Educational Psychology Master's Program

The Educational Psychology Master's Program is available in two tracks.

• The School Psychology track (M.Ed./M.S.Ed.)
• The Human Learning and Development track (M.Ed./M.S.Ed.)

Learn more about each track below.

School Psychology

The nationally accredited School Psychology Certification program, described below, leads to credentialing as a School Psychologist in Illinois and students may obtain the N.C.S.P. credential upon successfully completing the program and passing the national exam.

The professional training program in school psychology subscribes to the scientist-practitioner model and prepares individuals to engage in a broad range of activities as psychologists in schools and other educational settings.

Students may enroll in the school psychology certification program at the predoctoral or the doctoral level. Students in both the predoctoral and the doctoral levels must apply to the School Psychology certification program and complete all School Psychology (Type 73) certification requirements to be eligible for the state of Illinois School Psychology certification.

Students who complete the course work to fulfill requirements for the Type 73 School Psychology certification will also fulfill the requirements for the M.Ed. in Educational Psychology and the Ed.S. in School Psychology. Students who have completed a B.A. or B.S. degree in Psychology, education or related fields apply to both the Educational Psychology (M.Ed.) and School Psychology (Ed.S.) programs. Students who have completed a master’s degree in Education, Psychology or a related field do not need to complete the NLU M.Ed. degree. They may apply directly to the Ed.S. degree. Students who did not complete their master’s level studies in the NLU School Psychology program will need to have completed all courses required for School Psychology certification. The School Psychology program coordinator evaluates their transcripts and may approve prior course work as meeting the School Psychology program’s requirements if they are equivalent in content and if they have been taken within five years of admission. Exception to this may be granted if the individual has taken courses more than five years prior to admission, but has maintained his or her knowledge in the content area through on-going work. In most instances, undergraduate level courses will not be accepted as meeting the School Psychology program requirement.

All students must complete an applied research project as part of the School Psychology certification program. 

After admission to the School Psychology certification program, students meet with an advisor to complete the School Psychology Certification Requirements form and the Graduate Study Plan. Both the School Psychology Certification Requirements form and the Graduate Study Plan must be signed by the student, the student’s advisor and the coordinator of the school psychology program. Waivers and substitutions for required School Psychology certification program courses must be approved by the coordinator of the School Psychology program. Students work closely with their advisors in planning their program to assure that it meets both degree and School Psychology certification requirements.

School Psychology Entrance Requirements

Applicants to the M.Ed. Educational Psychology and Ed.S. School Psychology programs School Psychology certification program need to submit the following application materials:

• Completed application and non-refundable application fee.
• Scores from the General Aptitude Section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within the last five years.
• Letters of recommendation (3 at the M.Ed. level and 4 at the Ed.S. level).
• A personal statement.
• Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts from every institution ever attended
• Passing scores on the Illinois Test of Basic Skills (less than five years old at the time of admission) are required for Ed.S. applicants

Admission files will not be reviewed until they are complete. Completed application files are reviewed by faculty two times a year: January 15th and October 15th and April 15.

School Psychology Residency Policies

Students may attend the School Psychology certification program on a full- or part-time basis. A full-time course of study in School Psychology consists of two years (including summers) of course work and practice, and one academic-year-long, full-time internship. Students enrolling in part-time studies complete their course work in three to four years prior to undertaking a full-year, full-time internship. All students work closely with their advisors to design an approved course sequence in accordance with guidelines provided in the School Psychology handbook.

School Psychology Retention Policies

Human Learning and Development

The master's degree programs in Human Learning and Development are designed to support practicing teachers and other professional educators to explore the questions that have emerged as significant in their practice. Indeed, educators frequently ask themselves such questions as:

• How can I facilitate the creation of an actively engaged community of learners?
• How can I better support the social and emotional needs of all my students?
• How can I understand my students' diverse learning needs and better tailor my instruction to fit those needs?
• How can I motivate my students to learn more independently?
• What are the implications of current brain research for my teaching and learning?
• How can I more effectively assess learning in my classroom?

In close collaboration with faculty and colleagues, students integrate psychological theory, research and educational practices to address questions of interest to them. Class projects and assignments are specifically designed to create opportunities for educators to explore and reflect on their practice in their classrooms. Through a combination of core courses in educational psychology and electives, students are encouraged to design a program that will help them to meet their ongoing professional development goals. As a culminating experience, students conduct an action research project in their own classrooms where they focus in depth on an area of particular interest to them. Educators develop ongoing professional relationships with their colleagues and faculty, both in the educational psychology department and in other departments across the National College of Education, that support them in their inquiry process. Coursework in the Human Learning and Development (HLD) program can lead to either the Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree or the Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) degree. 

Human Learning and Development Career Outlook

An advanced degree in Human Learning and Development can lead to:

• Fulfillment of professional development requirements
• Improvements in your teaching
• Advancements in your current teaching position
• Career change to the areas of:
  • Educational Administration
  • Research or Grantwriting
  • Community College Teaching
  • Educational Consulting