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Educational Psychology Students in Class

Learning Science - Ph.D.

The Learning Science Ph.D. program provides advanced training in research and theory to prepare you for a leadership role in education.

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About This Program

The interdisciplinary Ph.D. degree in Learning Sciences (partnered with Psychological Sciences) provides an advanced and interdisciplinary study in the principles of human cognition, learning and development. 

Program Information for Learning Science - Ph.D.

Program Description

Full Description

The Ph.D. degree in Learning Science provides an advanced and interdisciplinary study in the principles of human cognition, learning and development. The program provides rigorous training in the theoretical foundations of cognition, learning and development, as well as research design, instrumentation, quantitative analysis and research application.

Graduates are qualified to become faculty at the university level and are also prepared for careers in a variety of industry and government settings conducting research and guiding the application of evidence-based practices.

Admissions for Learning Science - Ph.D.

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university
  • Minimum 2.750 undergraduate and graduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
  • Minimum 18 credit hours of courses in psychology, education or related fields (including a course in statistics)
  • Official transcript(s)
  • Research experience and broad background in educational psychology, psychology or related fields
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Goal statement
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Interview
  • English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:1
    • Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
    • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
    • Minimum 58 PTE score
    • Minimum 110 DET score
1

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores may be considered for conditional admission.

Application Deadlines

  • Fall Semester
    • Priority deadline: January 1
      Applications submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission.
Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Inform and enhance practice based on deep knowledge of research, theories and principles of cognition, learning and development.
  2. Synthesize and critically evaluate scholarly articles and texts.
  3. Apply principles of research design to create rigorous experiments and studies.
  4. Analyze and interpret quantitative data using appropriate cutting-edge methodologies and tools.
  5. Develop scientific writing skills in order to effectively communicate research findings to the scientific community and practitioners.
  6. Design and conduct empirical research to investigate the cognitive and developmental basis for effective teaching and learning practices.
  7. Disseminate original, empirical research through scholarly presentations, conferences and publications.
Coursework

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements
Quantitative Research and Statistics Electives, choose from the following:12
LRNS 76510
INTRODUCTION TO R FOR EDUCATIONAL AND LEARNING SCIENCES
LRNS 76511
STATISTICAL PROGRAMMING IN R FOR LEARNING SCIENCE
RMS 75510
STATISTICS I FOR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
RMS 78713
MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
RMS 78716
STATISTICS II: ANOVA AND NONPARAMETRIC TESTS
RMS 78728
MULTIPLE REGRESSION
RMS 78735
STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING
RMS 78745
HIERARCHICAL LINEAR MODELING
RMS 85515
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
RMS 85517
ADVANCED QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH IN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
Learning Science Electives, choose from the following: 6
EPSY 75520
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT
EPSY 75523
LIFE SPAN DEVELOPMENT
EPSY 75524
LEARNING THEORIES
EPSY 75529
EDUCATIONAL MOTIVATION
EPSY 78905
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
EPSY 87450
PSYCHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION
EPSY 89091
SEMINAR IN LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
EPSY 89095
SPECIAL TOPICS IN LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Educational and Psychological Science Foundations Electives, choose from the following:6
EPSY 70093
VARIABLE TOPIC WORKSHOP IN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
EPSY 75520
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT
EPSY 75523
LIFE SPAN DEVELOPMENT
EPSY 75524
LEARNING THEORIES
EPSY 75529
EDUCATIONAL MOTIVATION
EPSY 78905
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
EPSY 87450
PSYCHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION
EPSY 89091
SEMINAR IN LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
EPSY 89095
SPECIAL TOPICS IN LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
LRNS 75525
INFORMAL LEARNING
PSYC 70413
COGNITIVE NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
PSYC 70453
INTRODUCTION TO COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
PSYC 70604
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
PSYC 70895
ADVANCED TOPICS IN EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSYC 80491
SEMINAR IN COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Additional Program Electives, choose from the following: 121-60
LRNS 89096
INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
LRNS 89098
RESEARCH IN LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Other courses from categories above, or with advisor approval
Culminating Requirement
LRNS 80199DISSERTATION I 230
Minimum Total Credit Hours for Post-Baccalaureate Students108
Minimum Total Credit Hours for Post-Master's Students75
1

Post-baccalaureate students may use additional program electives to fulfill requirements for the M.A. degree. These courses may be taken at either the doctoral or master's level.

2

Upon admission to candidacy, each doctoral candidate must register for LRNS 80199. It is expected that a doctoral candidate will continuously register for Dissertation I for a total of 30 credit hours, and thereafter LRNS 80299 each semester until all requirements for the degree have been met.

Candidacy

Students who have been admitted into the doctoral program will be considered for Ph.D. candidacy after they have met all requirements for the master's degree. In addition, the department reserves the right to separate from the program a student who, in the opinion of a duly constituted departmental committee, is not likely to succeed professionally despite earning acceptable grades.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
- 3.000
  • The doctoral program requires a minimum of four years of full-time attendance for holders of the bachelor's degree.
  • All doctoral students complete a (1) program of basic core courses, (2) select additional courses and seminars with the aid of a faculty advisor and (3) master's thesis and a doctoral dissertation.
  • A limited number of graduate courses outside the department may be credited toward graduation.
  • Doctoral program aspirants who do not hold a master's degree upon starting the program must complete all the requirements for the M.A. degree in Learning Science.
Program Delivery
  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus

Five Reasons to Choose This Program

 

Training in Basic and Applied Research

Educational Psychologists “live with one foot in the classroom and one foot in the laboratory”. Our program gives students the tools to conduct rigorous research in laboratories and in authentic learning settings like schools or businesses. This training allows students to pursue careers in fields within and outside of Universities.

An Interdisciplinary Approach

Our program takes a unique approach to the study of cognition, development, and learning. We draw from multiple fields such as Psychology, Cognitive Science, and Education to provide a broad approach that allows for a deep understanding of how the mind works and how to use this knowledge to improve learning outcomes.

Student Success

Our graduate students regularly present at national and international conferences including the Society for Research in Child Development, the Cognitive Science Society, the Association for Psychological Science, the Psychonomic Society, and the Midwestern Psychological Association conferences. Our students have recently published journal articles in Frontiers in PsychologyComputers & Education, and the International Journal of Science Education and have published several book chapters. 

Faculty Excellence

Our faculty are leaders in the field and have active research programs. Our faculty have published journals such as Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, Cognition, Cognitive Science, Psychological Science, Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, International Journal of Science Education, Frontiers in Psychology, and Child Development. In addition, our faculty and graduate students have received multiple National Science Foundation grants in the past five years.

Small Program, Quality Mentoring

Our program is small by design. Students work closely with faculty to learn by doing research, not just reading about it in classes. Students are involved in multiple projects in which they conduct research, analyze data, and write papers and grants. We invest in our students to make sure they succeed.

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Learning Science - Ph.D.

Examples of Possible Careers
  • University professor
  • Human behavior researcher
  • K-12 teacher
  • Data analyst
  • Curriculum specialist
  • Academic counseling
  • Assessment specialist
  • Educational research
  • Program evaluation
  • Data scientist
  • Researcher for business/industry
  • Marketing
  • Advertising

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