About the Department of Educational Psychology

Mission statement

Educational psychology involves the study of cognitive, emotional, and social learning processes that underlie education and human development across the lifespan. Research in educational psychology advances scientific knowledge of those processes and their application in diverse educational and community settings. The department provides training in the psychological foundations of education, research methods, and the practice and science of counseling psychology, school psychology, and special education. Faculty and students provide leadership and consultation to the state, the nation, and the international community in each area of educational psychology. The department’s scholarship and teaching enhance professional practice in schools and universities, community mental health agencies, business and industrial organizations, early childhood programs, and government agencies.

Adopted by the Dept. of Educational Psychology faculty October 27, 2004.

Our five tracks—counseling and student personnel psychology (CSPP), school psychology, special education, psychological foundations of education, and quantitative methods in education (QME)—are consistently recognized for their quality.

A new undergraduate minor in applied psychology in educational and community settings (APECS) engages students with the various fields in educational psychology and prepares them for graduate work.

High-quality coursework is only one of the reasons our program is so successful. Equally important are the relationships our students establish as they work collaboratively with professors and other students to solve some of the most important problems facing education. Time and time again, employers tell us they are impressed with the extent and the quality of the field experiences our graduates enjoy.

Finally, the network of opportunity at the University is broad because of a long-standing culture of "inter-connectedness" that allows our students to work closely with other departments such as Psychology, Child Development, and Curriculum and Instruction.

Revised July 2008