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Online PhD in Education and Psychology

An online PhD in education and psychology, commonly referred to as a doctorate in educational psychology, is designed to help doctoral candidates study and evaluate the effectiveness of education, how students learn, the psychological aspects of the student/teacher relationship, and social behaviors that have effects on the learning process. Having an online PhD in education and psychology has wide reaching benefits not limited to only the field of education. Graduates of an online education and psychology PhD program are in high demand in all aspects of industry and business, helping to formulate employee training methods and strategies for improving company operations and procedures based on group behavioral theories. Accredited online doctoral programs in education and psychology are designed to give students a chance to explore the intricacies of human psychology and how it relates to teaching others in order to improve the efficiency and quality of learning both in school and in the work place. By obtaining an online doctorate in education and psychology students can prepare themselves for jobs in both education and industry, maximizing their employment potential post graduation. Not only this, but online PhD education and psychology courses can be taken during a student’s free time, allowing those who have jobs to maintain them while studying for their doctorate degree.

Online PhD in Education and Psychology Requirements

As in all doctoral programs, students seeking an online education and psychology PhD should be highly motivated and self disciplined since the degree will require a fair amount of independent study and research. Potential students should also have the ability to devise experiments and conduct research that will allow them to gain insights into how students learn and the factors that contribute to the learning process. Online PhD programs in education and psychology are designed to teach a student how to become and effective researcher in the field of educational psychology and prepare them for jobs in higher education and industry.

Students seeking degrees from online PhD education and psychology programs should have a masters degree in at least one of the following disciplines:

• Education
• Learning technologies
• Clinical psychology
• Cognitive psychology
• Social psychology

Prospective students for online PhD programs in education and psychology may also have work experience that may qualify them for pursuing study at the doctoral level. Typically, students with work experience in the field are clinical psychologists, teachers, corporate trainers, and efficiency experts.

Online PhD in Education and Psychology Education

Obtaining an online education and psychology doctorate takes an average of 4 to 5 years to complete. Many programs place a maximum of 7 years to complete the degree. During the course of study for online doctoral degrees in education and psychology, doctoral candidates will be expected to conduct research, take a number of qualifying exams, and complete a doctoral dissertation.

Information on Education and Psychology Courses

The goal of online doctorate programs in education and psychology is to prepare students to be top researchers in the field, giving them the tools to make significant contributions and advancements to the way that people learn and work. Also, students seeking online doctorate degrees in education are expected to have an understanding about cultural diversity and how it can relate to the learning environment.

The following are classes that are typically part of the curriculum in obtaining an online doctorate in education and psychology:

• Foundations in Educational Psychology
While students entering online doctoral programs in education and psychology are expected to hold a masters degree in a field of study related to the PhD, further study in the core elements of educational psychology are required for most programs. These courses expand on the key concepts of problems in educational psychology and research methods that are helpful in the field.
• Cultural Diversity
Students seeking an education and psychology PhD online are expected to be well versed in how cultural diversity affects the learning experience and how it can relate to the classroom and the workplace.
• Human Development
Online PhD degrees in education and psychology also require doctoral candidates to have an understanding about both human biological development with an emphasis on physiology as well as vast knowledge about the psychological development of humans throughout all the stages of life.
• Theories on Learning and Motivation
In these classes, those seeking online PhD degrees in education and psychology will be instructed on modern theories about how people learn and what methods and styles of teaching facilitate the learning process. Also, students will study how to successfully motivate students to do their best in the classroom and in other learning situations.
• Methods of Research
As part of their program of study, doctoral students will be expected to conduct research about educational methods and learning strategies and present them in the form of a doctoral dissertation. These classes are designed to help a doctoral candidate learn how to conduct research effectively and how to present data in an effective manner.

Specializations and Concentrations

The fields of education and psychology are broad, and as such, students seeking a PhD in educational psychology are often required to narrow their field of study down into areas of specialization and concentration. In educational psychology, there are two areas of specialization that students may follow.

• Human Development, Cognition, and Learning
In this area of concentration, students will learn how humans grow, perceive, and learn things from the time of birth till death and how these complex processes change over time. Within this broad area of study, students can concentrate on childhood education, social interaction and its impact on the learning process, or cognition.
• Researching Methods
This area of study focuses more on the practical application of the study of educational psychology and how it can be used to gather research and data that can provide insight into how the learning process can be affected.

Careers in Education and Psychology

Having a doctorate degree in education and psychology allows a graduate to find employment in a wide number of fields ranging from education to commerce and industry. Although some of these fields of employment may not require an online doctorate, having one can increase the chances of being hired, since having a PhD means one is an expert in the field. Here are some of the potential jobs that a person with a PhD in education and psychology may seek:

• Professor
  Having a PhD qualifies most holders of the degree to teach at the college level in the field of education or psychology. University professors are expected to teach classes, offer lectures, and conduct research in the field of education and/or psychology. They may also work with graduate students and advise them on their own masters and doctorate degrees. The average salary for a professor with a degree in psychology and education is approximately $72,000 according to www.bls.gov.
• Efficiency Experts
  Industrial trainers are professionals who teach employees of companies to perform tasks efficiently. Part of their job is to evaluate current conditions at the workplace and to develop methods that can maximize efficiency and productivity. As companies have sought to slash budgets and costs, efficiency experts have become in high demand. The salary for these professionals varies widely depending on the size of the company and may range between $40,000 and $120,000 per year.
• Corporate and Military Trainers
  These individuals are tasked with the job of instructing employees of companies and the military on how to teach their works how to complete new tasks. Many times, these experts are called in when new policies or protocols are being implemented in order to facilitate the learning speed and processes by the employees/students. The average salary for a corporate trainer is $91,000.
• Teacher
  Individuals that have a PhD in education and psychology are qualified to teach in most school systems if they also hold a teaching license. Most PhD’s teach at the high school level if they choose to teach in secondary education rather than at the college level. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a high school teacher is approximately $50,000.
• School Counselor
  School counselors are professionals that help students in all aspects of school life. They can help students with personal problems, prepare them for college, and work with them to help them to do well and succeed in school. School counselors are responsible for making sure that students are on course to graduate and also keep track of standardized testing results. They also write recommendations for college applications and work with both parents and students to maximize the learning experience of the child. The average salary of a school counselor is $55,000 according to www.bls.gov.