Learning is not exclusive to schools; humans learn continuously throughout our lives and across multiple contexts. Understanding what facilitates this process – how people learn and how others support that learning – is the goal of educational psychology.
Our online, interdisciplinary Ph.D. program focuses on the learner, the instructor, the context for learning and the journey of learning, including learning theory, motivation, human development, cognition and the role of culture. You'll also have the chance to explore contemporary issues such as social-emotional learning, culturally responsive practices and classroom management. Our program requires a minimum of 63 hours beyond the master's degree, including a minimum of 12 hours for your dissertation.
You must hold a master's degree, and we expect you to have taken coursework in learning theory, theory of development, research methods, basic statistics and foundations of education. You'll also need to submit:
During your program of study, you will:
A common misconception is that educational psychology is the same as school psychology, but they are quite different. Our faculty and students explore questions about the nature of teaching and learning processes, as well as innovative practices for supporting these processes.
Recent dissertation topics have covered a broad range of interdisciplinary topics including the resilience of first-generation Latino students in community college; experiences of students who struggled with online learning; the impact of teacher feedback on students' mindset and goals; implementation of trauma-informed practices among middle school teachers; and the integration of a garden-based science curriculum.
Faculty research agendas include reading motivation and engagement, bilingualism and language learning, cross-cultural models of teaching and learning, and the intersection of social-emotional needs with learning. If you are interested in how humans learn, our program is a great place to explore your own questions.
We want to keep in touch!
Northern Illinois University offered an Ed.D. in educational psychology until 2014 when we started granting the Ph.D. in educational psychology.
Program alumni are encouraged to contact the educational psychology program coordinator, Lindsay Harris, Ph.D., lharris3@niu.edu, with updates about their current positions.
Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations
Graham 223
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-4404
lepf@niu.edu