Educational Psychology
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Program Contact Information
Website: https://ed-psych.utah.edu/
SAEC 3220
1721 Campus Center Drive
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
801-581-7148
EDPS-advising@utah.edu
Program Description
The minor in Educational Psychology will provide students with training and expertise in behavioral and mental health, services desperately needed locally and nationally. The degree differs from other human service degrees in that the course work leads directly to competitive, high demand employment opportunities including certification as an assistant behavior analyst. Other human service degrees focus on the general theory of counseling and mental health; this degree teaches specific individual and group counseling interventions so that students leave with theory and skills. This minor further represents a bachelors-level extension of successful graduate programs within the Department of Educational Psychology (e.g., School Psychology, School Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and Counseling Psychology). Thus, students will not only be prepared to enter the job market upon graduation, but will also have the knowledge and skills to enter graduate programs within the behavioral and mental health field. This is particularly important and timely given that the University hopes to become a national leader in mental health delivery with a recent $150 million gift from the Huntsman family to establish a new mental health institute. It is the hope that graduates of this program will contribute directly to the mental health of Utah residents.
The minor in Educational Psychology includes a broad educational psychology curriculum that provides students with a foundation in learning, human development, social emotional skills, research and inquiry in education, and the psychology of multiculturalism. The applied educational psychology curriculum then helps students develop skills in counseling, problem-solving, evidence-based decision making, behavior change, consultation, collaboration, recognizing psychopathology, and facilitating group interventions. Students also learn about a broad range of conditions that impact learning and behavior such as autism and other disabilities and they develop as professional and ethical practitioners. Given that research demonstrates a stark misalignment between the talents employers demand and the skills graduates have as they enter the workforce (Francis & Auter, 2016), this degree is purposefully designed to provide students with the career readiness competencies employers value most in their new hires: critical thinking/problem solving, teamwork/collaboration, professionalism/work ethic, oral/written communications, digital technology, leadership, global/multi-cultural fluency, and career management (NACE, 2019).