Ph.D. Program

The doctoral program in HDLC weaves together theoretical models and concepts in their application to real world educational issues.

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.

Learning Objectives

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 exceptionalities, and
  • familiarity with current approaches to educational assessment and evaluation and basic skills in measurement and research design and both quantitative and qualitative research methods.

Potential Research Questions

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

  • How do mindfulness practices support the development of empathy?
  • What behaviours characterize bullying in school contexts?
  • What is the relationship between learning and development?
  • How does self-regulated learning change over time?
  • What is the experience of immigrant youth in educational contexts in Canada?
  • How does social media influence social relationships?

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.