BS in Biology / MEd (non-thesis) in Educational Psychology (Applied Cognition and Development)

Enhance your preparation in the biological sciences with basic and applied research in the educational and social sciences with faculty who specialize in cognition, motivation, and human development. In applied cognition and development, faculty and students explore the effects of human cognitive and developmental processes on education. They also determine how that knowledge and motivation can be applied to teaching and learning. Our programs prepare graduates to improve education through research, to implement programs and projects in schools, and to apply research and methods to various settings.

Students study with faculty experts in topics including cognition and motivation coupled with engagement in STEM fields, technology-enhanced learning, social-emotional learning, and early intervention. Our faculty have received outstanding early career awards, teaching awards, and research awards and are the recipients of funding from agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Spencer Foundation.

They are also active in state and national organizations and have held esteemed positions including editor of the Journal of Research in Childhood Education and editorial board members of the Journal of Educational Psychology, Educational Psychology Review, Behavioral Medicine, and the Journal of Children and Poverty. Faculty also serve as members of the developmental sciences advisory panel for the National Science Foundation and chair grant panels for the U.S. DHHS Administration for Children and Families.

Highlights

• Learn in a personalized program with world-renowned faculty
• Gain expertise in an emerging field combining physical, social, and educational sciences
• Find high-paying career choices after graduation
• Move on to a doctoral program or work in the public or private sector

Curriculum

Admissions

Double Dawg pathways are structured so you first move through your core and major undergraduate courses in about three years. Because undergraduates may share up to 12 graduate-level courses with their undergraduate program of study, your master’s degree coursework begins when you are still an undergraduate. After completing your bachelor’s degree coursework and requirements for the UGA Graduate School, you become a master’s student.

The HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships allow a maximum of 127 attempted or paid hours, whichever is reached first, for students who have not completed a bachelor’s degree. This can be used to cover tuition for both undergraduate and graduate coursework. HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships will only pay tuition at the lower rate, whether it is the graduate or undergraduate rate. Once a student meets the requirements for graduation from the undergraduate program, they are no longer eligible for the HOPE or Zell Miller scholarships.

Students may apply to the Double Dawgs pathway in the spring of their third undergraduate year or at 90 completed credits. Applicants to the Double Dawgs pathway are expected to have a strong academic record with an undergraduate overall GPA of 3.3 or higher. Applications are evaluated each semester and, once accepted, students may enroll in M.Ed. courses the following semester. Once accepted to the Double Dawgs pathway, students must achieve a B or higher in all Double Dawgs courses and maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.3 to remain in the program. Admission to the pathway does not guarantee admission to the graduate program.

Additional admissions criteria for the M.Ed. graduate program include:

• Current resume/CV
• Statement of purpose
• Three letters of recommendation

Your three letters of recommendation should be from individuals who can evaluate your scholarly ability and potential for success in a graduate program. Preferably, at least two of the three letters will be from faculty who have instructed the applicant in a previous program of study.

Learn More and Apply

Deadline to Apply