Learning is what defines us as humans, not only in school
settings but throughout our entire lives. In Learning and
Mind Sciences, we focus on the learner, recognizing that
learning is a fundamental human right and a powerful tool for
social change.
Our faculty’s research is grounded in a commitment to equity and
justice. We actively investigate how learning and development
unfold within complex sociocultural contexts and how best to
assess and measure these processes, with a particular commitment
to centering the experiences of marginalized, minoritized, and
neurodivergent learners. Our work aims to identify and dismantle
systemic barriers, fostering the conditions for all learners to
thrive. Collectively, our research spans a broad spectrum, from
the micro-level of neurological development to the macro-level of
social systems that shape learning access and
outcomes.
In addition to conducting basic research, we are also makers and
designers. We create and study learning environments, learning
technologies, learning and behavioral interventions, and
measurement and assessment methods. We don’t just ask how people
learn; we ask how we can build systems that actively promote
fairness, inclusion, and justice.
Come and build a more just and equitable future of learning with
us!
Strands
Graduate students in Learning and Mind Sciences typically
specialize in one of the following strands, although course
enrollment across the strands is common and encouraged.
Assessment, Measurement, and Psychometrics
The Assessment, Measurement, and Psychometrics strand focuses on
the design and evaluation of measures of what people know, think,
or believe. We develop and apply quantitative research methods
involved in the creation of these measures, and also work to
improve the classroom assessments that teachers use to evaluate
what students know and can do.
The goal of this work is to ensure that people make accurate
inferences about learners when they interpret scores generated by
large-scale tests, classroom assessments, and affective and
behavioral instruments. As such, we work with a wide array of
stakeholders across the educational system to improve the use of
measures and also with researchers to improve the quality of
information used in scholarly activities.
Faculty
Sample Courses
- EDU 203 – Introduction to Educational & Psychological
Measurement
- EDU 237 – Survey Research Methods
- EDU 292* – Item Response Theory
- EDU 292* – Advanced Topics in Measurement
- PSC 205C – Structural Equation Modeling
Learning, Design, and Social Context
The Learning, Design, and Social Context strand draws questions,
frameworks, and methods from the learning sciences. Research in
this strand pays close attention to the social, material, and
cultural contexts of learning and to the ways in which designed
learning environments shape processes and possibilities for
learning.
Learning here is broadly defined as processes of becoming that
involve shifts in cognition, identity, and participation in
socio-cultural systems. Although students will choose
specific contexts and domains of learning for study, across the
Learning, Design, and Social Context strand, the possibilities
for research are expansive, including diverse contexts (e.g.,
K-21 classrooms, museums, online communities, family life) and
varying domains of learning (e.g., engineering, mathematics,
literacy, art).
Faculty
Sample Courses
- EDU 210 – Psychological Perspectives on School Learning
- EDU 211 – Social & Situative Perspectives on Learning &
Cognition
- EDU 215 – Research on Achievement Motivation in Education
- EDU 241 – Digital Literacies
- EDU 292* – Informal Learning
Cognition and Interventions for Special Populations
This strand focuses on educational and social outcomes for
students with unique learning needs, including those who are
neurodiverse or who have identified disabilities.
“Neurodiversity” refers to the infinite range of differences in
human brain function and recognizes that neurological differences
like autism, attention deficit disorder and dyslexia are natural
human variations that have benefits. Students in this strand may
engage in research on a broad range of topics, including
classroom interventions, family engagement, special education
supports and systems, teaching strategies, and transition to
adulthood for neurodiverse students.
Faculty
Training Opportunities
Sample Courses
- EDU 292* – School-Based Interventions for Neurodevelopmental
Disorders
- EDU 213 – Individual Differences and Assessment in Education
- PSC 212A – Developmental Psychology: Cognitive & Perceptual
Development
- PSC 230 – Cognitive Psychology
Ph.D. students are admitted into the emphasis area and into a
faculty advisor’s research lab. Full-time students who are
willing to commit to a complete immersion in the graduate school
experience can be fully funded by a combination of research
assistantships, teaching assistantships, and fellowships.
*292 is a generic course number for newly created courses that
are in the process of being updated in the course catalog. Course
numbers may change once catalog updates are finalized.
Alumni Information
LMS graduates pursue careers in both academic and non-academic
environments. Recent graduates are currently employed as faculty
at research-intensive and teaching-focused universities and
colleges, post-doctoral researchers, academic staff, specialists,
and program evaluators for non-profits, clinicians, and
measurement scientists.
Some recent graduates
Listed alphabetically by last name
-
Colin Dixon: Director, Student Farm, UC Davis
-
Laura Greiss-Hess: Associate Professor of
Special Education, Dominican University, San Rafael, CA
-
Danielle Hagood: Assistant Professor of
Science Education, University of Copenhagen
-
Jade Lee: Classroom Technologies Lead,
Teaching & Learning, UC Berkeley
-
Nancy McIntyre: Assistant Professor of Special
Education, San Jose State University
-
Chamee Vang Moua: Project Manager, Youth in
Action for Health Advocacy, Touro University California
-
Susan Rowe: Research Scientist, HummRRO
-
Ali Sakkal: Associate Teaching Professor of
Education, Wake Forest University
-
Lisa Sullivan: Lecturer/Supervisor in Teacher
Education, UC Davis School of Education
-
Marjorie Westervelt: Assistant Dean of
Evaluation, Assessment, and Research, Baylor College of
Medicine
-
Steven Worker: 4-H Youth Advisor for Marin,
Napa, & Sonoma Counties
-
Matthew Zajic: Assistant Professor of
Intellectual Disability/Autism, Teachers College, Columbia
University
