Statement of Purpose
For the M.A. and Ph.D. program, students take core courses in cognition and development followed by doctoral level seminars or specialized courses. Students are encouraged to take courses in fields related to applied cognition and development such as Psychology, Linguistics, Anthropology, Science and Mathematics Education, Preschool and Elementary Education, and Reading and Language Education. The program of study also includes intensive instruction in statistics and research methodology to give students a strong methodological base for later research. The program is particularly appropriate for students whose career goal is college, university, and research positions.
For the M.Ed. and Ed.S. programs, students take core courses in cognition and development and from identifiable areas of specialization related to instructional issues such as focus on topics limited to metacognitive training; children at-risk for learning problems; the development of science, mathematics, or literacy skills; preschool instruction. This program is particularly appropriate for practicing teachers or other educational professionals. Our Ed.S. program is designed for those school-based practitioners who seek to become learning specialists in their schools.
The ACD Program prepares graduates to improve education through: (1) the dissemination of knowledge about learning and cognition in colleges and universities, (2) the expansion of knowledge through original educational research, (3) the implementation of educational research and development projects in public and private schools with local, state, and federal agencies, and (4) the application of educational research, knowledge, and methods to industrial, educational, or community settings. The faculty associated with this program are Drs. Martha Carr, Louis Castenell, Shawn Glynn, Nancy Knapp, Stacey Neuharth-Pritchett, and Paula Schwanenflugel.