Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology - Learning and Cognition

Ranked as a top 25 Educational Psychology degree program nationally, our Learning and Cognition program offers students and professionals an advanced understanding of cognition, learning, and developmental theories. Our students come from many backgrounds to apply Learning and Cognition in research, classroom, government, or organizational settings. A background in Educational Psychology allows our alumni to design and evaluate effective learning contexts, evaluate the research evidence behind education-related interventions, and (in the case of thesis and doctoral students), conduct research.

A degree in Educational Psychology does not lead to licensure in teaching, school counseling, or school psychology. Sometimes Educational Psychology is confused with School Counseling or School Psychology. School Counseling and School Psychology are separate professional degree programs in the Department of Educational Psychology & Learning Systems that lead to licensure. If you are interested in conducting mental health interventions or assessments, please check out the School Counseling and School Psychology programs.

For application to the master's degree program: A bachelor's degree with at least a 3.0 GPA An earned bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor's degree.
For application to the doctoral degree program: A graduate degree with at least a 3.3 GPA Applicants for PhD programs must have an earned graduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.3 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA).
GRE test scores* Official test results are required from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The Educational Testing Service (ETS) does not retain scores longer than five years. If your test scores are older than five years, you may have to retake the test to have official scores sent directly to FSU from the testing agency. If you have the official report that was mailed to your home address for older scores, then FSU will accept that report. FSU Institution Code: 5219.
Target Scores: Verbal 50th percentile (with preference given to those at 75th percentile or above), Quantitative 20th percentile (with preference given to those at 35th percentile or above), Analytical 3.5
Note: The GRE requirement will be waived for outstanding applicants to the master's program (non-thesis track) who meet ONE of the following criteria:
Two years of experience as an instructional (e.g., K-12 teacher, college instructor, trainer, etc.) or non-instructional (e.g., instructional designer, curriculum expert, etc.) educational professional, OR
Successful completion of 6 graduate credit hours from the Learning and Cognition program with a graduate GPA of 3.30 or higher, OR
Passing score on the General Knowledge Test of the Florida Certification Teacher Exam or an equivalent teacher certification examination (e.g., PRAXIS), OR
A completed master's, J.D., M.D., or Ph.D. degree with a 3.0 (or better) GPA from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution.
*NOTE: The GRE requirements for master's and specialist programs have been waived through Fall 2026.
Language proficiency test (international students only) FSU accepts scores from TOEFL (minimum 80), IELTS (minimum 6.5), MELAB (minimum 77), Cambridge C1 Advanced Level (minimum 180), Michigan Language Assessment (minimum 55), and Duolingo (minimum 120). If you have received a bachelor's degree or master's degree from a U.S. institution or other institution where English is the required language of instruction, this test requirement may be waived.
Transcripts Applicants must submit an official transcript from each college and/or university attended.