Required Courses for the Ph.D.

Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent Development Required Courses (15 credits)

• EPSY 5850: Introduction to the Science of Creativity (next taught Fall 2025) 
• EPSY 6710: Conceptions of Human Potential (next taught Fall 2026)
  
• EPSY 6730: Contemporary Issues in Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent Development (next taught Spring 2025) 
• EPSY 6770: Concepts in Curriculum and Instruction for Talent Development (next taught Fall 2024)  
• EPSY 6780: Affective Issues in Achievement and Talent Development (next taught Spring 2026) 
  

Research and Other Required Courses (30 credits)

• EPSY 5510: Learning: Its Implication for Education or EPSY 5530: Theories of Learning, Cognition and Instruction (EPSY requirement) 
• 2 of the following 3: EPSY 5605: Quantitative Methods in Research I; EPSY 5607: Quantitative Methods in Research II; EPSY 5610, Applied Regression Analysis (EPSY requirement; Gifted program students generally take EPSY 5605 and EPSY 5610)
• EPSY 6601: Methods & Techniques of Educational Research or EPSY 6651: Introduction to Methods for Causal Inference Using Educational Data (EPSY requirement) 
• EDCI 6000: Qualitative Methods of Educational Research (Gifted program requirement)
  
• GRAD 6950: Dissertation Research (15 credits – UConn requirement)

Additional Course Options for the Ph.D.

Possible Additional Research Courses

• EDLR 6052: Qualitative Methods of Educational Research II (Gifted program recommendation)
• EPSY 5621: Construction of Evaluation Instruments (Gifted program recommendation)
  
• EPSY 6611: Hierarchical Linear Modeling
• EPSY 6615: Structural Equation Modeling

Possible Additional Gifted Education Courses (based on students’ background and interests)

• Students should enroll in EPSY 5710: Introduction to Gifted Education and Talent Development (online course) if they enter the program without a strong gifted background.
• Students should enroll in EPSY 5720: Developing Schoolwide Enrichment Programs (summer course) or the free online SEM course if they enter the program without a firm understanding of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model.
• Students who anticipate accepting a position that involves training teachers in gifted education may wish to enroll in some of the following courses: EPSY 5740: Strategies for Differentiating the Grade Level Curriculum (fall on campus, summer online); EPSY 5750: Enhancing Creativity in the Classroom (summer on campus even years); EPSY 5760: Improving Students’ Thinking Skills (spring online); EPSY 5780: Social and Emotional Components of Giftedness and Talent Development (fall online).

Comprehensive Exam and Dissertation Research

Following completion of courses, students participate in a Comprehensive General Exam. Upon completion of the general exam, students develop a dissertation proposal that culminates in a completed dissertation.

updated 12/12/2023