phd education and social policy

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​​The education and social policy doctoral program is a collaborative initiative being offered by the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration and the College of ​Education and Human​ Development. Learn more about the program and applicati​on information .

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Connect with Pitt Education

PhD in Education Policy

Become a world-class researcher in equity-driven educational policy.

Our PhD in Education Policy provides you with a deep and nuanced understanding of the education policy process, including policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation, and the methodological approaches used to examine these processes and their effects. As a student, you will also explore how the (re)design of policies and systems create substantive improvements in learning opportunities for learners of all ages.

Through apprenticed research experiences and coursework, students will be prepared to engage in collaborative partnerships with a range of policy stakeholders including educators, leaders, policymakers, students, and communities across local, national, and international contexts

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Program Facts

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Time Commitment

5 years on average

Enrollment Term

Application Deadline

Admissions Requirements

No GRE Exam required

Program Overview

The PhD in Educational Policy is a 90-credit doctoral program. Through apprenticed research experiences, students will gain expertise in policy analysis necessary to prepare them to do independent research and pursue careers in policy research.

Flexible Curriculum

Students have the flexibility to choose courses that match their interests. Many options for customization exist within the curriculum and through the choice between electives or the completion of an optional Area of Concentration (ARCO).

Specialization Option

In place of the elective requirement, students have the option of completing an Area of Concentration (ARCO) as part of the degree. An ARCO is a University of Pittsburgh credential that provides specialization within a specific discipline of education policy. The doctoral ARCO pathway is 18 credits and does not result in any added cost, time, or credit hours.

• Comparative and International Education ARCO

See details about the ARCO courses in the curriculum section below. 

For expanded class descriptions, visit the University of Pittsburgh Graduate and Professional Studies catalog .

Minimum of 90 credits required

Education Policy Core (6 credits)

Students are required to complete both courses:

• EFOP 3010 – Educational Systems, Macro Policy, and Politics  (3 credits)
• EFOP 3011 – Education Policy: Students, Families, Educators and Policymakers (3 credits)

Research Methods (21 credits)

A total of 21 credits is required.

Students take the following three schoolwide PhD core research courses (9 credits):  

• EDUC 3100: Intro to Quant Methods: Descriptive and Inferential Statistics (3 credits)
• EDUC 3103: Quantitative Methods 2 (3 credits)
• EDUC 3104: Introduction to Qualitative Methods (3 credits)

12 additional credits should be taken, based on interests. Recommended research methods courses include but are not limited to:

• EDUC 2201 Introduction to Research Methodology
• EDUC 2205 Field Methods
• EDUC 3000 Advanced Applied Statistical Analysis
• EDUC 3106 Advanced Applied Qualitative Analysis
• EDUC 3107 Ways of Knowing
• EDUC 3418 Causal Moderation and Mediation Analysis
• EDUC 3501 Critical Policy Analysis
• EDUC 3503 Historical Research Analysis & Archival Methods
• EDUC 3505 Research-Practice Partnerships
• EDUC 3506 Mixed Methods Research
• EFOP 2018 Statistics 1: Descriptive and Inferential Statistics
• EFOP 2019 Statistics 2: Analysis of Variance
• EFOP 2030 Experimental Design
• EFOP 2353 Applied Anthropology of Education
• EFOP 2410 Applied Regression Analysis
• EFOP 3012 Qualitative Data Management Analysis and Presentation
• EFOP 3201 Introduction to Educational Evaluation
• EFOP 3208 Case Study Methods in Education
• EFOP 3408 Hierarchical Linear Modeling
• EFOP 3471 Constructing Questionnaires and Conducting Surveys
• EFOP 3472 Causal Inference in Educational Research
• TLL 2405 Introduction to Action Research Methods
• TLL 3003 Research Interviewing

Program Electives (18 credits) or Optional Area of Concentration (18 credits)

Students can either take program electives or select from an approved list of courses in the Comparative and International Education ARCO.

Program Electives (18 credits)

Social context

• EFOP 2133 Gender and Education
• EFOP 2305 Sociology of Education
• EFOP 2306 History of Education
• EFOP 2307 Politics and History of Higher Education
• EFOP 2310 Contemporary Philosophy of Education
• EFOP 2343 Education and Culture
• EFOP 2352 Anthropology of Education
• EFOP 2398 Economics of Education
• EFOP 3003 Theories of Educational Inequality
• EFOP 3310 Philosophy of Education, Equity & Justice

Education Policy 

• EDUC 3505 Research-Practice Partnerships 
• EFOP 3141 Policy Studies in Higher Education 
• EFOP 3315 Education Politics: Power & Inequality in K-12 Education Systems
• TLL 3021 Learning Sciences and Educational Change
• TLL 3008 Educational Policy
• TLL 3095 Organizational Perspectives on Education Improvement
• TLL 3540 Design of Educational Systems

Higher Education

• EFOP 2129 Social Justice in Higher Education Settings
• EFOP 3015 Ethical Issues in Higher Education
• EFOP 3131 Student, Campus, & Society
• EFOP 3141 Policy Studies in Higher Education
• EFOP 3150 Foundations for the Study of Higher Education

Special Courses

• EFOP 2096 Internship in EFOP
• EFOP 2089 Special Topics
• EFOP 3089 Special Topics
• EFOP 3098 Directed Study

Area of Concentration (ARCO) Option (18 credits)

Instead of completing program electives, students can opt to add an ARCO in Comparative and International Education Policy.

To meet the criteria for the area of concentration in Comparative & International Education, students complete at least 18 credits from the courses listed below, including 3 required credits of EFOP 3085. 

• EFOP 3085 Comp & Int’l Ed Seminar
• EFOP 2106 International & Global Education
• EFOP 2359 Gender, Education, and International Development
• EFOP 3136 Comparative Higher Education
• EFOP 3301 Social Theories & Education in Global Context
• EFOP 3343 Comparative Education

General Electives (9 credits)

All students are required to take 9 credits of general electives. Students can select from any graduate-level courses relevant to their program of study, with advisor approval.

Supporting Field (9 credits)

As an interdisciplinary program of study, PhD students in the Education Policy program are required to take 9 credits outside of the School of Education representing a coherent disciplinary or thematic focus.

We encourage students to consult with their advisors about selecting courses that best align with their goals. Courses taken at a previous institution may be transferred to meet the Supporting Field requirement, if approved by the advisor.

No modifications to this requirement are permitted, unless approved by a majority of the program faculty.

Other Required Courses (27 credits)

• EDUC 3102: First-Year Seminar (1 credit)
• EDUC 3105: First-Year Seminar (2 credits)
• EFOP 3097: Supervised Research (6 credits)
• Dissertation Credits (18 credits)

Degree Requirements

• Completion of all coursework
• Dissertation defense
• Doctoral comprehensive examination

Prerequisites

• Bachelor’s degree in any subject
• Interest in a career related to education policy and in exploring how policy can contribute to more just and equitable education systems

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Upcoming Info Sessions

General Info Session (Virtual)

April 29, 2024 | Noon-1 PM

May 13, 2024 | Noon-1 PM

June 3, 2024 | Noon-1 PM

"My classes, professors, and staff have been welcoming and engaged throughout my time in the program. It has inspired me to work for international education, social justice, and social change both in my hometown in Peru and around the world." Jennifer Ponce Cori - Pitt student

Career Pathways

Popular pathways include the following:

• Faculty position at a higher education institution
• Senior policy fellow
• Policy researcher for a government agency, non-governmental agency, or nonprofit institution

Program Faculty

Program Coordinator

Hayley R. Weddle

Eleanor Anderson

Josh Bleiberg

Michael Gunzenhauser

Sean Patrick Kelly

Maureen McClure

Maureen K. Porter

M. Najeeb Shafiq

Keith Trahan

Leigh Patel

Mariko Yoshisato Cavey

Program News

PhD Student David Smith Receives NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship

PhD Student David Smith Receives NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship - Read more

Prof. Maureen Porter Receives Outstanding International Educator Award

Prof. Maureen Porter Receives Outstanding International Educator Award - Read more

Two Faculty Members Named 2022 AERA Outstanding Reviewers

Two Faculty Members Named 2022 AERA Outstanding Reviewers - Read more

2022 Educational Leadership Series Will Explore Global Freedom Work

2022 Educational Leadership Series Will Explore Global Freedom Work - Read more

Five Questions with Alumna Yidan Wang of the World Bank Group

Five Questions with Alumna Yidan Wang of the World Bank Group - Read more

Education Policy PhD

Doctor of philosophy in education policy.

In the rapidly changing and increasingly complex world of education, a crucial need exists for better knowledge about how schools and school systems, higher education, and early childhood education can be organized and led most effectively. We need to reach deeper understandings of how policies, politics, and the law can advance the twin goals of excellence and equity, how educational institutions and systems can best acquire and use resources, how leaders can support teacher development and student achievement, and how education policymakers and leaders can make best use of information from student assessments, program evaluations, and analytical research. This knowledge should be based on thoughtful reasoning and solid evidence; it should be theoretical in scope but also have clear implications for education practice.

The campus-based Ph.D. degree in Education Policy responds to these knowledge demands by focusing on the scholarly study of education policy. This degree program provides the opportunity to develop expertise in many interconnected subject areas and preparation for careers in academic research and teaching or in applied policy development and research. Graduates of the Ph.D. program are able to build new knowledge, teach new leaders, and craft new policies.

In the Education Policy program, students will consider how laws and policies impact the reform of educational systems and how they support or impede improvements in curriculum, teaching, and student achievement. Furthermore, students will analyze the political, social, economic and legal dynamics that affect policy development and implementation.

The program may be completed in 75 credits, of which up to 30 credits may be transferred from another graduate institution. In addition to study in education policy, the program requires extensive preparation in quantitative and qualitative research methods and in one of the cognate social sciences offered by the University, for example, Political Science, Sociology, Economics, or Law. For information, please contact Gosia Kolb at  [email protected] .

Doctoral Student Profiles

Career Outcomes

Study Guides & Worksheets

Admissions Information

Displaying requirements for the Spring 2024, Summer 2024, and Fall 2024 terms.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Points/Credits: 75
• Entry Terms: Fall Only

Application Deadlines

• Spring: N/A
• Summer/Fall (Priority): December 1
• Summer/Fall (Final): December 1

Supplemental Application Requirements/Comments

• Online Degree Application , including Statement of Purpose and Resume
• Transcripts and/or Course-by-Course Evaluations for all Undergraduate/Graduate Coursework Completed
• Results from an accepted English Proficiency Exam (if applicable)
• $75 Application Fee
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation, one (1) of which should be academic
• GRE General Test
• Two (2) Academic Writing Samples

Application Guidelines and Required Documents

The faculty members of the Education Policy Program collectively make admissions decisions for our Program. We are committed to a holistic review of applicants’ materials and to creating a diverse and inclusive doctoral cohort and learning community. In the application materials, the Statement of Purpose is particularly important. We strongly recommend that applicants describe their intellectual and applied interests in education policy and why they believe our program is a good fit for them given their background, past experiences, and future plans. It is helpful to mention particular specialization areas they’re interested in and/or faculty members they would like to work with. Applicants are also encouraged to describe any personal circumstances that have impacted their prior education and their plans for the future. Doctoral study culminates in a research dissertation, and while applicants are not expected to enter our program with a fully conceived research plan, it would be helpful to know about prior research experience and current general thinking about an eventual topic area. While we ask for GRE scores, they are not the decisive factor and we do not have any particular cut-off point for admission. Regarding letters of recommendation, we ask for three letters, at least one (1) of which should be from a professor or another academic source who can speak to the applicant’s academic interests and strengths.

Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2023-2024)

Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 terms.

View Full Catalog Listing

In the rapidly changing and increasingly complex world of education, a crucial need exists for better knowledge about how policies can support early childhood education, elementary and secondary education, and higher education while advancing the goals of efficiency, excellence, and equity. The school-year Ph.D. degree in Education Policy responds to these knowledge demands by focusing on the scholarly study of education policy. This degree program provides the opportunity to develop expertise in many interconnected subject areas as preparation for careers in academic research and teaching or in applied policy development and research. 

The degree program may be completed in a minimum of 75 points, Up to 30 points of eligible coursework  may be transferred from another accredited graduate institution. In addition to study in education policy, the degree program requires extensive preparation in quantitative and qualitative research methods and in one or more of the social science disciplines, including economics, history, law, political science, and sociology. Students must complete a doctoral certification process and a research dissertation.

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Box: Box 11

Teachers College, Columbia University Zankel 212

Contact Person: Malgorzata Kolb

Phone: (212) 678-3751 Fax: (212) 678-3589

Email: kolb@tc.columbia.edu

In This Section

• Current Students
• PhD Student Life
• Degree Requirements
• What We Look For

The “discipline-plus” structure of the PhD Programs in Social Policy means you complete all the requirements of Government or Sociology departments, plus a three-semester complementary program of study and research in social policy. This allows you to develop a thorough grounding in the theory, methods, and substantive focus of your primary discipline—political science or sociology—before embarking on a sequence of courses and research in social policy in your second year.

You will be  supported throughout by faculty members across the  Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS) and Harvard Kennedy School.

Social Policy

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You will follow a discipline-plus model, where you are integrated into either the government (political science) or sociology departments.

The discipline-plus model provides you with greater exposure to a network of scholars outside your home discipline and to colleagues with applied policy interests that you might not experience in a single disciplinary department.

Students in the program have worked on an array of projects including the ways labor is divided in households; the inequality, fairness, and identity in American politics and US law; and race and social stratification.

Graduates of the program have gone on to positions as a research consultant at Vanderbilt University, deputy of education and workforce development for the Los Angeles County Supervisor, vice president of science at the Center for Policing Equity, and deputy director for the Anti-Recidivism Coalition.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the PhD Program in Social Policy and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Areas of Study

Social Policy and Government | Social Policy and Sociology

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the PhD Program in Social Policy .

Writing Sample

A writing sample is required as part of the application and should be a research paper approximately 20 pages in length. Additional requirements can be found on the Social Policy website .

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Required iBT TOEFL minimum score: 103 IELTS minimum score: 7

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Social Policy

See list of Social Policy faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Social Policy

The Ph.D. Program in Social Policy is a collaboration between the government and sociology departments in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the social policy faculty at Harvard Kennedy School leading to a Ph.D. in government and social policy or a Ph.D. in sociology and social policy. The program is designed for students whose research interests engage questions of economic inequality, neighborhoods and spatial segregation, poverty, changing family structures, race and ethnicity, immigration, educational access and quality, political inequalities and participation, and comparative and institutional studies of social policy, particularly in the US and Western Europe.

Education Policy and Analysis

Contact Information

Connect with program staff.

If you have program-specific questions, please contact Assistant Director for Education Policy and Analysis Sarah Haas .

• Connect with Admissions

If you have admissions-related questions, please email [email protected] .

Admissions Information

• Application Requirements
• Tuition and Costs
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Gain the skills to design, evaluate, and scale the effective policies and practices critical to improving outcomes for learners — at the global, national, state, and local levels.

The Education Policy and Analysis (EPA) Program will prepare you to lead and engage in education policy development, analysis, and change in organizations and settings throughout the United States and internationally. You also will learn how to scale effective education practices and how to leverage policy in order to expand their reach. The program will provide you with the theoretical frameworks and analytic methods that will enable you to design, implement, and evaluate policies at the global, national, state, institutional, program, and project levels. Our program prepares you to work in local, state, national, and international sectors, as well as research and consulting organizations, think tanks, institutions of higher education, and policy advocacy organizations. 

"Crafting and evaluating education policy remains a critical part of ensuring better outcomes for all students, and our program leads the way in cultivating the next generation of education policy professionals. From integrating research and practice to improve public policy to identifying the best method of communicating research finding to policymakers, our program will provide you with the real-world tools you need to make a difference." Carrie Conaway Faculty Co-Chair

After completing the Education Policy and Analysis Program, you will have a deeper understanding of the following competencies that explore how to:  

• Integrate values and goals - Integrate the values and goals of your organization or community throughout the policy process, with special attention to equity as a central value in education.
• Understand the issue and context  - Define the educational problem or opportunity with an understanding of the relevant historical, social, economic, and political context, including the differing interests and incentives of stakeholders.
• Evaluate evidence and tradeoffs  - Define policy options and the criteria for evaluating them. Evaluate the quality of the available evidence and use it to compare alternatives, considering fiscal, political, social, individual, and collective consequences and tradeoffs.
• Communicate and collaborate - Communicate, collaborate, advocate, and negotiate with allies, opponents, and other stakeholders. Convey evidence and reasoning clearly and appropriately for the audience.
• Engage in the policy process - Make recommendations and implement policy under conditions of uncertainty, revising decisions as new evidence and understandings come to light. Build and share new evidence on policy implementation and impact.

Curriculum Information

The EPA Program is designed to help you gain the knowledge and practice the skills essential to developing, implementing, and analyzing education policy in a wide variety of professional contexts. A minimum of 42 credits are required to graduate with an Ed.M. degree from HGSE.

The main elements of the 2024–25 academic year are: 

• This program commences with How People Learn, an immersive online course that runs June–July and requires a time commitment of 12-15 hours per week.
• You will continue Foundations with Leading Change, Evidence, and Equity and Opportunity on campus in August. 
• Your Equity and Opportunity Foundations experience culminates in an elected course, which will take place during terms when electives are available. 

To fulfill the program requirement, students must take a minimum of 12 credits specific to EPA, including the following:

• The EPA Program Core Experience (4 credits) is a 4-unit fall semester course that introduces both practical competencies and theoretical frameworks about the policymaking process. You will survey policies across the sector and advance your learning through cases, problems of practice, and current policy debates. The experience offers exposure to a variety of education levels — early childhood, K–12, higher education, and adult learners — and settings in the U.S. and around the world. Students must enroll in their first fall semester. 
• Research methods courses (4 credits), course topics may include statistics for educational research, qualitative research methods, and program evaluation. 
• Policy-related courses (4 credits), course topics may include international comparative education policy, education finance, state and federal education policy, higher education student success, and additional research methods.
• Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE), a written submission that demonstrates application of program competencies to a real-world or simulated organization or client. The PAE may be a final project developed in a course, including the courses above, or in a field experience or internship. The purpose of the PAE is to allow you to practice, demonstrate, and reflect on the five core competencies of the EPA program. 
• The remaining credits are taken via  elective coursework , which includes the opportunity to specialize in a  Concentration . 

Explore our  course catalog . Note, a ll information and courses are subject to change.

Program Faculty

Students will work closely with faculty associated with their area of study, but students can also work with and take courses with faculty throughout HGSE and Harvard. View our faculty directory for a full list of HGSE faculty.

Faculty Co-Chairs

Carrie Conaway

Carrie Conaway is an expert on strategic planning in education, data and resource use, evidence-based decision making, and connections between research and practice.

Andrew Ho is a psychometrician whose research aims to improve the design, use, and interpretation of test scores in educational policy and practice.

Peter Q. Blair

Emmerich Davies

Sarah Dryden-Peterson

Elizabeth Dawes Duraisingh

Susan Dynarski

Hadas Eidelman

Jarvis R. Givens

Thomas Kane

James S. Kim

Irene Anastasia Liefshitz

Joseph McIntyre

Luke W. Miratrix

Sebastian Munoz-Najar Galvez

Gabrielle Oliveira

Fernando Reimers

Paul Reville

Laura A. Schifter

Eric Taylor

Emiliana Vegas

Martin West

Career Pathways

The EPA Program prepares you for a variety of career pathways, including: 

• Policy analyst 
• Policy associate  
• Local, state, or federal government professional  
• Research associate or director of research  
• Senior research portfolio manager  
• Institutional research analyst  
• Data analyst  
• Program/project coordinator
• Program/project manager
• Community organizer
• Policy consultant  

Cohort & Community

As an EPA student, you will be joining a community bound by a shared passion for improving education outcomes, opportunities, and systems through policy. The EPA cohort is comprised of learners from diverse professional backgrounds and levels of experience; from P–16 educators and leaders to policymakers and business executives; from the U.S. and diverse countries abroad; and from early childhood through postsecondary and adult education. Our community engages in shared learning inside and outside the classroom, including informal policy debates with faculty during brown bag lunches, panels with senior policy analysts who share advice on career pathways, and cohort-wide opportunities to learn about and from your peers.

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 Education Policy and Analysis experience and the impact its community is making on the field:

HGSE Honors Master's Students with Intellectual Contribution Award

HGSE Students Tackle Pandemic-Related Issues in Education

Search NYU Steinhardt

Master of Arts Education and Social Policy

Application extended: still accepting applications.

Rooted in economics and sociology, this master’s teaches you how to use statistics, data sets, and research results to formulate, implement, and evaluate educational policies for grades K-12 and higher education. Gain in-demand skills and experience to craft reforms and improve the quality of education, working for educational agencies, think tanks, and nonprofit organizations.

Degree Details

Official degree title.

Master of Arts in Education and Social Policy

What You'll Learn

Research and study.

As a student in this program, you will work closely with faculty from NYU Steinhardt and NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service to learn: 

• How to use principles of economics and sociology to analyze K–12 and higher education policies
• How to conduct descriptive and inferential statistical analyses using large longitudinal education databases
• How to interpret and identify causal effects of programs and policies and apply conclusions to make policy recommendations
• An understanding of the policies already implemented as well as the need for additional policies in your chosen area of focus; you will be able to participate in quantitative studies to further evaluate existing policies and to provide evidence on the possible effects of new policies
• Principles of management, planning, and policy-making in the public and nonprofit sectors

You'll begin your studies with a course in statistics and progress through more rigorous analytical courses, including regression and econometrics. You will also complete course work in economics, policy, and sociology of education. No prior knowledge of statistics or education policy is required.

You'll have the opportunity to specialize in one of the following policy areas: higher education, race and class, international education, or K–12 education.

Your program of study will culminate with a group research project that provides you with professional-level research experience. 

Research Opportunities

Opportunities provided by the department's placement within a large research university in New York City, one of the best urban laboratories in the nation, include our Education and Social Policy Fellows program, which offers five incoming students a $5,000 stipend to participate in faculty-led research teams.

Where can you work with a master's in Education and Social Policy? 

• School systems, reform organizations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations such as New Visions for Public Schools or Teach for America
• Government education policy agencies like state or city departments of education
• Research organizations such as MDRC, Urban Institute, or Mathematica
• Advocacy or single-interest organizations such as the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, the New Teacher Project, or the Center for Education Reform

If you have any additional questions about our degree, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] .

I was looking for a program in education policy evaluation with a strong focus on data analysis. I was also interested in learning more about different education policies in the US…from both economics and sociology lenses. The Education and Social Policy program provided all of that. Sophie Nguyen '16, Research Associate at the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University

Leanna Stiefel

Professor of economics; co-director education and social policy masters program.

Joseph Cimpian

Professor of economics and education policy; co-director of the education and social policy masters program.

Meryle Weinstein

Research professor of education policy.

Dominic Brewer

Dean emeritus and professor of education, economics, and policy, affiliated faculty members.

Alejandro J. Ganimian

Assistant professor of applied psychology and economics.

Jennifer Hill

Professor of applied statistics; co-department chair; co-director of priism.

James Kemple

Senior fellow; research professor of teaching and learning.

L'Heureux Lewis-Mccoy

Associate professor of sociology of education.

Luis A. Rodriguez

Assistant professor of educational leadership and policy studies.

Liang Zhang

Professor of higher education, take the next step.

Advance your personal and professional journey – apply to join our community of students.

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Education and Social Policy - Ph.D.

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How do changes in safety net policies affect low-income families’ social and economic trajectories? How do charter schools differ in how they deliver instruction, and to what extent does this improve or detract from student learning? How well do early intervention programs support student learning in and out of school? How do neighborhood factors influence schooling, safety, well-being and employment? How does financial aid influence equity and access in higher education?

The University of Delaware’s interdisciplinary Ph.D. in education and social policy program, a collaboration between the  College of Education and Human Development  and the  Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration , prepares students to address these complex education and social policy questions. This program grounds students in an understanding of how education, social and public policy systems work . It offers a rigorous, integrative, collaborative approach to research that includes the use of sophisticated research designs and methods to understand causes, context, implementation and relationships, leverages interdisciplinary perspectives, and utilizes meaningful collaborations with stakeholders.

Doctoral students specialize in one of five interest areas, present research at conferences, collaborate with nationally recognized faculty on peer-reviewed publications, engage in the work of interdisciplinary research centers through graduate assistantships, and learn in an environment with small class sizes and supportive faculty.

Specialization Areas

• Early Childhood Policy: This area focuses on policies related to early care and education (encompassing both education and human services), such as family engagement, teacher preparation and professional development, and the quality and outcomes of early learning experiences.
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More Human, More Tech: Takeaways from Midwest Change Conference

Here are three of my key takeaways related to using technology enable greater humanity and using humanity to drive greater impact through technology.

Treat AI as a tool (not a weapon) and a colleague (not a competitor).

Technology and Digital Transformation is a “Top Change on Horizon” according to Prosci research. No surprise there. More novel was how Prosci’s Tim Creasey and several other presenters shared specific ways artificial intelligence (AI), among other technologies, is enabling change managers to work with and through people. As Creasey shared, “AI is not an oracle you ask questions to, it’s an intern you give instructions to. The better the instructions, the better the work.” And in their session, Stephanie Douglas, Ph.D. & Dr. James E. Sutton III from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University talked about how AI can enhance our understanding and application of what people think and feel. In other words, AI is a great tool for sentiment analysis – let's get data from real people and have our AI colleague help us get to the crux of what those people need and want, thereby facilitating more informed decision-making. 

Co-create deeper connection and psychological safety by aligning technology with culture.

During the closing panel, Michelle Yanahan from ChangeFit 360 spoke of the importance of psychological safety and people’s need to know, do, and feel. Most often we focus our attention, and thus our tools and technologies, on the first two (knowing and doing). Psychological safety depends on having the space to feel and having our feelings understood. As with the sentiment analysis example above, technology is among several important tools for greater understanding and informed action. Yanahan also spoke of opportunities for co-creation across change management work, understanding as well as normalizing change resistance, and enabling people not just to buy in but drive change work forward. Yanahan’s fellow panelist Cameron Cammarata from Northwestern Mutual spoke about integrating tools and systems for connecting people, making connections and processes easier and better. From knowledge management to project management and many systems in between, we know that if we can deeply understand and align our culture, our humans, and our systems, we can drive both greater performance and greater satisfaction. 

Make change easier to chew on, swallow, and digest.

Panelist Hilary Lee from Centric Consulting stoked our appetites by encouraging us to enable a change culture through small moves. Changes that are “appetizer, tapas, or nugget-sized" can help us build change into our daily work without making our colleagues feel overstuffed or like the organization’s eyes are bigger than its stomach. Taking this philosophy to the people requires thoughtful use of technology that is responsive to the places and ways people are already working. As MSLOC alum Mark Henry, from Do Even Better, shared in his presentation, “When Change Management Adapts Like the Sales Team,” we must use multiple communication modes well to reach people, just like the best salespeople do. Henry advises to “write to be one-click forwarded,” bringing together these ideas of both finding people where they are and making it easy for them to consume and share.

I appreciated hearing each of these leaders and practitioners share specific examples of bringing technology to people, and people to technology, in real and complex ways that work. In our MSLOC courses and communities, we embrace this necessary complexity and work to equip ourselves and each other to integrate these skills and practices. Today's successful change managers must be ready to serve as knowledge managers, facilitators, leadership developers, coaches, designers, learning designers, project managers, and more. Doing so requires their deep understanding of how people work and the acuity with tools that make that work possible.