Admissions
The Master of Science (M.S.) program in Educational Psychology and Research invites applicants with an undergraduate degree from a range of diverse fields. Applicants to the on-campus or online M.S. program should demonstrate a strong research interest, proficient college writing skills, and a well-rounded academic performance. The admission requirements for the online program are identical to those for the on-campus program. M.S. students can attend the program as either full-time or part-time students.
M.S. students can take an online or a hybrid path toward their degree. The online degree programs at the University of Memphis include students from across the United States and around the globe. The admission requirements for the online M.S. students are identical to those for the on-campus program. A student’s transcript for an online program will be issued in the same way as the transcript for an on-campus program.
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in Educational Psychology and Research welcomes applicants with a master's degree or a bachelor’s degree from diverse fields of inquiry. Applicants to the Ph.D. program should demonstrate a strong commitment to conducting research and meet all the admission requirements for the Ph.D. program. Doctoral students who have earned a master’s degree may attend the program as either full-time or part-time students.
Applicants with a bachelor’s degree will complete the first two years of their study toward a master’s degree before continuing their study toward a doctorate in Educational Psychology and Research. All students who enter the Ph.D. program with a bachelor’s degree are required to maintain the full-time status.
Application Components:
M.S. Admission Requirement
- Three recommendation letters, two of which must be written by university professors who can directly and specifically comment on applicant’s academic performance, writing skills, research experiences, interests and potential.
- A goal statement (700-1000 words) that describes applicant’s (1) research interests and activities, (2) research experiences, and (3) reasons for seeking entrance to the Educational Psychology and Research program, including long- and short-term goals and how the program can help you achieve those goals.
- An academic writing sample, which can be one of the following:
- Undergraduate thesis
- Paper written for completing an academic course on which the applicant is the sole author.
- Published article or research paper presented at a conference with the applicant being the 1st author.
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Although the required minimal GPA is 3.0, the typical GPA of admitted M.S. students is, on average, 3.30 or higher.
Ph.D. Admission Requirements
- GRE scores.The average GRE scores of the admitted doctoral students range from 149 to 154 for Quantitative reasoning and from 146 to 158 for Verbal reasoning.
- Three recommendation letters, all of which are written by university professors who can directly and specifically comment on your academic performance, writing skills, research experiences, interests and potential.
- A goal statement (800-1200 words) that describes (1) research experiences, (2) current research interests and activities, and (3) reasons for seeking entrance to the Educational Psychology and Research program, including long- and short-term goals, and how the program can help you achieve those goals.
- An academic writing sample, which can be one of the following:
- Master’s or bachelor’s thesis
- Research paper written for completing an academic course on which the applicant is the sole author.
- Published article or research paper presented at a conference in which the applicant is the 1st author.
- Interview with the admission committee.
- Although the required GPA is minimally 3.0, the typical GPA of admitted doctoral students is 3.79 on average.
To apply to any of our EDPR programs, please complete and submit your application via the following link
Apply for Graduate Admissions >
Important Deadlines for Completed Application Packets:
Fall Semester: March 1
Spring Semester: November 1
(International applicants are encouraged to submit applications by November 1 if financial
aid is desired.)
Limited graduate assistantships are available for full-time doctoral students. An assistantship requires working for the department for 20 hours a week during the fall and/or spring semester. The assistantship can require being available on campus during the day or evening.
Please review the UofM Graduate Catalog > for current requirements for the degree.
International Students Resources
The University's International Student Office (ISO) has a wealth of information for International Students. Please be sure to look at Information for New Students if you are and international student who is new to the University of Memphis.
We also have specific information for those students who are applying to the EDPR Doctoral Program from China.
Graduate Assistantships
Applicants to the Ph.D. Program in Educational Psychology and Research may apply for a graduate assistantship package which includes a coverage of tuition and fees for up to nine (9) graduate credit hours per semester with a monthly stipend over a nine-month period. Summer tuition and funding are not covered, nor are additional fees for online courses. These assistantships are merit-based for full-time students only. All assistantship assignments will follow the Graduate School regulations.
The Educational Psychology and Research program strongly encourages international Ph.D. applicants to apply for the assistantship in the fall for the following academic year.