The MSED in Educational Psychology program at Saint Rose serves two audiences – teachers who are initially certified in New York State and are looking for a skill-enhancing, convenient, and compact master’s degree program to obtain their professional certification in New York State and those who aren’t seeking certification but seek to work as educational psychologists, researchers, or otherwise enhance their skills.
Saint Rose offers the only master’s in Educational Psychology program in New York State with a fully online option. Working professionals can complete our program in less than 18 months.
This program prepares you to motivate the students in your own classroom, build your skills in classroom management and addressing social-emotional issues, and help schools and districts create and improve their educational programs or conduct research in educational psychology.
The program serves as a professional teacher certification pathway in New York State* but is also appropriate for non-education backgrounds. We have designed our online graduate degree program to meet the needs of diverse graduate students, such as teachers, administrators, and career changers near and far.
To offer flexibility, students can mix their courses — online and on-campus — as best fits their schedules and their learning preferences. Our mission statement and program objectives are the same, whether on-campus or online and students work with the same renowned Saint Rose professors.
Fully online 
Fully in-person 
Create a hybrid schedule that mixes online and in-person courses$443Per-Credit Cost
$713Per-Credit Cost
$846Per-Credit Cost
If your initial certification is in an area other than the above (for example, Music, Physical Education, or French), please consult our advisors to see how our program can still lead to professional certification.
As a teacher, building strong, trustful relationships with students, parents, and colleagues has always been at the top of my list. I wholeheartedly believe that having a background in psychology helps me achieve this.
My favorite part of the Educational psychology program is definitely the professors within the program. I felt as though they truly believed in me and wanted me to succeed.”
It took me some time to decide what I truly wanted to pursue for my graduate degree and when I decided on educational psychology, it was discouraging to see that it was not offered in many schools. Having stumbled across the description of the program at the College of Saint Rose, I was drawn most to the flexibility of the program.
The three different “tracks” enabled me to decide on the right fit for me and my needs as a 7th year teacher looking to incorporate innovative and evidence-based strategies in my special education/ENL classroom. Most importantly, the online option with the opportunity to earn my degree in less than 18 months jumpstarted my application process."
Graduates leave our program with theory and skills that allow them to critique any instructional situation (e.g., teaching math in an inclusive classroom, leading adult workshops for the State Education Department, conducting parenting classes), and then to develop strategies, based on theory, that will help to create the optimal learning environment for the given learners.
Since teachers are challenged with engaging a diverse group of students, Educational Psychology helps to break down the learning process and identify effective strategies for conductive learning. You also learn how social-emotional issues impact student learning and classroom management, so you’ll gain valuable techniques for addressing these issues in your classroom.
Knowledge gained in the program allows teachers to guide students on an individual level, using lesson plans and learning media that fits the needs of the students.
Yes. We offer the only online MSED in Educational Psychology in New York State. This program was designed to meet the needs of busy teachers who need to complete their master’s degree while working. It is a compact and convenient three-semester program that will help you address the needs you see every day in your classroom.
At the completion of your program, we do all the work with the New York State Department of Education, submitting your recommendation for professional certification.
If you hold initial certification in an area outside of the programs eligible for automatic submission upon completion of the MSED, we can still work with you on designing a program that meets your needs and help you through the self-certification process.
The main difference between School Psychology and Educational Psychology is school psychologists often work one-on-one with students with learning or behavioral challenges.
Educational psychologists will focus on studying the overall learning processes in a classroom and may be consultants or researchers.
The certification requirements for School Psychology and Educational Psychology are different, although theses certification pathways can overlap.
If you are looking to become a school psychologist, you should find a program specifically designed for this certification pathway, such as the MS in School Psychology Program at Saint Rose.
Our students come from diverse educational and career backgrounds – we welcome applicants with experience in education, as well as those who are new to the field.
I was able to understand the theories of learning, how important motivation is in our lives, but most importantly, how to motivate students.
The program encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone. It challenged me a lot and I was always learning new things."
I studied English literature when I was an undergrad student. I wanted to be an English teacher before, but I didn't know the learning theories, how to motivate students, and how to manage the classroom. Due to a lack of this knowledge, I chose the ed psych program at The College of Saint Rose.
The professors are so supportive and reachable. There are a bunch of resources to support my learning, like the Writing Center and the global admission center."
Our faculty hold you to the highest standards of ethics and transparency as well as academic excellence, and encourage you and your classmates to be effective in all aspects of the program.
Dr. Dugan has been an Educational Psychology faculty member since 2003. He is the Department’s methodologist. While proficient in developing and delivering online courses, Dr. Dugan’s expertise lies in research and statistical methodologies, as he utilizes and teaches SPSS to the students enrolled in his research and statistics courses, and on occasion assists colleagues with their data analytic needs.
Professor Lobdell has been teaching in the Department of Educational and School Psychology since 2015. She has also served as an Instructional Designer with Online Learning Services, and designed and developed courses for our fully online graduate program.
She is especially interested in the role that the school plays in children’s emotional, cognitive, and behavioral development.
Dr. Miller has been a faculty member in the Department of Educational and School Psychology since 1998. Currently, she serves as the Department Co-Chair. She is a nationally certified K-6 teacher in Finland where she started her teaching career as a second-grade teacher.
Dr. Miller teaches a wide variety of both undergraduate and graduate Educational Psychology courses, such as Psychology of Diversity, and Integrative Capstone Seminar. Her research interests focus on issues related to diverse learners and how to support newcomer families.
Dr. Dugan has been an Educational Psychology faculty member since 2003. He is the Department’s methodologist. While proficient in developing and delivering online courses, Dr. Dugan’s expertise lies in research and statistical methodologies, as he utilizes and teaches SPSS to the students enrolled in his research and statistics courses, and on occasion assists colleagues with their data analytic needs.
Professor Lobdell has been teaching in the Department of Educational and School Psychology since 2015. She has also served as an Instructional Designer with Online Learning Services, and designed and developed courses for our fully online graduate program.
She is especially interested in the role that the school plays in children’s emotional, cognitive, and behavioral development.
Dr. Miller has been a faculty member in the Department of Educational and School Psychology since 1998. Currently, she serves as the Department Co-Chair. She is a nationally certified K-6 teacher in Finland where she started her teaching career as a second-grade teacher.
Dr. Miller teaches a wide variety of both undergraduate and graduate Educational Psychology courses, such as Psychology of Diversity, and Integrative Capstone Seminar. Her research interests focus on issues related to diverse learners and how to support newcomer families.
Rest assured, no matter where your future classroom is, you will leave Saint Rose knowing that what you do in your own classroom positively influences students’ futures.
School psychologists collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students that strengthen connections between home and school. If you are interested in a career in School Psychology, explore our MSED program today!
Of course, if you have any questions, please reach out. We’re here to help.
Heta Miller, PhD
Program Coordinator, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology
Thelma P. Lally School of Education
432 Western Avenue, Albany, NY
