Ph.D. Program

All HDLC Doctoral students are expected to acquire a broad background in the study of Educational Psychology. In principle, the following areas are considered to be essential to such a background:

• a basic knowledge of theories, principles and models of learning, development, and culture,
• knowledge of developmental theories and processes in the cognitive, social-emotional and cultural domains,
• an understanding of individual differences in development, learning and motivation,
• knowledge of atypical development and understanding of individuals with exceptional ities, and
• familiarity with current approaches to psycho-educational assessment and evaluation and basic skills in measurement, research design and both quantitative and qualitative research methods.

Some of the questions HDLC faculty and graduate students are currently pursuing include:

• How can high ability in a specific area inform general theories of development?
• How do new technologies shape instruction and the ways in which people communicate and learn?
• How does our knowledge of interpersonal (peer) and intrapersonal (self) intelligence and development affect educational practice?
• What characteristics of early intervention models support children "at risk" of under-achievement in school? How does a "problem-based" model of collaborative learning transform teacher education?
• How is gender implicated in girls' interest in new technologies and/or in the development of empathy or agressive behaviour?

The HDLC area is supported by a variety of academic publications such as the Journal of Educational Psychology, Mind, Culture and Activity, Child Development, Developmental Psychology, Exceptional Education, the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, the Canadian Journal of Education, the Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science, Interchange, the Canadian Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, Social Development.

The doctoral program in HDLC weaves together theoretical models and concepts in their application to real world educational issues, and HDLC graduates have found careers in a wide variety of settings including university teaching and research, social policy analysis, curriculum and program evaluation, community and business.