Program Overview

Education, PhD

The PhD in Education program at the School of Education aims to develop scholars with advanced research skills for improving education practice, focusing on policy analysis and education improvement.

Overview

The program prepares candidates to meet the challenges associated with systemic education change, apply content area expertise, bridge the theory and research to evidence-based practice gap, and conduct research on complex databases linking educational practices to student outcomes.

Admission Requirements

• The next intake for admission to the PhD program will be for students who want to matriculate in the Fall 2026 semester.
• The online application will open in August 2025, with an application completion deadline of December 16, 2025.
• Applicants must hold a masters degree from an accredited college or university.
• Previous degrees must document outstanding academic achievement in an area of study closely associated with the objectives of the program.
• Applicants must submit the online admission application form, application fee, and official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.
• If the earned degree or credit is from an educational institution abroad, the candidates academic record must be evaluated by a credential evaluation agency before consideration for admission.
• Applicants are required to earn superior scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (taken within the past five years), present acceptable TOEFL or IELTS scores (if an international student), and demonstrate potential to become top scholars.
• Additionally, applicants are required to submit a curriculum vitae, a personal statement (outlining professional plans, goals, and expectations related to the PhD program), dispositions survey, and three letters of reference affirming the applicants qualifications for advanced graduate study and potential for professional development in the field.

Program Requirements

• Program requirements include earning a minimum of 72 graduate credits taken at the doctoral level at Johns Hopkins University.
• The program is tailored to the specific learning needs of each student and includes the following coursework components:
  • Required Core Courses:
    • ED.855.815: Science of Learning (3 credits)
    • ED.855.764: Schools in Society (3 credits)
    • ED.855.835: Interdisciplinary Seminar II: Socio-Cultural Perspectives (3 credits)
    • ED.855.723: Education Policy Practicum (3 credits)
  • Required Core Research Methods and Statistics Courses:
    • ED.855.725: Research Landscape (3 credits)
    • ED.883.812: Data Workflow (3 credits)
    • ED.883.601: Basic and Inferential Statistics (3 credits)
    • AS.230.604: Linear Models for the Social Sciences (4 credits)
  • Additional Research Methods Credits (6 credits)
  • Additional Electives (24 credits)
  • Dissertation Research (18 credits)
• In addition to successfully completing all the coursework requirements, candidates must also satisfy the following program benchmarks:
  • Research progress
  • Independent Research Project(s)
  • Graduate Board oral examination
  • Final dissertation exam

Dissertation

• The program is designed as an apprenticeship model leading to a traditional research dissertation.
• The expectation is that students will develop the skills and background knowledge throughout the program required to pursue a traditional research dissertation.
• Although the dissertation is not part of the formal coursework, the program is designed to put a student on track to develop an area of expertise as the foundation for an independent research project directed by the adviser.
• Students are expected to complete and defend a dissertation proposal by the end of the third year of study and use the program's final year to complete and defend the dissertation.
• The dissertation is expected to demonstrate mastery of the relevant literature and scholarship in data collection and interpretation.
• The work should be appropriate for publication in high-impact journals in the students area of expertise.

Learning Outcomes

• Graduates will be prepared to fill faculty and research scientist positions at research-intensive universities or secure positions at research institutes and centers that conduct and manage large-scale education-based evaluations.
• Upon successful program completion, graduates will:
  • Be prepared for employment in research/faculty positions at top-tier research institutions.
  • Contribute to the interdisciplinary public discourse on education improvement.
  • Engage in and promote evidence-based practices through the application of rigorous methodology.
  • Link education research to policy and practice.
  • Provide leadership in the field by developing an independent line of ethical and culturally responsive research.
  • Contribute to development of the next generation of scholars.
  • Be able to influence school policy and reform.