Doctoral Degrees

Our Doctor of Education (EdD) program in educational administration is ideal if you are a PreK–12 school leader/administrator at the building and/or district level and you are interested in either advancing your academic career or seeking stimulating professional development. Our program is designed to prepare future building and district level leaders, frequently operating at the highest levels of administration. The EdD program is different from the PhD program in that the EdD has a greater emphasis on application to identifying and addressing problems of practice as a leader/administrator.

Our Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in educational administration will prepare you with the theoretical and methodological skills for careers in university research, governmental and non-governmental policy analysis, educational and public agency leadership, and community-centered non-profit work. Our program is for researchers interested in connections between educational policy and leadership and increasing access, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts within public educational spaces. It also is for researchers who aim to find new ways to integrate theory into practice and utilize interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to make a difference on critical problems affecting society today. The PhD program is different from the EdD program in that the PhD emphasizes training in empirical research, theory development, and the generation of new knowledge and is best suited for students who aspire to academic careers as university faculty or researchers.

Our doctoral program in educational culture, policy and society is for you if you are interested in the links between educational institutions (P–16+) and broader social, cultural, political and economic forces and consequences. We examine the roles of social forces such as race, class, gender, (im)migration and economic restructuring in shaping differential trajectories and outcomes for varying learning communities. We also engage multidisciplinary perspectives in reimagining the possibilities of schooling and education to nurture more inclusive and just societies. Our program emphasizes three main areas: (1) institutions, policies and practices that facilitate or limit individuals' well-being, and social and economic equity; (2) sociological, anthropological and comparative modes of inquiry, in order to examine the interplay among policy, practice, discourse and educational reforms; and (3) cross-national comparisons of educational policies, practices and outcomes central to policymakers and school leaders around the world. Students are trained in multiple theoretical and methodological traditions to conduct critical educational research across a wide range of settings.

Our doctoral program in higher education will prepare you for a variety of professional paths, including leadership positions in college and university administration, higher education faculty and policy research. Our program focuses on issues of concern to scholars and leaders in all types of higher education institutions. Given the variety of positions that you can pursue post-graduation, your advisor will work individually with you to craft a course of study and pursue experiences that will help you meet your individual goals.