Student in the HUB

Educational Psychology

Educational Psychology M.A. Program

The Educational Psychology Master of Arts program is designed to develop your understanding of student learning and development, measurement and assessment, and program evaluation in educational environments. The curriculum and research opportunities aim to prepare students for a career in educational research, a position of leadership in a school district, or to further pursue their doctoral studies. We offer students an integrative research and training program with strengths in cognitive development, quantitative, and qualitative methods. Our  faculty conduct research in classrooms with teachers and students to better understand how to improve current educational practice, and are also involved in interdisciplinary efforts with faculty from other departments at UC Riverside.

This program is not designed for school counselors or school psychologists. If you are interested in becoming a school psychologist, please see our Ph.D. School Psychology program.


Specialization Overview

 

Program Overview

  • Start Term: Fall only
  • Program Length: Approximately 1-2 years, can be earned at your own pace
  • Units: 36-unit minimum/9 classes
  • Instruction: In-person on Riverside campus.
  • Schedule: Each class meets once a week 4-7pm (Monday-Thursday)

Program Cost

Estimated program cost is $17,430 (in-state)

Out-of-state/international tuition is an additional cost. See the fee schedule here.

Ph.D. Pathways

All coursework from of our master of arts (M.A.) programs transfers to the Ph.D. in education. For example, if you complete the M.A. in Educational Psychology, you will have already complete one year of coursework for the Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at UCR. Shorten your time to a doctorate by completing an M.A. degree with the School of Education today.

Visit our admissions page for more information on application materials and deadlines.


 

Curriculum

Students can choose from Plan I (Thesis) or Plan II (Comprehensive Examination).

Plan I (Thesis): Students complete a minimum of 36 upper-division and graduate units. At least 24 units are in graduate courses. A maximum of 12 units may be in graduate research for the thesis.

Plan II (Comprehensive Exam): Students must complete a minimum of 36 units in upper-division and graduate courses in Education and related fields as defined in existing programs. At least 18 of the 36 units must be in graduate courses, and none in graduate research for the thesis.


Career Opportunities

Potential career opportunities

  • Educational Researcher
  • University Professor
  • Educational Psychologist
  • School Improvement Facilitator
  • Science Content Specialist
  • Assessment Technician

Where our alumni work

  • Local and State Government Agencies (U.S. Department of Education, California Department of Education, Riverside Unified School District)
  • Educational Testing and Assessment Organizations (ETS, Pearson)
  • Institutions of Higher Education (University of California, Riverside)
  • Non-Profit Institutions (RAND, American Institutes for Research, WestEd)

 

 

 

 


 

Meet the Faculty

 

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