why do we study psychology of education

Educational Psychology Promotes Teaching and Learning

Understanding Educational Psychology

Today’s educational system is highly complex. There is no single learning approach that works for everyone.

That’s why psychologists working in the field of education are focused on identifying and studying learning methods to better understand how people absorb and retain new information.

Educational psychologists apply theories of human development to understand individual learning and inform the instructional process. While interaction with teachers and students in school settings is an important part of their work, it isn’t the only facet of the job. Learning is a lifelong endeavor. People don’t only learn at school, they learn at work, in social situations and even doing simple tasks like household chores or running errands. Psychologists working in this subfield examine how people learn in a variety of settings to identify approaches and strategies to make learning more effective.

Educational Psychology Applied

Psychologists working in education study the social, emotional and cognitive processes involved in learning and apply their findings to improve the learning process. Some specialize in the educational development of a specific group of people such as children, adolescents or adults, while others focus on specific learning challenges such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or dyslexia. 

No matter the population they are studying, these professionals are interested in teaching methods, the instructional process and different learning outcomes.

How much does the time of day when new information is introduced influence whether a person retains that information? What does culture have to do with how we process new ideas? How does age affect our ability to develop new skills, like language? How is in-person learning different from remote learning using technology? How does the choice of a media platform make a difference in learning? 

These are all questions that educational psychologists are asking — and answering — in settings as diverse as government research centers, schools, community organizations and learning centers.

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Psychology subfields

Why Study Educational Psychology?

Citation: Huitt, W. (2019). Why study educational psychology? Educational Psychology Interactive . Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from http:// www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics /intro/whyedpsy.html

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There is some discussion among practicing educators about the importance of studying educational psychology.  One way to think about this issue is to define some terms.

Education The process of: (1) developing the capacities and potential of the individual so as to prepare that individual to be successful in a specific society or culture. From this perspective, education is serving primarily an individual development function. (2) the process by which society transmits to new members the values, beliefs, knowledge, and symbolic expressions to make communication possible within society. In this sense, education is serving a social and cultural function. Psychology the scientific study of the mind and behavior (or behavior and mental processes), especially as it relates to individual human beings .  

The definition of education becomes a little more complicated when one recognizes the three categories of education: informal, non-informal, and formal ( Fordham, 1993 ; LaBelle, 1982).  Informal education begins at birth and continues throughout life.  It is provided by parents, siblings, friends, and so forth; it is constant and ongoing.  Non-formal education involves somewhat structured guidance of learning, but is done without a lot of formal structure.  Attending Sunday school or Boy or Girl Scout meetings would involve this category of education.

Formal education , or schooling , generally begins somewhere between 4 and 6 when children are gathered together for the purposes of specific guidance related to skills and competencies that society deems important.  In the USA, it generally continues through grade 12 for at least 75% of adolescents and then sporadically throughout adulthood.  For most of the twentieth century, once the formal primary or secondary schooling was completed, a person's activity in a formal teaching/learning process was over (Wagner, 2008).  However, in today's rapidly changing environment ( Huitt, 2017 ), adults are quite often learning in formal settings throughout their working lives and even into retirement.

Educational Psychology , then, is a combination or overlapping of two separate fields of study.  The first is psychology.  Note that it is the scientific study of mind or mental processes (covert or internal) as well as behavior (overt or external).  People who study psychological phenomena are not necessarily limited to the study of human beings (a large body of research relating to animals has been developed) nor are they limited to only studying individuals.  However, when studying groups of individuals, the focus is generally on how individuals perform within the group rather than the study of the group as a whole.  Scientists who study animals and people in terms of group- and institutional-behavior generally align themselves with sociology while individuals who focus on human culture and belief systems generally align themselves with anthropology .

The second field of study with which educational psychology aligns itself is education or more specifically schooling, as defined above.  That is, the primary focus of this subdiscipline of psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior (or mental processes and behavior) in the context of formally socializing and developing the potential of individual human beings.

Educational psychology is therefore a distinct scientific discipline within psychology that includes both methods of study and a resulting knowledge base.  While it is concerned primarily with understanding the processes of teaching and learning that take place within formal environments, it is also concerned with affiliated operations and procedures such as curriculum development, assessment, and evaluation.  Educational psychologists are interested in a wide variety of topics such as learning theories; teaching methods; motivation; cognitive, emotional, and moral development; and parent/child relationships. 

There are a variety of frameworks and models that depict how various factors impact measures of learning completed outside of the classroom (McIlrath & Huitt, 1995).  The following is a simple example of how some of these variables might interact (see Figure 1). Context variables such as the size and region of the community impact teacher and student characteristics while the context variables associated with the family impact student characteristics. Of course, there are other important context variables that could also be considered such as the movement from an industrial to a digital and information-based economy. Additional context variables associated with school and state policies, such as mandated standardized testing, combine with teacher and student characteristics to impact teacher behavior. Teacher behavior along with student characteristics influence student behavior, especially those variables associated with Academic Learning Time or the time learners actually spend on important content. Student classroom behavior then influences teacher classroom behavior in an interactive pattern. Student classroom behavior, therefore, is the most direct influence on student achievement as measured by instruments influenced by state policies.  Student achievement at the end of one school year then becomes a student characteristic at the beginning of the next. Additional outcome variables that are important for success in the information age, such as emotional development, social development, or self-regulation can be considered in the same manner.

Figure 1. A Model of the Teaching-Learning Process

The actual schooling process is generally described through steps in the curriculum development process. Stephani (2004-05) highlighted the major components of a schooling system in her model of curriculum development (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. A Logical Model of Curriculum Development

Notice that the statement of desired outcomes is at the center of the process and influences all other components.  In today’s global, digital age with change occurring at an exponential rate ( Huitt, 2017 ), stating these goals, especially if they are to be relevant for both local and global contexts, is not easy, let alone organizing the other components of the school system so that excellence is attained at all levels ( Fullan, 2013 ; Wagner, 2008).

One aspect of stating desired outcomes for a school system is to identify what is not likely to change as well as what is most likely to change.  Educational psychology can be helpful in identifying the former as knowledge of human development is one component of the field.  An overview of the potentials for human development should therefore be a feature of establishing desired outcomes ( Huitt, 2018a ) and is generally the focus of an entire course in an educational psychology program.  The task of describing what is likely to change is more complicated.  While describing the current conditions for those adults in higher education or the workforce is an ongoing discussion (Diamandis, & Kotler, 2012, 2015), it becomes more difficult for those still in the PreK-12 (primary and secondary) system .  For example, learners presenting in high school will leave the system in one to 5 years.  Identifying the present circumstances and trends is much easier for this group than for those who are presently in the middle grades who will do so in five to ten years.  Likewise, the challenge becomes even more difficult for those presently in elementary or primary school who will enter the workforce and higher education in 10 to 15 years and practically impossible for those presently in PreK and kindergarten who will do so in 15 to 20 years.  Just reflect on all the changes that have occurred in the last 10 to 20 years and then imagine how double that amount of change will occur in the next several decades ( Kurzweil, 200 5).  Taking into account what will and will not change over the coming decades, some scholars believe schooling should focus on developing glocal citizens ( Huitt, 2018b ); that is, individuals who can live anywhere they choose, but are also prepared to participate in, and contribute, to their local communities.

The next component in Stefani’s (2004-05) model is to development means for assessing the desired outcomes.  Measurement and evaluation is another component of educational psychology that generally receives attention in a separate course ( Darling-Hammond, Wilhoit, & Pittenger, 2014 ).  As parents and educators become more aware of the importance of focusing on the development of the whole child, there is an increased interest in alternative means of assessment beyond those provided by standardized tests ( American Educational Research Association, 2000 ), such as the use of electronic portfolios (see http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/katie/ as an example).

A third component, how human beings learn, is another major component of educational psychology.  Learning can be defined as the relatively permanent change in an individual's behavior or behavior potential (or capability) as a result of experience or practice (i.e., an internal change inferred from overt behavior).  This can be compared with maturation (biological growth and development), the second primary process producing relatively permanent change.  Therefore, when a relatively permanent change occurs in ourselves or others, the primary cause was either maturation (biology) or learning (experience), or, as is often the case, some combination of both.

There are currently eight major theories of learning that are covered in most educational psychology textbooks: behavioral/operant conditioning, cognitive information processing, social learning theory, humanistic, cognitive constructivism, social constructivism, social cognitive theory, and connectionism ( Huitt, 2013 ).  Each of these has a primary focus of learning, a set of assumptions that guide the development of research questions, a view of the learner, and a database of basic principles of learning that are derived from research.  While most researchers advocate for their particular view of learning, educational practitioners can be more innovative and effective in applying the theories to meet the needs of their particular learners, especially as conditions change rapidly ( Darling-Hammond, & Sykes, 2003 ).

Another component of Stephani’s (2004-5) model is teaching or classroom practice.  As educators, there is nothing we can do to alter an individual's biology; the only influence open to us is to provide an opportunity for students to engage in experiences that will lead to relatively permanent change.   Teaching , then, can be thought of as the purposeful direction and management of the learning process .  Note that teaching is not giving knowledge or skills to students; rather, teaching is the process of providing guided opportunities for students to produce relatively permanent change through their engagement in experiences provided by the teacher.

One way that educational psychology can provide benefit to practicing educators is the development of instructional models, strategies, and methods that are explicitly connected to learning theory.  For example, the traditional direct or explicit instruction is based on operant conditioning, cognitive information processing, and social learning theories ( Huitt, Monetti, & Hummel, 2009 ) while constructivism is based more on principles derived from humanism, cognitive and social constructivistic learning theories, as well as social cognitive theory (Tobias & Duffy, 2009). However, newer approaches such as the flipped classroom, when implemented correctly, can incorporate all of the learning theories described above ( Huitt & Vernon, 2015 ).  

Additionally, empirical research in educational psychology related to classroom practice can be beneficial.  For example, Hattie (as cited in Huitt, Huitt, Monetti, & Hummel, 2009 ) completed a meta-analysis of over 800 meta-analyses of factors related to student achievement.  He identified 138 variables that had an effect size larger than d = 0.39.  (Note: An effect size is approximately equal to a standard deviation; this provides an estimate of the strength of the relationship between variables).  In one example, Hattie discovered that learners’ self-report of grades was a better predictor of student achievement than the actual measures of prior achievement (d = 1.44 versus d = 0.67, respectively).  This supports the contention of social cognitive learning theorists that learners’ self-efficacy beliefs are an important component of school learning ( Bandura, 1994 ).  Likewise, Hattie found that learners in Piagetian programs that matched the instructional method to the learners’ Piagetian stage had significantly better student achievement than those who did not (d = 1.28), thereby validating the cognitive constructivistic learning theory ( Lutz & Huitt, 2004 ).

Hattie and Donoghue (2016)  continued this meta-analysis of meta-analyses and constructed a model of learning that shows how specific learning strategies impact learning at different stages in the processing of cognitive information issues of motivation, agency, and skill development.  Again, this research supports learning theories associated with each of these concepts in the model.  If educators truly want to develop human potential for adapting to an exponentially-changing world, there is no better instructional activity than to guide learners to take control of the learning process.

The final component in Stephani’s (2004-05) model is program evaluation and communication of results.  Again, this issue is a component of educational psychology, although it is a specialty field that generally is addressed in a specific course (Rossi, Lipsey, & Henry, 2019).

In summary, the primary purpose of schooling, which is only one of the institutional influences in a person's education, is to assist the individual to better develop his or her full potential as well as to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to interact with the environment in a successful manner.  The family , religious organizations , and community also share primary responsibility in the educational process.  Educational psychology provides important background knowledge that preservice and inservice educators can use as the foundation for professional practice.  In combination with information on human growth and development and specific content knowledge, information on theories of learning and instructional practice provide the foundation for classroom and school methods and procedures (Shulman, 1986, 1987; Mishra & Koehler, 2006).  What you will study in educational psychology is applicable to a wide variety of content- and age-specific teaching activities.

• American Educational Research Association. (2000). AERA position statement concerning high-stakes testing in PreK-12 education .  https://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/viewFile/261/387
• Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). Academic Press. (Reprinted in H. Friedman [Ed.], Encyclopedia of mental health.  Academic Press, 1998).  http://www.uky.edu/~eushe2/Bandura/Bandura1994EHB.pdf
• Darling-Hammond, L., & Sykes, G. (2003, September 17). Wanted: A national teacher supply policy for education: The right way to meet the "Highly Qualified Teacher" challenge. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 11 (33).  https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v11n33.2003
• Darling-Hammond, L., Wilhoit, G., & Pittenger, L. (2014). Accountability for college and career readiness: Developing a new paradigm. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 22 (86).  http://dx.doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v22n86.2014
• Diamandis, P., & Kotler, S. (2012). Abundance: The future is better than you think . Free Press.
• Diamandis, P., & Kotler, S. (2015). Bold: How to go big, create wealth and impact the world . Simon & Schuster.
• Fordham, P. (1993). Informal, non-formal and formal education programmes in YMCA. In P. Fordham, ICE301:  Lifelong learning, Unit 1 Approaching lifelong learning . George Williams College.  http://infed.org/mobi/informal-non-formal-and-formal-education-programmes/
• Fullan, M. (2019, September 13). Great to excellent: Launching the next stage on Ontario's education agenda. Ontario Ministry of Education.  https://www.michaelfullan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/13_Fullan_Great-to-Excellent.pdf
• Hattie, J., & Donoghue, G. (2016). Learning strategies: A synthesis and conceptual model. NPJ Science of Learning, 16013 .  https://www.nature.com/articles/npjscilearn201613  
• Huitt, W. (2013, December). Summary of theories relating to learning and development. Educational Psychology Interactive . Valdosta State University.  http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/summary/lrndev.html
• Huitt, W. (2017, June). A phase change: Forces, trends, and themes in the human sociocultural milieu (revised). Educational Psychology Interactive . Valdosta State University.  http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/2017-huitt-a-phase-change.pdf   
• Huitt, W. (2018a). The Brilliant Star framework. In W. Huitt (Ed.), Becoming a Brilliant Star: Twelve core ideas supporting holistic education (pp. 5-23). IngramSpark.  http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/2018-01-huitt-brilliant-star-framework.pdf
• Huitt, W. (2018b). Developing curriculum for glocal citizenship. In W. Huitt (Ed.), Becoming a Brilliant Star: Twelve core ideas supporting holistic education (pp. 221-248). IngramSpark.  http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/2018-12-huitt-brilliant-star-glocal-citiizenship.pdf
• Huitt, W., Huitt, M., Monetti, D., & Hummel, J. (2009). A systems-based synthesis of research related to improving students' academic performance. Paper presented at the 3rd International City Break Conference sponsored by the Athens Institute for Education and Research (AITNER), Athens, Greece, October 16-19.  http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/improving-school-achievement.pdf
• Huitt, W., Monetti, D., & Hummel, J. (2009). Designing direct instruction. In  C. Reigeluth and A. Carr-Chellman, Instructional-Design Theories and Models: Volume III, Building a Common Knowledgebase . Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.  http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/designing-direct-instruction.pdf
• Huitt, W., & Vernon, K. (2015). The flipped classroom and project-based learning: Theory and practice . Presentation at the European Council for International Schools (ECIS), Barcelona, Spain, November 21.  http://edpsycinteractive.org/edpsyppt/Presentations/flipped-classroom-and-pbl.html
• Kurzweil, R. (2005). The singularity is near: When humans transcend biology . Viking. See http://www.singularity.com/charts/page50.html
• La Belle, T. (1982). Formal, nonformal and informal education: A holistic perspective on lifelong learning. International Review of Education, 28( 2), 159-175.  https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00598444
• Lutz, S., & Huitt, W. (2004). Connecting cognitive development and constructivism: Implications from theory for instruction and assessment. Constructivism in the Human Sciences,9 (1), 67-90. http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/2018-03-lutz-huitt-brilliant-star-cognitive-development.pdf
• McIlrath, D., & Huitt, W. (1995).  The teaching/learning process: A discussion of models . Valdosta State University. http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/modeltch.html
• Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108 (6), 1017-1054.  https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1467-9620.2006.00684.x  
• Rossi, P., Lipsey, M., & Henry, G. (2019). Evaluation: A systematic approach (8 th ed.). SAGE.
• Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15 (2), 4–14.  https://doi.org/10.3102%2F0013189X015002004
• Shulman, L. S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the new reform. Harvard Educational Review, 57 (1), 1–22.  https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.57.1.j463w79r56455411
• Stefani, L. (2004-05). Assessment of student learning: Promoting a scholarly approach. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 1 , 51-66.  http://www2.glos.ac.uk/offload/tli/lets/lathe/issue1/articles/stefani.pdf
• Tobias, S. and T. M. Duffy, T. M. (2009). Constructivist theory applied to instruction: Success or failure?  Routledge.
• Wagner, T. (2008). The global achievement gap: Why even our best schools don’t teach the new survival skills our children need—and what we can do about it . Basic Books.

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What Is Educational Psychology?

Learning is a highly individualized process. What proves effective for one person might not work for another. Most of us have experienced this at one point — struggling with concepts presented through one medium but understanding them when taught in a different way. To improve the process of education, psychology professionals are working to understand exactly how people learn and retain information.

“Educational psychology is the field that explores our psychological processes, theories, and principles that influence learning and development within an educational environment,” says Kristina Noriega , EdD, MSIDT, MSCP, psychology faculty member at Purdue Global. “It examines how students of all ages — from early childhood to adulthood — acquire knowledge, develop skills, and adapt to different learning environments.”

In this article, Noriega shares insights and potential career paths within this rewarding and challenging field.

Understanding Educational Psychology

Learning is a unique journey for every individual. Educational psychology delves into the cognitive, behavioral, and developmental aspects of this journey. The goal, according to the American Psychological Association , is to better understand how students learn and develop in an educational setting.

Those who study educational psychology learn topics such as student motivation, student assessment, instructional techniques, and classroom management.

“Once they become working educational psychology professionals, they can then apply all of this knowledge into real-world scenarios and situations in support of the field of learning,” Noriega says.

What Can You Do With a Master’s in Educational Psychology?

A master’s degree in educational psychology can open doors to a range of roles within the educational sector. Potential career paths include:

1. Educational Researcher

An educational researcher focuses on the intricacies of the learning process to understand and improve educational practices and outcomes. They employ various methodologies, from qualitative interviews to quantitative data analysis, to study topics such as teaching methods, learning styles, curriculum effectiveness, and educational policies.

“As an educational researcher, you can study educational interventions, learning processes, or even policy,” Noriega explains. “This research often informs educators, policymakers, and institutions, providing evidence-based recommendations to enhance the quality of education and promote effective learning environments.”

Educational researchers work in many settings, from academia and government agencies to private and nonprofit research organizations. You can even apply educational psychology to understand behavior, preferences, and pain points as you design and develop products and learning material.

“I’ve been a user experience researcher,” she says. “This role helps ensure that services and products are designed with the needs and preferences of the users or learners in mind.”

2. Educational Program Director

An educational program director leads and enhances the quality of education within schools. Their responsibilities encompass a broad range of tasks including curriculum planning, textbook selection, and teacher training.

“Additionally, they are involved in devising and implementing programs for extracurricular activities, ensuring a holistic educational experience for students,” Noriega says. Educational program directors work in school districts, higher education institutions, government educational departments, private educational consultancies, and nonprofit organizations focused on education.

3. Education Administrator, Kindergarten Through Secondary

An education administrator, kindergarten through secondary, ensures that schools operate efficiently and provide high-quality educational experiences to students. According to O*NET OnLine , they are responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating the academic, administrative, and auxiliary activities of kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools.

Education administrators play an important role in the educational landscape. These roles typically work within public and private school systems, charter schools, school district offices, and sometimes at state or federal educational departments. Licensing and certification requirements may apply.

4. Instructional Coordinator

An instructional coordinator, often referred to as a curriculum specialist, plays a crucial role in shaping the educational content delivered to students. According to O*NET OnLine , these professionals oversee school curriculum and teaching standards, taking charge of developing and implementing instructional materials, and subsequently assessing their effectiveness.

They typically find employment in public and private K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and school district offices. They might also work within educational consultancies and state or federal educational agencies. Their expertise ensures that educational content aligns with set standards and effectively meets the learning needs of students.

Earn a Master of Science in Educational Psychology With Purdue Global

The field of educational psychology plays a key part in shaping the educational process. For individuals considering advanced roles in educational administration, program evaluation, or operations research, a master's degree in this discipline can offer a solid foundation for your career.

Employers may prefer candidates with a master’s degree because it provides a deeper understanding of psychology principles and research methods. “Earning a master’s degree can give candidates extra leverage in the job market,” Noriega says.

Learn more about Purdue Global's  online master's in educational psychology and request more information today.

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What Is Educational Psychology? 6 Examples and Theories

Plato believed that learning is based on the mind’s innate capacity to receive information and judge its intellectual and moral value.

Plato’s foremost pupil, Aristotle, emphasized how learning involves building associations such as succession in time, contiguity in space, and similarities and/or contrasts.

Later thinkers would devote considerable attention to learning and memory processes, various teaching methods, and how learning can be optimized.

Together, these thinkers have formed the growing and diverse body of theory and practice of educational psychology, and this intriguing topic is what we will discuss below.

Before you continue, you might like to download three Positive Psychology Exercises for free . These science-based exercises explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology, including strengths, values, and self-compassion, and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students, or employees.

This Article Contains:

What is educational psychology and why is it important, a brief history of the field, job description and roles of an educational psychologist, 3 real-life examples, 3 popular theories, educational psychology research topics, educational psychology vs school psychology, a look into vygotsky’s ideas, positivepsychology.com’s relevant resources, a take-home message.

Educational psychology is dedicated to the study and improvement of human learning, across the lifespan, in whatever setting it occurs.

Such settings include not only schools, but also workplaces, organized sports, government agencies, and retirement communities – anywhere humans are engaged in instruction and learning of some type.

Educational psychology is important because of its focus on understanding and improving the crucial human capacity to learn.

In this mission of enhancing learning, educational psychologists seek to assist students and teachers alike.

However, it was not until later in history that educational psychology emerged as a field in its own right, distinct from philosophy.

John Locke (1632–1704), the influential British philosopher and “father of psychology,” famously described the human mind as a tabula rasa  (blank slate) that had no innate or inborn knowledge, but could only learn through the accumulation of experiences.

Johann Herbart (1776–1841) is considered the founder of educational psychology as a distinct field. He emphasized interest in a subject as a crucial component of learning.

He also proposed five formal steps of learning:

• Reviewing what is already known
• Previewing new material to be learned
• Presenting new material
• Relating new material to what is already known
• Showing how new knowledge can be usefully applied

Maria Montessori (1870–1952) was an Italian physician and educator who started by teaching disabled and underprivileged children. She then founded a network of schools that taught children of all backgrounds using a hands-on, multi-sensory, and often student-directed approach to learning.

Nathaniel Gage (1917–2008) was an influential educational psychologist who pioneered research on teaching. He served in the U.S. Army during WWII, where he developed aptitude tests for selecting airplane navigators and radar operators.

Gage went on to develop a research program that did much to advance the scientific study of teaching.

He believed that progress in learning highly depends on effective teaching and that a robust theory of effective teaching has to cover:

• The process of teaching
• Content to be taught
• Student abilities and motivation level
• Classroom management

The above is only a sample of the influential thinkers who have contributed over time to the field of educational psychology.

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Educational psychologists have typically earned either a master’s degree or doctorate in the field.

They work in a variety of teaching, research, and applied settings (e.g., K–12, universities, the military, and educational industries like textbook and test developers).

Those with a doctorate often teach and do research at colleges or universities.

They teach basic courses such as Introduction to Educational Psychology  and more advanced seminars such as Professional Ethics in Educational Psychology , or Research Methods in Educational Psychology .

They conduct research on topics such as the best measure of literacy skills for students in secondary education, the most effective method for teaching early career professionals in engineering, and the relationship between education level and emotional health in retirees.

Educational psychologists also work in various applied roles, such as consulting on curriculum design; evaluating educational programs at schools or training sites; and offering teachers the best instructional methods for a subject area, grade level, or population, be it mainstream students, those with disabilities, or gifted students.

This theory states that besides the traditionally measured verbal and visual–spatial forms of intelligence, there are also forms that include kinesthetic or athletic intelligence, interpersonal or social–emotional intelligence, musical or artistic intelligence, and perhaps other forms we have not yet learned to measure.

Dr. Gardner teaches, conducts research, and publishes. His many books include Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983) and The Disciplined Mind: Beyond Facts and Standardized Tests, the Education That Every Child Deserves  (2000).

Mamie Phipps Clark (1917–1983), shown above, was the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate in psychology from Columbia University. She and her husband Kenneth Clark (1914–2005) were interested in development and self-esteem in African-American children.

Her doctoral work illustrated the dehumanizing effect of segregated schools on both African-American and white children, in the well-known “doll study” (Clark & Clark, 1939). She found that both African-American children and white children imputed more positive characteristics to white dolls than to Black dolls.

This work was used as evidence in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the unanimous U.S. Supreme Court ruling that decided that schools separated by race were not equal and must be desegregated.

She and her husband founded several institutions dedicated to providing counseling and educational services for underprivileged African-American children, including the Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited project.

Irene Marie Montero Gil earned her master’s degree from the Department of Evolutionary and Educational Psychology at the Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain.

Ms. Montero Gil had been balancing subsequent doctoral studies with her role as the youngest member of Spain’s Congress of Deputies, representing Madrid. She later postponed her studies to become Spain’s Minister of Equality, an office that advocates for equal opportunity regardless of age, gender, or disability.

The above examples show just some contributions that educational psychologists can make in research, teaching, legal, and advocacy contexts.

Day in the life of an educational psychologist w/ Dr. Sarah Chestnut

Various theories have been developed to account for how humans learn. Some of the most enduring and representative modern-day theories are discussed below.

1. Behaviorism

Behaviorism equates learning with observable changes in activity (Skinner, 1938). For example, an assembly line worker might have “learned” to assemble a toy from parts, and after 10 practice sessions, the worker can do so without errors within 60 seconds.

In behaviorism, there is a focus on stimuli or prompts to action (your supervisor hands you a box of toy parts), followed by a behavior (you assemble the toy), followed by reinforcement or lack thereof (you receive a raise for the fastest toy assembly).

Behaviorism holds that the behavioral responses that are positively reinforced are more likely to recur in the future.

We should note that behaviorists believe in a pre-set, external reality that is progressively discovered by learning.

Some scholars have also held that from a behaviorist perspective, learners are more reactive to environmental stimuli than active or proactive in the learning process (Ertmer & Newby, 2013).

However, one of the most robust developments in the later behaviorist tradition is that of positive behavioral intervention and supports (PBIS), in which proactive techniques play a prominent role in enhancing learning within schools.

Such proactive behavioral supports include maximizing structure in classrooms, teaching clear behavioral expectations in advance, regularly using prompts with students, and actively supervising students (Simonsen & Myers, 2015).

Over 2,500 schools across the United States now apply the PBIS supportive behavioral framework, with documented improvements in both student behavior (Bradshaw, Waasdorp, & Leaf, 2012) and achievement (Madigan, Cross, Smolkowski, & Stryker, 2016).

2. Cognitivism

Cognitivism was partly inspired by the development of computers and an information-processing model believed to be applicable to human learning (Neisser, 1967).

It also developed partly as a reaction to the perceived limits of the behaviorist model of learning, which was thought not to account for mental processes.

In cognitivism, learning occurs when information is received, arranged, held in memory, and retrieved for use.

Cognitivists are keenly interested in a neuronal or a brain-to-behavior perspective on learning and memory. Their lines of research often include studies involving functional brain imaging (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging) to see which brain circuits are activated during specific learning tasks.

Cognitivists are also keenly interested in “neuroplasticity,” or how learning causes new connections to be made between individual brain cells (neurons) and their broader neuronal networks.

From the cognitivist perspective, individuals are viewed as very active in the learning process, including how they organize information to make it personally meaningful and memorable.

Cognitivists, like behaviorists, believe that learning reflects an external reality, rather than shaping or constructing reality.

3. Constructivism

Constructivism holds that from childhood on, humans learn in successive stages (Piaget, 1955).

In these stages, we match our basic concepts, or “schemas,” of reality with experiences in the world and adjust our schemas accordingly.

For example, based on certain experiences as a child, you might form the schematic concept that all objects drop when you let them go. But let’s say you get a helium balloon that rises when you let go of it. You must then adjust your schema to capture this new reality that “most things drop when I let go of them, but at least one thing rises when I let go of it.”

For constructivists, there is always a subjective component to how reality is organized. From this perspective, learning cannot be said to reflect a pre-set external reality. Rather, reality is always an interplay between one’s active construction of the world and the world itself.

For example, Zysberg and Schwabsky (2020) examined the relationships between positive school culture or climate, students’ sense of self-efficacy, and academic achievement in Israeli middle and high school settings.

They found that school climate was positively associated with students’ sense of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy, in turn, was positively associated with academic achievement in math and English.

This study reflects a constructivist approach, emphasizing how students create meaning out of their educational experiences.

Other recent research has focused on behavioral interventions to support online learning, which is increasingly prevalent as an educational option.

For example, Yeomans and Reich (2017) found that sending learners regular prompts to complete online work resulted in a 29% increase in courses completed. They concluded that sending regular reminder prompts is an inexpensive and effective way to enhance online course completion.

This study reflects a proactive behaviorist approach to improving educational outcomes.

Another current research domain in educational psychology involves the use of brain imaging techniques during learning activity.

For example, Takeuchi, Mori, Suzukamo, and Izumi (2019) studied brain activity in teachers and students while teachers provided hints for solving a visual–spatial problem (assembling puzzles).

They found that the prefrontal cortex of the brain, involved in planning and monitoring of complex cognitive activities, was significantly activated in teachers, not when they planned hints to be given, but only when they actually gave the hints.

For the student participants, the prefrontal cortex was significantly activated when they had solved the puzzle with hints provided.

This study emphasizes a cognitivist approach, focused on brain activity during learning.

For cognitivists, understanding how the brain converts instructional inputs into learning can lead to improved teaching strategies and better learning outcomes.

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Educational and school psychologists overlap in their training and functions, to some extent, but also differ in important ways.

Educational psychologists are more involved in teaching and research at the college or university level. They also focus on larger and more diverse groups in their research and consulting activities.

As consultants, educational psychologists work with organizations such as school districts, militaries, or corporations in developing the best methods for instructional needs.

Some school psychologists are involved in teaching, research, and/or consulting with large groups such as a school district. However, most are more focused on working within a particular school and with individual students and their families.

About 80% of school psychologists work in public school settings and do direct interventions with individuals or small groups.

They help with testing and supporting students with special needs, helping teachers develop classroom management strategies, and engaging in individual or group counseling, which can include crisis counseling and emotional–behavioral support.

One idea central to Vygotsky’s learning theory is that of the zone of proximal development (ZPD).

The ZPD is the area between what a learner (student, adult trainee, rehabilitation patient, etc.) can already do on their own and what the learner can readily accomplish with the help of teachers or more advanced peers.

For example, a five-year-old might already know how to perform a given three-step manual task, but can they be taught to complete a four- or five-step task?

The ZPD is a zone of emerging skills, which calls for its own kind of exploration and measurement, in order to better understand a learner’s potential (Moll, 2014).

Vygotsky was also interested in the relationship between thought and language. He theorized that much of thought comprised internalized language or “inner speech.” Like Piaget, whose work he read with interest, Vygotsky came to see language as having social origins, which would then become internalized as inner speech.

In that sense, Vygotsky is often considered a (social) constructivist, where learning depends on social communication and norms. Learning thus reflects our connection to and agreement with others, more than a connection with a purely external or objective reality.

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As mentioned in the discussion of Nathaniel Gage’s theory of effective teaching, student motivation is an important component to assess and encourage.

The Who Am I Self-Reflection can help students and their teachers think about what they are good at, what significant challenges they have been confronted with, and what inspires them. This knowledge can help both teachers and students find ways to enhance motivation in specific cases.

As noted above, the cognitivist approach to educational psychology includes understanding how the brain learns by forming new connections between neurons. The Adopt A Growth Mindset activity is a simple guide to replacing fixed mindset thinking with growth statements. It can inspire adults to learn by referencing their inherent neuroplasticity.

The idea is that with enough effort and repetition, we can form new and durable connections within our brains of a positive and adaptive nature.

For parents and teachers, we recommend Dr. Gabriella Lancia’s article on Healthy Discipline Strategies for Teaching & Inspiring Children . This article offers basic and effective strategies and worksheets for creating a positive behavioral climate at home and school that is pro-social and pro-learning.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others enhance their wellbeing, this signature collection contains 17 validated positive psychology tools for practitioners. Use them to help others flourish and thrive.

The field of educational psychology has ancient roots and remains vibrant today.

Today, there are many programs across the world providing quality training in educational psychology at the master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral levels.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, career opportunities in psychology will grow at a healthy rate of about 14% over this decade, and educational psychology is expected to keep pace.

In addition, job satisfaction in educational psychology and related fields such as school psychology has traditionally been high, including as it concerns social impact, independence, and compensation (Worrell, Skaggs, & Brown, 2006).

Those with a doctorate in educational psychology have potential for a broad impact on learners of any and every type. They often teach at the college or university level, conduct research and publish on various topics in the field, or consult with various organizations about the best teaching and learning methods.

Researchers in educational psychology have made important contributions to contemporary education and culture, from learning paradigms (behaviorism, cognitivism, constructionism) and the theory of multiple intelligences, to proactive school-wide positive behavioral supports.

We hope you have learned more about the rich field of educational psychology from this brief article and will find the resources it contains useful. Don’t forget to download our free Positive Psychology Exercises .

• Brown v. Board of Education , 347 U.S. (1954).
• Bradshaw, C. P., Waasdorp, T. E., & Leaf, P. J. (2012). Effects of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports on child behavior problems. Pediatrics , 130 (5), e1136–e1145.
• Clark, K., & Clark, M. (1939). The development of consciousness of self and the emergence of racial identification in Negro preschool children. Journal of Social Psychology ,  10 (4), 591–599.
• Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2013). Behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly , 26 (2), 43–71.
• Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences . Basic Books.
• Gardner, H. (2000). The disciplined mind: Beyond facts and standardized tests, the education that every child deserves . Penguin Books.
• Grinder, R. E. (1989). Educational psychology: The master science. In M. C. Wittrock & F. Farley (Eds.), The future of educational psychology (pp. 3–18). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Madigan, K., Cross, R. W., Smolkowski, K., & Stryker, L. A. (2016). Association between schoolwide positive behavioural interventions and supports and academic achievement: A 9-year evaluation. Educational Research and Evaluation , 22 (7–8), 402–421.
• Moll, L. C. (2014). L. S. Vygotsky and education . Routledge.
• Neisser, U. (1967). Cognitive psychology . Appleton-Century-Crofts.
• Piaget, J. (1955). The child’s construction of reality . Routledge & Kegan Paul.
• Simonsen, B., & Myers, D. (2015). Classwide positive behavior interventions and supports: A guide to proactive classroom management . Guilford Publications.
• Skinner, B. F. (1938). The behavior of organisms: An experimental analysis . B. F. Skinner Foundation.
• Takeuchi, N., Mori, T., Suzukamo, Y., & Izumi, S. I. (2019). Activity of prefrontal cortex in teachers and students during teaching of an insight problem. Mind, Brain, and Education , 13 , 167–175.
• Worrell, T. G., Skaggs, G. E., & Brown, M. B. (2006). School psychologists’ job satisfaction: A 22-year perspective in the USA. School Psychology International , 27 (2), 131–145.
• Yeomans, M., & Reich, J. (2017). Planning prompts increase and forecast course completion in massive open online courses. Conference: The Seventh International Learning Analytics & Knowledge Conference , pp. 464–473.
• Zysberg, L., & Schwabsky, N. (2020). School climate, academic self-efficacy and student achievement . Educational Psychology. Taylor & Francis Online.

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educational psychology

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educational psychology , theoretical and research branch of modern psychology , concerned with the learning processes and psychological problems associated with the teaching and training of students. The educational psychologist studies the cognitive development of students and the various factors involved in learning, including aptitude and learning measurement, the creative process, and the motivational forces that influence dynamics between students and teachers. Educational psychology is a partly experimental and partly applied branch of psychology, concerned with the optimization of learning. It differs from school psychology , which is an applied field that deals largely with problems in elementary and secondary school systems.

Educational psychology traces its origins to the experimental and empirical work on association and sensory activity by the English anthropologist Sir Francis Galton , and the American psychologist G. Stanley Hall , who wrote The Contents of Children’s Minds (1883). The major leader in the field of educational psychology, however, was the American educator and psychologist Edward Lee Thorndike , who designed methods to measure and test children’s intelligence and their ability to learn. Thorndike proposed the transfer-of-training theory, which states that “what is learned in one sphere of activity ‘transfers’ to another sphere only when the two spheres share common ‘elements.’ ”

Educational Psychology: Learning and Instruction

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• First Online: 21 May 2022
• Cite this living reference work entry

• Neil Schwartz 5 ,
• Kevin Click 5 &
• Anna Bartel 6  

Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE))

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Educational psychology is a field that straddles two large domains: education and psychology. Reaching far back into antiquity, the field was borne from philosophies and theories that weaved back and forth between each domain all with the intent of understanding the way learners learn, teachers teach, and educational settings should be effectively designed. This chapter tells the story of educational psychology – its evolution, its characteristics, and the insights it provides for understanding it as a field of study, teaching it at the tertiary level of education, and leveraging its findings in the classroom. The chapter begins with a rationale for a curriculum of educational psychology, tracing its core teaching and learning objectives. It describes the topics that are core to the field, as well as the theory-based and evidence-based strategies and approaches for teaching it effectively. It discusses the basic principles of effective teaching, including problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning, and small-group and service-based learning, among others. Finally, it addresses technology in learning, open-university teaching and learning, and closes with a discussion of the best approaches – both theory-based and evidence-based – for assessing the core competencies of the field.

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Schwartz, N., Click, K., Bartel, A. (2022). Educational Psychology: Learning and Instruction. In: Zumbach, J., Bernstein, D., Narciss, S., Marsico, G. (eds) International Handbook of Psychology Learning and Teaching. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26248-8_67-1

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The importance of Educational Psychology

It’s possible to improve our functionality by taking just a quick look at the theories used in Educational Psychology. Here, we’re going to look at one of the gateway theories that can help us to improve our performance in almost any educational situation.

Take the classic story of a seven year old pupil in 1880s America, who overheard a teacher saying that his learning abilities were ‘addled’. The child was obviously upset at this, and even though the teacher was having genuine difficulties in teaching the boy, we can all recognise the inappropriate way this opinion was expressed.

That boy grew up to become Thomas Edison. The inventor reflected on this moment later in his life, when he was interviewed by a local newspaper.

Even though the world of education has advanced immeasurably since this era, it’s still interesting to ask: would Edison’s type of intelligence have been easier to understand if they knew back then what we do now regarding Educational Psychology ?

Multiple intelligence types

One of the many fascinating facets of psychology degrees are personality and intelligence modules. Developmental psychologist Howard Gardner was the first to publish the seven main types of intelligence in 1983, and since then several more have been added to the roster. Here, we give you an overview these intelligence types.

1) Visual-Spatial

We’ve all met people with the uncanny ability to visualise the world around them to an above average level. Their minds are able to create three-dimensional psychological constructs, which they can then relay back to the physical world. The way it’s relayed can vary from high level navigational skills, to creating architectural designs that show an impressive spatial awareness.

This particular type of intelligence is often linked to creative abilities where a person is able to modify and transform their own perceptions to re-create aspects of their visual experience. The true sign of someone who has high levels of this intelligence type is when they can perform this re-creation without the presence of any physical stimuli to guide them.

2) Linguistic-Verbal

Someone who rates high with this intelligence type has a natural gift for communication. These are the writers, story tellers, and high level speakers, who have an understanding of sounds and word patterns that allows them to express themselves in a way that sets them apart.

This is the most widespread intelligence type, as most individuals use these skills every day. The difference with people who have this type at unusually high levels is that they employ meta-skills when they communicate, and are able to convey complex meanings and ideas using particular hybrids of written/verbal mediums.

3) Logical–Mathematical

Each type of intelligence is a hybrid of types that refers to more than just ‘being good with numbers or words’ etc. People with high levels logical-mathematical intelligence are often able to see beyond the surface levels of perceived data, identify overall patterns, and also relate their perceptions to abstract thinking.

This type of intelligence is not limited to mathematics alone, but to the overall ability to reason and create hypotheses which one can relay in a rational way. The main way in which an Educational Psychologist uses these theories initially is by analysing which intelligence type is dominant. Of course, there may be more than one – in the case of a genius for example – but they offer a good starting point in understanding talents and natural skill levels.

4) Interpersonal

From the very beginning, no matter who they meet, some people are consistently able to get along with almost anyone. The functionality of a person with high levels of interpersonal intelligence works in a specific way, since their ability to read, relay, understand and communicate is naturally advanced.

People that are high on this spectrum are able to sense things like temperament and non-verbal signals particularly well. These individuals are often suited to professions like politics, teaching, and any roles that are heavily dependent on social abilities.

5) Intrapersonal

With this intelligence type, the person has the ability to understand themselves in a particularly in-depth manner, to the extent that they can even contribute to our knowledge of the overall human experience by sharing their insights. There is often a link between introversion and intrapersonal intelligence, although it also depends on which of their other intelligence types are most salient.

When this intelligence type is highly evident, individuals often find themselves drawn to areas like psychology, philosophy, writing, and spirituality related endeavours. Also, they can often be very good at planning and organising their lives, since they have an in-depth understanding of themselves, and how to apply this knowledge to their daily routine.

6) Bodily Kinaesthetic

We find this intelligence type in our natural athletes. Of course, we can all practice and improve our abilities in different areas, but some people have that additional element that is hard to teach. Normally, they’ll have excellent hand-to-eye coordination skills, and can often be highly proficient in more than one particular physical discipline.

Another interesting trait of people imbued with this intelligence is that they will often remember having ‘done’ things, as supposed to having ‘heard’ or ‘seen’. There are common traits like this with all the intelligence types, where an individual is likely to express themselves in a particular manner depending on their intelligence mix.

Not only are people with dominant musical intelligence drawn to the appreciation, composition, and performance of music, but they also think in the types of patterns related to sound and rhythm. These characteristics often have a direct connection to how they remember things, giving them the ability to understand complex musical arrangements.

There is often a connection between the mathematical and musical intelligences, as there are between many of them. This is how the theory is best used, as the focus is not on pigeonholing a person with one or two intelligence types, but in understanding the unique hybrid that they have resulting from their relationships.

8) Naturalistic

This newer addition relates to people who are so in-tune with their surroundings, that they not only have a strong affinity for natural environments, but are often able to pick-up on even the most subtle of changes to it. This intelligence type relates to people with a high sensitivity for detecting, understanding, and exploring these changes, whereby they are well suited to vocations directly linked to the environment.

At the most basic level, this type of intelligence helps us to discriminate between the living and the inanimate. Then at the higher levels, some are able to read and understand configurations (e.g. environmental forecasting) in the natural world that others less sensitive to similar stimuli would be less likely to detect.

9) One for the road: Existential

As well as the addition of Naturalistic Intelligence, another addition to Gardener’s list is Existential Intelligence. It is exactly how it sounds: a high level of ability to explore existential ideas. This type of intelligence lends itself naturally to developing philosophic ideas, and the ability to contribute to their progression.

A good Educational Psychologist is in-touch with the overall educational continuum, and they are crucial to its development. This specialisation offers the privilege of being able to alter the nature of how we understand education itself, and is broad in its responsibility spectrum. If you’re interested in studying Psychology at BSc level, and want to get an idea of how to enter the world of Educational Psychology, take a look at this course outline today.

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What Is Educational Psychology? Theories, Degrees And Careers

Updated: Jan 4, 2024, 1:20am

If you’re interested in how people learn and process information, you might consider a career in educational psychology. This field sits at the intersection of education and psychology, which may be appealing to individuals who do not want to become teachers but aspire to counsel students in educational settings. Career options include school counselor, educational consultant and research-based roles.

In this article, we’ll introduce you to the unique field of educational psychology, including common careers, requirements and earning potential.

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What Does Educational Psychology Study?

Educational psychology professionals focus on the ways people absorb and retain information. These professionals study various theories of educational development, all of which inform teaching styles employed in classrooms across the world.

Educational psychologists work with teachers and school administrators to put in place sound educational practices that benefit most of the student body. These psychologists may also help with more difficult issues, such as learning disabilities or students with low academic performance.

While most of an educational psychologist’s work takes place at the K-12 level, some also work with adults who have learning disabilities.

Educational Psychology Theories

The field of educational psychology is built on several theories regarding how people learn.

John Watson developed the behavioral theory of educational psychology in 1913. This theory states that people are born with minds that are essentially blank, and people’s behavior is a result of their surrounding environment. Behavioral theory places little focus on the idea of innate or inherited knowledge, focusing instead on how individuals gain knowledge through learning and conditioning.

Behavioral theory uses a system of rewards and punishments to change behavior. A good example of this is giving students points for good behavior and rewarding the class once they’ve accumulated enough points.

Developmental

Psychologist Jean Piaget was a popular adherent to the developmental theory of educational psychology. This perspective asserts that people learn skills and concepts along a well-defined continuum involving growth and maturation. It examines how nature and nurture work together to shape a person’s development.

By understanding how children think as they move from one stage of life to the next, educational psychologists can build a better understanding of children’s development.

Cognitivism was developed in response to the theory of behaviorism, asserting that learners process information through the filter of what they already know. This theory emphasizes memory and organization. Classroom examples of cognitivism can include memorization, concept mapping and the use of analogies and metaphors to help with memory.

Constructivist

This perspective focuses on how students are constantly evolving and gaining knowledge during their learning journey. The theory places importance on real-world scenarios and using critical thinking skills to solve problems.

Psychologist Lev Vygotsky was a pioneer of constructivist theory. His research on the zone of proximal development, which separates tasks into three main categories based on skill level, is the main tenet of the cognitive theory of educational psychology.

Experiential

This theory of educational psychology emphasizes how a person’s life experience can influence their understanding and processing of new information. Similar to both the constructivist and cognitive perspectives, this theory considers factors like the learner’s thoughts, feelings and personal experiences more heavily than other theories.

What Degrees Can You Get in Educational Psychology?

If you’re wondering how to become a psychologist in the education space, you can start by pursuing an undergraduate degree in just about any field. Specific bachelor’s degrees in educational psychology are rare, so prospective educational psychologists might instead pursue undergraduate degrees in history, business, general psychology or education.

Do you plan to start with a general psychology bachelor’s degree? Consider our list of the best online psychology degrees .

Master’s in Educational Psychology

At the master’s level, educational psychology learners complete both core curricula and elective courses. Typical master’s in psychology programs require a bachelor’s degree for admission and take two years of study to complete.

Most master’s programs in educational psychology combine core and elective courses, allowing students to choose their desired path within the field of educational psychology. Common coursework for a master’s in educational psychology includes human development, research and analysis, applied learning behaviors, consultation in special education, learning across the lifespan and qualitative approaches to education.

To learn more, check out our list of the best online psychology master’s degrees .

Doctorate in Educational Psychology

For many individuals pursuing careers in psychology , a doctoral degree is necessary. After completing a Ph.D. in educational psychology, students are prepared for careers as college professors, researchers or educational consultants.

Doctoral programs in educational psychology result in Ph.D., Ed.D. or Psy.D. degrees. Ph.D. graduates tend to pursue careers in research, while Ed.D. and Psy.D. graduates typically practice psychology in educational settings. Doctoral programs in psychology typically require either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree for admission and take between three and five years to complete.

Careers in Educational Psychology

Are you wondering what you can do with a degree in educational psychology? Below, we’ve outlined some popular career paths for students who pursue this degree.

We sourced the below salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Payscale .

Educational Psychologist

Median Annual Salary: $85,330 Projected Job Growth (2022-2032): +6% Job Description: Educational psychologists study the ways people learn and process information. They often work in school settings but can also perform counseling services or conduct research in their field.

Educational Researcher

Average Annual Salary: Around $67,000 Job Description: Education researchers often work at colleges or universities. These professionals are tasked with analyzing academic departments to ensure they are using the most effective curriculum.

School Psychologist

Median Annual Salary: $81,500 Projected Job Growth (2022-2032): +1% Job Description: School psychologists perform a variety of counseling and psychological services in schools. They develop and implement strategies to help schools address students’ educational or behavioral issues. School psychologists often work with at-risk or learning-disabled students to develop strategies to ensure academic success. We explore this position in detail in our guide on how to become a school psychologist .

College Counselor

Median Annual Salary: $60,140 Projected Job Growth (2022-2032): +5% Job Description: School and college counselors work in educational settings to help students develop their paths to academic success. These counselors assist students with selecting majors or career paths.

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Why is Educational Psychology Important for the Teacher?

Educational psychology enables a teacher to know how to initiate the learning process, how to inspire, how to remember or how to learn.  Educational psychology helps the teacher to know how the teaching process takes place. Educational psychology helps teachers guide students in the right way in order to improve student capabilities in the right direction.

Let's understand why educational psychology is important for a teacher and how educational psychology helps teachers in effective teaching and learning.

How Does Educational Psychology Help Teachers in Effective Teaching and Learning?

Educational Psychology 

The most important areas of educational psychology, the importance of educational psychology for the teacher, contact form.

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What Is Educational Psychology and Why Is It Important

Educational psychology can be summed up as the set of methods and strategies that strive for an improvement of how education is perceived by teachers, parents, and students. The purpose is to offer help and solutions that work as one creates certain educational experiences, adjusts existing learning methods, and keeps the learners inspired. The pandemic times and online learning have helped to set new objectives by addressing limitations and explaining what could be done and how exactly. It is the essence of educational psychology – to suggest, analyze and achieve educational aims in the most efficient way. 

Why is Educational Psychology Important?

Before exploring the benefits and the importance of educational psychology, one must realize that each student is an individual who may not be able to adjust to the common identifier. We all understand things differently and may not be able to follow the same instructions. This is where educational psychology enters the equation by addressing the best ways an educator can help a student learn and understand the concepts and overcome personal challenges, fears, and apprehensions. 

Educational Psychology Explores How Students Learn

It often involves compare-and-contrast methods as an individual is compared to the rest of the group or two bright students are compared to identify the differences. It helps educators to see what might require an urgent change or what methods have proved themselves as efficient. Such a method requires analytical work and time to identify the sample group and take relevant notes that make the research balanced and less partial. 

Remember the difficulties that may occur while teaching ESL students. Sometimes they may not properly garb the idea of the task or complete it incorrectly. In case any teacher needs help with the translation of the curriculum into another language, it is wise to get professional translation help from services like TheWordPoint . An expert translator will translate any educational materials you need and will save you from miscommunication with your ESL students. It is also a great idea to hire a translator permanently for some school needs. You can discuss this idea with a head teacher.

It Offers Introspection or Self-Observation Methods

This method is mostly aimed at educators and the parents of the students that require specific learning assistance (think autistic or special needs learners), yet more and more learners turn to reflective writing and special journals to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Starting with an observation task may seem a bit challenging at first, which is why many students choose to seek online help as they overcome various learning difficulties. The psychological effect of such an action is easy to explain, as students eliminate the factor of stress and of being identified as they ask for help. 

Clinical Psychology Aspect

Also known as the “case study analysis”, this branch of educational psychology focuses on the mental health of students. It has been especially important during times of social isolation and online learning when most students had confidence-related challenges as they did not feel comfortable when learning at home. The educators also relate here if one takes a look at the technical gap or inability to work with the latest technology. Clinical psychology in education also addresses exam stress issues or college depression cases, among other things. The purpose here is to identify the reasons and explain why the fears and anxiety take place. 

New Development Methods and Observations

Flexibility is one of the most important elements of modern educational psychology. While it studies the behavioral patterns of a student, it also helps to identify and develop new learning methods that can help to inspire. It is especially relevant when one is dealing with the younger learners or first-year college students, who are still used to the teacher’s control and the strict school guidelines. As a rule, it still includes observation and analysis of the changes, since developmental psychology must be approached in retrospect or through the lens of prognosis. 

Experimental Methods

This branch of educational psychology relates to a method when educators implement an independent variable when dealing with a dependent variable. In other words, teachers address more than one learning method to identify how they can have a positive impact on the cognitive functions of students as a group. As an experimental approach, it helps to increase the motivation and involvement of students in various team projects. The primary purpose of experimental psychology in education is to find out what learning methods can assist students as they learn about cooperation.

Accessibility Issues

Educational psychology also addresses various accessibility issues that go beyond having access to technology. It helps to address mental health issues and learning challenges that aren’t always identified. It also addresses negative learning aspects like bullying or classroom harassment. The purpose of educators is to identify the triggers and take action by doing so privately and in a way that will not make the problem an issue that is widely discussed by other students. 

Summing things up, one can see that educational psychology helps to identify the learning potentials of the learners and make relevant changes to the educational process. It also allows teachers to assess students and track their progress in a less biased way. Another important aspect worth mentioning is an adjustment of the curriculum based on the demands of the learners. It paves the way for solving educational problems as the cognitive functions are being addressed. Most importantly, educational psychology helps to identify and overcome the mental barriers that prevent students from learning and processing information. 

Emotional Commitment and Sense of Belonging

The primary purpose of educational psychology is to show how one can learn and retain knowledge by feeling emotional attachment. Psychological science is applied as a way to address the difficulties of the learning process. When a hypothetical learning model remains static, students do not feel motivated and cannot connect the proverbial dots that help them to belong. Educational psychology turns to more engaging learning methods that implement examples and let students take the lead. Once such a method is used in the classroom, the learners use various social factors as a way to voice their opinion. It brings in the element of flexibility, thus affecting the psycho-emotional state of the learner. 

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According to the Salary.com, the median salary for an institutional research director as of 2015 is $89,635 ( source ). Salaries vary depending on what institution you work with and how long you've worked there. Educational psychologists work to improve learning for students of all ages. Helping students overcome challenges inside and outside the classroom is a truly rewarding experience, and you can make this a part of your daily life with a career in educational psychology. Learn More About Our Educational Psychology: Learning & Cognition Program  

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8 Reasons Why You Should Consider Educational Psychology

• The Best Places For Students To Find Psychology Scholarships
• Top 6 Best Careers In Psychology

When it comes to studying psychology, many people are surprised to find out about just how many different career options there are out there. From working in clinical facilities to schools to even large corporations, the demand for individuals with training in psychology is constantly growing. One of the most popular areas right now is educational psychology. Educational psychology deals with the understanding of how our brains learn and what we can do to increase our ability to comprehend and retain knowledge.

If you’re trying to decide which career path is the right choice for you, here are 8 reasons why you should consider educational psychology.

1. Educational Psychology Is Perfect If You Take Joy From Helping Others

Educational psychology is all about helping other people learn. To truly get the most out of this career option you have to enjoy spending time with other people, oftentimes children or individuals with learning disabilities. If you get a sense of self-worth from bringing joy and confidence to others and helping them improve their minds and their lives, you should consider the educational psychology field as a career option.

2. You Can Easily Adapt To Challenging Cases And Situations

Every single situation is going to be different when working in educational psychology. While there are generalized methods and strategies for working with your clients, every person is going to bring their own unique set of circumstances and roadblocks. In order to be an effective educational psychologist you must be able to look outside of the box and find unique adaptations in order to fit each scenario.

3. You’re Good At Making Observations And Solving Problems

A lot of the work that is done in the educational psychology field is research. This research is then used in developing new methods of learning and conveying knowledge to others who might not benefit very much from traditional teaching strategies. In order to be effective, you must be very observant and pay a good deal of attention to detail. What may seem like an unimportant fact to the untrained eye may be of the upmost significance when it comes to understanding the way someone learns. As an educational psychologist you have to be able to pay attention to everything, note your observations for later review and then use all of these notes to reach your objectives.

4. Educational Psychology Opens A Number Of Career Options

As the internet opens up the world of learning to many people who otherwise would not have access to such a vast array of information, the demand for experts in educational psychology continues to grow. There are a number of different jobs open to anyone with a degree in educational psychology, although a large number of the career options will be with schools and other learning institutions. Still, there are many opportunities open with government and private research organizations, as well as with large companies. Big corporations often hire educational psychologists in order to maximize the effectiveness of their employee training procedures and in turn increase the bottom line.

5. You Look For A Deeper Meaning Or Reasons Behind Things

In educational psychology, you should never take your observations at face value. The human brain is a complex organ, and often times the results and outcomes we see are due to many factors working behind the scenes. Rather than look at someone that has a difficult time learning in a specific area and accepting it as a fact, you need to be able to probe deeper and figure out just why they are facing a challenge and what steps can be done to work around the obstacles that are in their way.

6. You Never Want To Stop Learning

Educational psychology is a field that is always growing. We are very far from knowing everything there is to know about the human brain and how it absorbs and retains information. While there are many career paths that give you the ability to gain all of the knowledge you will ever need on the subject, educational psychology is not one of them. In order to be truly effective in the field, you need to have a drive to always be learning. After all, how can you expect to develop new methods of teaching and helping others grow their knowledge when you yourself have stopped evolving your own brain?

7. Your Dream Job Involves Working With Children

Although there are a number of jobs in the educational psychology field that do not involve working with children, most people who enter into this area of psychology with be spending time with younger subjects. This can come in multiple forms such as working directly in the capacity of a teacher or counselor, or perhaps indirectly through research and case studies. If you take joy in working with children and helping them expand their minds in order to grow into their full potential, then educational psychology might be the perfect career path for you to follow down.

8. Educational Psychology Is A Career Path That Is In Demand

Not only is our access to information and the desire for knowledge growing, but so is the number of people that want to learn. All over the world, the population is growing at a rate that has never been seen before and what that means is that over the next couple of decades, the educational system is going to be under even more stress. One of the best ways to ensure that everyone receives the education that they deserve is by finding more effective ways of teaching. More people learning and a greater desire for knowledge means that the demand for educational psychologists will likely continue to grow well into the future.

Educational psychology boils down to one thing – helping others learn. You must be good at working with people, have an expert eye for detail and be able to think cleverly and outside of the box. If these are qualities that you possess, then perhaps choosing a career in the continuously growing field of educational psychology might just be the best decision that you ever make.

8 Benefits of Educational Psychology to the Teacher

• July 4, 2022

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Education is more than just delivering knowledge; it is also about understanding how students learn and meet their specific needs. This is where educational psychology comes into play. Educational Psychology is an important branch of Psychology that focuses on the development of children and adolescents. It studies the factors that affect the growth and development of individuals.

Classplus, an innovative learning management system, offers educators with a powerful tool to help them succeed in their teaching endeavors by incorporating educational psychology principles. 

In this article, we will look at the benefits of educational psychology and how it can help educators succeed.

What is Educational Psychology?

Educational Psychology is an important branch of Psychology that focuses on the development of children and adolescents. It studies the factors that affect the growth and development of individuals. It helps educators understand what students need to succeed at school and at home. They also help teachers plan lessons and evaluate student progress.

Teachers are experts in the subject matter and know what works best for each student. They also understand the student’s personality and behavior. The teacher helps the students understand concepts and ideas through lectures, discussions, assignments, tests, projects, etc.

Benefits of Educational Psychology

What is educational psychology ? It is an important tool for teachers that helps them understand what students need to succeed in school and in life. It also helps them to teach effectively in the classroom. Teachers can help students by using teaching methods and strategies according to the behavior and understanding of the students.

• Educational psychology focuses on identifying and addressing central problems in education.
• It clearly depends on understanding the student’s behavior and individual differences.
• Educational psychology helps teachers gain insights into students’ needs, strengths, and challenges.
• It helps to curate the solution according to the students.
• Helps teachers understand students’ cognitive capacity and information retention abilities.
• By applying it’s principles, teachers can enhance their instructional strategies and promote student success.

1. Implementing Effective Strategies

It utilizes psychological principles, concepts, theories, and models in growth and development, motivation, intelligence, working memory, thinking, and problem-solving . These topics allow them to select an application of psychological principles that suitably match the school environment and the characteristics of the teacher and learners.

As a result, teachers will be able to identify the main factors that influence the quality of teaching and learning and thus plan and implement effective strategies to solve problems.

With Classplus, educators can get their own app where they can create effective learning strategies for their students. The platform offers features like student analytics, performance tracking, and adaptive learning modules, enabling educators to identify each student’s strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. To know more, take a FREE demo now!

2. Selection of Learning Methods

Learning methods are based on the needs of the student. Educational psychology can help teachers determine the best strategy or method of teaching and learning proper and appropriate, as well as relating to the characteristics and uniqueness’s of the individual student.

The types of learning and learning styles, and the level of development being experienced by the students. Having a proper understanding of students helps curate the best learning methods and strategies.

3. Understanding the Individual Differences

Understanding individual differences is an important aspect of education. Teachers need to understand students’ different characteristics and needs at various levels to effectively teach them. In addition, understanding students’ different characteristics help teachers create an environment conducive to learning.

It can help teachers and prospective educators understand the different characteristics of children at various levels of growth and make teaching strategies accordingly. Using strategies that suit the differences of students will help the teachers to improve their students’ grades.

4. Knowing What is Important

Educational Psychology excludes anything that isn’t true about the process of education and learning. It focuses on what is important when we talk about learning and teaching. It provides the most important information and skills to teachers.

These exclude all theories and views that rely on personal opinions and inaccurate and subjective observations about students. It also helps teachers understand the needs of each student and what kind of education will benefit them best.

5. Building a Conducive Learning Environment

It plays an important role in helping teachers design a suitable learning environment. Teachers need to know how to create a positive emotional climate in the classroom, so the learning process can be effective. A teacher should understand the classroom environment and its characteristics. Teachers need to know what kind of learning climate they want to create in class.

Teachers need to know the principles of education and learning and a different approach to the learning process. It plays an important role in helping teachers design a classroom atmosphere conducive to learning.

6. Design, Organize and Evaluate

Time tables should be designed based on the needs of the learners. For example, which subject is considered difficult, where the conditions and mood of the students were still very fresh in receiving course materials? It plays an important role in helping teachers design, organize and evaluate school teaching activities.

It provides teachers with the skills necessary to teach effectively. They gain an understanding of the role of the teacher in the classroom and the different types of teaching strategies available. They also learn about the characteristics of effective teachers and how to identify them. 

7. Providing Proper Guidance

Teachers need to understand each student’s needs and help them succeed. Teachers should guide students through the learning process, helping them overcome obstacles and difficulties. Educational and vocational guidance is necessary for students at different stages of life.

It helps teachers understand what students need to learn and how best to teach them. It also helps teachers identify and address any issues that may interfere with learning. 

8. Evaluation of Learning Outcomes

Evaluation is a complex task because many factors influence the student’s success. In order to measure student learning, it helps teachers study the relationship between teacher behavior and student achievement.

It helps them identify the best ways to assess student learning and then design tests that will accurately reflect the knowledge and skills that students should possess after completing a course. It helps teachers design lessons, assess student progress, and evaluate teaching effectiveness. 

Final Thoughts

Educational Psychology helps teachers identify strengths and weaknesses in the process and the outcome of the education process. With Classplus as your trusted partner, you may harness the power of educational psychology to maximize the effectiveness of your instruction.

Personalized learning, active engagement, metacognition, and data-driven decision-making become available success tools. Accept the power of educational psychology and Classplus to embark on an educational excellence journey. Connect with us now to know more!

Benefits of Educational Psychology to the Teacher FAQs

A1. Educational Psychology plays an important role in assessing the student’s educational and psychological development with the help of specialist skills. This helps teachers to understand a student’s needs to develop and can make proper teaching strategies accordingly.

A2. The two types of educational psychology are behaviorism and cognitivism. 

A3. Educational psychology is the study of how people tend to learn and retain information.

A4. Characteristics of educational psychology are : Good Listening skills Problem-solving skills Empathy Good with Children Ethical

A5. Educational psychology helps teachers to know how a learning process takes place. It helps them to guide the students in the right direction.

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Why Is It Important to Study Psychology?

Psychology sheds light on human behavior and helps us understand why we act the way we do. The field offers insights into our human experiences, helps us connect with others, and can mean the difference between a life well-lived and a life of challenges.

A psychology degree can lead to a rewarding career in social science. Let's explore why psychology is an essential part of your studies and how you can transition to a career if you find out it's right for you.

What is psychology and why is psychology important?

Psychology is the study of human behavior. It has roots in healthcare and the scientific method, helping uncover the processes of the mind. Through research and observation, psychologists can help answer questions about the brain's mysteries and improve mental health standards for communities.

Psychology studies offer new perspectives on human development, and it's not all about the physical process. Students in the field explore:

• How the physical development of the body and brain work together.
• The role of environmental influences on human development and behavior.
• Causes and treatments of mental illness

The field is important because it offers answers to the question, “What makes humans tick?” Studying psychology can mean walking away with a greater understanding of how humans handle everyday life.

What are the fields of psychology?

Psychology studies fall into a few different subcategories:

• Counseling psychology: A focus on the developmental, interpersonal, and personal functions across the lifespan.
• Clinical psychology: Integration of psychology and medical treatment methods for mental health issues.
• Educational psychology: Integration of psychology and the learning process.
• Forensic psychology: Supports the judicial system and criminal recovery.
• Social psychology: The application of psychology to understand how humans perceive themselves within larger society.
• Developmental psychology: A focus on the development of human beings and human behavior across the lifespan.
• Quantitative psychology: The integration of psychology with quantitative research methods.
• Organizational psychology: The study of human behavior in the workplace, including critical thinking and decision making as an organization.

While not an exhaustive list, these subfields offer insight into different aspects of the psychology discipline. Students can align their unique interests with a particular specialization.

Why study psychology?

There is so much we don't know about human behavior and the brain that powers it. The more we understand human brains, the more we can unlock the inner lives of other animals and even plant life. 

Psychology is also helping in other fields as well—for instance, artificial intelligence and cognitive science . Learning about how brains process data, respond to stimuli, and take in information can help us build efficient machines with human-like characteristics. We may even crack the final barrier between humans and machines.

Some psychology specializations offer insight into human well-being in communities:

• Social work
• Workplace wellness
• Individual mental health

Many specializations help individual psychological health via medical interventions, counseling , and coaching . Other specializations involve engaging in psychological research to answer questions and find solutions to challenges.

Why do so many students study psychology?

People love to learn about themselves and the people around them. Many students are drawn to psychology because of the opportunity to learn about others while discovering more about their own lives. The field’s many subfields and specializations are also designed to match a student’s unique strengths and interests.

With the right education and training, whether that means an online certification or a graduate degree, students become equipped with the knowledge and skills to:

• Help themselves and others overcome challenges in mental processes.
• Aid in psychology research.
• Make a difference in everyday life.

Is psychology right for me?

Psychology may be a fascinating subject, but depending on your goals, many positions require graduate degrees, certifications, and even some time in residency:

• Clinical psychologists, for example, must complete a doctorate level degree or a medical degree to practice.
• A counseling psychologist may need a master's degree to find a suitable position.
• A researcher may need a bachelor’s degree to contribute to the field.

If higher education doesn't intimidate you, psychology may be a suitable career. In addition, a love of continuous learning helps because psychologists have professional development requirements to maintain certification. 

There are other options for students who don't want to complete graduate work to practice in psychology. Subject matter expertise or an undergraduate degree in psychology can help students:

• Develop communication and empathy skills needed in a variety of fields ranging from education to marketing.
• Engage in research, applying data science or computer programming principles to create data-driven research tools.

If you want to dip your toes and figure out whether you enjoy psychology, consider taking free online psychology courses .

Where can I learn psychology online?

Psychology is a common online major for undergraduate students. They may also have online options for graduate degrees in the field.

edX offers online psychology courses . Learners can explore different specializations in the field of psychology for free or take official credit. Courses take place online, and students can begin their studies for free or pay a fee to earn verified certificates. 

Other options include XSeries pathways and a MicroMasters program in Organizational Psychology. These are designed and delivered in partnership with leaders in the field of psychology and education.

Explore careers in psychology with edX

Students can learn to be better communicators, understand human behavior , and build foundational knowledge of their own brains. The psychology field offers research opportunities and the chance to grow as knowledge improves. It's an opportunity to help others and contribute to critical research . There's no better way to start exploring psychology than with the edX platform.

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Psychology of Education MSc

London, Bloomsbury

The MSc Psychology of Education will introduce students to contemporary issues in education from a psychological perspective. Key theoretical and empirical approaches will be critically considered with a view to exploring their practical application in a variety of educational settings. The programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and also a conversion course, enabling graduates without a background in psychology to build on their first-degree qualification and become eligible for the BPS Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership. 

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

Applications closed

Applications open

• Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

This programme is suitable for international students on a Student visa – study must be full-time, face-to-face, starting October.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

This programme aims to develop understanding of the psychology of education and provide students with an opportunity to engage in research. On successful completion of the programme, students should be able to produce and communicate reasoned and informed argument, both in writing and orally on topics relevant to this field. Students will also be able to critically evaluate theory and empirical evidence in psychology.

Who this course is for

This programme is suitable for applicants who wish to progress to research careers or professional training. It will be of interest to teachers and professionals working in related fields and those pursuing an applied career in psychology. The programme is an accredited British Psychological Society (BPS) conversion course aimed at graduates who haven't taken a BPS accredited programme in psychology. Conversion courses provide an opportunity for graduates to build on their first-degree qualification to become eligible for the BPS Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership.

What this course will give you

IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society is one of the world's leading centres for education and related areas of social science – students learn from cutting-edge researchers in the field. For the tenth year in succession IOE has been ranked number one for education (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023). Our alumni include government ministers; heads of schools, other educational institutions and NGOs; Olympians and prize-winning authors.

The foundation of your career

This programme offers a comprehensive research training in Educational Psychology. It provides a good grounding for doctoral study and valuable preparation for a research career in the academic community, the public sector or in industry.

The empirical research you get to conduct for the dissertation, the access to resources, materials and sample population makes the research actually worth it. And the constant dedication by the staff, from the administrators to the professors, has been extremely impressive. Dhanishtha Patel Psychology of Education MSc Q&A with Dhanishtha Patel

Employability

Graduates of this Master's degree are currently:

• researchers in the public and private sectors
• PhD students
• assistant psychologists
• clinical and educational doctorate students
• clinical and educational psychologists (following professional doctoral training)

Students will have opportunities to attend research seminars, journal clubs and research talks.

Accreditation

This programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). Students who successfully complete the course can apply for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, group work, student preparation of tasks and presentations, discussion, and computer workshops giving hands-on practice.

Assessment is through varied coursework, for example, critiquing research, presentations, essays, and reports. Students will also engage in a dissertation supported by a member of staff.

Each of the 30-credit taught modules has approximately 30 hours of contact time. Students are expected to supplement these contact hours via self-directed study and each 30-credit module has 300 nominal learning hours.. Further time is set aside for contact with supervisors for the dissertation, where the bulk of the work consists of independent research activity.

The programme comprises four taught modules and a dissertation. It is delivered through a combination of lectures given both by IOE academic staff and guest speakers, group work, and computer workshops giving hands-on practice.

The taught modules on the programme are lecture-based modules, designed to provide you with a firm foundation in the different topics relevant to psychology of education. You will take four compulsory modules and a dissertation. The dissertation is a research project carried out under the supervision of a member of academic staff from UCL.

If studied on a full-time basis, the programme will take place over a full calendar year. Alternatively, it can be studied part-time over two years or modular flexible over five years.

Part-time students typically complete three modules in their first year (90 credits) and one module plus the dissertation in their second year (90 credits).

Although students have the flexibility to select which modules to complete in any given year, we recommend that  Core Topics in the Psychology of Education  and  Research and Analytical Methods in Psychology  are taken early in the degree to facilitate understanding and skill development for the rest of the course. We also recommend that the dissertation module is taken in the final year.

Compulsory modules

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Psychology of Education.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Where you'll study

IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, is a world-leading centre for research and teaching in education, culture, psychology, and social science. We are one of the UK’s largest teacher training providers, offering a wide range of programmes across all phases of learning and more subjects than any other university. We also offer an extensive range of master’s programmes. Our research addresses society’s most important challenges and feeds into our teaching, enabling our graduates to go on to influence future generations for the better, from individual lives to societal change.

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Graduate Open Events: Psychology and Human Development

Develop your knowledge and career in psychology education with the leading centre devoted to developmental psychology and its application in education and other real-world settings. We welcome you to book your place at our Virtual Open Event. You will meet our Programme Leaders, hear about the programmes you are interested in and have the chance to ask any questions you might have. These sessions are free and open to all.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis .

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

There is no obligation to obtain a DBS, unless you would like to conduct research with children or vulnerable populations. The DBS application cost will be covered by UCL, but offer holders will also need to have their ID checked and verified at a Post Office, for which they will incur a charge of £15 (note, this was the fee for 2023 but may change). The offer holder is also required to arrange and pay for any overseas police check that may be necessary; costs vary by country. For more information about the DBS application process, please contact the  Admissions team .

Students should take into account any travel, accommodation and expenses involved in their report or dissertation.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

IOE-Clarke Scholarships

Deadline: 3 May 2024 Value: Tuition fees, return flights and stipend (1 year) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: EU, Overseas

IOE-ISH Centenary Masters Scholarships

Deadline: 3 May 2024 Value: Tuition fees and accommodation (1 year) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees .

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

• why you want to study Psychology of Education at graduate level
• why you want to study Psychology of Education at UCL
• why do you want BPS accreditation?
• what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
• how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
• where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Got questions get in touch.

Psychology and Human Development

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10 Things We Can All Learn From Psychology

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell.

Jamie Grill/Getty Images

Why should you study psychology? There are plenty of great reasons to learn about psychology, even if you are not a psychology major or do not plan to work in a psychology-related profession. Psychology is all around you and touches on every aspect of your life. Who you are now, how you will be in the future, how you interact with family, friends, and strangers; these are all things that psychology can help you better understand. Here are 10 reasons we we think everyone should learn at least a little bit about psychology.

Understand Yourself Better

As you learn about how development occurs, personality forms, and factors like society and culture impact behavior, you may find yourself gaining a deeper understanding of many influences that have impacted your own life.

Learn About Research Methods

Having a basic understanding of psychological research methods can help you better understand some of the many claims you’ll encounter in books, magazines, television shows, and movies. Becoming a better-informed consumer of psychology means that you will be equipped to sort out the truth from the fiction surrounding many pop psychology myths.

Improve Your Understanding of Others

The next time someone behaves in a certain way, you may be better able to understand the influences and motivations behind their actions.

Become a Better Communicator

Studying subjects such as emotion , language, and body language can help you fine-tune your interpersonal communication skills. By learning more about these things, you can gain a greater understanding of other people and what they are trying to say.

Develop Critical Thinking Skills

As you study psychology you will learn more about topics such as the scientific method, decision-making , and problem-solving, all of which can help your critical thinking skills for a variety of issues.

Help You in Your Future Career

Sure, there are plenty of exciting careers in psychology that you might want to explore, but studying the subject can help you in many other professions as well.   For example, if you want to become a business manager, understanding human behavior can improve your ability to manage and interact with your employees.

Learn About Human Development

Understanding how people change and grow throughout the lifespan can make it easier to understand the children in your life, as well as your aging parents. It can also shine a light on your own experiences as you encounter different challenges and opportunities as you age.

Complement Other Areas of Study

Because different areas of psychology encompass a range of topics including philosophy, biology, and physiology, studying the subject can help you gain a richer understanding of these related areas.

Develop Insight Into Mental Illness

While you might not be interested in becoming a psychotherapist, studying psychology can help you better understand how psychological conditions are diagnosed and treated.

You can also discover how mental wellness can be enhanced, how to reduce stress, how to boost memory , and how to live a happier, healthier life.

Can Be Fun and Fascinating

From intriguing optical illusions that reveal the inner workings of the brain to shocking experiments that expose how far people will go to obey an authority figure, there is always something amazing and even downright astonishing to learn about the human mind and behavior.

Schwarz N, Newman E, Leach W. Making the truth stick & the myths fade: Lessons from cognitive psychology . Behavioral Science & Policy . 2016;2(1):85-95. doi:10.1353/bsp.2016.0009

American Psychological Association. Preparing to use your bachelor's degree in psychology .

American Psychological Association. Science of Psychology .

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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7 Reasons to Study Psychology

1. Develop domain-specific knowledge

Pursuing an education in Psychology allows you to gain insight into the mind, brain and human behaviour. This knowledge will help you to develop an extensive understanding of various specialised domains of psychology.

2. Understand yourself

As you progress in your career and perhaps move into a management or senior role, you’ll often be expected to make difficult decisions and work in high-pressure environments. The way that you react in these situations is key to the success of your career.

Having an understanding of your own personality and an insight into your own behaviour can give you a unique perspective on a workplace project or role. Using your knowledge of psychology and behaviour to recognise and acknowledge the underlying reasons and theories of these traits can allow you to work more successfully in these different environments.

3. Understand the people around you

If you are considering a career path that involves interacting with or managing people, you will require skills in specific domains including conflict management, collaboration and leadership.

These skills are also very desirable to employers and managers, and an employee who is capable of managing a team effectively while also fostering better workplace relationships is often highly prized.

The knowledge and empathy gained on a psychology degree course can help you to build on these abilities and thrive in these kinds of careers.

4. Improve your communication skills

Communicating effectively with others is a universal skill, applicable to all workplace environments. Through the course of studying Psychology, this skill is hoend and strengthened without students realising it. 

An important part of producing content at a higher education level is the ability to structure an argument, to discuss a topic clearly and objectively, and to reference relevant sources.

This method of communicating can then be transferred from the classroom straight to the workplace environment.

5. Cultivate the ability to research

The ability to research a topic or issue is often overlooked as a workplace skill, but it is a valuable tool for both managers and employees. Through assignments and projects, a Psychology degree will help you to develop your ability to find sources, evaluate their effectiveness and present your findings clearly and accurately.

Whatever role or industry you choose to pursue after your Psychology degree, this skill will allow you to review tenders, investigate potential projects and much more.

6. Sharpen your critical thinking

A good employee always evaluates every set of figures, concept and proposal that they receive to ensure that they are making the best possible decision.

Critical thinking is a key part of a psychology certificate or degree programme, as students must consider each source and theory that they reference or use.

By developing this skill with the help of a tutor and your classmates, you can help to avoid costly mistakes later on in the workplace.

7. Enhance your employability

Having a degree on your CV or resume can improve your salary prospects and employability. In fact, the latest figures state that holding an undergraduate degree can increase your salary by £500,000 more than non-graduates over a lifetime.

A degree in Psychology doesn’t limit you to a career in Psychology either – a degree in this versatile subject can lead to many rewarding and exciting careers!

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Why Students Are Not Learning and What We Can Do About It

Social learning can help students overcome post-pandemic mental health problems..

Updated July 14, 2024 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

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• Post-pandemic mental health problems have been widespread and are still lingering.
• Mental health problems pose a major problem for students to learn well.
• Implementing elements of social learning in education can be an effective solution.

For more than two decades as a college professor, I had a reputation for academic rigor, and I took pride in it. My students received an education rich in knowledge and skills, worth far more than the tuition they paid. But everything changed when in-person classes resumed in 2022 after two years of Zoom learning at home.

From the outset, I was stunned. My once bustling classrooms were now a third to a half empty. Students frequently skipped classes, often claiming to be sick, sometimes without even bothering to email an excuse. Those who did attend were often glued to their cell phones. The tried-and-true methods I had relied on to gauge student performance—quizzes, exams, homework, independent projects—no longer seemed effective. Consequently, an unprecedented number of my students received low marks. My teaching ratings plummeted to the lowest point in my career . It was agonizing to read the students’ feedback. One student labeled me “rude” for requesting a doctor’s note for absences as if the school’s policies on academic honesty and integrity had become obsolete.

Something was wrong, very wrong I couldn’t blame my students because that wouldn’t solve the problem. Instead, I embarked on a soul-searching mission: How could I turn my own low grades in teaching back into an A? I spent the summer of 2023 consulting with fellow teachers and diving into newspapers, magazines, internet websites, and academic papers. What I found was surprising: Far from being an isolated issue, this pattern was global, affecting educators both at home and abroad.

Many faculty members had experiences far worse than mine. Among the most notable was NYU professor Maitland Jones . Author of a leading textbook in organic chemistry, he taught his spring 2022 class of 350 students the same rigorous way he had since 2007, before the pandemic lockdown. But this time, many students failed or withdrew from the class. Eighty-two of them filed a petition, complaining that Dr. Jones’s class was too difficult and that they disliked his teaching style. Unyielding in his commitment to academic rigor, Dr. Jones was fired.

While this incident led to NYU (and other schools) being lambasted by critics for loosening academic standards and lowering the quality of education, I found that the students also had legitimate reasons based on recent studies on the ills of pandemic isolation.

For instance, researchers in Ohio surveyed children aged 6 to 17 and compared their anxiety levels before and after the pandemic lockdown and online learning environment. They found that anxiety levels had quadrupled due to social isolation , with younger children experiencing the worst impact ( 1 ). Other studies confirmed that disruptions to normal social life and loneliness from prolonged homestays led to considerable numbers of school children and adults suffering from a range of psychological and psychiatric disorders ( 2 ). Symptoms observed in many other countries that also experienced various forms and lengths of lockdown included anxiety, stress , mood swings, depression , and in rare cases, suicide . Anxiety alone was reported to affect 33 percent of children ( 3 ). The mental health problem was both real and widespread, a public health crisis unseen in our memories for most of us.

The mental health issues were even more acute and prevalent among international students, who were separated from their established social networks in their home countries. They faced a multitude of problems, including language barriers, cultural shocks, lack of social bonding , and overt or covert prejudice and discrimination . Some also experienced financial difficulties, unhelpful school policies, and unsympathetic professors ( 4 ). These issues are major roadblocks, preventing students from staying healthy, let alone developing their intellectual capacities.

The good news is that humans are resilient. We tend to bounce back after disasters. Here’s a case study from the University of Heidelberg in Germany regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic over time: In an email survey of 2,318 university students, the percentage of students reporting unhappiness (measured by a standardized well-being index) dropped significantly, from 72.52 percent to 53.96 percent, nine months after the end of social restrictions ( 5 ). While the rate remained far higher than desirable, it demonstrated human resilience and provided hope for improvement.

The pressing issue Could we professors readapt our teaching to meet the needs of this generation of students in this new era? This challenge forced me to go back to ground zero of college education in search of a new path in pedagogy.

As my previous essay shows, mental health issues can often be alleviated with a supportive social environment. Learning is fundamentally a social process. Could it too be improved through enhanced social activities? Drawing on my knowledge of psychology, I reworked my courses to incorporate as many elements of social learning as possible: active class participation, team-based quizzes, collaborative exercises, competitive internet knowledge explorations, information finding and sharing, peer help sessions, and hands-on activities throughout my lectures and labs during the academic year of 2023-2024. The response from students was quick and positive: my classrooms were full again and often bursting with laughter .

What about the quality, you may ask? I tested it by using similar questions to those from before the pandemic in examinations. To my great relief and delight, students performed even better than in pre-pandemic years. The academic rigor was maintained and improved.

Although I was rewarded with unexpectedly high ratings for my teaching, I remain conscious that a couple of students still did not respond to my pedagogical overhaul. They continued to be absent regularly and performed poorly. I know I have not completely cracked the hard nut yet. I need to do more research and implement more changes.

While I recount my own experiences, I eagerly invite you to share your triumphs with me. Together, we can exorcize the lingering specter of the pandemic and dismantle every obstacle impeding the education of our younger generations.

1. Brannen DE, Wynn S, Shuster J, Howell M. (2023). Pandemic isolation and mental health among children. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 17(e353): 1–7.

2. Murata S, Rezeppa T, Thoma B, et al. (2021) The psychiatric sequelae of the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents, adults, and health care workers. Depress Anxiety. 38: 233–246.

3. Abawi O, Welling MS, van den Eynde E, et al. (2020). COVID-19 related anxiety in children and adolescents with severe obesity: a mixed-methods study. Clin Obes. 10: e12412.

4. Girmay, M. and Singh, GK, (2019). Social isolation, loneliness, and mental and emotional well-being among international students in the United States. International Journal of Translational Medical Research and Public Health, 3: 1-8.

5. Holm-Hadulla RM, Wendler H, Baracsi G, Storck T, Möltner A and Herpertz S. (2023). Depression and social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic in a student population: the effects of establishing and relaxing social restrictions. Front. Psychiatry 14: 1200643.

Lixing Sun, Ph.D. , is a distinguished research professor in behavior and evolution at Central Washington University.

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As a psychology student, you'll scientifically study human behavior to learn why we behave the way we do and how we can apply that knowledge. Your courses will give you perspectives on personality, thinking, emotion, human development and mental disorders. Through class, laboratory and field work, you'll develop critical-thinking, communications and research skills applicable in many fields: education, health, business and international relations. Your experiences will prepare you for graduate school in psychology or related fields, but also for a wide variety of jobs/careers that value the knowledge and analytical skills of our psychology degree. There are no jobs that require a psychology bachelor’s degree, but many for which it is a desirable or acceptable qualification, such as human resources, marketing, sales, social services and others.

Program Highlights

• All psychology courses within the major are available  online .
• Foundations courses provide introduction to major fields of psychology.
• Elective courses relate psychology to everyday life and career interests.
• Scientific, data-driven orientation to psychology based on core curriculum that includes statistics (with lab) and two research methods courses.
• Opportunities for student-faculty research collaboration.
• Laboratory houses extensive equipment for behavior research, experiments and data analysis.
• Senior Capstone Experience allows a choice of in-depth study areas, exploration of classic readings, a self-designed research project or field work.
• Students present original research annually at the St. Cloud State Student Research Colloquium and/or the Midwestern Psychological Association meeting in Chicago.
• This discipline is also available as a minor to complement another major. 

Program Distinctions

• Curriculum based on American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines.
• Sleep quality and cognitive performance
• Organizational leadership
• Emotional development
• Emotional  and cognitive-affective development in Parkinson's disease and osteoarthritis patients
• Learning and memory
• The psychology of the Holocaust and dictatorships
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• Creativity and creative problem solving in business
• Industrial-organizational psychology
• Faculty with corporate work experience with clients such as Kodak, DuPont, 3M and management consulting firms.

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Popular Careers

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Related Programs

• Chemical Dependency
• Community Psychology
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Continuing Education

• Master of Science (M.S.) in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
• Master of Science (M.S.) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• Master of Science (M.S.) in Marriage and Family Therapy Counseling
• Master of Science (M.S.) in Rehabilitation Counseling
• Master of Science (M.S.) in School Counseling

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