phd in education job opportunities

8 Careers You Can Pursue with a Doctorate in Education

Industry Advice Education

By earning a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree, you’re preparing yourself for a career with lasting impact—on students, on the future of a college or university, on your community, or on the trajectory of a nonprofit trying to improve other communities locally and abroad.

You’re also positioning yourself for advancement. Professionals who earn an EdD are qualified for roles leading and operating schools at the elementary, high school, or college level. They learn to lead in a way that can be transferred to the front of a classroom or at the ground level of an organization.

An EdD signals to employers that you’re a thought leader; that you’re someone who’s demonstrated the capacity to identify a problem, examine issues from multiple perspectives, and offer relevant insights for practical solutions. With your doctorate in hand, you’re prepared to take on a leadership role across a variety of industries.

Here’s a look at the types of positions EdD graduates pursue and eight of the top careers available in the field. 

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What Type of Positions Do EdD Students Pursue?

Northeastern’s EdD students cultivate their leadership skills in the program by integrating practice and insights from experienced faculty and high-achieving peers . They come from diverse fields, including business, criminal justice, healthcare, military, human services, and the nonprofit sector. Their job titles and careers are just as diverse, with students working as policymakers, systems analysts, and administrative leaders within higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies.

Top Careers for Doctor of Education Graduates

1. college president.

Average Annual Salary: $272,203

Presidents are the top leaders of a college or university. They establish and execute on their school’s strategic vision, spearhead fundraising, attend student events, and deliver speeches to a variety of constituents, such as donors, lawmakers, government, and faculty, to raise the profile of the institution both locally and abroad. They also collaborate with senior administrators, faculty, and staff to devise new ways to support students and improve their learning environment while maintaining high academic standards. Depending on the type of public or private institution they lead, college presidents can earn impressive seven-figure salaries . 

2. Chief Learning Officer

Average Annual Salary: $152,225

In education, top executive roles include positions like “chief learning officer”—a senior-level professional who develops and drives strategies that help his or her college or university meet critical business goals. Chief learning officers (CLOs) focus on creating strategies for training, learning, and development, and typically oversee an institute’s latest technologies, such as its online learning platform.

Average Annual Salary: $148,783

A provost—or vice president, depending on the college or university—is a senior-level academic administrator who tends to be second in command after the president. Provosts work closely with deans and department heads, and help determine their institution’s academic goals and priorities, as well as how to allocate the resources necessary to support those initiatives. They often oversee daily operations and work to hire and retain a diverse faculty. 

4. School Superintendent

Average Annual Salary: $116,931

Superintendents are the top executives of a school district. They’re responsible for establishing and overseeing their district’s budget, staffing, infrastructure, and spending. Superintendents collaborate closely with a school board to develop and implement new policies and programs in line with the district’s short- and long-term goals, as well as allocate the financial and human resources necessary to achieve the district’s overarching vision.

5. Elementary, Middle, and High School Principal

Average Annual Salary: $95,310

Principals oversee the daily operations of an elementary, middle, or high school. They hire teachers and staff, manage the budget, and enforce disciplinary rules when necessary. Principals also develop and assess educational programming aimed at achieving student learning outcomes, all while striving to create and maintain a positive learning environment. More than 11,000 principal positions are expected to emerge by 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics .

A principal’s salary might differ depending on whether he or she works at an elementary, middle, or high school. The mean wages for principals at each level, according to PayScale are:

• Elementary School : $81,095
• Middle School : $87,989
• High School : $92,197

6. Academic Dean

Average Annual Salary: $90,339  

Deans work at the senior administrative level of a college or university. The role varies depending on the institution, but deans often manage faculty and staff, set academic goals, implement strategic planning, oversee their department’s budget, help fundraise, support research initiatives, and foster student development. Some departments you might find them in are:

• Admissions : Those working in admissions develop and lead recruitment initiatives for a college or university. They evaluate applications, decide the number of students who should be admitted to the school, who those students should be, and communicate with prospects and their families.
• Research : A dean of research often oversees faculty and collaborates with them to create a strategy for developing short- and long-term research initiatives. They also work to secure research funding, oversee the research budget, and establish key industry partnerships.
• Student Affairs : The student affairs office typically oversees a variety of different departments, such as residence life, athletics, student support services, and diversity and inclusion. A dean of student affairs typically establishes and evaluates nonacademic programs that foster and enrich the student experience, as well as handle disciplinary issues and communicate with students’ parents or legal guardians.
• Advancement : The advancement office—also known as “development” or “alumni relations” depending on the school—is responsible for securing funding for the college or university from potential donors, including alumni, government policymakers, corporations, and foundations. They nurture and maintain those relationships, ensuring all gifts received are being used as intended.

7. Professor

Average Annual Salary: $78,470

Postsecondary teachers, or professors, work at the college or university level, developing course curricula, instructing students in a specific area of study, and assessing their progress. When they’re not teaching, professors are often conducting research, writing scholarly papers, or attending conferences.

Professors’ salaries vary based on where they are on the tenure track and their area of expertise. The median salary for a professor based on rank, according to PayScale, is:

• Instructor : $49,510
• Lecturer: $51,101
• Assistant Professor : $67,021
• Associate Professor : $76,250
• Professor : $87,018

Salaries range further depending on the professor’s focus. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , the top 10 highest-paying subjects—and what those subjects offer in terms of average annual wage—are:

• Law : $111,140
• Engineering : $101,720
• Economics : $101,720
• Health Specialties : $97,370
• Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Science : $90,860
• Physics : $90,800
• Architecture : $86,980
• Forestry and Conservation Science : $86,900
• Agricultural Sciences : $84,640
• Business : $83,960

8. Executive Director of Education

Average Annual Salary: $73,640

Executive directors are often the senior leaders of a nonprofit organization or business. They work closely with a board of directors but are the ones who make the daily operational decisions. Executive directors hire and manage staff, handle external relations, engage volunteers, oversee the budget—including all fundraising initiatives—and develop policies, programs, and strategies that guide the organization’s mission and purpose. 

What Can You Do with a Doctorate in Education from Northeastern?

When you earn your EdD from Northeastern , you’re not only advancing your own work, you’re joining a top-tier university and pursuing a rigorous education with an entrepreneurial orientation toward making our world a better place. You’re joining a vast network of students and alumni in the EdD, which spans more than 2,000 professionals across many domains of education. You’re gaining access to engaging faculty who understand the importance of professional experiences in a growing leadership capacity, and who are prepared to offer you personal attention to support your professional development.

With your EdD, you can make a difference in the lives of children, communities, and organizations, as you transform your problem of practice into a plan for change and action.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in September of 2017. It has since been updated for accuracy and relevance. 

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The median annual salary for professional degree holders is $97,000. (BLS, 2020)

Doctor of Education

The degree that connects advanced research to real-world problem solving.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Education

Additional Information

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The Harvard Ph.D. in Education trains cutting-edge researchers who work across disciplines to generate knowledge and translate discoveries into transformative policy and practice.

Offered jointly by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Ph.D. in Education provides you with full access to the extraordinary resources of Harvard University and prepares you to assume meaningful roles as university faculty, researchers, senior-level education leaders, and policymakers.

As a Ph.D. candidate, you will collaborate with scholars across all Harvard graduate schools on original interdisciplinary research. In the process, you will help forge new fields of inquiry that will impact the way we teach and learn. The program’s required coursework will develop your knowledge of education and your expertise in a range of quantitative and qualitative methods needed to conduct high-quality research. Guided by the goal of making a transformative impact on education research, policy, and practice, you will focus on independent research in various domains, including human development, learning and teaching, policy analysis and evaluation, institutions and society, and instructional practice.   

Curriculum Information

The Ph.D. in Education requires five years of full-time study to complete. You will choose your individual coursework and design your original research in close consultation with your HGSE faculty adviser and dissertation committee. The requirements listed below include the three Ph.D. concentrations: Culture, Institutions, and Society; Education Policy and Program Evaluation; and Human Development, Learning and Teaching . 

We invite you to review an example course list, which is provided in two formats — one as the full list by course number and one by broad course category . These lists are subject to modification. 

Ph.D. Concentrations and Examples

Summary of Ph.D. Program

Doctoral Colloquia  In year one and two you are required to attend. The colloquia convenes weekly and features presentations of work-in-progress and completed work by Harvard faculty, faculty and researchers from outside Harvard, and Harvard doctoral students. Ph.D. students present once in the colloquia over the course of their career.

Research Apprenticeship The Research Apprenticeship is designed to provide ongoing training and mentoring to develop your research skills throughout the entire program.

Teaching Fellowships The Teaching Fellowship is an opportunity to enhance students' teaching skills, promote learning consolidation, and provide opportunities to collaborate with faculty on pedagogical development.

Comprehensive Exams  The Written Exam (year 2, spring) tests you on both general and concentration-specific knowledge. The Oral Exam (year 3, fall/winter) tests your command of your chosen field of study and your ability to design, develop, and implement an original research project.

Dissertation  Based on your original research, the dissertation process consists of three parts: the Dissertation Proposal, the writing, and an oral defense before the members of your dissertation committee.

Culture, Institutions, and Society (CIS) Concentration

In CIS, you will examine the broader cultural, institutional, organizational, and social contexts relevant to education across the lifespan. What is the value and purpose of education? How do cultural, institutional, and social factors shape educational processes and outcomes? How effective are social movements and community action in education reform? How do we measure stratification and institutional inequality? In CIS, your work will be informed by theories and methods from sociology, history, political science, organizational behavior and management, philosophy, and anthropology. You can examine contexts as diverse as classrooms, families, neighborhoods, schools, colleges and universities, religious institutions, nonprofits, government agencies, and more.

Education Policy and Program Evaluation (EPPE) Concentration

In EPPE, you will research the design, implementation, and evaluation of education policy affecting early childhood, K–12, and postsecondary education in the U.S. and internationally. You will evaluate and assess individual programs and policies related to critical issues like access to education, teacher effectiveness, school finance, testing and accountability systems, school choice, financial aid, college enrollment and persistence, and more. Your work will be informed by theories and methods from economics, political science, public policy, and sociology, history, philosophy, and statistics. This concentration shares some themes with CIS, but your work with EPPE will focus on public policy and large-scale reforms.

Human Development, Learning and Teaching (HDLT) Concentration

In HDLT, you will work to advance the role of scientific research in education policy, reform, and practice. New discoveries in the science of learning and development — the integration of biological, cognitive, and social processes; the relationships between technology and learning; or the factors that influence individual variations in learning — are transforming the practice of teaching and learning in both formal and informal settings. Whether studying behavioral, cognitive, or social-emotional development in children or the design of learning technologies to maximize understanding, you will gain a strong background in human development, the science of learning, and sociocultural factors that explain variation in learning and developmental pathways. Your research will be informed by theories and methods from psychology, cognitive science, sociology and linguistics, philosophy, the biological sciences and mathematics, and organizational behavior.

Program Faculty

The most remarkable thing about the Ph.D. in Education is open access to faculty from all Harvard graduate and professional schools, including the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Harvard Kennedy School, the Harvard Law School, Harvard Medical School, and the Harvard School of Public Health. Learn about the full Ph.D. Faculty.

Jarvis R. Givens

Jarvis Givens studies the history of American education, African American history, and the relationship between race and power in schools.

Paul L. Harris

Paul Harris is interested in the early development of cognition, emotion, and imagination in children.

Meira Levinson

Meira Levinson is a normative political philosopher who works at the intersection of civic education, youth empowerment, racial justice, and educational ethics. 

Luke W. Miratrix

Luke Miratrix is a statistician who explores how to best use modern statistical methods in applied social science contexts.

Eric Taylor

Eric Taylor studies the economics of education, with a particular interest in employer-employee interactions between schools and teachers — hiring and firing decisions, job design, training, and performance evaluation.

Paola Uccelli

Paola Ucelli studies socio-cultural and individual differences in the language development of multilingual and monolingual students.

View Ph.D. Faculty

Dissertations.

The following is a complete listing of successful Ph.D. in Education dissertations to-date. Dissertations from November 2014 onward are publicly available in the Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) , the online repository for Harvard scholarship.

• 2022 Graduate Dissertations (265 KB pdf)
• 2021 Graduate Dissertations (177 KB pdf)
• 2020 Graduate Dissertations (121 KB pdf)
• 2019 Graduate Dissertations (68.3 KB pdf)

Student Directory

An opt-in listing of current Ph.D. students with information about their interests, research, personal web pages, and contact information:

Doctor of Philosophy in Education Student Directory

Introduce Yourself

Tell us about yourself so that we can tailor our communication to best fit your interests and provide you with relevant information about our programs, events, and other opportunities to connect with us.

Program Highlights

Explore examples of the Doctor of Philosophy in Education experience and the impact its community is making on the field:

The Human Element of Data and AI

Gahyun Callie Sung's journey to HGSE and the LIT Lab is reflected in her research into data and using AI to improve student outcomes

Improving the Teacher Workforce

With her research work, doctoral marshal Mary Laski, Ph.D.'24, is trying to make teaching in K–12 schools more sustainable and attractive

What Careers Are Possible With a Ph.D. in Education?

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• What Jobs Do You Need an Educational Specialist Degree in Administration For?
• What Is the Role of Teachers in Education?

A Ph.D. in education will prepare you for an advanced teaching career or a career in education administration. Most people who pursue a doctorate in education have prior teaching experience and a master's degree. Brigham Young University's School of Education website states that its Ph.D. graduates find work with educational foundations, school districts, educational testing companies and curriculum development companies.

Post-Secondary Teacher

Many teachers who obtain a Ph.D. teach at the college or post-secondary level. College professors teach in public, private, community and vocational schools. Some professors advance to administrative positions, such as provost or dean. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the number of post-secondary teaching jobs is expected to grow by 17 percent between 2010 and 2020. According to the BLS, the average salary for a post-secondary teacher was $62,050 as of May 2010. The BLS cautions that many institutions are expected to hire more adjunct and part-time faculty than tenure-track professors. More growth is expected at for-profit colleges and in specialty subjects, such as engineering.

Educational Psychology

Obtaining work as a school psychologist is an option for someone with a Ph.D. in school or educational psychology. Most states also require a school psychologist to obtain a license or professional certification. School psychologists help students with emotional, mental or behavioral issues. The average annual pay for clinical, counseling and school psychologists was $66,810 as of May 2010. According to the BLS, employment for clinical, counseling and school psychologists is expected to grow 22 percent between 2010 and 2020. Due to a limited candidate pool, the outlook is expected to remain strong for doctorate-holders who seek school psychologist positions.

School Principals

Some doctorate-holders go on to obtain administrative roles in elementary, middle, or high schools. Principal, assistant principal and dean of students are positions that exist in both public and private schools. Principals and assistant principals manage a school's staff and operations. While a master's degree is usually all that's required, some of these positions go to candidates who hold a Ph.D. They may eventually advance to a superintendent role. Superintendents often hold a Ph.D. in education. The average salary for elementary, middle, and high school principals was $86,970 as of May 2010. Future growth will be strongest in the southern and western regions of the country.

Curriculum Coordinators

Besides designing and deciding the curriculum that is taught in schools, some curriculum designers may create standardized testing materials. College and graduate school entrance exams are examples. In a school system, curriculum coordinators actively work with teachers and administrators. The job of the curriculum coordinator is to determine what learning materials and lessons need improvement. According to the BLS, the average annual salary of a curriculum coordinator was $58,830 as of May 2010. Employment of curriculum coordinators is expected to grow 20 percent between 2010 and 2020. The BLS says that state and local budget restraints could impact future growth.

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Postsecondary Teachers
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Postsecondary Education Administrators - What They Do
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook Postsecondary Teachers: Job Outlook
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Instructional Coordinators
• Brigham Young University: Career Opportunities for Education PhD Graduates
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals Job Outlook
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Instructional Coordinators Job Outlook
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Psychologists Outlook
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Psychologists Pay
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Psychologists How to Become One

Helen Akers specializes in business and technology topics. She has professional experience in business-to-business sales, technical support, and management. Akers holds a Master of Business Administration with a marketing concentration from Devry University's Keller Graduate School of Management and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Antioch University Los Angeles.

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Doctoral programs.

The goal of the GSE PhD in Education is to prepare the next generation of leading education researchers. The cornerstone of the doctoral experience at the Stanford Graduate School of Education is the research apprenticeship that all students undertake, typically under the guidance of their academic advisor, but often with other Stanford faculty as well.

In this apprenticeship model, doctoral students are provided with a multi-year funding package that consists of opportunities each quarter to serve as teaching and research assistants for faculty members' courses and research projects. By this means, and in combination with the courses they take as part of their program, students are prepared over an approximately five-year period to excel as university teachers and education researchers.

The doctoral degree in Education at the GSE includes doctoral program requirements as well as a specialization, as listed below, overseen by a faculty committee from one of the GSE's three academic areas.

Doctoral programs by academic area

Curriculum studies and teacher education (cte).

• ‌ Elementary Education
• ‌ History/Social Science Education
• ‌ Learning Sciences and Technology Design
• ‌ Literacy, Language, and English Education
• ‌ Mathematics Education
• ‌ Science, Engineering and Technology Education
• ‌ Race, Inequality, and Language in Education
• ‌ Teacher Education

Developmental and Psychological Sciences (DAPS)

• ‌ Developmental and Psychological Sciences

Social Sciences, Humanities, and Interdisciplinary Policy Studies in Education (SHIPS)

• ‌ Anthropology of Education
• ‌ Economics of Education
• ‌ Education Data Science
• ‌ ‌Educational Linguistics
• ‌ Educational Policy
• ‌ Higher Education
• ‌ History of Education
• ‌ International Comparative Education
• ‌ Organizational Studies
• ‌ Philosophy of Education
• ‌ Sociology of Education

Cross-area specializations

Learning sciences and technology design (lstd).

LSTD allows doctoral students to study learning sciences and technology design within the context of their primary program of study (DAPS, CTE, or SHIPS).

Race, Inequality, and Language in Education (RILE)

RILE trains students to become national leaders in conducting research on how race, inequality, and language intersect to make both ineffective and effective educational opportunities. RILE allows students to specialize within their program of study (DAPS, CTE, or SHIPS).

Other academic opportunities

• ‌ Concentration in Education and Jewish Studies
• ‌ PhD Minor in Education
• ‌ Stanford Doctoral Training Program in Leadership for System-wide Inclusive Education (LSIE)
• ‌ Certificate Program in Partnership Research in Education
• ‌ Public Scholarship Collaborative

“I came to Stanford to work with faculty who value learning in informal settings and who are working to understand and design for it.”

Doctoral graduates were employed within four months of graduation

of those employed worked in organizations or roles related to education

For more information about GSE admissions and to see upcoming events and appointments:

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Doctorate in Learning Sciences

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About the Program

Northwestern University's Learning Sciences program was the first of its kind in the nation. The program was developed with the understanding that design, cognition and sociocultural contexts are core areas for approaching learning and teaching in formal and informal settings. The curriculum and research projects in the Learning Sciences program exemplify continued focus in these areas. 

The Learning Sciences doctoral degree program prepares graduates to advance the understanding and practice of teaching and learning. Research and course work emphasize instructional, technological, and social policy innovations and the design of effective learning and teaching environments. This program is intended for people with a wide variety of interests, including: 

• Research 
• Teaching and training 
• Software development 
• School administration 
• The study and reform of learning environments
• Attend an Information Session
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Sociocultural Contexts

Examining the social, organizational and cultural dynamics of learning and teaching situations, including classrooms, schools, school districts, museums, corporations and homes.

Constructing scientific models of the structures and processes of learning and teaching by which organized knowledge, skills and understanding are acquired.

Building environments for learning and teaching, incorporating multimedia, artificial intelligence, computer networks and innovative curriculum and classroom activity structures.

Curriculum Overview

Course work in the Learning Sciences doctoral program includes a core curriculum and electives.

View Curriculum

Our Students

Students prepare to be researchers, developers, and practitioners in schools, workplaces, and other settings.

“ The Learning Sciences program at Northwestern is one of the few programs that treat the science of learning as a field in and of itself; understanding the cognitive and sociocultural foundations of learning and designing learning environments that take advantage of these insights are the cornerstones of what it means to be at Northwestern.”

—Erica Rosenfeld Halverson  Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Wisconsin-Madison ,  Learning Sciences PhD program, class of 2005

Learning Sciences at Northwestern.

Explore the breadth of academic courses offered in the curriculum.

Contact Learning Sciences

Phone Number  847-491-4329 

Email  [email protected] 

Physical Address  Walter Annenberg Hall   2120 Campus Drive   Evanston, IL 60208

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• Ph.D. in Education

Ph.D. in Education: Transforming Education in a Diverse Society

The Ph.D. in Education is designed for students with some professional experience in teaching and learning settings as well as in research.  Our mission is to teach students to wield the tools of research to change disparities in educational experiences and student outcomes.

Our Ph.D. in Education is designed for students who want to pursue research and careers in academia, the non-profit sector, or governmental agencies with a focus on how to improve educational practices and policies to achieve social equity and progress. We look for students with both research experiences and professional experience in teaching, leadership, and learning, who want to build their capacities to undertake independent scholarly research. 

As part of the evolution of education research, the field of education will require Ph.D. graduates who are prepared to collaborate with policymakers, educators, families, and communities to transform current education practice and policy. Our Ph.D. program will provide a fresh approach to training much needed and innovative researchers. Rather than training traditional faculty members solely to generate knowledge by documenting outcomes and processes in education, human development, and well-being, we will cultivate future faculty and researchers to serve and partner with communities through their research in order to accelerate the improvement of education in regional, national, and international settings.

With a focus on equity, equality, and justice, our program is designed to support the development of interdisciplinary, rigorous researchers who can improve educational structures, practices, and policies, as well as the use of educational approaches for community well-being, particularly in low resource settings and for socially marginalized youth. The program will explicitly articulate the links between university faculty, students, families, education practitioners, community members and programs, policy-makers, and educational and community stakeholders. 

In addition to developing a solid theoretical and methodological foundation, students in the program have opportunities to deepen and extend their learning through elective coursework within EDS and cognate coursework in other UCSD departments, and through research apprenticeships with EDS faculty,   in order to deepen their knowledge of varied disciplines, theories, and epistemologies. 

Students will also have the opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary experiences by engaging in research across UC San Diego divisions, departments, and research units. Education Studies is a partner with Critical Gender Studies (CGS) allowing PhD students to apply for a   Graduate Specialization in CGS . Additionally, students interested in cognitive science development may apply to join the   Interdisciplinary PhD program in Cognitive Science   and Education Studies.

EDS Ph.D. Student Kirk Rogers, Receives Ford Fellowship

Eds ph.d. students anita caduff and rebecca levine, each received a friends of the international center fellowship, want to learn more, program features.

The program features include:

• Competitive Funding
• A commitment to promoting equity and social justice
• A focus on designing solutions for pressing problems in education
• A multi-disciplinary approach to training educational researchers, focusing on close collaboration with educators, policymakers, and the community
• On-campus, full-time course of study
• Interdisciplinary approach
• Focus on collaborative inquiry
• Intensive research internships working with well-renowned faculty
• Rigorous training in quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Training to generate and communicate research that transforms practices in local settings and makes an impact nationally and globally
• The use of technology as a tool for teaching, scholarship, and supporting change in diverse communities

Admissions Information

Our application for Fall 2025 will open on September 4, 2024.

A completed Ph.D. application will include the following components:

1) Application Form 

Fill out the application form online.

2) Statement of Purpose

Your Statement of Purpose  must  address the following:  (1) research interests, (2) relevant professional experiences, (3)  experiences with teaching and learning, (4) experience in diverse communities; (5) how your professional and research goals contribute to diversity. 

3) Recommendation Letters

Three letters of recommendation need to be submitted via the online recommendation form available within the application.  You may find it useful to consider in advance whom you will ask to serve as recommenders, so that you may contact these individuals and confirm their willingness. We suggest selecting recommenders who can comment on your ability to be successful in a rigorous Ph.D. program which focuses on transforming education in a diverse society. The letters might include a recommender’s knowledge and assessment of your academic preparation, your professional experiences in educational practice, and your research interests and experiences.

An applicant must submit a professional resume. The Ph.D. in Education is designed for students with some professional experience in teaching and learning settings as well as in research. 

5) Writing Sample

An applicant must submit a publication or a sample of academic writing.

6) Transcripts

For application review purposes (only), scan and upload copies of transcripts for all institutions attended post-high school.  In the online application, you will be prompted to upload a PDF of your scanned documents. Please upload both the front and back sides of the transcript, even if the back side is blank. Uploaded transcripts should be recent and include the following: your name, the institution name, dates of attendance, grades/marks received, credits, and grading legend.  If no transcript is available, please upload a statement explaining the circumstances.

*Do not mail hard copies until provisionally admitted.

Upon provisional admission UC San Diego:  Official transcripts from all institutions attended after high school will be required to finalize your admission and must be submitted to the Graduate Admissions office. Official records including transcripts, evaluations, mark sheets, diplomas, certificates, translations, and study abroad work must be delivered in a sealed envelope from the administering institution or service. Documents will not be accepted if opened or sealed by the student. Certified electronic transcripts sent directly to Graduate Admissions from the issuing institution care also accepted.  Electronic transcripts should be sent to  [email protected] .

Applicants with academic work in progress who expect to complete a degree program before the intended date of enrollment at UC San Diego, must provide evidence of degree conferral and a final academic transcript as soon as they are available.

By the time enrollment begins, successful applicants  must hold a bachelor's degree or the equivalent from an accredited institution in the United States or from a recognized university-level academic institution abroad. Completed coursework for both domestic and international applicants must demonstrate the equivalent of at least a B average in the United States .

7) GRE Scores

The  GRE exam  (general exam) will not be required for Applications for Fall 2023. If you do take the exam our program code is R4836. If you have already taken the test and did not have your scores sent to UC San Diego, contact ETS to have your scores sent to us electronically. The test scores are valid for 5 years.

8) Additional Educational Experiences (Required by EDS)

To be considered for admission into the Ph.D. in Education Program, please respond to a minimum of three out of the seven areas included within the application. This part of the application is not optional for EDS.

9) Application Fee 

The application fee is $120 for US citizens or permanent residents; $140 for international applicants. The non-refundable fee is payable by credit card through the online application. You may also pay by check, following the instructions in the online application. If you choose to pay by check, please note that your application will not be processed until your check has been received.

The UCSD Education Studies PhD program uses a structured holistic review process with a rubric-based evaluation. Each application is reviewed in its entirety and rated on academic preparation, potential for scholarship, and potential for contributing to equity and diversity in formal and information learning contexts. While we do not have a minimum GRE score,  we encourage students to take the test seriously, to practice and do your best. You may choose to address low scores in your statement of purpose. Successful applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or the equivalent from an accredited institution in the United States or from a recognized university-level academic institution abroad and at least a B average (3.0 GPA) or its equivalent by the time they enroll. Some exceptional applicants with lower GPAs may be recommended for admission. You may choose to address low grades in Education related courses or GPA in your statement of purpose.

* Former UC San Diego graduate students should contact Amber Rieder to complete the necessary re-admission process. 

Graduate Funding

Admitted EDS PhD students are guaranteed 5 years financial support, which includes half-time student academic employment, and full tuition & fees during the academci year.

If admitted to the program a detailed funding letter outlining the funding package will be provided.

For further questions about funding please contact the Graduate Coordinator, Amber Rieder, [email protected].

Financ ial Support FAQs

Faculty use a wide array of research methodologies and discipline-based theoretical tools for analyzing and addressing topics. Our faculty have expertise in quantitative methods and qualitative methods of research, with many using mixed methods research approaches. Faculty research projects range from large-scale, multi-site quantitative analyses to in-depth qualitative studies of schools, classrooms, and communities. Faculty also have expertise in historical research, theory development, and design-based approaches to research.

View a list of Ph.D. Faculty and Research Topic Areas

Program of Study

2024-2025 ph.d. proposed course schedule, 2023-2024 ph.d. course schedule, 2022-2023 ph.d. course schedule, 22021-2022 ph.d. course schedule, 2020-2021 ph.d. course schedule, 2019-2020 ph.d. course schedule , 2018-2019 ph.d. course schedule , degree benchmarks.

Our signature pedagogy is problem immersion -- we ask students to read research and learn theories and methodologies in the service of understanding existing real-world education situations and contexts.  During the first two years of the program, students will take required courses in foundational areas and in rigorous research methods. Students will also take  Research Apprenticeship Courses (RAC)  in which students are immersed in faculty research with faculty supporting students’ development as researchers. At the end of the first year, and with faculty guidance, students will choose their particular area of focus and select elective courses in education and in other departments accordingly. Students will continue their research immersion experiences and take courses as part of an interdisciplinary cognate strand.

Between the end of year 2 and no later than Spring quarter of year 3 students will submit their  Qualifying Exam Research Review Paper . The written Research Review is designed to assess the student's ability to work in a scholarly and professional way with substantive knowledge in their area of interest. To successfully meet the research review benchmark, a student must submit a scholarly review of research manuscript of publishable quality. The manuscript should demonstrate the student’s knowledge of theory and research in a particular topic area related to transforming education in a diverse society.

After successfully passing the Qualifying Exam, students will present their dissertation proposal between year three and four. Information on this process can begin with the  Dissertation Proposal and Committee document . During the fourth and fifth years students will work with their dissertation advisor and other faculty committee members to complete their dissertation research and writing.

Student Handbooks

• Ph.D. Cohort 8 Handbook 2023-2024
• Ph.D. Cohort 7 Handbook 2022-2023
• Ph.D. Cohort 6 Handbook 2021-2022
• Ph.D. Cohort 5 Handbook 2020-2021
• Ph.D. Cohort 4 Handbook 2019-2020
• Ph.D. Cohort 3 Handbook 2018-2019
• Ph.D. Cohort 2 Handbook 2017-2018

PhD Program Committees

PhD Program Catalog Description

EDS PhD Approach to Mentoring and Advising

Information on SPSS

EDS Instructional Assistant (IA) Handbook

Financial Support

• EDS Funding Opportunities
• UC San Diego Graduate Division
• IA Expectations for EDS PhD Students

Basic Needs Support

• Triton Food Pantry
• Financial Programs including Emergency Loans and Grants
• Basic Needs Amenities in Central Campus
• Off Campus Housing 

• Ed.D in Educational Leadership
• PhD and EdD Comparison
• PhD Students
• PhD Faculty

 Slides from our Fall P.h.D. Information Session     

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Why work for the state of california.

The State of California offers a wide variety of careers and jobs, ranging from accounting to zoology. The services our employees provide are truly essential to the people of California. In public service, you will spend every day doing work that is vital to your state and your community.

The State of California offers its employees generous benefits that include retirement and savings plans, health and dental insurance, and access to long-term disability and long-term care insurance. You will also earn vacation and sick leave, and may be able to create a flexible schedule that fits the demands of your life.

We want to help you build a career from the ground up. The state provides on-the-job training and professional development, and many positions do not require previous experience or a degree. Advancement opportunities are open to you, and you maintain your benefits if you switch jobs or state departments.

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When the PhD path leads to career struggles

A doctoral degree is a major commitment. Think carefully.

I appreciated reading Kara Miller’s The Big Idea column “PhD: Pretty heavily disappointed” (Business, May 22), about people with doctoral degrees struggling to build careers in academia. It made me think back to a conversation I had when I was about to graduate from high school.

I happened to run into a former track coach of mine, and as we were reminiscing he asked me what I planned as a major in college. “History,” I responded. He said, “Why don’t you take some computer classes also? It never hurts to be able to do something useful.”

I did not reflect on his motivation at the time, but my track coach was a young guy, and he was probably giving me advice straight from his own life, as a parent trying to raise his own young children. I did take computer classes in college and ultimately received a PhD in chemical engineering. I always remember that conversation as being a kind of turning point.

Earning a doctoral degree is a life commitment of great proportion. It can take, as Miller notes, between four and seven years. If we think of working life as roughly between the ages of 22 and 65, then a PhD requires more than 10 percent of a person’s working life. People need to think carefully about that investment.

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Two powerful arguments in favor of the path of science, technology, engineering, and math are that there tend to be more STEM jobs for PhDs, and many universities’ STEM departments are generous in covering their PhD students’ tuition and cost of studies, including a stipend toward food, rent, and other expenses.

Stuart Gallant

Not much has changed in 30 years

As I prepared to graduate in 1995 with a doctor of education degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, my mother memorably said to me, “Of my four children, you are the one with the most education and the smallest salary.” Apparently not much has changed in 30 years.

I must congratulate these students, however, on following their passion rather than following the money. I can’t help but think that their lives, though stressful, may contain greater happiness.

Peggy Clark

Lawyers & electricians & philosophers, oh my!

Kara Miller’s column on the career challenges for people with doctoral degrees generated more than 260 comments on Boston.Globe.com. The following is an edited sample of readers’ reactions:

Lots of law school grads are underemployed as well. (PL)

So true, PL. The market in Massachusetts is flooded with talented lawyers seeking work. (Roforma)

Supply and demand, the market at work. (guk)

Investing in education and research in all fields is the hallmark of a society with staying power. Disinvesting from these endeavors signals decline and decay. (Massachusetts citizen)

Electricians, plumbers, mechanics, and other skilled technical professions have no problems getting $100k jobs with great benefits. (ramsen)

Not enough turnover from tenured professors, leaving little space for new faculty. Although the tenured, well-established professors are needed, it’s the junior faculty who are hungry and with new ideas that help build new programs. The whole graduate program model is a bad model. I worked two jobs, had my tuition and some type of minimal student health insurance and could barely cover the rent with my stipend, and the second job paid for everything else. Though I was working on many faculty projects, it was the faculty who said this would be good for me. Never did they say it was also good for them. (TravelerofNJ2)

I just retired from a tenured faculty position in science. I’m in my early 70s. I have colleagues who are still doing what they do well into their 70s, a couple approaching 80. There is no active incentive from the university to move the older faculty on, to make way for a new generation. (Lola-lola)

The next step is for adjuncts to go on strike across the nation and hold colleges and universities accountable. The current system is completely absurd. (Wordsmith2358)

Universities should be required to release disclosure data about the fate of their PhD graduates. (davidman820)

I knew an attorney who managed a Cheesecake Factory. She had worked in food services through school. As an attorney, she really did not make that much money and was not doing the field of law of her choice. How many real estate closings can you do without dying of boredom? She went into management in the food industry and makes the same salary. (Antietem)

It was always a question and puzzling to me why people study philosophy. (Blazer27)

Globe Opinion

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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Human Development and Family Sciences

Kari adamsons-alumni faculty excellence award in graduate teaching.

Release type: Media Release

Date: 28 May 2024

New survey highlights benefits of getting a degree

A new survey has found Australian university graduates are securing higher salaries and full-time employment at record levels. 

The 2023 Graduate Outcomes Survey shows employment rates for university graduates in the first four to six months after graduation are at their highest level since 2016.

The new data highlights the benefits of attaining a university qualification and supports the Albanese Government’s plans to increase the number of Australians getting a tertiary qualification. 

According to the survey, the undergraduate employment rate reached 79 per cent, while the overall employment rate increased to 88.9 per cent in 2023.

Further, according to the survey data, the median salary in 2023 for:

• Undergraduates was $71,000 per year (an increase of 4.4 per cent from 2022
• Postgraduate coursework graduates was $96,600 (increase of 5.5 per cent from 2022)
• Postgraduate research graduates was $100,000 (increase of 4.2 per cent from 2022)

The survey also shows higher full-time employment rates and median salaries for First Nations and regional graduates.

First Nations graduates had a full-time employment rate of 82.8 per cent and median salary of $75,000 while undergraduates from regional universities had a full-time employment rate of 83.7 per cent and a median salary of $71,400.

The Albanese Government is also supporting Australians to get a tertiary education by making HECS-HELP fairer. 

The Government is wiping around $3 billion in student debt for 3 million Australians – easing pressure on workers, apprentices, trainees and students across the country.

The Government will cap the HELP indexation rate to be the lower of either the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Wage Price Index (WPI) with effect from 1 June 2023. 

The full results of the Graduate Outcomes Surveys can be found  Home (qilt.edu.au) .

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

“Going to university opens up opportunities and makes you money. 

“In the years ahead, more and more jobs will require a university qualification.

“More people going to TAFE or university will help give us the skills and the economic firepower we need to make Australia everything it can be in the years ahead.

“These results show the value of higher education and the benefits that come from giving more Australian’s a crack at going to uni.” 

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SSB Odisha TGT 2024: These candidates must download admit card again

Ssb odisha tgt recruitment 2024: revised admit cards can be downloaded from ssbodisha.nic.in..

State Selection Board (SSB) Odisha has informed Trained Graduate Teacher (TGT) recruitment examination candidates that due to technical issues, the paper timings of the examinations scheduled on June 7 have been mentioned incorrectly on the hall tickets or admit cards released previously. Those who downloaded the admit cards between 1 pm and 6 pm on June 1 must do it again, the board said.

Candidates who will take the examination for Trained Graduate Teachers (Arts, PCM, CBZ), Hindi Teachers, Classical teachers (Sanskrit), Urdu Teachers & PETs posts must download their revised admit cards from ssbodisha.nic.in.

There is no change in the paper timings for exams scheduled on June 7, it clarified.

“This technical issue has been corrected. Those candidates who had downloaded their Hall Tickets (Admit Cards) during that period are advised to download their Hall Tickets (Admit Cards) once again wherein the correct timing of different sittings of Examination has been reflected. It is again clarified that there is no change in the timing of the Examination already notified,” the board said.

SSB Odisha TGT Recruitment 2024: Two hall tickets were issued to some candidates; some were unable to download previously

Further, the board added that some candidates for the TGT (Arts) post from the Bhubaneswar Zone have been issued two hall tickets or admit cards with two different roll numbers. Such candidates can ignore one hall ticket and roll number and use the other one to sit for the examination.

The board also mentioned that due to technical issues, the admit cards of some candidates were not issued previously on the SSB website. The notice dated June 2 said such candidates will be able to download it after 24 hours by entering mobile number and password as displayed on the application form.

“In case of any failure to download the Hall Ticket by adopting this method, they are advised to e-mail their application form to SSB: [email protected] for necessary action at this end,” the board said.

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