Educational Psychology and Research, (PhD)

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The PhD degree program in Educational Psychology and Research is designed to prepare innovative researchers and professional practitioners for university teaching, applied research, or other professional roles through interdisciplinary training in fields of human development (infancy, childhood, and adolescence, adulthood and aging), learning processes (motivation,cognitive processes and learning science), quantitative and qualitative research methods, and program evaluation.

Since the purpose of this doctoral training is to prepare students to conduct research in a specialized area, individuals with no interest and plan to conduct research should not apply to this doctoral program.

Program objectives are: (1) to contribute to the professional field through applied research (i.e.presentations, publications and scholarly writing); (2) to prepare for careers as academicians in institutions of higher education and/or applied researchers in professional settings; (3) to develop leadership skills for professional organizations through evidence-based professional activities.

PhD Degree Programs

Program Admission

The PhD degree program accepts qualified applicants into one of two degree paths: (1) the path for those with a master’s degree or (2) the path for those with a bachelor’s degree. Applicants pursuing the accelerated path typically will have graduated from an undergraduate honors program with a high GPA and have relevant research experience; furthermore, with a pursuant commitment to studying full-time.

Applicants to the PhD degree program are evaluated two times a year. For spring admission, the application deadline is November 1^st. For fall admission, the application deadline is March 1^st. International applications are reviewed for fall admission only. Applicants must go to https://www.memphis.edu/graduateadmissions/future/apply_grad.php to complete their application.

Multiple criteria will be used when considering applicant admission. The average GRE scores of the admitted doctoral students range from 149 to 154 for Quantitative reasoning and from 146 to 158 for Verbal reasoning. Although the required GPA is minimally 3.0, the typical GPA of admitted doctoral students is 3.79 on average. In addition to the required undergraduate and graduate transcripts, grade point average, GRE scores, and relevant employment history, the following will be given careful consideration

GRE is waived for applicants with a GPA of 3. 25 or greater for students whose last completed degree was at Master’s level. GRE is waived for students with a GPA of 3. 5 for applicants with only a Bachelor’s degree.

The following average GRE scores are suggested for doctoral applicants who have a GPA lower than 3. 25:
A quantitative score 149 or higher;
A verbal reasoning score 146 or higher, and
An analytical Writing score 3 or higher;

Letters of recommendation from at least three university faculty members familiar with the applicant’s academic background and aptitude for graduate work, specifying in detail the applicant’s ability and potential to conduct research for future performance and scholarship.
A statement of 800-1200 words indicating the applicant’s prior research experience, present research interests, relevant professional experiences, and future career goals.
An identification of 2-3 potential Educational Psychology and Research faculty members the applicant would like to work with based on mutual research interests or methodologies, including reviewing their websites and publications.
A writing sample by the applicant only, such as a previously completed university term paper or a similar expository writing from the applicant’s professional activity.
A willingness to be interviewed by members of the Educational Psychology & Research faculty, should that be required.

Program Requirements

Credit Hours:

For those admitted with a master’s degree, a minimum of 42 hours of graduate course credit at the 8000 level must be completed. For those admitted with a bachelor’s degree, a minimum of 72 hours of graduate course credit must be completed, with 30 hours taken at the 7000 level to meet the requirements and be awarded a master’s degree and 30 hours taken at the 8000 level. Additionally, both tracks must complete a minimum of 12 dissertation hours.

Core Competency:

All students upon admission into the doctoral program must demonstrate competencies in the three core domains (research methods, human development, learning and cognition) as prerequisites for further coursework. Students may demonstrate their competency by (a) having earned at least a 3.0 in a master’s level course in each of the above domains, or (b) passing validation exams. Doctoral students without proficiency in any of these core domains must complete the appropriate entry level course before more advanced coursework. These entry level courses will not count toward the minimum of 54 hours required.

Core Courses (minimum 27 credits):

EDPR 8121 - Learning & Cognition Credit Hours: (3)
EDPR 8131 - Cultural Diverse Stdnts Credit Hours: (3)
EDPR 8171 - Pro Sem in Edu Psychology Credit Hours: (3)
EDPR 8521 - Intro Res Design & Methodology Credit Hours: (3)
EDPR 8541 - Stat Meth App Ed I ** Credit Hours: (3)
EDPR 8561 - Qualitative Mthds Educ ** Credit Hours: (3)
Select one of these four development courses:
EDPR 8111 - Child Development & Education Credit Hours: 3
EDPR 8112 - Adolescent Development & Educ Credit Hours: 3
EDPR 8114 - Psychology Of Aging Credit Hours: (3)
EDPR 8117 - Life-Span Human Develop Credit Hours: (3)
Select one of these two educational psychology courses:
EDPR 8150 - Motivation Credit Hours: (3)
EDPR 8161 - Moral Dvlpmnt & Educ Credit Hours: (3)
Select one of these two research courses:
EDPR 8542 - Statistical Methods Applied to Education II Credit Hours: (3)
EDPR 8562 - Designing Qualitative Research ** Credit Hours: (3)
Students with only a bachelor’s degree should take at least 18 hours of the core courses at the 7000 level, including 1 development course, 1 education psychology course, EDPR 7171, EDPR 7561, EDPR 7521, and EDPR 7541. In addition, they should take 3 elective courses and the final EDPR 7000 capstone project.

Upon completion of their MS degree, these students should take the remaining core courses and other electives at the 8000 level for a minimum of 30 credit hours before they take EDPR 9000 Dissertation for 12 hours. The total required credit hours for this accelerated path is 72 hours.

Program Electives (9 credits at 8000 level)

These nine credit hours should be taken within the EDPR program and be planned with the major advisor.

Electives outside of Major (6 credits at 8000 level)

These six credit hours are to be taken outside of EDPR at the 8000 level and will be planned with the major advisor to focus on the area of research.

Residency Project Requirement:

All doctoral students must complete an independent research-based residency project approved by the major advisor, resulting in a written research paper that is either (a)submitted to and peer-reviewed by a refereed journal or (b) submitted to and presented at a refereed professional conference that the major advisor approves.

Comprehensive Examination:

Upon completion of coursework and the residency project each doctoral student will complete a three-part open-book written comprehensive examination covering one or more of the three core domains of knowledge in the EDPR program: human development, learning and cognition, and research methods. The student’s advisor will coordinate this written examination. The written examination that the student’s advisor will coordinate should reflect the three core domains of the program.

The student’s advisory committee members will administer the relevant examination. An oral examination will follow the written examination. Doctoral students who have passed the written and oral comprehensive examination are accepted as doctoral candidates.

Dissertation and Final Defense (12 credits- EDPR 9000):

A dissertation proposal and a dissertation that are approved by the EDPR faculty are two requirements for all doctoral students. The dissertation must embody the results of an extended research effort that is an original contribution to the existing body of research. The dissertation should reflect the candidate’s ability to conduct independent research and interpret in a logical manner the findings and phenomena revealed by the research through application of a relevant theoretical framework and a method. Students may elect either to write a traditional five-chapter dissertation or to write two journal articles and submit them with the approval of the committee for journal reviews. Upon completion of the dissertation, each student will orally defend the research undertaken.

NOTE: Students should familiarize themselves with the Thesis/Dissertation Preparation Guide before starting to write.

EDPR 9000 - Dissertation Credit Hours: (1-12)