Human Development, Culture and Learning Sciences

The College Teaching concentration is intended for individuals who have or are working on a degree in a discipline other than is represented by our faculty, but who wish to develop their credentials as college level instructors in hopes of securing a teaching position in a postsecondary setting (college or university, community college, training in the private sector).  What distinguishes this specialization is that the program of work would include an internship in actual college classes under the mentorship of course instructors.

This specialization is for those aiming to teach in an institution of postsecondary education such as a community college. We also see it as an additional credential for teaching at four-year colleges and universities for doctoral students enrolled in any other degree program around the university.

The Cultural Perspectives on Schooling concentration is intended for individuals who are interested in broadening and strengthening their appreciation of the research on cultural psychology and a multicultural society as these impact well-being and schooling. Any student already pursuing other master’s or doctoral degree programs could obtain a master’s degree with this specialization, as well as students interested in these cultural issues who wish to stop with a master’s degree.

This concentration would add credentials to those planning to teach at all levels, K-12 teachers as well as those planning to teach at the postsecondary level. We envision attracting individuals from the helping professions (social work, psychology, human ecology) as well as humanities (anthropology, English) who are interested in the psychological perspective our faculty takes on cultural issues.

The Individualized Studies concentration is intended for individuals who are interested in broadening and strengthening their appreciation of the research represented by our faculty with expertise in human development, learning and cognition, social psychology, cultural issues, and motivation and instruction, especially as these apply to education. Any student already pursuing other master’s or doctoral degree programs could obtain a master’s degree in educational psychology, tailoring the choices of courses and focus of the report or thesis to reflect their interests.

This concentration is for those for whom a master’s degree would be beneficial, either because of the job they already have or because they are aiming to teach in an institution of postsecondary education such as a community college, or because they plan to apply to doctoral programs related to the field of educational psychology.

The Psychology for Teachers concentration is intended for practicing teachers who wish to know more about the psychology of their students and their families or of their teaching, or who wish to take advanced degrees for career advancement. Courses will give them a more thorough grounding in research and application of Educational Psychology than is represented in the undergraduate program, especially for those who chose alternative certification. Most courses could be completed either in the summer or late afternoons/early evenings to accommodate a teacher’s schedule.

This concentration is for certified teachers or those wanting to enhance their prospects of getting hired as K-12 teachers. This would also be useful for charter school teachers or alternative certification teachers who want to get a deeper understanding of learning and motivation for teaching.

Please note required coursework may vary from year to year. Current students should always defer to their Program of Work for course requirements and consult with their faculty advisor / Graduate Advisor for any needed clarifications.

Student coursework may vary depending on prior graduate coursework and waivers. All required courses must be completed with a grade of at least B-.

Note: the first digit in a Course Number denotes the number of credit hours of the course. Example: EDP 480C Correlation & Regression Methods = 4 credit hours.

I. Program Foundation Courses (15 credit hours)

• EDP 380C.2 Fundamental Statistics.
• EDP 380D.4 Psychometric Theory and Methods
• EDP 382D.6 Motivation and Emotion
• EDP 382C.2 Social Psychology
• EDP 382F.3 Life Span Development

II. Concentration Courses (12-15 credit hours)

There are four concentration areas within the HDCLS Master’s program. Each concentration has different additional required coursework, noted below. See the Program Details page for more information about concentration areas.

A. Individual Studies Concentration (12 hours)

• EDP 382D.4 Psychology of Learning OR EDP 398T College Teaching Methodology
• 3 EDP Elective courses (course choices must be approved by Area Chair)

B. Cultural Perspectives on Schooling Concentration (12 hours)

• EDP 382D.4 Psychology of Learning
• 3 EDP courses with strong Diversity and/or Culture focus (course choices must be approved by Area Chair)

C. College Teaching Concentration (15 hours)

• EDP 382D.4 Psychology of Learning
• EDP 398T College Teaching Methodology
• EDP 386Q Practicum in Post-Secondary Teaching (2 semesters)
• 1 EDP elective course (course choice must be approved by Area Chair)

D. Psychology for Teachers Concentration (15 hours)

• EDP 382D.4 Psychology of Learning
• EDP 398T College Teaching Methodology
• 1 EDP course with strong Diversity and/or Culture focus (course choices must be approved by Area Chair)
• 2 EDP courses that supplement or reflect the teaching emphasis (course choices must be approved by Area Chair)

III. Out-of-Specialization Courses (6 hours)

Students must complete the following additional coursework outside of their program area. These courses are an opportunity to enhance interests and form relationships with out-of-area faculty; course choices must be approved by the HDCLS Area Chair.

• 1 course (minimum 3 hours) taken outside of the EDP department
• 1 course (minimum 3 hours) taken outside of the EDP department, or in another program area within EDP (non-HDCLS).

IV. Additional Coursework for M.A. (7-8 hours)

Students may either choose to earn a Master’s in Education (M.Ed.), or a Master’s of Arts (M.A.). The M.A. degree requires the additional courses:

• EDP 480C.6 Statistical Analysis for Experimental Data
• EDP 480C.4 Correlation & Regression OR EDP 381C.2 Research Design & Methods for Psychology & Education

V. Master’s Portfolio, Report or Thesis (3-6 credit hours)

Students in both the M.Ed. and M.A. options must choose either a Portfolio, Report, or Thesis to complete their Master’s degree. Note: Thesis is only available to students choosing to graduate with an M.A.

Master’s Portfolio Option (M.Ed. or M.A.; 3 credit hours)

Both the M.Ed. and M.A. degrees may be earned with a portfolio. Students will register for EDP 394R individual supervision and produce a portfolio under faculty supervision, and graduate with no report/thesis.

Master’s Report Option (M.Ed. or M.A.; 3 credit hours)

Both the M.Ed. and M.A. degrees may be earned with a report, which requires registration in EDP 398R Master’s Report and the completion of a study that involves empirical data.

Thesis Option (M.A. only; 6 credit hours)

The M.A. degree may be earned with a thesis, which involves collecting and analyzing data, and registration in two semesters of EDP 698A and 698B Master’s Thesis (these courses count as 3 credit hours each).

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