Specialist in Education, Educational Psychology

This degree is a non-credential elective program which provides advanced preparation for educational generalists, teachers in all disciplines, administrators, college instructors who are desiring a professional educational background, and especially to practitioners aspiring toward clinical and/or research applications.

What kind of a career can such a degree offer? 
Educational psychologists can work in a variety of settings to include colleges and universities, government agencies, and/or corporate settings. Such persons are not only likely to focus on how effective learning and teaching take place, but on developing methods to continually improve such processes in academic and/or other institutional settings. Thus, they are primarily concerned with developing and implementing more effective ways to improve memory retention, learning, and motivation. As a result, such persons are often actively engaged in areas such as research, staff training, and/or program development.

Educational psychologists can work in a variety of settings to include colleges and universities, government agencies, and/or corporate settings. Such persons are not only likely to focus on how effective learning and teaching take place, but on developing methods to continually improve such processes in academic and/or other institutional settings. Thus, they are primarily concerned with developing and implementing more effective ways to improve memory retention, learning, and motivation. As a result, such persons are often actively engaged in areas such as research, staff training, and/or program development.

Prerequisites

The absence of any conviction for a felony or any communicable or contagious disease, which would prevent the student from teaching or performing other certified services, must be attested to. Students should apply for state criminal clearance immediately following admission to any of the state credentialing programs.
A preadmission interview and writing test are to be scheduled when possible with at least two faculty members in the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling who will evaluate the applicant's expressiveness, commitment, values, cultural affirmation, and professional attitudes. When admission is granted without a prior interview, an appointment must be made with the department chair during the first few weeks of residence before program approval. Continuation in the program is contingent upon a satisfactory rating by the interviewers.

NOTE: Applicants who are lacking any of the above prerequisites may be admitted to the program with the understanding the deficiencies must be removed at the earliest possible date prior to entry to advanced practicums or fieldwork. Credit thus earned may be used for degree purposes if all other program requirements are met.

In addition, candidates must provide evidence of the following:

1. Within the past seven years, at least one introductory or advanced course must have been satisfactorily completed in each of the following: foundational educational psychology and developmental psychology.
2. At least 15 quarter units of credit must have been earned on the upper division or graduate level in one of the following areas within the past seven years, with no grade less than C (2.00): professional education (including teaching and/or administration), counseling and/or school psychology, as well as behavioral sciences and/or psychology.
3. For those entering the 45-unit post master's option, the master's degree must have been earned in an area of professional education, teaching, counseling, school administration, or an equivalent specialization.

NOTE: Deficiencies in the above prerequisites may be removed after entrance to Ed.S. study. Eligible credits thus earned may be used as electives for the program when all other requirements have been met.


The Program

The following core courses, or their equivalents, are mandatory for the educational psychology program. If any of the specified courses have been previously completed for another degree, the credits cannot be applied toward the Ed.S. degree. Instead, additional cognate electives must be chosen to meet the minimum total units required.

Prerequisites

The curriculum for a Specialist in Education degree in the School of Education comprises a minimum of 90 quarter units beyond an approved baccalaureate degree, or 45 units beyond the Master of Arts degree. For course descriptions click here.

Core Requirements

Content Specialization

Electives

Electives are selected as needed, with departmental approval, from counseling, research, advanced statistics, computer science, measurement, and other cognate areas of education and/or psychology in any department of the University. Such electives may sometimes be structured to include a teaching or professional credential together with the Ed.S. degree. The basis on which to choose from these or other courses depends on prior preparation and the ultimate interests or goals of the student.

NOTE: Remember that the units outlined above do not total 90 units. In order to receive an Ed.S. degree, you must accumulate 90 units beyond an approved baccalaureate degree.