Education department event to celebrate name change

LAWRENCE — The Department of Psychology & Research in Education (PRE) at the University of Kansas School of Education has officially changed its department name.  Approved by the Kansas Board of Regents on Sept. 30, 2014, the new department name is Educational Psychology (EPSY). 

Over the next few months there will be a visual transition to the new name, Educational Psychology, with the website and university policy documents making the formal transition in June/July 2015 in preparation for the 2015-2016 academic year.

Steven Lee, chair of the Department of Educational Psychology, invites colleagues, students, staff and alumni to join the department for an open house to celebrate and welcome the new department name. The event will be 3-5 p.m. Friday, May 15, in 621 Joseph R. Pearson Hall.

“We are excited to embrace this name change for our Educational Psychology formerly [Psychology & 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,” Lee said.

This new designation for KU’s Educational Psychology Department will raise its profile by acknowledging its status along with its significant role in educating future generations of counseling psychologists, school psychologists and educational researchers in the state of Kansas and across the country.

“Identifying ourselves as the Educational Psychology Department emphasizes our academic core and signals that we are working together in order to continue providing effective, high-quality programs to the people of our communities,” said Rick Ginsberg, dean of the School of Education. 

“Even though we are changing our department name, the research, professional programs, academic and licensure services, as well as long-term commitment to and support of our students and stakeholders will remain unchanged,” Lee said. 

Stakeholders and constituents will notice the new department name on all of the School’s correspondence and promotional materials beginning in June 2015.

How will the name change affect KU students, faculty & staff?

• Educational Psychology course name prefixes have change in the course catalog from PRE to EPSY beginning with the Summer 2015 semester. 
• Students graduating in the spring 2015 semester will maintain the PRE designation; however, students graduating in summer semester 2015 will show the EPSY designation on their diplomas. 
• The degree and diploma designation for new students accepted to the program in fall 2015 will be EPSY.
• In the workplace, the new department name (Educational Psychology) should be used in all instances beginning June 1.
• The departmental e-mail address is now epsy@ku.edu.
• The web domain pre.soe.ku.edu will now redirect to epsy.soe.ku.edu.

The Department of Educational Psychology is housed in the KU School of Education, a nationally ranked school serving educators to prepare them as leaders.