Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology and Research
The Educational Psychology and Research (EPR) program includes instruction within two specialized areas of emphasis referred to as concentrations: Development & Learning (D&L) and Research, Evaluation, Measurement and Statistics (REMS).
The Development & Learning concentration prepares students for work as research scientists in educational psychology. Graduates work in a variety of settings, but most commonly seek faculty positions in higher education. The program includes coursework in the areas of human development (with a primary focus on child or adolescent development), learning and cognition, and educational research methods, as well as completion of a data-driven dissertation. Doctoral students develop their own research agenda around a relevant development and learning topic in collaboration with faculty. Research training includes presenting research at national conferences and publishing research in scientific journals. Teaching at the University is also an integral part of our doctoral education. The Ph.D. is typically completed in 4-5 years of full-time study.
The Research, Evaluation, Measurement and Statistics concentration prepares students for careers in educational measurement and quantitative research methods. The Ph.D. program includes coursework in research methods, psychometrics, and statistical analysis. Students typically complete the Ph.D. in 3-4 years of full-time study.
Opportunities are available each year for students to be involved in basic and applied educational research.
Graduate Admissions Requirements
Applicants must meet both the University and departmental admission requirements to be considered for the program.
University of Kansas Graduate Admission Requirements
- All applicants must meet the requirements outlined in the Admission to Graduate Study policy.
Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology and Research Application Requirements:
- A completed graduate application.
- Application fee.
- Official transcripts of all degree-granting post-secondary institutions you have attended and an official transcript for each degree earned.
- Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can provide a thorough evaluation of one's abilities at the graduate level.
Personal statement addressing the following:
- Why you are interested in this degree program, including what skills, competencies, and experiences you hope to gain in the program;
- Your career goals and how this degree program relates to your career goals (that is, how you see this program preparing you to meet your career objectives);
- Prior relevant educational, work, and research experiences; and
- One research topic or issue that you would like to pursue in this program, including the faculty member with whom you would like to work, if known.
- Current resume or CV
- Writing sample of your best academic work.
NOTE: These are the admission requirements in place at the time this catalog content was published.
Ph.D. Degree Requirements
The School of Education and Human Sciences (SOEHS) minimal requirements for doctoral programs are
- a minimum 36 credit hour Major,
- a 3 credit hour SOEHS core seminar (EDUC 800, an interdisciplinary examination of scholarship in education as preparation for careers in research), and
- 12 credit hours of coursework in Research Skills.
The major coursework must include at least 2 courses from a department or departments other than EPSY (e.g., PSYC, ELPS, ABSC), not including EDUC 800. Courses used to fulfill the research skills requirement cannot be used to fulfill the requirement of credit hours outside of the home department.
Area of Focus
Students in the Ph.D. degree program select a concentration—Development & Learning (D&L) or Research, Evaluation, Methods, and Statistics (REMS)—on which to focus their studies.
Research Skills & Responsible Scholarship:
The University requires that every doctoral student receive training in responsible scholarship pertinent to the field of research and obtain research skills pertinent to the doctoral level of research in their field(s). These requirements must be completed by the end of the semester that the student takes the oral comprehensive exam. For students in the Educational Psychology and Research, Ph.D. program, this requirement is satisfied by completion of:
Written and Oral Comprehensive Exams:
Per University and SOEHS policy, students must be in good academic standing and have completed all required coursework in order to take comprehensive exams.
The comprehensive exam consists of a written exam followed by an oral exam. Students must pass both written and oral components of the comprehensive examination. Satisfactory performance on the written component must be attained before the oral component may be attempted.
Enrollment Requirements Post-Comprehensive Exam:
Students are required to be continuously enrolled until they complete, defend, and submit their dissertation. At a minimum, students are required to enroll in 6 dissertation hours in the fall and spring each term until they reach 18 dissertation hours or complete their dissertation, whichever comes first. Once the student reaches 18 post-comps dissertation hours, they may drop to 1 hour per term until they complete, defend, and submit the dissertation.
Summer enrollment is only required if the student is passing a milestone in the summer (comprehensive exam, proposal meeting, or dissertation defense). If the student has not yet reached 18 hours, their summer enrollment would be 3 dissertation hours. If they are past the 18 hours, then their summer enrollment should be 1 hour.
Students are permitted to a Leave of Absence, following university policy and approved by the department.
Dissertation and Final Oral Defense:
Upon approval of the proposal, the student may begin work on the dissertation research under the guidance of the advisor and dissertation committee (typically consisting of the members of the proposal committee and one tenure-track faculty member from another department who represents Graduate Studies), determines the dissertation is ready for defense, a defense may be scheduled.
The completed dissertation must be defended within the time period established by the University and SOEHS for completion of doctoral degrees.
Additional requirements
To continue in the program, students must meet the University and SOEHS standards for being in good academic standing as specified in the SOEHS graduate regulations tab. Students must remain continuously enrolled in the program.
Concentration in Development & Learning
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| D&L course recommendations for students entering without a master's degree | ||
| Human Development and Learning Core | ||
| EDUC 800 | Education as a Field of Scholarship | 3 |
| EPSY 705 | Human Development through the Lifespan | 3 |
| EPSY 715 | Understanding Research in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 800 | Development during Youth and Adulthood | 3 |
| EPSY 802 | Child Development | 3 |
| EPSY 807 | Theories and Research in Human Learning | 3 |
| EPSY 818 | Social Development | 3 |
| EPSY 836 | Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 837 | The Neuroscience of Motivation and Emotional Behaviors | 3 |
| At least 1 course in professional development (e.g., college teaching, grant writing) | 3 | |
| Research Skills | ||
| EPSY 710 | Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| EPSY 711 | Lab for Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 1 |
| EPSY 810 | Regression and ANOVA: General Linear Models | 3 |
| A course in qualitative methods (e.g., ELPS 871, C&T 808) | 3 | |
| A course in measurement (e.g., EPSY 725, EPSY 822) | 3 | |
| Specialization Courses / Electives | 9 | |
| Students may use their specialization courses / electives to pursue topics of interest related to their study of development and learning. | ||
| Possible specialization courses include: | ||
| Advanced Social Psychology: Theory, Research, and Professional Applications | ||
| Seminar in: _____ (multiple can count if on different topics) | ||
| Cognitive Development | ||
| Any statistics / measurement course (e.g., EPSY 803, EPSY 812, EPSY 822, PSYC 896) | ||
| Other relevant courses as discussed with advisor | ||
| Total Hours | 52 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| D&L course recommendations for students entering with a master’s degree | ||
| Human Development and Learning Core | ||
| EDUC 800 | Education as a Field of Scholarship | 3 |
| EPSY 800 | Development during Youth and Adulthood | 3 |
| EPSY 802 | Child Development | 3 |
| EPSY 807 | Theories and Research in Human Learning | 3 |
| EPSY 818 | Social Development | 3 |
| EPSY 836 | Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 837 | The Neuroscience of Motivation and Emotional Behaviors | 3 |
| At least 1 course in professional development (e.g., college teaching, grant writing) | 3 | |
| Research Skills | ||
| EPSY 810 | Regression and ANOVA: General Linear Models | 3 |
| EPSY 822 | Educational Scales, Questionnaires, and Sampling | 3 |
| A course in qualitative methods (e.g., ELPS 871, C&T 808) | 3 | |
| One additional quantitative research course (e.g., EPSY 803, EPSY 812) | 3 | |
| Note: Up to two relevant courses (6 CR) from the master’s degree can be used to satisfy research skills requirements | ||
| Specialization Courses / Electives | 12 | |
| Students may use their specialization courses / electives to pursue topics of interest related to their study of human development and learning. | ||
| Possible specialization courses include: | ||
| Advanced Social Psychology: Theory, Research, and Professional Applications | ||
| Seminar in: _____ (multiple can count if on different topics) | ||
| Cognitive Development | ||
| Any statistics / measurement course (e.g., EPSY 803, EPSY 812, PSYC 896, STAT 823) | ||
| Other relevant courses as discussed with advisor | ||
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Comprehensive Exam
All D&L Ph.D. students must successfully pass their comprehensive exams prior to starting their dissertation. The exam consists of writing a qualifying paper and an oral exam.
Dissertation Credit Hours
During the dissertation period, students must be enrolled continuously with a minimum of at least 6 credit hours each semester (excluding summers), until the student either graduates or reaches 18 credit hours post comprehensive exams. Students may begin enrollment in dissertation hours the semester in which they pass the oral comprehensive exam.
Research, Evaluation, Methods, and Statistics Concentration Requirements
Program Core Course Requirements
All REMS Ph.D. students must enroll in at least one course at or above the 800 level in each of the following program core areas. Courses commonly chosen to meet these requirements are shown below.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOEHS Required Core Course | ||
| EDUC 800 | Education as a Field of Scholarship | 3 |
| Research & Evaluation course options: | ||
| EPSY 812 | Meta-Analysis | 3 |
| Measurement & Assessment course options: | ||
| EPSY 822 | Educational Scales, Questionnaires, and Sampling | 3 |
| EPSY 922 | Introduction to Item Response Theory | 3 |
| Statistics course options: | ||
| EPSY 803 | Using R, Machine Learning, and AI for Data Analysis | 3 |
| EPSY 814 | Nonparametric Statistics | 3 |
| EPSY 905 | Fundamentals of Multivariate Modeling | 3 |
| EPSY 906 | Latent Trait Measurement and Structural Equation Models | 3 |
| EPSY 930 | Applied Longitudinal Analysis | 3 |
| Human Development and Learning course options: | ||
| EPSY 807 | Theories and Research in Human Learning | 3 |
| EPSY 836 | Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience in Education | 3 |
| Two Courses outside of EPSY options: | ||
| PSYC 891 | Multilevel Modeling | 3 |
| ELPS 894 | Qualitative Methodologies | 3 |
| Research Skills (12 hours) | ||
| EPSY 810 | Regression and ANOVA: General Linear Models | 3 |
| EPSY 816 | Evaluating School Programs | 3 |
| EPSY 902 | Research Methodology in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 921 | Advanced Measurement Theory and Practice | 3 |
| Total Hours | 51 | |
School of Education Core Course Requirements
Under School of Education and Human Sciences policy, all Ph.D. students must complete “EDUC 800: Education as a Field of Scholarship.” This course must be taken during the first year of a student’s doctoral program.
Specialization Courses
All students must complete 7 courses (21 credit hours) in addition to the program, research skill and school core requirements. These “specialization courses” should complement a student’s growing research focus and agenda. At least two of the 7 courses must be taken from academic units other than EPSY. Students consult with their advisers to identify courses that support their major area of study.
Comprehensive Exam
All REMS Ph.D. students must successfully pass their comprehensive exams prior to starting their dissertation.
Dissertation Credit Hours
During the dissertation period, students must be enrolled continuously with a minimum of at least 6 credit hours each semester (excluding summers), until the student either graduates or reaches 18 credit hours post comprehensive exams. Students may begin enrollment in dissertation hours the semester in which they pass the oral comprehensive exam.
EDPR-PHD - Development & Learning for students without a master's degree. Example program plan.
| Year 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EPSY 705 | 3 | EPSY 710 | 3 |
| EPSY 715 | 3 | EPSY 711 | 1 |
| EDUC 800 | 3 | EPSY 802 | 3 |
| A course in qualitative methods (e.g., ELPS 871, C&T 808) | 3 | ||
| 9 | 10 | ||
| Year 2 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EPSY 800 | 3 | EPSY 807 | 3 |
| EPSY 810 | 3 | EPSY 818 | 3 |
| EPSY 836 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Year 3 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EPSY 837 | 3 | Professional development course (e.g., EPSY 820, EPSY 939, C&T 977) or Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | A course in measurement (e.g., EPSY 725, EPSY 822) | 3 |
| Professional development course (e.g., EPSY 820, EPSY 939, C&T 977) or Elective | 3 | EPSY 999 | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Year 4 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EPSY 999 | 6 | EPSY 999 | 6 |
| 6 | 6 | ||
| Total Hours 67 | |||
EDPR-PHD - Development & Learning for students with a master's degree. Example program plan.
| Year 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EPSY 705 | 3 | EPSY 802 | 3 |
| EPSY 810 | 3 | A course in qualitative methods (e.g., ELPS 871, C&T 808) | 3 |
| EDUC 800 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Year 2 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EPSY 800 | 3 | EPSY 807 | 3 |
| EPSY 822 | 3 | EPSY 818 | 3 |
| EPSY 836 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Year 3 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EPSY 837 | 3 | Professional development course (e.g., EPSY 820, EPSY 939, C&T 977) or Elective | 3 |
| A course in quantitative methods (e.g., EPSY 803, EPSY 812) | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Professional development course (e.g., EPSY 820, EPSY 939, C&T 977) or Elective | 3 | EPSY 999 | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Year 4 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EPSY 999 | 6 | EPSY 999 | 6 |
| 6 | 6 | ||
| Total Hours 66 | |||
EDPR-PHD - Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics for students with a master's degree in a Related Field. Example program plan.
| Year 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EPSY 710 | 3 | EPSY 810 | 3 |
| EPSY 711 | 1 | EPSY 814 | 3 |
| EPSY 725 | 3 | EDUC 800 | 3 |
| EPSY 807 | 3 | ||
| 10 | 9 | ||
| Year 2 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EPSY 803 | 3 | EPSY 836 | 3 |
| EPSY 822 | 3 | A course in qualitative methods (e.g., ELPS 871, C&T 808, EPSY 894) | 3 |
| EPSY 905 | 3 | PSYC 891 | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Year 3 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EPSY 816 | 3 | EPSY 812 | 3 |
| EPSY 902 | 3 | EPSY 921 | 3 |
| EPSY 906 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Year 4 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EPSY 930 | 3 | EPSY 922 | 3 |
| EPSY 999 | 6 | EPSY 999 | 6 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Total Hours 73 | |||