Combined M.A. and Ph.D. Educational Psychology
The combined masters and doctoral degree in Educational Psychology is research intensive, with anticipation that students will work closely with an advisor on research. Students should expect research involvement and appropriate authorship throughout their graduate training. The combined MA/PhD training follows an apprenticeship model where students learn the process of conducting research through collaboration with their advisor and affiliated researchers in a productive research environment. Through convenient access to coursework and close work with your advisor, you will engage in:
- a research-based curriculum covering basic concepts and theories in educational psychology as they relate to learning and instruction.
- an integrated sequence of courses and other learning experiences that will ensure the development of a clear basis for understanding the connection between teaching, learning, and assessment.
- a rigorous training sequence in educational statistics and research methodologies that will allow graduates to evaluate and conduct educational research in a variety of contexts.
- a variety of opportunities, especially in research, that will prepare you for your future professional endeavors.
The PhD. in Educational Psychology is built for you! You can tailor your elective coursework to meet your goals by emphasizing either practitioner-oriented courses or researcher-oriented courses. You should expect to work closely with your advisor on scholarly projects as well as authorship opportunities throughout your graduate degree.
Plus, earning an advanced degree is a factor that determines pay grades in many school districts, organizations and corporations. This degree will strengthen the knowledge and practices for a variety of professions. Get started today!
Kira J. Carbonneau, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Educational Psychology
Washington State University
Degree earned through the UNM EDPY program: Ph.D.
“The EDPY program helped me develop a strong research foundation that has allowed me to utilize my applied knowledge of teaching to develop a robust research agenda that is pertinent to today’s classrooms.”
Program Requirements
The combined Master's and Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology requires 73 credit hours plus 18 dissertation hours, for a total of 91 hours. Students develop advanced skills in one or more research methodologies. They acquire hands-on research experiences through research internships.
Given the research demands of the program, we strongly encourage MA/PhD applicants to enroll as full-time students. To encourage full-time study, we will try to offer support in the form of teaching assistantships or graduate assistantships for the 4-5 years that it will take to complete the PhD. Assistantships include tuition remission, health benefits, and a stipend.
Students in the combined program would typically be expected to take the options for a written master’s thesis and comprehensive paper over the comprehensive exam requirement for the MA.
