Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 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.
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. |
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Curriculum and Instruction Concentration | Conducts research in the field of Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) toward academic, social, cultural, environmental, and civic advancement. |
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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. |
Why GSEHD at GW?
Our Location is Your Advantage
Our unique location in Washington, D.C., 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, think tanks, federal agencies, and diverse school systems.
Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives
How do we educate people to interact with intelligent technologies? How can modern societies combat inequality and enhance opportunity for disadvantaged populations? To investigate critical national/global questions in the field, teams of students and faculty use—and contribute to—knowledge and methods from psychology, sociology, engineering, and economics, in addition to education.
Principles of Research + Hands-On Experience
Gain a deeper understanding of the responsible conduct of research with human subjects, research ethics, and how to consider the social impact of the work. You’ll bring your experience in education to the design, development, data collection, and analyses in a research project. Engage with peers from multiple concentrations within our inclusive cross-disciplinary team, as well as within more focused research projects.
You May Be Eligible
Learn more about benefits that may apply to you, depending on the program you choose >
No Application Fees
GRE is Not Required
Scholarships Available
Society’s big problems don’t have tidy boundaries. Our approach prepares students to look for solutions through the lens of multiple academic disciplines, to build bridges that reinforce and connect established pillars of knowledge.
DR. COLIN GREEN
Associate Professor, Curriculum and Pedagogy
