UMN Department of Educational Psychology

At the department of Educational Psychology, we believe that education is both an art and a science. Our focus: preparing the next generation of researchers and scientist-practitioners with degrees in psychological foundations of education, quantitative methods in education, counseling psychology, school psychology, and special education. We are also the UMN home of American Sign Language, or ASL, one of the fastest-growing languages in the United States and the indigenous language of the Deaf community. Faculty and students provide leadership and consultation to the state, nation, and international community. The department's scholarship and teaching enhance professional practice in schools and universities, community mental health agencies, business and industrial organizations, early childhood programs, and government agencies. In 2023, we were rated #11 in the nation among educational psychology graduate programs by U.S. News & World Report. Our special education program was ranked #8. The Department of Educational Psychology is a vibrant and diverse community of scholars. We are deeply committed to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in our undergraduate and graduate programs, in our teaching and learning, in our research and clinical practice, and in our outreach and service across fields of educational psychology. Our goal is to be a welcoming and affirming place where all faculty, staff, and students—Asian, Asian-American and Pacific Islander, Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQIA+, international scholars, those with disabilities, Deaf people, those with intersecting identities, and other members of diverse groups—feel supported to attain and exceed their goals. Our department strives for social justice and to be a place where respectful exchanges of ideas allow us to embrace the power of diversity of perspectives and backgrounds to enrich us all.