Educational Psychology & Research Curriculum & Admission Requirements

program structure

Coursework

Students complete one school core course requirement, 15 credit hours of degree-required core courses, and 24 credit hours in elective specialization courses. The academic coursework is designed to develop the knowledge base necessary for effective research and scholarship development.

Supervised College Teaching Experience

All Ph.D. students in EPR are expected to have college teaching experience. This experience is often gained through Graduate Teaching Assistantships.

Residency requirement

Doctoral students must be enrolled full-time for at least two semesters in a row during their doctoral training. Consecutive full-time enrollment for two semesters can be attained from Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.

program structure

Comprehensive examination

Upon completion of all coursework, the student is eligible for the comprehensive examination. The comprehensive examination consists of both a written and oral part and test the student's knowledge of the areas of the coursework; ability to reason, evaluate and draw supportable conclusions within the context of the subject area; and knowledge of current issues and trends within the field.

Dissertation

The purpose of the dissertation is to study one educational psychology & research problem or specialty in depth. The student is expected to generate original knowledge in a specialized field and contribute to resolving important problems or questions within the field of educational psychology & research.

Graduate Admission

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in educational psychology & research or a closely related field with at least a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. International applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the application process well in advance of the application deadlines, in order to ensure adequate time for processing of visa related paperwork. Meeting minimum admission standards does not guarantee admission to the program. Applicants are strongly advised to contact one (or more) of the faculty members in the department prior to applying for the doctoral program.

Application Deadlines

Jan. 5

Fall or summer semester application deadline

Program Curriculum

Graduate students pursuing the Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research at KU will need to select a program area of emphasis in Development & Learning (D&L) or Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics (REMS). The student will work closely with an advisor to determine a plan of study. The curriculum requirements outlined below are the minimum required for the degree. To be adequately prepared for an intended career, the student’s advisor may encourage additional coursework or opportunities which may include presenting and/or publishing scholarly papers.

Course requirements

Development & Learning (D&L) Area of Emphasis

EDUC 800—Education as a Field of Study (3 CR)
EPSY 800—Development During Youth and Adulthood (3 CR)
EPSY 802—Child Development (3 CR)
EPSY 807—Theories and Research in Human Learning (3 CR)
EPSY 818—Social Development (3 CR) [can sub PSYC 825]
EPSY 836—Behavior & Systems Neuroscience (3 CR)
EPSY 837—Neuroscience of Achievement Motivation (3 CR)
At least 1 course in professional development (e.g., college teaching, grant writing)

EPSY 810—General Linear Models (3 CR)
EPSY 822—Educational Scales, Questionnaires, & Sampling (3 CR)
A course in qualitative methods (e.g., ELPS 871, C&T 808)
One additional quantitative research course (e.g., EPSY 803, EPSY 812)
[Note: Up to two relevant courses (6 CR) from the master’s degree can be used to satisfy research skills requirements]

Students may use their specialization courses / electives to pursue topics of interest related to their study of human development and learning.
Possible specialization courses include:
- EPSY 808—Social Psychology (3 CR)
- EPSY 896 / 980 special topics courses (multiple can count if on different topics)
- PSYC 870—Cognitive Development (3 CR)
- Any statistics / measurement course (e.g., EPSY 803, EPSY 812, PSYC 896, STAT 823)
- Other relevant courses as discussed with advisor

Please note, this is a potential plan of study. Please consult with your faculty advisor before enrolling.

additional requirements

Dissertation Defense: 3 credit hours

Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics (REMS) Area of Emphasis

Please note, this is a potential plan of study. Please consult with your faculty advisor before enrolling.

additional requirements

Dissertation Defense: 3 credit hours

Admission & Curriculum Resources

The online application is designed to give you the ability to submit all supporting documents in one form. We invite you to explore our graduate degree information, review our student resources, and learn more on our knowledgeable faculty and the vibrant community of Lawrence, Kansas.

Apply Online