School of Education and Human Development University of Colorado Denver

Our students come from a wide-array of education backgrounds, usually educational and often psychological.

After gaining admission to the program, your course of study will walk you through the various competencies that are required. At the end of the program, you'll complete an educational psychology practicum, an independent study project, or a Master's thesis. You will need to perform satisfactorily on a written, comprehensive examination. Final course grades lower than a B- will not count toward the Educational Psychology Master's degree.

Application requirements

Your recommended plan of study includes 9 hours of core courses, embedded within a minimum of 36 to 38 hours of relevant coursework.

Course requirements if you obtained a teaching license through CU Denver's Graduate Teacher Education program

Some courses incorporate multiple perspectives, themes of equity and social justice, a focus on the needs and experiences of diverse children and youth, and implications for leadership around assessment themes in today's schools.

There is a wide range of educational psychology (EPSY) and research/evaluation methodology (REM) courses available to program students. For example, three learning courses are available that address approaches to young children's learning, human learning, of school-age persons, and adult learning. Three courses also address development - child development, adolescent development, and human development over the lifespan. Some EPSY courses available are: children's thinking; the psychology of gifted, talented and creative children; social psychology of learning, cognition and instruction; human motivation; advanced abnormal psychology; theories of personality development and change; and a seminar focusing on the history and contributions of educational psychology. The REM courses available to students also are numerous. Orientation courses exist in basic statistics, research, measurement, and evaluation. Courses designed especially for educators include assessment for teachers and research for teachers. Courses in REM also are taught dealing with qualitative research (both basic and advanced), intermediate statistics, survey research, mixed methods research, advanced quantitative design and analysis courses, and the like. Many of these courses, expecially those addressing data analysis, include related computer applications.

The Master of Arts Program in Educational Psychology prepares graduates for careers in education, psychology, health, and human services including:
P-12 teachers
School and central office administrators
Test development specialist for book publishers/hospitals/testing centers
Educational researchers in schools, universities, and private organizations
Educational evaluator
Educational measurement specialists
Education consultant (for schools, non-profit organizations, military, health care, and government)
Government positions related to assessment

A number of our graduates pursue doctoral studies in educational psychology, as well as in psychology.