Overview
Our graduate programs are designed to prepare individuals for employment in research, teaching, and service settings. The coursework includes topics such as development, cognition, motivational and social factors, individual differences, measurement, statistics, and research. The Ph.D. degree in Educational Psychology with a concentration in General Educational Psychology requires a minimum of 91 hours of coursework beyond the baccalaureate degree.
The Ph.D. in Educational Psychology requires a minimum of 91 hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. The program prepares graduates for research, teaching, and academic administration, with coursework spanning development, cognition, motivation, individual differences, measurement, statistics, and research design.
Curriculum
Educational Psychology Major Core (46 hours)
- EPY 6214 Educational and Psychological Statistics
- EPY 8214 Intermediate Educational and Psychological Statistics
- EPY 8263 Psychological Testing in Educational and Related Settings
- EPY 8293 Cognitive and Affective Development
- EPY 8513 Psychometric Theory
- EPY 9213 Multivariate Analysis in Educational Research
- EPY 9723 Seminar in Contemporary Issues in Educational Psychology
- EDF 9373 Educational Research Design
- EPY 9000 Dissertation Research/Dissertation in Educational Psychology (20 hours)
General Educational Psychology Concentration Requirements (45 hours)
Required (27 hours)
- EPY 6033 Applications of Learning Theories in Educational and Related Settings
- EPY 6073 Personal and Motivational Factors in Education Related Settings
- EPY 6513 Introduction to Research in Educational Psychology
- EPY 8223 Psychological Foundations of Education
- EPY 8533 Practicum in Teaching with Educational Psychology
- EPY 9263 Applied Research Seminar
- EDF 9453 Introduction to Qualitative Research
- EDF 9463 Qualitative Data Collection in Education
- EDF 9473 Qualitative Data Analysis
Educational Psychology Electives (6 hours)
Choose any two courses in EPY in consultation with advisor. Some recommended courses include:
- EPY 6553 Creativity and Innovation
- EPY 8523 Psychology of the Gifted
Psychology Electives (6 hours)
Choose any two courses in PSY in consultation advisor. Some recommended courses include:
- PSY 6983 Psychology of Aging
- PSY 6713 Language and Thought
- PSY 6403 Biological Psychology
- PSY 8613 Advanced Social Psychology
- PSY 8313 Developmental Psychology
Education Electives (3 hours)
Choose one course in EDF, EDX or EDE in consultation with advisor.
Free Elective (3 hours)
Choose one course in consultation with the advisor.
Educational Psychology Faculty
- Ty Abernathy, Ph.D., Associate Teaching Professor
- Jacqueline Bell, Ph.D., Assistant Teaching Professor
- Donna Gainer, Ph.D., Associate Teaching Professor
- Kasia Gallo, Ph.D., Associate Professor
- Mehdi Garemani, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
- Sareh Karami, Ph.D., Associate Professor
- Andy Parra-Martinez, Ph.D., Assistant Teaching Professor
- Elaine Wei, Ph.D., Professor & Program Coordinator
Current Students
Our doctoral students may complete the 91-hour coursework in 3 to 6 years, depending on whether they (a) already hold a master's degree from the same program, (b) enroll as full-time or part-time, and (c) attend summer school.
Recommended Sequence for Coursework
Nearly every required course in this program runs on a fixed rotation, some annually, some every other year, so sequencing matters more here than in most doctoral programs. Two things are worth knowing from your first semester.
Start the statistics and research design sequences early. Both are chains that cannot be compressed: EPY 6214 leads to EPY 8214, which leads to EPY 9213; and EPY 6513 together with EPY 8214 leads to EDF 9373, which leads to EPY 9263.
Take alternating-year courses when they appear. Most required EPY courses are offered every other year. If one is running and it fits your load, take it; deferring means waiting two years, not one.
Your advisor will map this out with you each semester. Additionally, Dr. Elaine Wei maintains an unofficial course sequence planner that generates a term-by-term plan based on your entry year and any graduate credit you bring in. It is a planning aid, not an official record; degree requirements are as listed above, and course offerings should be confirmed in Banner.
Doctoral Student Steps Toward Graduation
|
You |
Your Advisor / Committee Chair |
|---|---|
| Complete coursework (advising period, every semester) | |
| Meet with your advisor with a tentative schedule and discuss courses to take. | Reviews your schedule, offers suggestions, and releases you for registration. |
| Form your graduate committee (no later than the end of the first week of your final semester of coursework) | |
| Discuss potential members with your advisor. Once approved, obtain agreement from each member to serve. See the Graduate School's graduate committee policy. | Approves your selection or suggests other members, completes the Committee Request Form, and sends it to the department's academic coordinator. |
| Preliminary exam for admission to candidacy (final semester of coursework, excluding dissertation hours) | |
| Take and pass the written preliminary exam. | Reviews your Degree Works record to confirm eligibility, prepares the exam questions for the committee's review and approval, coordinates the committee's grading, and notifies you of the results. |
| Dissertation proposal (semester(s) following admission to candidacy) | |
|
Register for dissertation hours and work closely with your committee chair to complete the research proposal. Once your chair approves, schedule the proposal meeting with your committee and deliver a copy of the proposal to all committee members, the program coordinator, and the department's academic coordinator at least two weeks before the meeting. |
Reviews your proposal, suggests edits and revisions, and approves it for the proposal defense meeting. |
| Dissertation research (semester(s) following admission to candidacy) | |
| Work with your committee chair to obtain IRB approval, collect and analyze your data, and complete the dissertation. | Consults with you as needed to confirm the research protocol is being followed, discuss preliminary findings, and review drafts. |
| Apply to graduate (final semester) | |
|
Enroll in LIB 9010, the no-cost course used to submit your dissertation. Apply for graduation online through myState. Check the Academic Calendar for the last day to apply. |
Reminds you of the College, Library, and Graduate School deadlines for document submission, and suggests a timeline for your final defense. |
| Dissertation defense (final semester) | |
|
Once your chair approves, schedule the final defense and deliver a copy of the dissertation to all committee members, the program coordinator, and the department's academic coordinator at least two weeks before the meeting. Ensure that faculty, graduate students in the program, and the public are notified of the date, time, and place. |
Asks the department's academic coordinator to announce the defense. Completes the Report of Examination Results/Candidacy form and sends it to the academic coordinator. Check the Graduate School Calendar for the last day to report. |
| Commencement (final semester) | |
|
After your defense, make corrections and submit the dissertation to the Dean's Office for the Dean's signature on your title page. Turn in the final copy with the signed signature page through the LIB 9010 course in Canvas. |
Attends graduation, marches with you, and hoods you. |
| Alumnus / alumna status | |
| Provide the Alumni Association with a forwarding address. | Stays connected with you. |
Prospective Students
Applicants to the Ph.D. program must apply via the Graduate School: https://apply.grad.msstate.edu/. Completed applications are then reviewed by the Educational Psychology faculty admissions committee. When applying via the Graduate School website, make sure you select the "General Ed. Psychology" option from the drop-down menu (see screenshot below), you would otherwise be applying to the wrong program area (and your application fee cannot be refunded).
Application Materials
The following materials are required by the Educational Psychology graduate programs:
- Personal Statement or Statement of Purpose
- Official transcripts from all universities attended
- Three letters of recommendation
- Resume or Vitae
- GRE scores (verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing) - Optional but strongly encouraged
- Other materials as required by the Graduate School (e.g., English test scores for international applicants)
Application Deadlines
The program admits students for fall semester only.
- Early Admission: January 15 (All applicants who apply by our early admission deadline are given full consideration for assistantships.)
- Regular Admission: July 1 (for domestic students) and April 1 (for international students)
Financial Assistance
Students in the M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Educational Psychology may receive financial assistance through assistantships.
Assistantships may be available from the department and via other related units on campus. Some students have obtained assistantships outside of the department in other areas including the Dean's Office, Student Support Services, Department of Human Sciences, Research Curriculum Unit, and Social Sciences Research Center.
If awarded, the assistantship includes a tuition waiver (both in-state and out-of-state tuition) and a monthly stipend depending on the placement. All "early admission" applicants are given full consideration for assistantships, but priority would be given to applicants for the Ph.D. program.
Students must be enrolled full-time (i.e., 9 credit hours) and complete 20 hours per week for each assistantship. For more information regarding university assistantships, visit the Office of Graduate Studies.
In addition to assistantships, some students apply for financial aid to assist them in meeting the financial demands of graduate school. To learn more about financial aid, visit the Office of Financial Aid.
For the most current information regarding tuition and fees, visit Account Services.
Career Opportunities
One of the primary career paths for our graduates is in higher education institutions, and we are proud to report that, in the past decade, 100% of the graduates from our Ph.D. program have secured jobs in this field. Our graduates have been hired as faculty members, researchers, and academic administrators at universities and colleges across the country and around the world. Below is a list of our alumni who have generously granted us permission to share their employment information and current positions, showcasing the career paths and achievements of our graduates. We greatly appreciate their contribution to our efforts to showcase the success of our program and its alumni.
| Alumni Name | Graduate Year | Current Position | Employer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katerina Sergi, Ph.D. | 2021 | Research Assistant Professor | Social Science Research Center (SSRC), Mississippi State University |
| Jianling Xie, Ph.D. | 2020 | Assistant Professor of Psychology | College of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Houston-Downtown |
| Kasia Gallo, Ph.D. | 2018 | Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology | Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Foundations, Mississippi State University |
| Shane T. Warren, Ph.D. | 2013 | Deputy Director for Research Development | International Research Development, International Institute, Mississippi State University |
| Note. We are in the process of contacting more alumni and waiting to hear back from them. We will update this list as we receive more information. |
As a Ph.D. student in our program, you will have access to a range of resources to help you prepare for a career in higher education. Our faculty members are active researchers and experienced educators who can provide you with mentorship and guidance on developing your research agenda, teaching philosophy, and professional network.
Whether you are interested in pursuing a career in research, teaching, or administration, our Ph.D. program can provide you with the skills and training you need to succeed in higher education. Join us today and take the first step towards a rewarding career in academia.
Contact Information
Elaine Wei, Ph.D.
Professor of Educational Psychology
ewei@colled.msstate.edu