Dr. Melissa Goodnight

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Melissa Rae Goodnight is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology as well as the Department of Educational Policy, Organization, and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is a faculty affiliate at the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment (CREA). Dr. Goodnight received her PhD in education from the University of California, Los Angeles, focusing on comparative education and evaluation. She began her career in health education as a volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps in Kingston, Jamaica, and has conducted significant fieldwork in India. Her research interests include social justice theories, education for historically marginalized communities, and evaluation practices. Currently, she engages in local and national evaluation projects related to diversity and equity in higher education and K-12 schooling. Her publications address issues of equitable access and the functioning of education systems in both India and the United States, using a range of critical and transformative theoretical frameworks. She teaches qualitative inquiry, evaluation methods, and writing in social research, emphasizing the importance of fostering an inclusive learning environment for all students.

Research Interests

Experience

Assistant Professor

— Present

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • Champaign, IL

Teaching and conducting research in educational psychology and evaluation.

Courses

Qualitative Inquiry Methods Ethnographic Methods in Education Introduction to Evaluation Theory Introduction to Evaluation Methods Qualitative Writing

Requirements for University of Illinois

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:17
Reading
Required:19
Writing
Required:21
Speaking
Required:20
Total
Required:103
GRE General
Prerequisites
Mathematical background Linear Algebra Calculus
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

GRE is optional for admission to all graduate programs in Statistics. Full status admission requires higher language scores than limited status.