Welcome to the Educational Psychology Program!

The Educational Psychology program of the department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology (EDP) at the University of Kentucky focuses on preparing future researchers and academicians.  Our three graduate degree programs in Educational Psychology reflect a collaborative apprenticeship model that encourages students to go beyond taking courses and checking off requirements.  Our aim is to help educational psychology students to develop the knowledge, skills, and tools to be effective consumers and creators of educational research.  We believe that the best way to learn how to do research, analyze data, communicate results, and teach others is to get directly involved with faculty mentors and advanced students as early as possible in one’s graduate program.  In 2003 we were recognized as being ranked in the top 20 in terms of research productivity in the field of Educational Psychology.

Graduate students entering the program will select a program of study focusing on one of four areas of specialization, which are well aligned with faculty expertise: academic motivation, multicultural education, quantitative methods, and human development.  We offer degree programs at the Master's, Specialist, and Doctoral levels.

A degree in Educational Psychology affords a student a number of career options dependent upon the focus of the student's coursework and the level of degree earned. At the Master's level an individual might attain expertise in areas that would be readily marketable in a school system: The individual might work in curriculum development, training programs, setting up testing programs, research, and other areas. Additional job opportunities might be found in training departments of various industries, and in training divisions of state and federal agencies.

At the doctoral level an individual's expertise and marketability may be much broader than at the Master's level. For example, with a doctorate in Educational Psychology one might opt to teach and/or do research and development in colleges and universities, be an administrator in higher education, work in medical education or medical research, develop and manage training departments in industry, work in various areas of publishing, conduct product design and research and/or program development, consult for or head state and federal agencies, conduct measurement and evaluation in school districts, or establish a private consulting firm.

Program Area Chair

For additional information on the Educational Psychology area, please contact our Area Chair, Professor Kenneth Tyler (kenneth.tyler@uky.edu).