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Educational Psychology & Research Minor

Educational Psychology & Research is a specialized field of psychology that deals with teaching, learning, and development; and how to design and measure quantitatively and qualitatively all things related to contexts in which individuals teach and learn. If your interests are related to scientifically understanding human development (e.g., cognitive, social, emotional), teaching strategies (traditional, art-based, elearning), and learning processes (e.g., self-regulation, motivation, resilience) you might be seeking to minor in Educational Psychology & Research. Our areas of interest are embedded in cultural differences and the assumption that context is relevant. Educational Psychology & Research compliments a breadth of undergraduate majors and adequately prepares students to seeking Master and Doctoral degrees.

Please check out our website to learn more: memphis.edu/cepr/edpr/
Program Coordinator: Denise Winsor: dwinsor@memphis.edu

MINOR IN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY & RESEARCH (18 credits)

Required Core Courses (9 Credits)

Click on each course for a course description.

Additional 9 Credits

Choose from the following courses to earn 9 additional credits. Click on each course for a course description.

Course Descriptions 

EDPR 2111: Development Across the Lifespan (3 Credits)


This course introduces select physical, cognitive, psychological, and social developmental achievements across the human lifespan and their implications for educators and for those who work in the helping or social service professions. This course examines human growth and development within a lifespan perspective emphasizing the diverse cultural, social, socioeconomic, and historical contexts of human development across the lifespan. Additionally, this course examines moral/ethical development across the human lifespans as well as the social contexts that directly influence human development across the lifespan. This course stresses the implications of lifespan human development for parents, teachers, teaching and administrative practice as well as for nurses and others in the helping professions.

EDPR 3121: Learning Process and Assessment (3 credits)


This course will address the major theories and perspectives on classroom learning and classroom assessment practices. Cognitive processes, individual differences, strategies for instruction, motivation, critical thinking, and self-regulation of learning will be emphasized. Students will also learn how to develop and use classroom assessments and how to interpret standardized testing.

EDPR 3302: Child and Adolescent Development (3 credits)


This course focuses on advanced study of theories and research on the physical, behavioral, cognitive, intellectual, emotional, and social aspects of child through adolescent development. The goal of the course is to develop an understanding of theory and its practical application to the development of children and adolescents; and beginning ideas about the implications for teaching/learning. This course explores the underpinnings of working with children in education, treatment, secondary school personnel, and others who live and work with children.

EDPR 4008: Problems in Educational Psychology and Research (1-3 credits)


PREREQUISITE: Permission of instructor.
This course consists of individual directed readings geared toward a theoretical or applied problem in education or a field study analysis/critique. Work in this course results in a culminating written research proposal. This course is designed for undergraduate students who are in the initial stages of identifying gaps in the literature that warrant educational psychology and research investigation and have theoretical, conceptual, methodological or practical application implications for future research. This course allows students to identify a topic of research; and there are opportunities that allow students to identify plausible research methods and instrumentation; and can prepare students to move to directed readings or supervised research.

EDPR 4009: Directed Readings (1-3 credits)


PREREQUISITE: Permission of instructor.
This course consists of individual directed readings or field study analysis/critique that targets a specific identified problem related to educational psychology & research. This course results in a comprehensive review of the literature; and seeks to construct plausible research methodologies to investigate /explore the identified problem. This course is designed for undergraduate students who are in intermediate stages of research; in that there is a specific and plausible research problem, purpose, and research questions. There is a clear gap in the literature that warrant educational psychology and research investigation and have theoretical, conceptual, methodological or practical application implications for future research. This course allows students explore theoretical and methodological literature specifically related to their scope of research; and prepares students to design and construct independent research. The next step for students in this course is supervised research.

EDPR 4010: Supervised Research (1-3 credits)


PREREQUISITE: Permission of instructor.
Educational Psychology & Research (EDPR) operates under an intensive research apprenticeship model which allows development of educational psychology research within local schools and community organizations. This course is designed for advanced undergraduate students who are adequately prepared to conduct their research under the direct supervision/mentoring from EDPR faculty. Students will complete CITI training, submit the IRB proposal, conduct data collection, and data analysis. The course culminates with a scholarly product that is worthy of scholarly presentation in an academic setting. Student and faculty mentor will target appropriate presentation venues and undergraduate publication opportunities.

EDPR 4100: Special Topics (3 credits)


This course is designed to study special topics, specific to the theme selected by the instructor.

EDPR 4301: Early Child Development for the Beginning Teacher


This course will address the philosophy, theory, research, and pedagogy relating to the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of children from birth to eight years of age. This goal of this course is to develop an understanding of theory and its practical application to the development of children in the early stages of development and the beginning ideas about the implications for teaching and learning.

EDPR 4541: Fundamental Applied Statistics


This course is an introductory statistics course which reviews basic statistical concepts and methods related to conducting research. This course emphasizes understanding the principles of data analysis and how statistics is commonly used in the real world and research.