Education department to change name after spring semester

LAWRENCE — The Department of Psychology & Research in Education at the University of Kansas School of Education will change its name after the spring 2015 semester. Approved by the Kansas Board of Regents last fall, the new department name will be Educational Psychology (EPSY). 

“We are excited to move forward in a name change for our Psychology and Research in Education Department. We feel the new department name, Educational Psychology, will provide a clearer understanding of the highly regarded programs offered in the department at KU. With this name change, we will better align with our peer institutions and the field of study as a whole, and we will also provide a more grounded understanding of what we truly offer graduate students, fellow researchers and alumni,” said Steven Lee, department chair. 

Leadership at the nationally ranked school said this change would provide current and future graduate students a better sense of the foundation of their degree program when applying for positions or interacting with fellow colleagues and educators across the country. 

“The department name change will reflect a shift that long ago occurred in the department’s research focus and more closely aligns with the comprehensive graduate preparation our students receive,” said Rick Ginsberg, Dean of the School of Education. “This collective decision will enhance the regional and national reputations as well as make the quality of the department’s work within the University of Kansas name more visible to the general public and fellow researchers.”

The new department name also will allow external constituents to more easily recognize the department’s activities while comparing other similar departments (nationally or internationally). As such, the new department name will also encompass more counseling psychology, school psychology & research, and statistics & measurement programs than any other department name at other universities.

Official notification will be forthcoming with transition details for students, faculty, staff, partners, and alumni who might be affected by this change. More information will be available online.