Skip to content

Graduate Programs & Degrees

The Department of Educational Psychology offers seven degree programs organized into three broad areas of study. These are indicated below. Elective coursework toward an emphasis in positive psychology is also available to any educational psychology student. Click on the links to view information specific to the program(s) you are interested in.

Counseling/Counseling Psychology

The Counseling/Counseling Psychology Program at the University of Utah offers both master's and doctoral degree programs in the following program specialities: Counseling Psychology (Ph.D.) leading toward licensure as a psychologist; Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.Ed., M.S.) leading toward licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor, and School Counseling (M.Ed., M.S.), leading toward licensure as a School Counselor. The Doctoral Program in Counseling Psychology has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1957.

Program faculty have diverse research and teaching interests in areas including cross-cultural and multicultural counseling and education; treatment and prevention of child, adolescent, and adult depression; substance abuse; efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy; career counseling, training and supervision; adult development and aging; lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender issues; prevention and treatment of childhood trauma; gender issues; and feminist therapy.

This program has collaborative relationships with numerous schools and agencies, with practice settings on campus and in the community.

School Psychology

The School Psychology Program at the University of Utah offers both master's/specialist and doctoral degrees, and is accredited by both the American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists.

Program faculty have diverse research and teaching interests in areas such as behavioral interventions, generalization stategies, traumatic brain injury, autism, neuropsychological assessment, early childhood intervention, developmental disabilities, schoolwide behavior support, consultation, social skills, and diversity issues. Program faculty are involved in several applied clinical and research projects. Focused training and experience in High-Incidence Disabilities and Leadership in Severe Disabilities is available.

Close relationships with several community agencies, hospitals, clinics, school districts, state offices, and state and national associations characterize the professional activities of faculty and students in the School Psychology program.

Learning Sciences

The Learning Sciences Program at the University of Utah offers both master's and doctoral degree programs in the following program specialties: Learning & Cognition (M.S., Ph.D.), Instructional Design & Educational Technology ("IDET"; M.Ed., M.S.), and Statistical & Research Methods (M.Stat.).

The Learning and Cognition degree program is primarily concerned with basic and applied research involving: the psychology of reading, the psychology of writing, the acquisition of cognitive skills, memory processes (such as priming), human intelligence, the psychophysiology of the detection of deception (such as polygraph), and applications of psychological principles to the context of learning.

The Instructional Design and Educational Technology (IDET) degree program provides students with a theoretical background in instructional design and direct involvement in the integration and assessment of computing technologies in instruction.

The Statistical and Research Methods degree program is primarily concerned with the research methodologies used to investigate learning and educational psychology, broadly defined. Faculty members associated with this area also teach statistics and research methods courses open to students throughout the University of Utah. These same faculty often serve as statistical methodology experts on doctoral dissertation and master's thesis supervisory committees.

Reading and Literacy

The Reading and Literacy Program at the University of Utah offers both master's and doctoral degree programs.

The Master's of Education in Reading & Literacy is a research-based professional degree that involves students working to become exemplary practitioners and leaders in the field related to reading and literacy. The emphasis is on powerfully integrating research-based theory and practice. It is highly recommended for all preK-12 educators, including elementary classroom teachers, reading specialists and coaches, secondary language arts teachers, secondary content area teachers, special education teachers, school media specialists, and school administrators. As accomplished professionals, graduates with this degree are prepared to be literacy leaders in their educational settings.

 The Doctor of Philosophy of Education in Reading & Literacy is a research-based professional degree for students who have obtained a master's degree and wish to pursue advanced research related to literacy. The program combines basic research in reading, writing, and language processes as well as applied research in literacy teaching and learning, along with opportunities to engage in rigorous field-based research. In addition, students participate in interdisciplinary discussions and studies of important educational problems and issues with the goal of asking better questions and finding better answers to today’s pressing issues in literacy education at the preK-12 level,

Last Updated: 9/21/22