The UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies and the UCLA Department of Psychology received a $4-million grant last week to fund an interdisciplinary graduate education program.
The program provides funds for potential doctoral students who come from a variety of undergraduate fields and want to apply their skills to education studies.
“The program combines education, statistics, psychology, math and social sciences,” said Michael Seltzer, a UCLA education professor.
“We’ve got one thing we’re looking for, and that’s students who have some background in math or statistics and who have this interest in applying their skills to education skills and problems,” he added.
The Institute of Education Sciences ““ a division of the Department of Education ““ awarded the graduate schools the grant, Seltzer said.
Potential UCLA students can apply for the grant until Dec. 1 for admission to UCLA for graduate school in fall 2009, according to a university statement.
“So for example there might be a student finishing their B.S. in engineering or getting a degree in applied math or they might be finishing a degree in (chemistry),” Seltzer said.
“But they’re thinking they’d like to be able to apply some of these quantitative skills to study policy issues in education or studies improving how we teach mathematics, reading things of that sort.”
He said the program benefits students who want to assist a researcher who may have no funding to support a doctoral student.
The student could volunteer a few hours of their time every week to support the issue being researched if they are given this funding, he said.
UCLA professors like Seltzer and Noreen Webb, a professor of education, worked together to get the program off the ground, said Shaena Engle, a UCLA spokeswoman.
Education Professor Jose Felipe Martinez, and psychology professors Steve Reise and Peter Bentler are also among the new program’s faculty, Seltzer said.
“Many will be involved in the program for sure,” he said. “There’s a group of core faculty who were particularly instrumental in pulling the grant proposal together.”
Those accepted to the program ““ students with undergraduate or master’s degrees in education, psychology, mathematics, statistics, sciences, social sciences or humanities ““ receive a $30,000 stipend, according to the statement.
Seltzer said the students can potentially receive the stipend for four or five years, and it will cover tuition, fees, health insurance, research expenses and travel.
“The support from the U.S. Department of Education reflects the growing visibility and reputation of our faculty and programs,” said Webb in a statement.
Webb, who is a program leader, said it supports practical research experience with real world education issues, according to the statement.
The program offers a great opportunity for UCLA and for its students, Engle said.