Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Ph.D.)
Applications received by the February 15th deadline will receive priority, although we will consider exceptional applicants until all fellowships are filled.
Filling a Niche
The doctoral program provides a strong foundation in research design, assessment, and pedagogical innovations. Students learn to evaluate and conduct research in education that will contribute to the improvement of student learning, teaching practices, and policy. The program's distinctive vision is to respond to the need for educational leaders who can provide recommendations for educational policy and innovative teaching and assessment practices.
Curriculum
Doctoral students must complete 48 credit hours of coursework during a 2-year full-time program. The program is a cohort model in which students complete a core set of courses as well as unique specialization courses during their first two years. The core curriculum includes the following courses:
- Quantitative Statistics for Educational Research
- Intermediate Quantitative Statistics in Education
- Advanced Multivariate Statistics
- Quantitative Research Methods I
- Quantitative Research Methods II
- Introduction to Qualitative Research in Education
- Assessment Methods I
- Assessment Methods II
- Program Evaluation
- Designing Learning Environments
- Synthesis and Integration
Admission
Application reviews begin on February 15th for priority review. The Ph.D. program is designed to augment an existing Master's degree or equivalent preparation.
Click here to access and submit an application. In addition, mail the following materials to Jordan Morrison, Attn: PhD Application, 3101 University Blvd., Suite 306, Dallas, TX 75205:
- Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts
- GRE* scores taken within the last 5 years (and TOEFL scores if the student's native language is not English)
- Evidence of at least three years of full-time teaching or school-related experience
- Statement of professional purpose
- Academic writing sample
- Three letters of recommendation
*To ensure that we receive your GRE scores, please use the institution code 7464 for the ACSSEHD.
Degree Requirements
Students must enroll in a minimum of 9-12 hours of coursework per semester and be in full-time residence in the Dallas area for the first two academic years of the program. In addition to coursework, students work 20 hours/week on research projects (August through May) for which they typically receive a fellowship stipend and benefits. Requirements include the following:
- 60 credit hours of coursework (48 hours of coursework with the possibility of transfering up to 12 credits)
- Qualifying exams
- Major area paper
- Conference presentation
- Manuscript submission
- Dissertation with an oral defense
Who can give me additional information?
For general information about the PhD program, contact Jordan Morrison (214-768-1715 or jordanj@smu.edu).