The Educational Psychology Master’s program focuses on the examination and evaluation of psychological principles across the lifespan with an emphasis on cognition, development, motivation, identity and social processes. We thoroughly prepare students to serve as scholar-practitioners in a variety of education settings. Our goal is to create scholars, educators and leaders who will help improve and transform the lives of all learners through the lifespan.
Program Description
Educational Psychology students learn to apply psychological theory and research methodology to answer these and other questions:
- How is learning influenced by the social and cultural contexts of the classroom, school and community?
- How do students learn and grow?
- What motivates students to achieve and teachers to teach?
- What is the best way to help individuals learn across the lifespan?
- How can we best assess student learning and educational outcomes?
As scholar-practitioners, educational psychologists generate new knowledge that can improve the outcomes of people in a broad range of settings, from formal classrooms to training and continuing education in the professions.
What can graduates do with a master’s in educational psychology?
Our graduates are prepared to apply to competitive PhD programs to become researchers, leaders, university faculty, independent researchers in military, governmental or private industry settings, as well as skilled practitioners in their chosen field of study. As university or college faculty, we may teach college courses, conduct research, prepare prospective teachers and other educators, and/or develop statistical and research methods. Also at the college level, educational psychologists may work in study skills programs, instructional improvement programs, and/or curriculum development projects.
Educational psychologists also leverage their deep knowledge of psychology to work in research and development organizations (such as those found in the Research Triangle) in which they help evaluate new educational initiatives, influence policy, or help develop instructional materials or educational tests for schools. Educational psychologists increasingly work in government, school, military, corporate settings or private enterprise, the courts, and other organizational settings where they participate in training staff, developing and implementing educational programs, evaluating the effectiveness of educational programs, and/or analyzing educational data.
Educational Psychology Master of Education Curriculum (30 hours):
Course descriptions can be found in the university course catalog.
- Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Core Courses (select 6 hours from the following):
- ECI 500 Theory and Practice In Teaching Diverse Populations
- ECI 501 Foundations of Curriculum
- ECI 508 Teachers as Leaders
- ECI 523 Teacher as Researcher
- ECI 541 Reading in the Content Areas
- Educational Psychology Core (15 hours)
- EDP 504 Advanced Educational Psychology
- EDP 575 Multicultural Lifespan Development
- EDP 723 Motivation in Education
- EDP 582 Adolescent Development
- ECI 507 Social Justice Education
- Methods (9 hours)
- ED 700 Introduction to Research Methods in Education
- ED 710 Applied Quantitative Methods in Education I or ST 507 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences I
- ED 730 Introduction to Qualitative Research in Education or ED 711 Applied Quantitative Methods in Education I
Faculty
DeLeon L. Gray, PhD
Associate Professor, Educational Psychology Program Coordinator
dlgray2@ncsu.edu
Dr. Vandna Bindra, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor
vkgill@ncsu.edu
Christy Byrd, PhD
Assistant Professor
cmbyrd3@ncsu.edu
John L. Nietfeld, PhD
Professor
jlnietfe@ncsu.edu
Margareta M. Thomson, PhD
Professor
mmpop@ncsu.edu
Admission Requirements
- A personal statement that clearly describes the student’s research experience, interests, and career goals. Applicants should explain how their research interests fit with one or more of our program faculty and how our faculty’s mentorship will contribute to their career goals.
- GRE test scores from within the past 5 years
- Current resume or CV
- Recommendations from 3 individuals attesting to scholarly aptitude, motivation, and research skills
