Program Overview

Program Overview

The PhD in Educational Policy and Leadership is a 69-credit plus dissertation program that can be completed either full or part time. Students may receive credit for courses taken as part of a related master's degree.

Program of Study

Pre-Core Requirement

• An approved statistics course
• Either Introduction to Organizational Leadership or Introduction to Social Analysis

Core Courses

• Organizational Management and Leadership in Education
• Advanced Social Analysis

Research Sequence

• Intro to Research Methods in Educational Administration
• Research Practicum in Educational Administration and Policy Studies

Concentration Courses

• Five or more classes in the primary area of interest

Support Discipline Courses

• Four or more classes in subjects such as philosophy, economics, sociology, psychology, and political science

Electives

• Seven or more courses in subjects related to the student's interests and doctoral research goals

Areas of Concentration

Educational Policy

• Obtain a working knowledge of different philosophical approaches to policy adoption and implementation
• Learn how to lead policy initiatives in government agencies, analyze policy for research and advocacy organizations, and succeed in faculty positions

Global and Comparative Educational Policy

• Dive into the global education policy-making process
• Learn how policy adoption, monitoring, and evaluation happens in international contexts
• Alumni work with foreign ministries of education, NGOs, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and UNESCO

Higher Education

• Learn how to be a strategic leader in post-secondary education organizations
• Graduates work at colleges, universities, and corporate, government, and nonprofit training departments

School Leadership

• Prepare to step into leadership positions in preschools, elementary schools, secondary schools, and university appointments in the area of school leadership
• Note: This program does not lead to NYS certification as a School Building Leader

Admissions Requirements

Deadlines

• Departmental Assistantship Consideration:
  • Fall: February 15
  • Spring: October 1
  • Summer: Not Available
• No Departmental Assistantship Consideration:
  • Fall: Rolling
  • Spring: Rolling
  • Summer: Rolling

Required Application Materials

• Transcripts from all schools attended
• Three letters of recommendation (applicants may submit up to 5 letters)
• Personal Statement of Goals
• Educational Leadership Essay
• Academic Writing Sample

Careers and Advisement

Careers and Advisement

• The Pathways Into Education (PIE) Center is the central office on campus serving undergraduate, graduate, and prospective students interested in pursuing careers in education and programs leading to teacher certification

Supplemental Degree Programs

• Graduate students can typically request a supplemental degree in one or more subordinate degrees without needing to go through the full admissions process again
• Available supplemental programs:
  • Africana Studies CGS
  • Community College Leadership CGS
  • Demography CGS
  • Educational Administration CAS
  • Educational Policy and Leadership MS
  • Higher Education MS
  • International Education Management and Leadership MA
  • International Education Management CGS
  • Teacher Leadership CGS