TTU Home Official Publications Home

Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership

(Back to College of Education)

Quick Links

Graduate ProgramCourse DescriptionsFaculty

 

About the Program

The Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership offers coursework at the undergraduate level in educational psychology and special education. The department offers study in the following graduate degree programs and certificates:

        • Master of Education in Counselor Education
        • Master of Education in Educational Leadership
        • Master of Education in Educational Psychology
        • Master of Education in Higher Education
        • Master of Education in Instructional Technology
        • Master of Education in Special Education
        • Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
        • Doctor of Education in Higher Education
        • Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology
        • Doctor of Education in Special Education
        • Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education
        • Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology
        • Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education
        • Graduate Certificate in Autism
        • Graduate Certificate in Dual Sensory Impairment
        • Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Counseling
         

Graduate Program

The department offers programs leading to professional certificates and associated supplemental certificates. Information on admission standards, program requirements, and other matters concerning graduate programs in the department may be obtained from the department office, the Office of Graduate Education in the College of Education, and online at www.educ.ttu.edu.

Counselor Education. The college offers both a master’s and a doctoral program in counselor education. The master’s program consists of 48 semester hours and offers two tracks or majors: school counseling and community counseling. The doctoral program offers one major in counselor education. The master’s and doctoral programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. Applicants must complete the Counselor Education Application Packet available at www.educ.ttu.edu/epce.

Students desiring to obtain only the professional certificate in school counseling must have a master’s degree in education from an accredited university and be admitted to the Graduate School and the Counselor Education Program. A maximum of 18 graduate semester hours may be accepted for transfer credit toward certification provided the courses are no more than six years old and are equivalent to courses taught at Texas Tech. Transfer credits are accepted from CACREP programs. No transfer hours will be allowed for practica (EPCE 5360), internship (EPCE 5094), or techniques (EPCE 5357). In addition to completing the program successfully, the applicant must have two years teaching experience, have a valid teaching certificate, and pass a TExES examination administered by the State Board for Educator Certification. Additional information about counselor education is available online at www.educ.ttu.edu/epce and in the department office.

Educational Leadership. The Educational Leadership Program offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in educational leadership. Graduate programs are also offered for principal and superintendent professional certificates. Degree programs and certification programs have different requirements, but many courses will apply to both and are explained online at www.educ.ttu.edu/edld.

Educational Psychology. Students enrolled in the educational psychology program earn a M.Ed. in Educational Psychology and/or a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology. Doctoral students have the option of selecting an emphasis in cognition, learning, and development; school psychology; or sport psychology. A minimum of 36 semester credit hours is required for the Master of Education degree. Students pursuing a master’s degree can do so with or without a thesis. A minimum of 91 semester credit hours is required for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Applicants to either program must first apply to and be cleared by the Graduate School before being reviewed and approved by the educational psychology faculty. Admission to a master’s program does not constitute later admission to a doctoral program. Applicants without a strong background in psychology may be required to complete leveling courses before unconditional admission to the program. For more information, see the program Web site at www.educ.ttu.edu/epsy.

Higher Education. Higher education students come from a variety of fields and types of higher education institutions. To prepare leaders for the higher education enterprise, the program delivers teaching, research, and professional development services to students, institutions of higher education, and other academic disciplines.

Students working on a master’s degree may pursue either nonthesis or thesis options. The master’s program consists of two tracks or majors: higher education administration (36 semester hours) and student affairs (39 semester hours).

College of EducationThe Higher Education Program offers two doctoral degrees. The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) is designed for the advanced student who wishes to achieve a superior level of competency in his or her professional field with emphasis on practice and leadership. Under the direction of their advisor, students may select a focus in community college leadership, university administration, or student affairs. The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is designed for the advanced student who wants to acquire the ability to contribute to the knowledge base of teaching, education, and leadership through a thorough grounding in the conduct of research. The Ph.D. will prepare students for professional careers as institutional researchers and planners; administrators with an orientation towards research, sponsored programs, or grant proposal writing; program assessment-evaluation specialists; research associates; and faculty members.

Both doctoral degrees require the completion of 93 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate. As part of the credit hour requirements, candidates for both the Ed.D. and the Ph.D. are required to demonstrate proficiency in independent research in higher education, culminating in the completion of a dissertation. For further information, see the program Web site at www.educ.ttu.edu/edhe.

Instructional Technology. The instructional technology program offers both master’s and doctoral degrees. The goal of the program is to prepare specialists in the field of instructional design and technology. Instructional technology students come from a variety of backgrounds, including public school education, higher education, and the private sector. Graduate programs include a foundation of educational research and educational psychology as well as an in-depth study of instructional design and educational technology applications. Several online courses are offered and an online master’s degree is available.

The doctoral program requires 83 credit hours plus a dissertation beyond a bachelor’s degree. Doctoral program graduates often enter the field of higher education as professors, instructional designers, and technology specialists.

The master’s program requires 39 credit hours beyond a bachelor’s degree. Two areas of emphasis are available: educational computing and distance education. Graduates often accept positions as technology specialists in public education, as consultants or developers of instructional materials in the private sector, or as community college instructors or technology specialists. For more information, see www.educ.ttu.edu/edit.

Special Education. In conjunction with the state of Texas, the special education program provides for coursework in the certification areas of generic special education, educational diagnostician, visual impairment, and deaf education. An additional certification in orientation and mobility is also available. Students in the graduate special education program are prepared to work with individuals with disabilities in a variety of settings, including the public schools, higher education, and the private sector. A post-baccalaureate degree to obtain generic special education certification is also available. To be certified in the state of Texas, students must pass the TExEs examination for their area.

A minimum of 36 hours is required for the master’s degree. Additional hours are required for certain certificates, including educational diagnostician. Students may select to write a thesis or complete the non-thesis route. The Doctor of Education degree requires a minimum of 93 graduate hours.

Specific areas of interest within the Special Education Program include autism, emotional disturbance, learning disabilities, mental retardation, orientation and mobility, visual impairment, and deaf education.

A majority of the courses in the master’s program in special education are available online. A few of the educational diagnostician courses are offered through two-way interactive television (ITV) and require the student to make arrangements through the College of Education and the university’s digital video network to secure end-point site approval. When locations do not have adequate technological capability, students will not be able to obtain permission to enroll in those courses. Students living within a one-hour commute of the Texas Tech Lubbock campus will be required to attend these courses on campus and no ITV connection will be provided.

Courses in the doctoral core are generally available in the summer sessions to accommodate those employed in the public school system. These 15 hours are traditional on-campus classes. The remainder of the program can be completed through distance education with a residency requirement.

Special Education Program applicants for the post-baccalaureate, certification, or master’s program must complete an application found in the Special Education Program Handbook. Acceptance to the master’s program does not guarantee later acceptance to the doctoral program. Doctoral applicants must complete a separate application that also appears in the handbook. For additional information, see www.educ.ttu.edu. For information about the undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in multidisciplinary studies leading to a special education certificate, refer to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction section.

Graduate Certificate Programs

Autism. The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Autism allows students to specialize in the area of autism while developing additional skills in working with children with autism spectrum disorders. The certificate can be undertaken during a master’ss or post-baccalaureate certification program or as a stand-alone certificate. Contact: Abby Tomlinson, 806.742.7115, Ext. 246, abby.tomlinson@ttu.edu

Dual Sensory Impairment. The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Dual-Sensory Impairment closely mirrors CEC standards and Perkins Competencies for Teachers of Learners who are deaf and blind with additional emphasis on best practice assessment. The certificate can be undertaken during a master’s or post-baccalaureate certification program or as a stand-alone certificate. Contact: Abby Tomlinson, 806.742.7115, Ext. 246, abby.tomlinson@ttu.edu

Mental Health Counseling. The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Counseling is a post-master’s certificate designed for counseling professionals who wish to expand their training to a specialization in the mental health area. Contact: Dr. L.J. Gould, 806.742.1997 Ext. 296, lj.gould@ttu.edu

Back to Top

 

Course Descriptions

Back to Top

 

Faculty

Click here to view alphabetical listing of all TTU faculty and their academic credentials.

William Y. Lan, Ph.D., Chairperson

Horn Professor: Bradley
Professors: Griffin-Shirley, Hartmeister, Lan, Parr, Rodriguez, Runnels
Associate Professors: Burley, Claudet, Crooks, Davidson, Duemer, Hendricks, Klinker, Lock, Marbley, Maushak, Mendez-Morse, Pogrund, Shonrock, Stevens
Assistant Professors: Banda, Cain, Carpenter, Carter, Cheon, Crews, DiAndreth-Elkins,Froeschle, Inan, Jacob, Jones, Lechtenberger, Paton, Siwatu, Taylor, Valle, Wang
Visiting Assistant Professors: Brown, Parker
Back to Top

Catalog Contents