MEd in Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology with Emphasis in Educational Psychology
The Educational Psychology program is committed to the dissemination and development of knowledge and skills in human learning and cognition, development, and motivation. We use quantitative and qualitative methods to study how people's thinking, motivation, and behavior change across time. We study how different social settings like classroom, family, work, and peers affect people's well-being, learning and behavior. The study of educational psychology is relevant to teachers, coaches, athletes, nurses, counselors, software developers, trainers, social workers, program evaluators, and administrators.
Educational psychologists attempt to understand how:
- to improve learning, academic achievement, and motivation
- development influences learning and well-being
- society influences learning and behavior
- school influences students' development in other settings
Degree Requirements
The master’s degree program requires at least 33 credit hours. Students enrolled in the MEd take a 4 hour comprehensive exam at the end of the program unless in the online program. Master’s students must have completed or plan to complete 15 hours of prerequisite course work as listed below. The prerequisite coursework is over and above that required for the master’s degree itself, and thus cannot be counted on the Program of Study for the master’s degree. Many students will have completed these prerequisites in their undergraduate programs.
- Statistics: A course in statistics covering descriptive statistics, correlation, t-tests, and chi-square. If undergraduate coursework does not include an introductory level course in statistics, ESC_PS 4170/ESC_PS 7170 must be taken to satisfy this prerequisite, but it then cannot count on the Program of Study.
- Psychological Theory: Two courses in psychological theory (not including the introductory course in psychology), for example, personality, social, developmental, or learning.
- Additional courses: Two additional courses in education, psychology, or sociology.
| Requirements | ||
| Research | 9 | |
| Overview of Research Methods | ||
| Foundations of Educational and Psychological Measurement | ||
| Quantitative Foundations in Educational Research | ||
| Psychological Foundations | 9 | |
| Cognition and Emotion | ||
| Lifespan Development | ||
| Advanced Human Learning | ||
| Motivation | ||
| Human Diversity (Relevant Course) | 3 | |
| General Electives | 12 | |
For MA with thesis or manuscript, 6 hours of these courses must be 8090. Elective courses can be taken from Educational, School, & Counseling Psychology or from other departments such as Human Development and Family Science, Psychological Sciences, or Information Science and Learning Technology. | ||
Student Learning and Well-being (online)
An online master's degree with a student learning and well-being focus is also available. The 33-hour program was developed with the working K-12 classroom teacher in mind. Course work is completely online and provides practical applications of learning theory, motivation, assessment of student well-being, mental health, issues of bullying, positive psychology, and the development of a safe and supportive school environment.
Sample Plan of Study
The plan of study will depend on the student’s career goals and research interests and should be completed in consultation with the advisor.
Thesis/Non-Thesis Requirements
After working with the academic advisor on developing a thesis or project proposal, the student meets with his or her committee to obtain approval. This happens before data collection begins. After the project is completed, the student submits a written thesis and defends the thesis to the committee. The defense can occur only when MU is officially in session.
Admissions
Applicants are required to meet two sets of minimum qualifications for admission: the requirements of the MEd in Educational, School & Counseling Psychology program and the minimum requirements of the Graduate School.
Apply online by submitting the following documents using the MU Graduate School application form by January 15th for the next Fall cohort.
- The three letters of recommendation
- Curriculum Vita
- Official academic transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 from an accredited institution in psychology, education, or a related major.
- Statement of purpose addressing the following:
- Describe experiences teaching, designing instruction, and engaging in research and how these experiences have prepared you for graduate study. (500 word maximum)
- Describe (1) your research interests that you hope to pursue in graduate school (2) how these interests match those of specific faculty (3) your career objectives, and (4) how being accepted into MU’s program will benefit your career aspirations. (Please limit to 500 words)
- Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores for tests taken on or after August 1, 2012 should have a combined Verbal and Quantitative score of 305.
- TOEFL for international students (preferred score of 580 for paper test, 92 iBT, IELTS 6.5 or higher)
Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in a field not related to psychology will be required to complete 15 hours of prerequisite courses in the behavioral sciences (including an introductory statistics course) either prior to, or concurrently with, coursework in the program. This prerequisite coursework is over and above that required for the master’s degree itself and is not counted on the Program of Study for the master’s degree.
Student Learning and Well-being (online)
No GRE is required.
Complete program details (e.g., how to apply, course planner) are available at the Student Learning and Well-being website.