Educational Psychology Ph.D.
College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Degree Requirements — 67 Credits
See “Educational Psychology Ph.D.”.
All students will take 18 credits of Foundation courses covering key disciplines within the field of Educational Psychology, including cognition and instruction, motivation, cultural issues, measurement, and development. In addition, students will take courses in the Research Core and select one Research Tool (in Measurement and Assessment, Qualitative Research, or a self-designed option) in order to gain the research skills, knowledge, and expertise to support their scholarly work while in the doctoral program. Finally, the student is given the opportunity to specialize their content knowledge and skills by selecting five courses of their choice, in consultation with their advisor.
Degree Requirements
Foundations — 18 credits
| PSY 630 | Advanced Child and Adolescent Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 640 | Cultural Issues in Education Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 644 | Motivation in Education | 3 |
| PSY 661 | Trends and Issues in Educational Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 674 | Measurement I: Classical Test Theory | 3 |
| PSY 681 | Learning and Instruction | 3 |
Research Core/Research Tool I — 12 credits
Select ONE of the following options for Research Tool II:
Research Tool II: Qualitative Methods — 6 credits
| SRM 680 | Introduction to Qualitative Research | 3 |
and one of the following:
Research Tool II: Measurement and Assessment — 6 credits
| PSY 675 | Measurement II: Contemporary Test Theory | 3 |
| PSY 686 | Advanced Seminar in Measurement and Assessment | 3 |
| | or | |
Research Tool II: Self-Designed — 6 credits
Two courses selected by the student in consultation with advisor, and contingent upon advisor and Graduate School approval. These courses would represent research tools that support the student’s independent research and would need to be in compliance with Graduate School policies (see Graduate School Research Requirements).
Coursework for Specialization — 5 courses; 15 credits
Select 5 courses to total at least 15 credits from the courses below:
| PSY 550 | Cognitive Development | 3 |
| PSY 575 | Educational Assessment | 3 |
| PSY 595 | Special Topics in Psychology | 1-5 |
| PSY 622 | Directed Studies | 1-3 |
| PSY 654 | Seminar in College Teaching | 3 |
| PSY 664 | Advanced Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 675 | Measurement II: Contemporary Test Theory | 3 |
| PSY 680 | Neuroscience Seminar | 3 |
| PSY 682 | Cognition and Instruction II | 3 |
| PSY 684 | Advanced Seminar in Human Development | 3 |
| PSY 686 | Advanced Seminar in Measurement and Assessment | 3 |
| PSY 693 | Research Practicum | 1-3 |
| PSY 694 | Practicum | 3 |
| PSY 695 | Special Topics in Educational Psychology | 1-3 |
Other advanced coursework in Educational Psychology, SRM, Educational Technology, Educational Leadership, and others in consultation with advisor.
Research Proposal/Dissertation — 16 credits
Comprehensive Exams
Doctoral students take comprehensive examinations when they have fulfilled the requirements of the graduate school and are considered prepared by their advisor. Specific procedures for written comprehensives and oral defense of the comprehensives are available from the program website or the program office.
Research Tools
Ph.D. students in Educational Psychology must demonstrate competency in two research tools, as required by the UNC Graduate School. Those tools, as indicated above, are measurement and assessment, qualitative research methods, or another approved area.
Deficiencies
Upon entrance to the Ph.D. program, a candidate must be able to satisfy the core course requirements (or the equivalent) for the M.A. degree in education psychology, or must take additional courses to meet those requirements. Doctoral program courses may have prerequisites that necessitate a student’s program credits to be above the 67-credit minimum.
Master’s Degree en route to the Ph.D.
Students may apply for admission to the Ph.D. in Education Psychology and complete their M.A. in Education Psychology on the way to the doctoral degree. The application process and the admission criteria are the same as for the Ph.D. program. Once admitted, students will complete the 30-credit MA program. See Educational Psychology for more information. Students must complete all program requirements (including Comprehensive Examination) for the M.A. in addition to the minimum 67 credit hours required for the Ph.D. Students must be conferred with the M.A. degree prior to admission to doctoral candidacy.