Program Overview

Educational Psychology is an academic program in the Department of Educational Psychology, Leadership, & Counseling. The program equips students with a comprehensive knowledge of learning, motivation, development, and educational foundations. Additionally, students learn to apply quantitative and qualitative research skills in a manner that promotes educational improvement while valuing individual differences. Thus, educational psychology attracts students from various educational and professional backgrounds including education, psychology, human sciences, business, sports sciences, and health sciences.

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Standards

Program work within Educational Psychology is developed and guided by a strong conceptual framework, the standards from the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), guidelines from the American Psychological Association (APA), American Educational Research Association (AERA), and National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the sound professional judgment of an experienced and caring faculty.

The doctoral program emphasizes research and teaching and prepares students for career positions in academia. Additionally, Educational Psychology prepares students for careers in educational research and measurement, such as those found in universities (e.g., institutional research), government agencies, and testing companies. However, students may also choose a practitioner-oriented emphasis or track, such as school psychology by crafting an individualized, interdisciplinary degree plan.

Program Handbook

Degrees Offered

Ph.D., offered as an on-campus or hybrid program, with some coursework offered online; in weekend-intensive sessions; and in summer-intensive sessions to accommodate working educational professionals

Career Opportunities With This Degree

Most graduates teach in colleges or universities or are in positions conducting research.

Application Materials

College Transcripts – Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded to the Graduate School application. Information on submitting official transcripts will be provided to you by the Graduate School. Grade reports or unofficial transcripts from university web portals will not be accepted. Please redact the Social Security Number anywhere it appears on your transcript. If documents are written in a language other than English, a copy of a complete and official English translation must be provided with the original language records.

Required Supplemental Application Materials

GRE Scores, Resume, Three Professional Recommendations, Academic Writing Sample, Response to Applicant Statement Prompt. Download a comprehensive list of requirements.

Application Process

Please visit the Graduate Application Process for more information on how to apply.

GRE Scores

This program requires official GRE scores. Scores must no more than 5 years old at the time of application. Official GRE scores must be sent from Educational Testing Services (ETS) to the Texas Tech Graduate School. To register for the examination please visit the GRE Testing website. Texas Tech University's code is 6827.

• Due to ongoing accessibility concerns, the Graduate School has suspended GRE test score requirements for applications through at least Summer 2025. For more information, please contact the Graduate School.

Semester in which the program can be started

It is recommended that students start in the fall but applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Estimated Hours to Completion

91 credit hours

Allowable Transfer Hours

30 hours of coursework completed within last 7 years with a grade of B or better, at advisor's discretion

Financial Aid

TTU Graduate School and COE scholarships, research assistantships, student loans

Deadlines

To be competitive for funding support, the recommended deadline for Fall is December 1^st. However, applications received at other times will be reviewed.

Tuition & Fees

Use the Student Business Services Tuition Estimator to estimate your costs.

Contacts

Faculty

Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics

Educational Psychology and Foundations

School Psychology

Learn more about the School Psychology track