Minnesota Interdisciplinary Training in Education Research
(MITER) program

“The goal of the program is to raise the level of research and research training to better inform educational practice and improve the education of all students in K–12 educational settings.” — Mark Davison, co-director

Are you interested in how students learn and how to improve schools? The University of Minnesota is one of 10 universities nationwide funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (the U.S. Department of Education’s research arm) to offer an interdisciplinary pre-doctoral research program in education sciences. These universities will collectively train a cadre of education researchers who apply research expertise to issues driven by intellectually exciting questions in education.

The Minnesota Interdisciplinary Training in Education Research (MITER) program is designed to develop education researchers whose work will place them at the forefront of research and academic endeavors worldwide. Students will pursue a research agenda that focuses on theoretical and applied questions in U.S. education. Graduates will conduct a new generation of scientific research through jobs in

• Private industry
• Government
• Academic institutions

“Conducting methodologically and theoretically sound research is critical if we are to have an enduring impact, both in furthering basic knowledge about learning, as well as in applying such knowledge to develop effective educational practices. MITER graduates will exit our program with a strong set of methodological skills and theoretical perspectives that will enable them to make strong contributions to educational research and practice.” — Kristen McMaster, co-director

MITER students

Students in the MITER program focus on experimental research methodology and cognitive science as applied to educational issues. Through coursework and research experiences supervised by leading scholars, MITER program students

• conduct relevant and rigorous research on pressing education policy and practice issues
• understand the education process in schools
• are well-grounded in cognitive theory
• know how to measure learning
• can apply state-of-the-art research designs

Apply now

Application instructions and form

Curriculum

The coursework includes a graduate major and a separate minor.

Faculty

“Measurement and research methodology are important tools, but it is equally important to ground your research in sound theory. Graduate students who complete this program will be thoroughly prepared in the cognitive sciences, including cognitive psychology, educational psychology, and neuroscience.” — Paul van den Broek

MITER faculty represent many fields such as cognitive science, neuroscience, curriculum and instruction, educational psychology, child development, pediatric and adolescent medicine, psychology, public policy, and sociology.

September 2005