Gifted and Talented Online

Young students require differentiated instruction to develop and reach their full potential. The Master of Science in Educational Psychology with a Concentration in Gifted and Talented Education helps prepare educators, administrators and others to identify the needs of gifted and talented students.

The "Executive Summer-to-Summer" program consists of 33 hours, all of which are available online. Courses begin in May and include rotations of consecutive 3-week, 5-week, and 8-week courses. The flexibility of this program makes it ideal for the classroom teacher. The gifted and talented certificate may be earned concurrently with the master's degree in Educational Psychology or as a certificate-only option if the candidate already has a master's degree.

This degree prepares students to sit for the Texas Examination of Educator Standards Gifted and Talented Supplemental Certificate. Graduates will also be prepared for doctoral coursework in this area, should they decide to continue their education.

Top 3 Careers

• Gifted and Talented Coordinator/Administrator
• Gifted and Talented Specialist
• K-12 Advanced Academics Teacher

How it Works

• Earn a master’s degree in as little as 15 months (33 hours) or go at a slower pace
• Offered on a rotation schedule via two 8-week terms during the fall and spring semesters and 3-week, 5-week, and 10-week terms during the summer
• 5 different start points during the year

Admission to the master's program is a two-step process. First, each applicant must apply to and meet the general admission requirements of UNT's Toulouse Graduate School. Second, applicants must apply and be admitted into the Department of Educational Psychology for the specific program.

Apply to Toulouse Graduate School

• Complete an application at applytexas.org and choose "Educational Psychology MS” when prompted to select your major. The application will request you to select the “Gifted and Talented” concentration at a later step. 
• Requirements for international applicants can be viewed at http://admissions.unt.edu/international, including information on meeting the English Language Proficiency requirement.  
• Have official transcripts from each college or university you have attended sent to the Toulouse Graduate School. Submit documents to:

University of North Texas
Toulouse Graduate School
1155 Union Circle #305459 (USPS)
1147 Union Circle, ESSC Room 354 (UPS/FedEx)
Denton, TX 76203
Email: GradAdmission@unt.edu
Phone: 940-565-2383
Fax: 940-565-2414

Apply to the Department of Educational Psychology

• Two written letters of recommendation from academic and/or professional references. These letters must be specifically written for the current application, signed by the reference, and printed on his/her official letterhead. Personal references are not accepted.  
• Professional resume that delineates previous work, educational experiences, membership and involvement in professional organizations, and scholarly activities.
• Personal statement between 1-3 pages that explicitly addresses your goals and rationale for applying to the desired concentration and degree at UNT.
• GRE scores are waived for admission purposes if you have at least a 3.25 from your undergraduate program (as calculated by UNT). If your GPA is lower than 3.25, you must submit GRE scores.
• All departmental application materials must be received within three months of the submitted online application. You can begin submitting departmental materials before receiving a decision from Toulouse Graduate School about graduate school admission. 

All departmental admission decisions are based on a holistic review of the applicant's submitted materials.  Applicants that are strong in all areas will have first priority for admission.

Send all departmental materials and application inquiries to:

Devyn Dougherty
Coordinator of Graduate Admissions
University of North Texas
Department of Educational Psychology
1155 Union Circle #311335
Denton, TX 76203-5017
Email: Devyn.Dougherty@unt.edu

Check Status Online

There are two ways to check your application status:

• To check if your transcripts have been submitted: The Toulouse Graduate School will send you an email and pin number to check online at my.unt.edu. You will need to activate your EUID with the pin number and click on Admissions Status.
• To check if your supporting documents (essay, resume, letters of recommendation) have been submitted: Email your full name and UNT Student ID to Devyn.Dougherty@unt.edu. Enter "Application Status Update" as well as your name and UNT Student ID in the email subject line.

Departmental core (6 hours)

• EPSY 5000 - Introduction to Educational Psychology
• EPSY 5050 - Foundations of Educational Research Methodology

Required concentration courses (18 hours)

• EPSY 5105 - Nature and Needs of the Gifted and Talented Student
• EPSY 5110 - Social and Emotional Components of Giftedness
• EPSY 5120 - Program Planning for the Education of Gifted and Talented Students
• EPSY 5123 - Human Development Across the Life Span
• EPSY 5130 - Methods and Curriculum for Teaching Gifted and Talented Students
• EPSY 5210 - Educational Statistics

Electives (6 hours)

Two courses selected in consultation with advisor

Capstone course (3 hours)

• EPSY 5990 - Supervised Research or Program Evaluation

Estimate tuition and fees by using the Tuition Calculators. For more information about tuition plan options, fees, and tuition, see Student Financial Services.

Financial Aid

UNT offers a variety of options to help finance your education. Visit financialaid.unt.edu to find out more about the application and award process.

UNT has been named one of America's 100 Best College Buys© for 25 consecutive years and offers the quality of a private university at an affordable cost.

Applying for financial aid

1. Apply for financial aid online at fafsa.gov. The application is required for all types of financial aid, including Pell and other federal grants, state grants and loans. The FAFSA and Renewal FAFSA are available annually.
2. You must enroll in 6 hours (over one or two online sessions) in order to be eligible for financial aid.
3. Financial aid awards will be disbursed 10 days prior to the first day of class. Awards will not disburse if you are enrolled in only 3 credit hours.
4. Contact Student Financial Aid and Scholarships at 940-565-2302 or by visiting online at financialaid.unt.edu