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The Graduate School of Education and Human Development

 

Doctor of Philosophy in Education

Become an Education Change Agent

Advance your career and take steps toward truly making a difference in your field by earning a PhD in Education at the Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD) within the George Washington University. Our unique programs create opportunities for cross-disciplinary research, collaboration, and hands-on experiences—alongside leading experts—exploring solutions to a range of complex challenges facing our education system today.

Make an Impact on Society

Coursework concentrates on critical national and global problems within education and human development, including evolving technology, inequality, leadership, policy, and more. To adequately address these issues, students develop a strong foundation in education as well as theoretical and disciplinary grounding in multiple disciplines.

Access Washington, D.C.

Our unique location in the policymaking capital of the world, along with GW’s vast connections, offer unparalleled opportunities for high-level, hands-on research experience and competitive employment opportunities with prestigious organizations and diverse school systems.

Program Overview

  • Candidates apply to a cross-disciplinary research concentration, detailed below, that is focused on a related critical problem. 
  • Students engage in individual and collaborative research, using a cross-disciplinary lens, throughout the program.
  • Candidates should aspire to careers in which the production of research is paramount.

 

Choose a Concentration to Match Your Research Interests and Career Goals

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 Comparative and International Education Concentration Research education as a means of developing individuals, communities, nations, and the world, as well as the institutions that support educational improvement and the common good.
faculty member sits on desk in front of chalkboard in classroom
 Curriculum and Instruction Concentration Conducts research in the field of Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) toward academic, social, cultural, environmental, and civic advancement. 
teacher at front of the class with elementary students in desk
 Education and Inequality Concentration Study the intersection of power, race, place, and identity as key areas informing consideration of education and inequality.
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 Education Policy Concentration Develop expertise in examining and assessing education problems and their interaction with their broader social environments. 
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 Human and Organizational Learning Concentration Take a cross-disciplinary approach to the study and application of leadership, learning, culture, and change at the individual, organizational, and societal levels.
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 Human-Technology Collaboration Concentration Drawing upon faculty and experts from education, data science, engineering, psychology, business, public health, and medical informatics, this program takes an interdisciplinary approach to education and research into how the collaborations of people and machines shape the future.