative methods). Graduates with the EDPR PhD will be prepared to work in a variety of settings and professions, including jobs in education, psychology, health professions, and other related fields. Recent graduates currently hold positions as researchers, consultants, administrators, and faculty members in higher education institutions, to name a few.
There are two primary tracks to pursue the EDPR PhD.
- Traditional PhD Path (with master’s degree): Students can pursue the EDPR PhD the traditional route which requires an earned master’s degree from an accredited university. A minimum of 54 credit hours (including 12 dissertation hours) are required to complete the degree program.
- Bachelors to PhD (without master’s degree): Students without a master’s degree, can purse the EDPR PhD through our Bachelors to PhD option. Students choosing this option will spend the first 30 hours of the program working toward earning their EDOR master’s degree. Once a culminating project is submitted and approved in the final semester, those students will then take an additional 42 credit hours—this includes coursework, and 12 hours of dissertation. (Note: International students who are willing to make use of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) which is an option after obtaining a master’s degree are discouraged to go for the Bachelors to PhD option, since this path will not have an official break at the time of the completion of the master’s program.)
All doctoral students are required to complete both a research residency project and a dissertation demonstrating their ability to conduct original applied research studies. We accept both part-time and full-time students. Application deadlines (traditional): Fall entry (March 1st) and Spring entry (November 1st). Applicants are normally notified within two weeks about application their status, and interviews are normally required.
Graduate funding is available for students through teaching and research assistantships. Students should express in their applications whether they desire funding.
Please note that, since the purpose of our doctoral training program is to prepare researchers who work in specialized areas, individuals interested ONLY in an applied clinical position or a position that requires certification or licensure (e.g., school counselor, school psychologist, mental health counselor) should not apply to this program.
Coordinators:
Chris Mueller
Educational Psychology Program Coordinator
105C Ball Hall
Email | 901.678.2841
Eli Jones
Educational Research Program Coordinator
302C Ball Hall
Email | 901.678.2841
Important Links
- UofM Graduate Catalog - Educational Psychology & Research (Ph.D.)
- Educational Psychology & Research Coursework
- How to apply to our Ph.D. program