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School of Education

Educators are liberators because knowledge is transformative.

Education Policy and Analysis & Leadership Instructor with students

Education Policy Analysis and Leadership


Education Policy Analysis and Leadership 

Sound policies and skilled leadership are essential to producing effective and equitable solutions for all populations in educational settings. Our doctoral program in Education Policy and Leadership prepares 
you with the intellectual and methodological skills to conduct and interpret research that guides contemporary education policy systems toward solutions. We offer doctoral students an engaging course of study and meaningful collaboration with nationally recognized faculty in the conduct of high-quality research and policy analysis. Our interdisciplinary program of scholarly learning will help you to place educational policy research in the broader context of civic governance, community social services and support for healthy children and communities. As a student, you will be a member of a small cohort and gain sophisticated research skills that are in demand by K-12 school systems, colleges and universities, research think tanks, nonprofit research development and evaluation organizations, and federal and state agencies.

 

Joe Kahne and a student outside

Specialization Overview

Overview

  • Start Term: Fall only
  • Program Length: Approximately 5 years
  • Units: 60 minimum
  • Format: In-person instruction on Riverside campus
  • Schedule: Each class meets once a week 4-7pm (Monday-Thursday)
  • 94% of students receive multi-year fellowships

Steps to Degree Completion

  1. Complete coursework
  2. Written qualifying exam
  3. Oral qualifying exam/pre-proposal
  4. Proposal approved by dissertation committee
  5. Dissertation and final defense

Students admitted to the Ph.D. program are often offered a multi-year fellowship which covers tuition and health insurance and provides a stipend and/or paycheck during the academic year. It is recommended that students complete the program full time to meet the fellowship requirements working as a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Graduate Student Researcher (GSR). These duties require students to be available Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for 15-20 hours per week.

Quarterly costs may be viewed here

Faculty research areas include:

  • Civic and democratic education
  • Digital media
  • Educational equity/inequality
  • Policy analysis
  • School reform
  • Social and emotional learning and development
  • Teacher and school evaluation and improvement

A complete list of faculty research areas can be found here, and SOE’s Centers, Programs, and Labs can be found here.



Curriculum

The full-time program is offered on a quarter calendar beginning in Fall. Students typically complete two years of course work, including required methods and content courses, followed by written and oral exams, before completing their dissertation research and defending their dissertation.

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
 


Career Opportunities

Students are eligible to become:

  • Researchers in Higher Education Institutions
  • Policy Analysts
  • K-12 School Administrators

 

 

 

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