Empirical Educational Research
When it comes to education, everyone can speak from personal experience. However, what is often missing in debates about schooling and education is reliable, data-based knowledge—also known as evidence. This is precisely what empirical educational research and educational psychology are about: understanding how learning and teaching work, how our education system could be improved, and what role individual factors play in learning. In this way, educational discussions can move away from intuition and anecdotes toward empirical evidence.
The Program
The Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology offers training from the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels through to the PhD and preparation for a professorship. Students become familiar with key topics from psychology, education, and related fields, combined with the best currently available quantitative research methods. They learn to investigate practice-oriented questions by collecting data and conducting statistical analyses to obtain findings that are as reliable and meaningful as possible. These insights can then be used to improve learning processes and advance education.
Career Opportunities
Graduates are in demand wherever teaching and learning play a role — in educational administration and policy, school development, continuing education, diagnostics and support, foundations, and educational publishing. The program also provides an excellent foundation for a career in academia.
