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2024-2025 Graduate Catalog
Doctor of Philosophy - Educational Psychology
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 Return to: UNLV Graduate Programs
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Plan Description
The Educational Psychology Ph.D. is designed to provide advanced studies in educational psychology with three primary strands: 1) Educational Psychology Foundations with specialty area emphases in educational assessment, program evaluation, research, and learning in school and related domains, 2) Post-Bachelors Educational Psychology Foundations, and 3) Assessment and Quantitative Analysis in Education (AQUA in Education). This program will provide opportunities for students to become independent scholars who are able to make significant contributions to knowledge in specialized areas of educational psychology where both regional and national need for trained professionals has been identified.
The three strands in the program focus on the outcomes and processes that promote more effective learning in school based and related applications. Students in subplan 1-2 will take core courses in: 1) research methods and statistics, 2) learning and cognition, and 3) advanced studies in a domain of school curriculum. Students in subplan 3 focus more on research methods and statistics, and choose among the other courses. All students will be actively involved in research and research-related activities throughout their program of study. Students in the Post-Bachelor Foundation strand will be eligible to earn a Master of Science in Educational Psychology. The program will prepare students for a variety of professional careers related to teaching, research, and professional practice in both academic and nonacademic settings. For example, students will be prepared to fill faculty, research, or assessment positions at academic institutions, such as universities, community colleges, and K-12 school districts.
Representative occupations include educational psychologist, program evaluator, educational assessment coordinator, and employee training specialist.
For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Directory.
Plan Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.
All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.
(a) Graduate College Admission Requirements
- Completed application in the Application Portal and non-refundable application fee.
- Bachelor’s Degree – You must hold a four-year baccalaureate from a regionally accredited institution or an approved equivalent.
- Post-Master’s tracks require a regionally accredited Master’s degree.
- Grade Point Average – You must have a minimum overall grade point average of 2.75 (4.00=A) for the bachelor’s degree or a minimum 3.00 (4.00=A) for the last two years (60 semester credits).
- All applicants are required to submit an unofficial transcript from each postsecondary institution attended, showing all degrees and coursework, the dates awarded, and grades received. Official transcripts required upon admission.
- Credentials not in English must be accompanied by an English translation certified as true by a university official, an official representative of a United States embassy or consulate, the United States Information Service, the United States Education Foundation, or an approved professional translating service. Notarized copies of originals or translations are not considered official.
(b) Department Admission Requirements
Admission to the Foundations Post-Master’s and the AQUA in Ed Subplans will be limited to the most qualified applicants based on a combination of the following:
- A preferred undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 or above.
- If graduate course work has been completed, a preferred graduate grade point average of 3.00 or above.
- Preference given to students who score at or above the 50th percentile on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
- Three letters of reference from university faculty or other individuals qualified to judge the applicant’s academic potential.
- The applicant’s statement of professional interests and goals.
- A scholarly or professional writing sample.
Foundations Post-Master’s Subplan:
Students must have a master’s equivalent degree to be considered for admission.
AQUA in Ed Post-Master’s Subplan:
Students must have a master’s equivalent degree to be considered for admission.
Admission to the Foundations Post-Bachelor’s Subplan will be limited to the most qualified applicants who also aim to pursue a research program based on a combination of the following:
- An undergraduate grade-point average of 3.25 or above.
- If graduate coursework has been completed, a graduate, grade-point average of 3.25 or above.
- Preference given to students who score at or above the 50th percentile on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
- Three letters of reference from university faculty or other individuals qualified to judge the applicant’s academic potential.
- The applicant must submit a statement of professional interests and goals which explicitly indicates both a potential area of research and names a faculty mentor.
Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.
Subplan 1 Requirements: Foundations Post-Master’s
Total Credits Required: 66
Research Methods Courses – Credits: 15
Learning Theory Courses – Credits: 12
Advanced Research Methods Courses – Credits: 12
Emphasis Area Courses – Credits: 15
Complete 15 credits of advisor-approved coursework within a disciplinary content area of emphasis. Dissertation – Credits: 12
Degree Requirements
Student must successfully complete a minimum of 66 credits while maintaining a grade point average of 3.00 or better in the program and a grade of B or better in core course work.
In consultation with their advisor, a student will organize a dissertation committee of at least three departmental members. In addition, a fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative, must be appointed. An additional committee member may be added at the student and department’s discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
Specific specialization courses in the assessment, program evaluation, research, and learning in school domains strands are determined by the student in consultation with their committee.
Each student, in consultation with advisor and doctoral committee, selects an individual emphasis area and determines the specific courses to be completed.
Each student must satisfy a scholarly paper requirement by the time he or she has completed 36 credits (Review I). The student must be the first author on a manuscript submitted to a journal of quartile 2 or higher (SCIMAGO listing) that is distributed for peer review. Empirical or review manuscripts are acceptable. This requirement is considered complete when the manuscript is assigned a number by the editor of the journal to which it was submitted. Projects must be approved by a supervising faculty member. Once completed, students must submit to the program coordinator(s): (a) a copy of the a copy of the manuscript , (b) a submission acknowledgment (including assigned manuscript number), and (c) a completed Review I form from the supervising faculty member.
Each student must take the preliminary examination (Review II). This second formal assessment, typically completed during the last semester of formal classwork, is an examination that will focus on areas of knowledge that are most relevant to the student’s proposed dissertation topic. The student and their committee will determine the content of this examination format in that it will focus on in-depth reading and writing directly related to the student’s proposed dissertation topic as well as on the student’s mastery of previously learned core information.
After successfully completing Review I (i.e., satisfying the scholarly product requirement) and Review II (i.e., passing the preliminary examination), students can then submit a formal dissertation proposal to their doctoral committee and submit the accompanying Advancement to Candidacy form to the Graduate College. The doctoral committee will meet and determine whether to accept or reject the prospectus. A prospectus can be accepted provisionally given that the student follows the committee’s suggestions in the dissertation. Upon completion of the full dissertation, a defense will be scheduled. This defense will be scheduled and conducted in accordance with the Graduate College’s policies for thesis and dissertation completion. It is the student’s responsibility to file the required forms with the Graduate College in a timely manner.
Graduation Requirements
The student must submit and successfully defend their dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
After the dissertation defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their dissertation to the Graduate College for format check. Once the dissertation format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for dissertation defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here.
Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.
Subplan 2 Requirements: Foundations Post-Bachelor’s
Total Credits Required: 99
Learning and Development Courses – Credits: 6
Research Courses – Credits: 9
Elective Courses – Credits: 12
Students must complete a minimum 12 credits of advisor-approved electives.
Research Methods Courses – Credits: 12
Learning Theory Courses – Credits: 12
Advanced Research Methods Courses – Credits: 12
Emphasis Area Courses – Credits: 18
Complete 18 credits of advisor-approved coursework within a disciplinary content area of emphasis. Dissertation – Credits: 12
Degree Requirements
Student must successfully complete a minimum of 99 credits while maintaining a grade point average of 3.00 or better in the program and a grade of B or better in core course work.
In consultation with their advisor, a student will organize a thesis committee of at least three departmental members. In addition, a fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative, must be appointed. An additional committee member may be added at the student and department’s discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
In consultation with their advisor, a student will organize a dissertation committee of at least three departmental members. In addition, a fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative, must be appointed. An additional committee member may be added at the student and department’s discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
Each student, in consultation with advisor and doctoral committee, selects an individual emphasis area and determines the specific courses to be completed.
Each student must satisfy a scholarly paper requirement by the time he or she has completed 36 credits beyond the MS degree credits (Review I). The student must be the first author on a manuscript submitted to a journal of quartile 2 or higher (SCIMAGO listing) that is distributed for peer review. Empirical or review manuscripts are acceptable. This requirement is considered complete when the manuscript is assigned a number by the editor of the journal to which it was submitted. Projects must be approved by a supervising faculty member. Once completed, students must submit to the program coordinator(s): (a) a copy of the paper, (b) a submission acknowledgment (including assigned manuscript number), and (c) a completed Review I form from the supervising faculty member.
Each student must take the preliminary examination (Review II). This second formal assessment, typically completed during the last semester of formal classwork, is an examination that will focus on areas of knowledge that are most relevant to the student’s proposed dissertation topic. The student and their committee will determine the content of this examination format in that it will focus on in-depth reading and writing directly related to the student’s proposed dissertation topic as well as on the student’s mastery of previously learned core information.
After successfully completing Review I (i.e., satisfying the scholarly product requirement) and Review II (i.e., passing the preliminary examination), students can then submit a formal dissertation proposal to their doctoral committee and submit the accompanying Advancement to Candidacy form to the Graduate College. The doctoral committee will meet and determine whether to accept or reject the prospectus. A prospectus can be accepted provisionally given that the student follows the committee’s suggestions in the dissertation. Upon completion of the full dissertation, a defense will be scheduled. This defense will be scheduled and conducted in accordance with the Graduate College’s policies for thesis and dissertation completion. It is the student’s responsibility to file the required forms with the Graduate College in a timely manner.
Graduation Requirements
The student must submit and successfully defend their thesis after 27 credits of initial coursework and a minimum of 6 credits of thesis coursework to be completed by the posted deadline to be eligible to earn the Master of Science - Educational Psychology. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
After the thesis defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their thesis to the Graduate College for format check. Once the thesis format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for thesis defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here.
The student must submit and successfully defend their dissertation after a minimum of 84 credits of initial coursework and a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation coursework and have it completed by the posted deadline to be eligible to earn the Doctor of Philosophy - Educational Psychology. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
After the dissertation defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their dissertation to the Graduate College for format check. Once the dissertation format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for dissertation defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here.
Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.
Subplan 3 Requirements: Assessment and Quantitative Analysis in Education - AQUA (Post-Masters)
Total Credits Required: 66
Educational Psychology Core - Credits 9
Quantitative Research Methods - Credits 30
Complete 30 credits from the following list of courses, or other courses approved by the program coordinator and course instructor:
Electives - Credits 15
Complete 15 credits from the following list of courses, or other courses approved by the program coordinator and course instructor:
Degree Requirements
Student must successfully complete a minimum of 66 credits while maintaining a grade point average of 3.00 or better in the program and a grade of B or better in core course work.
In consultation with the advisor, a student will organize a dissertation committee of at least three departmental members. In addition, a fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative, must be appointed. An additional committee member may be added at the student and department’s discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
Specific specialization courses in quantitative research methods and electives are determined by the student in consultation with the dissertation committee.
Each student, in consultation with advisor and doctoral committee, selects an individual emphasis area and determines the specific courses to be completed.
Each student must satisfy a scholarly paper requirement by the time he or she has completed 36 credits (Review I). The student must be the first author on a manuscript submitted to a journal of quartile 2 or higher (SCIMAGO listing) that is distributed for peer review. Empirical, review, or theoretical manuscripts are acceptable. This requirement is considered complete when the manuscript is assigned a number by the editor of the journal to which it was submitted. Projects must be approved by a supervising faculty member. Once completed, students must submit to the program coordinator(s): (a) a copy of the manuscript , (b) a submission acknowledgment (including assigned manuscript number), and (c) a completed Review I form from the supervising faculty member.
Each student must take the preliminary examination (Review II). This second formal assessment, typically completed during the last semester of formal classwork, is an examination that will focus on areas of knowledge that are most relevant to the student’s proposed dissertation topic. The student and the student’s committee will determine the content of this examination format in that it will focus on in-depth reading and writing directly related to the student’s proposed dissertation topic as well as on the student’s mastery of previously learned core information.
After successfully completing Review I (i.e., satisfying the scholarly product requirement) and Review II (i.e., passing the preliminary examination), students can then submit a formal dissertation proposal to their doctoral committee and submit the accompanying Advancement to Candidacy form to the Graduate College. The doctoral committee will meet and determine whether to accept or reject the prospectus. A prospectus can be accepted provisionally given that the student follows the committee’s suggestions in the dissertation. Upon completion of the full dissertation, a defense will be scheduled. This defense will be scheduled and conducted in accordance with the Graduate College’s policies for thesis and dissertation completion. It is the student’s responsibility to file the required forms with the Graduate College in a timely manner.
Graduation Requirements
The student must submit and successfully defend their dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
After the dissertation defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their dissertation to the Graduate College for format check. Once the dissertation format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for dissertation defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here.
Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.
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Return to: UNLV Graduate Programs
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