Education PhD

Major: Education
Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 74.0
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 13.0101
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 25-1081

About the Program

Vision

The Ph.D. in Education is designed for those who aspire to be education researchers, university faculty, or research analysts. The program is designed so that students will have the skills, knowledge, and experience to be leaders and stewards of the field. Graduates from this program cultivate research and critical thinking abilities directed toward the creation of new knowledge, integration and original application and/or teaching of existing knowledge, and scholarly inquiry in their field of study.

Applicants to this program are expected to have a high aptitude for research and inquiry in the field of education. They will express career interest in topics in which the faculty of the school is actively inquiring and researching. The assumption is that the most effective training for the Ph.D. stems from collaborative research and inquiry into topics of mutual interest by an able student and faculty scholars and researchers. The major emphasis of the program consists of the individual students and faculty members(s) jointly researching and inquiring into an area of study to conduct scholarly research.

Mission

The emphasis of the program is philosophical underpinning and theory-driven research. In addition to studying a variety of educational topics (e.g. educational leadership and policy; STEM education; teacher education and the foundation of education), the program requires extensive preparation in quantitative and qualitative research methods. Students will be immersed in scholarly opportunities, learning to teach and conducting research with faculty while completing coursework and other program requirements. These three areas will combine to: 

  • Convey deep scholarly knowledge of education and related areas outside of education
  • Promote a broad understanding of various methods of inquiry in education and develop competency in several of those methods
  • Impart broad knowledge of theory and practice
  • Promote excellence as a researcher, instructor, or leader in the field of education

Core focus courses in PK-20+ Education focus and expand the identity of the program to include social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in educational research across the PK-20 continuum which are all signature characteristics of both the School of Education and Drexel's strategic missions.

Cohort and Delivery Format

The Ph.D. in Education program offers two formats: part-time and a full-time fellowship model. Both options are delivered on-campus and situated in the framework of collaborative, transformational learning and knowledge generation. Small seminars, independent projects, and practicum opportunities are designed for an individualized program.

Part-time Model: The program also offers a part-time, self-paid model. The Ph.D. in Education part-time program is individualized, interdisciplinary, experiential, and is designed for inspiring scholar-practitioners in education, including those in public or private schools, community colleges, government agencies, professional associations, and other education-related settings. The Ph.D. is a research-based program that equips scholar-practitioners with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in educational settings. Our mission, to prepare the educational researchers of tomorrow, is accomplished through the implementation of a rigorous doctoral program that emphasizes high quality educational research utilizing varied methodological approaches.

Fellowship Model: Students enrolled in the full-time, fully funded option participate in a 20-hour per week fellowship, and receive a generous stipend and health insurance subsidy. The fellowship model is highly competitive and small by design, admitting only 8-10 students annually. The Ph.D. in Education fellowship is a rigorous program designed to prepare students for careers as educational researchers, scholars, and educational scholar leaders. The program involves intensive coursework in education and educational research. Curriculum involves both formal coursework and professional research and development activities in the education field. Students work closely with faculty members and collaboratively engage to focus on solving significant educational problems, often receiving course credit for independent studies in problem-based research activities. For the individual student, most guidance will come from their faculty advisor and his or her committee members.

Fellowship Statement

It is the policy of the School of Education that individuals that are appointed to the Ph.D. Fellowship within the Ph.D. program must abide by the guidelines stated below.

Scope & Focus of Fellowship Ph.D. Program

The School of Education Fellowship Ph.D. program works on a mentorship model where incoming doctoral students work closely with faculty and administrative leaders on collaborative projects. The School’s new fellowship model will be replacing our previous assistantship program model. The Ph.D. Fellowship will provide tuition remission, a living stipend, and health insurance subsidies through a rotation of administration, teaching, and research experiences within the School of Education. The goal of this rotation is to scaffold the student experience to afford opportunities for a holistic understanding of various faculty and administrative responsibilities. Fellowship assignments will be made on an annual basis contingent on recommendations from faculty, Dean, and Ph.D. program director, as well as availability of appointments. All fellowship assignments will undergo a review via an annual evaluation by the immediate supervisor to be shared with the Ph.D. program director. This evaluation will be included in the student annual review to serve as both accountability and reflective metrics to further the transfer of learning from the fellowship experience. Multiple fellowship appointments might occur; however, fellowship assignments should not exceed a combined 20 hours per week. In addition to assigned fellowships, each Fellow will also have other responsibilities that include, but not limited to, attend and present at professional conferences, collaborate with faculty on publications and research projects, attend professional development opportunities, and serve as a student ambassador to help promote and recruit for the Ph.D. program.

Responsibilities & Procedures

Ph.D. Fellows are fully funded graduate students who are employed in part-time capacity with the School of Education. All duties and services of Ph.D. Fellows are to be carried out under the supervision and direction of faculty or administration. Ph.D. Fellows must be enrolled as a student as a condition of their continued employment within the School of Education. Ph.D. Fellows must remain in good academic standing. Good academic standing is defined by a GPA of at least 3.0. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for withdrawal of the appointment and termination of employment. In addition, Ph.D. Fellowships must be making satisfactory progress toward an advanced degree. While being funded, all Ph.D. Fellows are required to maintain an on-campus presence during the Fall, Winter, and Spring Term. (Note: Refer to the Graduate School Vacation Policy for more details about leave). Appointments for Ph.D. Fellows may not exceed 20 hours per week.

Duties of Ph.D. Fellowships

Ph.D. Fellowship appointments are made with the understanding that the required program duties will contribute to the student’s professional and academic training. Ph.D. Fellows shall engage in research and professional development as assistants to members of the faculty or administration of the School of Education. Ph.D. Fellowships appointment will include the following assignments:

  • Administrative Service (AS): The student will be responsible for non-instructional duties. These positions are offered either through professional offices or programs at the School of Education, departmental, and/or program level. This position is intended to foster professional development to transfer learning via administrative responsibilities that can possibly be connected to research interests of the Fellows. The aforementioned is subject to availability of appointment.
  • Teaching Assistant (TA): The student is responsible for assisting faculty members both inside and outside the classroom on projects related to the instruction of a particular course or teaching a course as the faculty of record. The latter is on a case-by-case basis, as well as subject to course availability. All TAs will have a faculty mentor to provide support and guidance throughout the term. One course will count as 10 hours of the students required 20 hour per week work requirement.
  • Research Assistant (RA): The student will work with faculty on academic and research projects. RAs assignments are often tied to grant-related funding projects and are, thus, administered independently by the funding PI. Students need to note that not all research appointments will necessarily align with their particular research, though the program will attempt to make those connections when possible. As an RA, the goal is to provide students an opportunity to transfer learning from scholarly aspects of research to tangible aspects of research. 

Dismissal and Termination of Appointment and Procedure for Grievances

Ph.D. Fellowship appointments are terminated after four years of enrollment in the graduate program; however, in the event that the Ph.D. Fellow becomes ineligible for continued appointment through unsatisfactory academic progress within the program and failure to success complete academic milestones (such pass comprehensive exam or proposal defense). In addition, appointments may also be terminated at any time for nonacademic reasons, such as for failure to perform the required duties of the position or other personnel reasons. Every effort should be made to resolve grievances informally between the Ph.D. Fellow and the employing faculty member. If resolution cannot be met a formal grievance process must be followed through with the Ph.D. program director. 

Compensation

With the assistantship, all students are expected to fulfil a 20 hours per week rotation in administration service, teaching, and research to the School of Education. The student will receive a stipend in the amount of $20,000 for nine months beginning October 1 and ending June 30. During this appointment period, the assistantship also includes tuition remission per quarter for the Fall, Winter, and Spring. In addition, all Fellows will receive health insurance subsidies. Review the attached link for more information about the health insurance program

Please note that if a student graduates prior to the end date specified, their fellowship appointment will be terminated at the end of their final quarter. In the event the student does not fulfill their professional duties to the satisfaction of the department, their assistantship can be terminated at any time.

Additional Information

For additional information, please visit the School of Education's Doctoral Degree program website.

Admission Requirements

The ideal candidate will have a research-oriented master’s degree in an area relevant to their desired specialization, a GPA of 3.25 (ideally 3.5 on a 4.0 scale). The Ph.D. in Education program uses a holistic application process and does not require the GRE as criteria for admission. 

All applicants are required to submit the following materials:

  • Graduate school application
  • Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate study
  • Resume or curriculum vitae
  • Statement of Purpose (centering on how the applicant seeks to develop research that focuses on and includes aspects of social justice and equity in education). The applicant should be sure to indicate how their interests coincide with those of particular School of Education faculty members. (Visit the School of Education website for a list of current faculty research interests.)
  • Three letters of reference from people familiar with prior academic performance Likert Scale. Applications that include recommendation letters from SoE faculty members discussing common interests and indicating their interest in working with the applicant will be given priority consideration. (Note: This letter of recommendation is in addition to the required three letters of recommendation addressing prior academic performance and future potential).
  • Program writing prompt 
    • Within the School of Education PhD program, social justice is central to our program and course structure. Can you address how social justice and diversity issues relate to your potential research focus? If you have not had direct experience in this area, please tell us about your aspirations of infusing social justice and diversity scholarship into your potential research focus.
  • Applicant Zoom interviews (After all the applicant's materials are reviewed by committee)

The School of Education admissions committee will review each application, and prior to acceptance, an interview may be required.

Early application is recommended. Please refer to the current information available from the Office of Graduate Admissions for the application deadline.

Additional Information

Information about how to apply is available on the Graduate Admissions at Drexel University website.

Degree Requirements 

Course of Study

The PhD program of study involves formal coursework and informal experiences. The total minimum credits for the PhD degree is 74.0 credits distributed among the following areas:

  • Foundation in Education Courses (15.0 credits)
  • Research Courses (26.0 credits)
  • Core Focus Courses in PK-20+ Education (15.0 credits)
  • Electives (9.0 credits)
  • Dissertation Research (9.0 credits minimum)

Research preparation is the foundation of the PhD program. Students begin research activities during the first year of the program and continue to develop their skills by conducting various research projects with School of Education faculty, presenting research findings at conferences and writing research papers, culminating with the dissertation work. Thus, the program is designed to immerse the student in educational content, inquiry, and methodology so as to ask critical questions and design procedures to conduct research.

Program Requirements

Foundation in Education Courses
EDUC 750Introduction to Doctoral Study in Education3.0
EDUC 751Educational History and Foundations3.0
EDUC 752Education, Learning, and Technology3.0
EDUC 753Educational Critical Theories and Practice3.0
EDUC 754Educational Change, Equity, and Social Action3.0
Research Courses
EDUC 804Program Evaluation in Organizations3.0
EDUC 835Quantitative Research Methods and Data Analysis4.0
EDUC 838Doctoral Qualitative Research Methods and Data Analysis4.0
EDUC 846Doctoral Advanced Qualitative Research and Data Analysis3.0
EDUC 847Doctoral Advanced Quantitative Methods: Applied Regression Analysis3.0
EDUC 850Foundations of Research in Education3.0
EDUC 851Research Designs and Methods in Education3.0
EDUC 857Advance Research in Mixed Methods and Survey Research3.0
Core Focus Courses PK-20+ Education
EDUC 848Learning & Cognition in Education3.0
EDUC 849Design, Mind, Media and Learning3.0
EDUC 858Conceptualizing PK-20+ Education3.0
EDUC 859Power and Politics in Education3.0
EDUC 860Educational Policy and Advanced Critical Theories3.0
Electives *9.0
Required Doctoral Seminar and Dissertation
EDUC 805Doctoral Seminar for Proposal Writing3.0
EDUC 998PhD Dissertation6.0
Total Credits74.0
*

Students should consult with their advisor for a complete list of available courses in the School of Education. Select any 500+ level course in the following areas: ABA, CRTV, EDAM, EDPO, EDGI, EDHE, EHRD, EDLT, MTED, SCL, EDEX, EDUC.

Sample Plan of Study

Full-time Option

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits
EDUC 7503.0EDUC 7513.0EDUC 7533.0
EDUC 8503.0EDUC 7523.0EDUC 7543.0
EDUC 8583.0EDUC 8513.0EDUC 8354.0
 9 9 10
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits
EDUC 8384.0EDUC 8463.0EDUC 8493.0
EDUC 8483.0EDUC 8473.0EDUC 8603.0
EDUC 8593.0Elective3.0Elective3.0
 10 9 9
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits
EDUC 8043.0EDUC 8053.0EDUC 9981.0
EDUC 8573.0EDUC 998*2.0 
Elective3.0  
 9 5 1
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits
EDUC 9981.0EDUC 9981.0EDUC 9981.0
 1 1 1
Total Credits 74
*

Students must successfully defend their dissertation proposal before enrolling in EDUC 998: PhD Dissertation. Full-time students who do not successfully defend their proposal by fall term of year 3 enter into EDUC I899 to allow additional time to work on their proposal. Part-time students who do not defend their dissertation proposal by fall term of year 4 will enroll in EDUC I899 to allow additional time to work on their proposal.

Part-time Option

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits
EDUC 7503.0EDUC 7513.0EDUC 7533.0
EDUC 8503.0EDUC 8513.0EDUC 8354.0
 6 6 7
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits
EDUC 8384.0EDUC 8463.0EDUC 7543.0
EDUC 8583.0EDUC 8473.0EDUC 8603.0
 7 6 6
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits
EDUC 8483.0EDUC 7523.0EDUC 8493.0
EDUC 8593.0Elective3.0Elective3.0
 6 6 6
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits
EDUC 8043.0EDUC 8053.0EDUC 9981.0
EDUC 8573.0EDUC 998*2.0Elective3.0
 6 5 4
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits
EDUC 9981.0EDUC 9981.0EDUC 9981.0
 1 1 1
Total Credits 74
*

Students must successfully defend their dissertation proposal before enrolling in EDUC 998: PhD Dissertation. Full-time students who do not successfully defend their proposal by fall term of year 3 enter into EDUC I899 to allow additional time to work on their proposal. Part-time students who do not defend their dissertation proposal by fall term of year 4 will enroll in EDUC I899 to allow additional time to work on their proposal.

Education Faculty

Jennifer Adams, EdD (Harvard University). Associate Professor. Comparative and international education; Poverty and education; Child welfare; Educational policy.
Ayana Allen, PhD (Texas A&M University ). Associate Professor. Urban education; Identity construction in school contexts; Urban school transformation.
Kristen Betts, EdD (George Washington University). Clinical Professor. Higher education administration and governance, online blended education, instructional design and educational technology, program assessment and evaluation.
Eric Brewe, PhD (Arizona State University). Associate Professor. Physics Education Research, introductory course reform, network analysis in learning, neuromechanisms of learning.
Stephanie Smith Budhai, PhD (Drexel University). Associate Clinical Professor. Teacher and higher education, culturally responsive teaching, equity and social justice, online learning, community engagement and service-learning, family involvement and partnerships, and learning technologies.
José Luis Chávez, EdD (University of Southern California). Clinical Professor. Higher education leadership and administration.
Rebecca Clothey, PhD (University of Pittsburgh) Department Head, Global Studies and Modern Languages. Professor. Comparative and international education, education of ethnic and linguistic minorities, refugees, China studies.
James Connell, PhD (Louisiana State University) Founding Clinical Core Director and Research Fellow, A.J. Drexel Autism Institute. Associate Professor. Identifying the variables that influence adult behavior change in community settings; autism intervention; widespread dissemination of evidence-based interventions in school and community settings.
Kareem Edouard, PhD (Stanford University). Assistant Professor. Educational technology; internet-based STEM learning; equity and inclusion in STEM education
Salvatore V. Falletta, EdD (North Carolina State University). Clinical Professor. Human Resource intelligence (i.e., HR research and analytics practices); HRD assessment, measurement, and evaluation models and taxonomies; organizational diagnostic models; web-based employee and organizational survey methods, and computational modeling.
Aroutis N. Foster, PhD (Michigan State University) Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies. Professor. Educational psychology and educational technology, especially the following: Motivation; Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK); Immersive Interactive Digital Environments (simulation, games, virtual realities.
Rajashi Ghosh, PhD (University of Louisville, Kentucky) Department Chair for Policy, Organization & Leadership. Associate Professor. Mentoring and leader development, workplace Incivility, workplace learning and development.
John M. Gould, PhD (University of Pittsburgh) Harrisburg EdD Educational Leadership & Change Program. Clinical Professor. Change leadership, curriculum re-design, the impact of technology on learning.
Dominic F. Gullo, PhD (Indiana University). Professor. Studying the relative and long-range effects of early schooling experiences in prekindergarten and kindergarten on children's achievement and social adaptation to school routine.
H. Bernard Hall, PhD (Temple University). Assistant Professor. Hip-hop Pedagogy, English Education, Urban Teacher Education.
Paul Harrington, PhD (University of Massachusetts, Boston) Director, Center for Labor Markets and Policy. Professor. Teen and young adult job access; economic outlook, college labor market; workforce development, planning, and development; vocational rehabilitation and job market transition.
Michael J. Haslip, PhD (Old Dominion University). Assistant Professor. Early childhood education, social and emotional learning, child guidance strategies, effects of public pre-school attendance.
Deanna Hill, JD, PhD (University of Pittsburgh). Associate Clinical Professor. Higher education, international education, education law, education policy
Erin Horvat, PhD (University of California, Los Angeles) Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs. Professor. Urban education, access and equity, high school dropout, parent involvement/family involvement, community engagement in research.
Jennifer Katz-Buonincontro, PhD (University of Oregon) Associate Dean of Research. Associate Professor. Educational administration, leadership development, survey & instrument design.
Larry Keiser, PhD (Drexel University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Education and corporate/business leaders’ creativity and entrepreneurial mindsets; creative school/work environments; neuroscience of creativity; everyday creativity for teachers and educators.
Kristy Kelly, PhD (University of Wisconsin, Madison). Associate Clinical Professor. Sociology of gender and development; anthropology of policy; comparative and international education; qualitative research methods; Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
Cameron Kiosoglous, PhD (Virginia Tech University) Program Director. Assistant Clinical Professor. Coached on the USRowing National Team staff since 2002, including the 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games; coaching development; measuring coaching quality; self-insight and reflective practices; coaching leadership; conference presenter; published author.
Valerie Klein, PhD (Amherst College). Associate Clinical Professor. Mathematics learning and teaching; teacher's use of formative assessment in mathematics; creating opportunities for rich problem solving in the classroom; examining teachers growth and change; qualitative research methods.
Peggy Kong, PhD (Harvard University). Associate Clinical Professor. Comparative and international education, equity in education, family and community, Chinese education and society, sociology of education
Michael G. Kozak, Ed.D. (Rowan University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Leadership, STEAM, online and blended learning environments, systems thinking, experiential learning, K-12 education, and facilitating change
Amanda Lannie, PhD (Syracuse University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Applied behavior analysis and special education; School-based consultation; system-wide interventions as a mechanism for delivery supports to all students; Designing effective and efficient interventions for students with emotional/behavioral disorders.
Vera Lee, EdD (University of Pennsylvania) Department Chair for Teaching, Learning & Curriculum. Associate Clinical Professor. Practitioner Research in online courses to explore inservice/preservice teachers’ emerging understandings about issues of diversity; the development of information/digital literacies of urban youth; English language learners.
Bruce Levine, JD (New York University). Associate Clinical Professor. Educational policy, school law, public-private partnerships, intersection of business and education.
Kristine Lewis-Grant, PhD (Temple University). Clinical Professor. Experiences of students of African descent at predominantly white colleges and universities, college access and college student development, youth civic engagement in urban school reform, qualitative research and evaluation.
William Lynch, PhD (University of Maryland). Professor. Curriculum and educational leadership, educational technology, distance learning policy development, higher and adult education.
Constance Lyttle, PhD, JD (University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University). Clinical Professor. Legal rights of gifted and talented children and children with disabilities; inclusive education of exceptional children; special education mediation; special education IEP/IFSP facilitation; resolution session facilitation
Joy Phillips, PhD (The University of Texas at Austin). Associate Clinical Professor. Visionary leadership in theory and practice, school reform as innovative problem-setting, thinking qualitatively about school reform. thinking about school reform by drawing, Educational Leadership Program Assessment.
Kathleen Provinzano, PhD (Marywood University). Assistant Professor. Educational administration.
Harriette Rasmussen, EdD (Fielding Graduate University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Educational leadership and change.
Lori Severino, EdD (Neumann University). Assistant Professor. Special education, differentiated instruction, reading, Wilson language, multi-sensory instruction, reading comprehension, assessment, adolescent literacy.
Jason Silverman, PhD (Vanderbilt University). Professor. Teaching and learning of advanced mathematical ideas (algebra and calculus); improving teachers' ability to orchestrate and sustain inquiry-based and discussion-based instruction; technology in mathematics education.
Janet Sloand, EdD (Duquesne University) Department Chair for Teaching, Learning & Curriculum. Associate Clinical Professor. Special Education Leadership, Trauma-informed care, Parent engagement in special education service delivery.
Toni A. Sondergeld, PhD (University of Toledo). Associate Professor. Cognitive and affective assessment development; program/grant evaluation; high stakes testing measurement; STEM education; urban education
Bridget Sweeney Blakely, PhD (Temple University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Consultation; Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS); Response to Intervention (Rtl); Systems-level change; performance feedback
Mary Jean Tecce DeCarlo, EdD (University of Pennsylvania). Associate Clinical Professor. Early literacy development, learning differences, knowledge construction, urban education.
Sarah P. Ulrich, EdD (Saint Joseph’s University) Associate Dean of Teacher Education and Undergraduate Affairs. Clinical Professor. Cross-cultural, language and academic development, school reform, teacher preparation, teacher retention, teacher residencies in urban contexts.
Sheila Vaidya, PhD (Temple University). Professor. Educational psychology, school psychology, research design.
Christina Vorndran, PhD (Louisiana State University) Program Director, Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education. Clinical Professor. Designing effective and efficient community-based interventions, Severe behavior disorders, Functional behavior assessment
Christopher G. Wright, PhD (Tufts University). Assistant Professor. Engineering and science education, Urban education, elementary teacher education.

Emeritus Faculty

Mary Jo Grdina, PhD (Case Western Reserve University). Clinical Professor. Undergraduate studies, science education, curriculum design.
Joyce Pittman, PhD (Iowa State University of Science and Technology). Clinical Professor. Curriculum and instruction K-16; teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL); instructional design business education and administration; industrial and career technology; oral and written communication; research methodology; instructional and assistive technology assessment; online learning pedagogy
Fredricka K. Reisman, PhD (Syracuse University) School of Education, Founder, Drexel School of Education. Professor Emerita. Director, Freddie Reisman Center for Translational Research in Creativity and Motivation, Creator and Former Director-Creativity and Innovation Programs, Co-Director- Drexel/Torrance Center for Creativity and Innovation, Drexel University Named Recognition- Freddie Reisman Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activity Awards
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