Doctoral Degrees

The Combined Program in Education and Psychology doctoral program is supported through a collaboration of the Marsal Family School of Education and the Department of Psychology in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. You will have the opportunity to work with faculty from both schools to research processes in development, learning, and motivation in the context of schools, families, and communities.

The Educational Studies program focuses on the improvement of K-12 education. We do this through research and scholarship on educational practice and through the preparation of knowledgeable, skillful, and thoughtful teachers and education administrators. We offer a number of PhD specializations that will allow you to pursue the specific set of knowledge and skills you need to make your unique contribution to our common goal.

The Joint Program in English and Education (JPEE) is interdisciplinary in nature, offering top-flight resources and a supportive and engaging community of scholars. You have the flexibility to craft a program centered on your individual interests, whether that’s rhetoric, composition, literacy studies, or English education.

The Higher Education Academic Affairs and Student Development Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education program focuses on the teaching and learning missions of colleges and universities, and on the communities in which these central functions occur. Graduates may consider an academic or research career, so there are opportunities to develop research skills, studying students, faculty, diversity, teaching and learning, curriculum, history, philosophy, international and comparative higher education, and institutional policy.

The Organizational Behavior and Management Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education program explores the topics of administration, governance, management, leadership, organizational strategy, planning and budgeting, and institutional research and assessment of postsecondary educational organizations. The doctoral program develops scholars and practitioners who will make significant contributions to postsecondary education institutions as administrators and leaders, members of the professoriate, training and development professionals, or expert consultants.

The Public Policy in Postsecondary Education Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education program examines the social, economic, and political factors that affect postsecondary institutions, particularly the impact of local, state, and federal policies on students, faculty, and other constituencies. The doctoral program prepares students for careers in academics or in organizations such as state or federal government agencies, professional associations, or specialized offices within colleges and universities.

Students in the Research, Evaluation, and Assessment concentration develop the conceptual and technical skills necessary to produce the highest quality research on higher and postsecondary education, including applied research related to institutional research, educational and administrative evaluation, program review, and assessment of teaching and learning.