A Unique & Rich Combination in an Ed Psych and Ed Tech Doctoral Program
The nationally ranked Educational Psychology and Educational Technology (EPET) doctoral program produces scholars and leaders in the study of human learning and development and/or in the design and study of diverse technologies supporting learning and teaching. It emphasizes rigorous scholarship and diverse analytical perspectives on learning, development and technology embedded in culture and society.
The program prepares graduates to pursue careers in university research and teaching, research on and development of educational technologies and leadership roles in school systems and the private sector.
You're Welcome at MSU
The EPET doctoral program welcomes applicants from a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds, educational and technological experiences, and social, economic, and cultural backgrounds. We enact our commitment to sustaining a community that is inclusive, and diverse through ongoing engagement in equity-focused learning and program reform, and systems for student representation and community accountability.
The flexibility of the EPET program allowed me to explore extant research in a variety of areas, which allowed me to bring multiple forms of expertise to project work and proposal development.
—Katie Rich (2021) Senior Researcher, American Institutes for Research
I always thought that the faculty were invested in my growth and development, were themselves intellectually curious, held us to high standards, and helped us to meet those standards.
—Amy Chapman (2019) Director, Teachers College, Columbia University
Students develop expertise in Ed Psych, Ed Tech, or the intersection of these emphasis areas
Educational Psychology
Investigate human learning, motivation, and development in schools, workplaces, communities and homes. Understand and improve educational practice. Students can base their inquiry in specific domains (e.g., mathematics, literacy, science) or age groups (e.g., adolescents, adults). In 2025, MSU was named #4 in the nation for educational psychology.
Educational Technology
Investigate and improve the use of technologies to support learning and teaching. Engage in research and development on the pedagogy, policy and design of media and technologies in support of learning in formal environments (e.g. face-to-face, online classes) and in informal settings (e.g. homes, after-school programs).
In EPET, especially with the mentorship of my co-advisors, I learned how to think and how to write. During my time in EPET, I was supported in exploring a wide range of research interests, methodologies, and tools for data analysis. I use these skills in research design and alignment every day as an assistant professor.
— Bret Staudt Willet (2021) Faculty, Florida State University. Recently awarded a Sloan Foundation Grant, “Programming Language: How Descriptions of Graduate Programs Affect Student Outcomes at MSIs”
One program, two different modes
On-Campus Mode
Designed for students willing and able to pursue their degree on a full-time basis. On-campus students typically complete three courses each semester, work 20 hours per week on paid teaching or research assistantships, and require four or more years to earn their degree.
Online Mode
Designed for students who are working full-time and want to pursue their degree on a part-time basis. Online students typically enroll in two courses per semester and require five or more years to earn their degree. Online students do not receive paid assistantships from the program.
My time in EPET gave me the research skills, broader career skills, and networks that made it possible for me to get this job and thrive in it. In addition to the excellent mentorship I got from my advisor, committee, and lab group, EPET’s brownbags, social events, and communications were so welcoming and helped me feel and become a part of the ed psych research community. I feel very lucky that I got my PhD training in such a collaborative, supportive program that gave me such confidence and joy in being part of this great group of scholars.
— Kristy A. Robinson (2019) Faculty, McGill University
Land Acknowledgment:
We collectively acknowledge that Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg – Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. In particular, the University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. We recognize, support, and advocate for the sovereignty of Michigan’s twelve federally-recognized Indian nations, for historic Indigenous communities in Michigan, for Indigenous individuals and communities who live here now, and for those who were forcibly removed from their Homelands. By offering this Land Acknowledgement, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty and will work to hold Michigan State University more accountable to the needs of American Indian and Indigenous peoples. More information
Meet Professor and Program Director, Jennifer Schmidt