Educational Psychology (Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation) (PHD)
The Department of Educational Psychology offers two graduate degrees with a concentration in the area of Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation (RMME): The Master of Arts (M.A.) and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). The Ph.D. program is designed for individuals who wish to pursue applied, research, or teaching careers in educational measurement and assessment, program evaluation, or quantitative research methods. In addition to completing the required coursework described below, Ph.D. students are strongly encouraged to seek out research experiences through participation in faculty research grants and projects at the University of Connecticut as well as through summer internships in government and industry agencies engaged in testing, education research, or other research that requires an RMME background.
Location
- Storrs Campus
Modality
- In Person
Requirements
In addition to the Graduate School requirements, Ph.D. students must complete coursework requirements as described below and pass both a preliminary exam after completing a prescribed set of courses generally taken in the first full year of study and a general exam taken after all core courses are completed. Students also undergo an annual review at the end of each academic year. A minimum of 48 credits of required core coursework, three to nine credits of elective coursework and three to nine credits of independent study, internship or practicum credits (for a total of 60 credits) is required for the Ph.D. If a student has already taken required courses at another University or as part of another degree program at the University of Connecticut, the requirement to complete 60 credits can be decreased if the major advisor and the advisory committee agree to the reduction or substitutions. However, all Ph.D. students in Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation (RMME) must complete at least 48 credits of doctoral coursework at the University of Connecticut. Ultimately, the student’s major advisor, in consultation with their advisory committee and the RMME program faculty, determine the degree requirements for each Ph.D. student. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5 in core courses and earn a grade of “B” or higher in every core course. A student who receives a grade lower than a “B” (including “B-”) will be required to repeat the course. Students who receive two or more grades of “C” or lower in a required course or a grade of “D” or lower in any courses may be asked to leave the program. Ph.D. students must show competency in EPSY 5601 Principles and Methods in Educational Research, EPSY 5605 Quantitative Methods in Research I, and EPSY 5607 Quantitative Methods in Research II, either by having previously taken the course or an equivalent, or by taking a competency exam. However, these courses do not count toward Ph.D. credits.
Required Core Courses
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EPSY 5510 | Learning: Its Implication for Education 1 | 3 |
| EPSY 5602 | Educational Tests and Measurements | 3 |
| EPSY 5610 | Applied Regression Analysis for the Education Sciences | 3 |
| EPSY 5613 | Multivariate Analysis in Educational Research | 3 |
| EPSY 5621 | Construction of Evaluation Instruments | 3 |
| EPSY 6601 | Methods and Techniques of Educational Research | 3 |
| EPSY 6611 | Hierarchical Linear Modeling | 3 |
| EPSY 6615 | Structural Equation Modeling | 3 |
| EPSY 6619 | Advanced Modeling Using Latent Variable Techniques | 3 |
| EPSY 6621 | Program Evaluation | 3 |
| EPSY 6623 | Advanced Program Evaluation | 3 |
| EPSY 6636 | Measurement Theory and Application | 3 |
| EPSY 6637 | Item Response Theory | 3 |
| EPSY 6638 | Advanced Topics in Item Response Theory | 3 |
| EPSY 6651 | Introduction to Methods for Causal Inference Using Educational Data | 3 |
| EPSY 6655 | Advanced Causal Inference with Data | 3 |
| Total Credits | 48 | |
- 1
This requirement may be waived for students who have taken a graduate-level Educational Psychology or Learning course from another university and earned a grade of “B” or better.
Additional Requirements
In addition to core coursework, students complete an additional 12 credits for the Ph.D. degree. Students must complete three to nine credits from the following elective courses or an alternative elective course that is approved by the student’s advisory committee.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDCI 6000 | Qualitative Methods of Educational Research | 3 |
| EPSY 6103 | Grant Writing | 3 |
| EPSY 6194 | Doctoral Seminar (in any topical area) | 1-3 |
| HDFS 5005 | Qualitative Research Methods in Human Development and Family Sciences | 3 |
| PP 5379 | Principles and Methods of Survey Research I | 3 |
Students must complete three to nine credits of independent study or practicum/internship. The following courses fulfill the independent study/practicum/internship credits: EPSY 5199 Independent Study in Education or EPSY 6494 Doctoral Practicum. Students who complete only three credits of additional coursework must complete at least nine credits of independent study or practicum/internship. Students who complete six credits of additional coursework must complete at least six credits of independent study or practicum/internship. Students who complete nine credits of additional coursework must complete at least three credits of independent study or practicum/internship. Internships may be academic year or summer experiences.
1st Year Preliminary Exam
The 1st year exam is taken after completing the sequence of “first year” and prerequisite courses within the RMME program and must be taken after completion of 15 credits.
General Examination
Ph.D. students must complete the following courses prior to taking the general exam:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EPSY 5602 | Educational Tests and Measurements | 3 |
| EPSY 5610 | Applied Regression Analysis for the Education Sciences | 3 |
| EPSY 5613 | Multivariate Analysis in Educational Research | 3 |
| EPSY 5621 | Construction of Evaluation Instruments | 3 |
| EPSY 6601 | Methods and Techniques of Educational Research | 3 |
| EPSY 6611 | Hierarchical Linear Modeling | 3 |
| EPSY 6615 | Structural Equation Modeling | 3 |
| EPSY 6619 | Advanced Modeling Using Latent Variable Techniques | 3 |
| EPSY 6621 | Program Evaluation | 3 |
| EPSY 6623 | Advanced Program Evaluation | 3 |
| EPSY 6636 | Measurement Theory and Application | 3 |
| EPSY 6637 | Item Response Theory | 3 |
| EPSY 6638 | Advanced Topics in Item Response Theory | 3 |
| EPSY 6651 | Introduction to Methods for Causal Inference Using Educational Data | 3 |
| EPSY 6655 | Advanced Causal Inference with Data | 3 |
The RMME program general examination must be taken within one calendar year of completing all of the required coursework. Further, the general examination must be passed in its entirety within five years of the beginning of the student's matriculation in the degree program. Students may not take the general examination before the plan of study has been filed with the Office of the Registrar.
Learning Objectives
- Apply theories and knowledge of research methodology to educational and social challenges and contexts.
- Design and execute a research project that advances or adds to a field within research methodology.
- Communicate insights from data in oral, written, and visual formats at a level sufficient to publish and present work.