Doctoral Degree Programs
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Join a world-class community of scholars and education leaders exploring new frontiers in learning and teaching.
Doctoral study at Harvard means full immersion in one of the world's most dynamic and influential intellectual communities. At the Harvard Graduate School of Education, two distinct doctoral programs leverage the extraordinary interdisciplinary strengths of the entire University. The Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) prepares experienced educators for system-level leadership roles in school districts, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and beyond; and the Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Ph.D.) empowers cutting-edge interdisciplinary research informed by the cognitive sciences, economics, medicine, the humanities, and more.
Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.)
The Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D) is a three-year, practice-based program designed to produce system-level leaders in American pre-K-12 education. The Ed.L.D. curriculum mines the vast intellectual and professional resources of HGSE, the Harvard Business School , and the Harvard Kennedy School , and includes a 10-month residency in the third year.
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Ph.D.)
The Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Ph.D.) , offered jointly with the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences , provides unrestricted access to faculty and resources at all Harvard graduate and professional schools. This five-year Ph.D. is ideal for conducting groundbreaking interdisciplinary research that directly informs and impacts education practice and policy.
Education Leadership
The Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) prepares experienced educators to become the transformational preK–12 leaders that the country needs — passionate about educational quality and equity, well versed in learning and development, and knowledgeable about public policy and organizational management, so they can translate visionary ideas into real-world success. Graduates of the three-year, multidisciplinary Ed.L.D. — taught by faculty from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Harvard Business School, and the Harvard Kennedy School — are uniquely prepared for system-level leadership positions in schools, nonprofits, mission-driven for-profits, and state and federal departments of education.
Explore Programs
Educational leadership and policy studies - doctorate (phd).
DEGREE OVERVIEW
The Ph.D. in educational leadership challenges the conventional wisdom that K-12 and postsecondary education are different worlds by bringing together scholars and students from all levels of education to work and study together with the goal of addressing systemic barriers that prevent so many individuals from achieving their fullest potential.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
- Students receive a broad foundation in K-16 leadership and policy.
- Candidates are part of a cohort throughout their required coursework, leading to the dissertation.
- Because most of the students in the program work full-time, they are required to take only six graduate credit hours per semester.
- Required courses are offered Monday and Thursday evenings.
- There are 10 required core courses offered in five consecutive semesters (Including the first summer).
- Students also take six elective courses prior to beginning their dissertation.
- Most students complete the program in four to five years.
- The B.A - Ph.D track provides a way for master’s students to start doctoral studies earlier.
- Admissions requirements
- Degree curriculum
- Degree information in the University Catalog
- Program accreditation
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
The program is designed for candidates seeking careers in institutional assessment, policy analysis, K-12 leadership, higher education administration, student affairs, or the professoriate.
WHY CHOOSE US?
- Only program in the area with a K-16 focus
- Strong cohort support
- Students assigned supervising professor upon admission
- Students assigned a peer mentor upon admission
GET STARTED
Take the next step toward investing in yourself by learning more about our Educational Leadership and Policy Studies - DOCTORATE (PHD) program.
Apply Today
If you're ready, so are we. The next step is to apply. Applying for admission is easy, and we're here to work with you every step of the way.
PROGRAM CONTACT
Name: Dr. Leaf Zhang
Phone: 817-272-2956
Email: [email protected]
Learn more about this program on the Department or College website.
Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
College of Education
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UNIVERSITY CATALOG
Check out the University Catalog for more information.
If you wish to apply follow this link.
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Doctorate in Educational Leadership
Program Code: PH6272
A key element and uniqueness of the Educational Leadership (EDLE) study at Ohio University is its explicit focus on context (e.g., rural, urban, teacher-leaders, organizational leadership). The program has a rich history of developing specializations and programs related to educational leadership in different contexts. For example, EDAL has offered separate rural-focused and urban-focused doctoral programs and has been involved with delivering cohort programs for rural principal preparation, superintendent preparation, teacher leadership, and most recently, organizational leadership. Further, they offer both master's and doctoral programs in traditional (non-cohort) delivery models that can be adapted to meet students' individual needs.
Students are organized into cohorts that work together from the beginning to the end of the coursework portion of the program. The coursework follows a prescribed sequence, which enables the students to complete the coursework in twenty-four months and become eligible for comprehensive examinations. Once an individual passes the comprehensive exam, he or she works intensively with a committee of faculty to develop a dissertation proposal and, then, conduct a dissertation study. Cohort members meet periodically in seminars to discuss and critique their ongoing dissertation work. Students who are highly focused can complete the entire program - including the dissertation - within four to five years.
Program Features
- An emphasis on new and innovative approaches to engaging educational issues
- Strong theoretical grounding with practical applications
- Focus on specific contexts (i.e., organizational leadership, school community, and comparative international programs).
- Cultivation of a small cohort, in which the students address their coursework together; though rolling admissions do exist.
- Weekend format at the Athens Campus for working professionals.
- Comparative and International Education Leadership Specialization option covers the analysis of education's role in the processes of economic growth, political development, and social change.
Program of Study
For a complete list of courses in this program, please visit the Graduate Catalog .
Admissions Requirements
- Master’s GPA of 3.4.
- Three Letters of recommendation from former professors or professional references.
- GRE verbal/qualitative composite of 300 (Optional, not required).
- For international applicants, who are non-native speakers of English, a TOEFL score of 550 is expected.
- An autobiography focused on the professional career and objectives of the applicant. The autobiography should be double-spaced and approximately four pages in length.
- A curriculum vitae or a resume which is at least two pages, but does not exceed four.
- Graduate College, Grosvenor Hall 102, 1 Ohio University Drive, Athens, OH 45701
For more information, contact:
Mike Hess Program Coordinator Patton Hall 302P 740.593.3368
Education Leadership PhD
Ph.d. in education leadership.
The Ph.D. program in Education Leadership (Ph.D., EdL) provides a research-intensive doctoral program that supports the development of professors and researchers in PK-12 education leadership roles. Building upon Teachers College’s long-standing devotion to social justice, pioneering research, and cultivation of collaboration, students in the program will study, and research at the nexus of equity and social justice focused on school leadership and administration, adult development, data science, and organizational management and leadership. The coursework throughout the program accomplishes this by providing an innovative and unique core course of study that focuses on the current issues, theories, research, and methods in K-12 education leadership research and practice, which culminates in student independent research projects through their dissertation, advised by faculty.
The Ph.D. in Education Leadership is a 75-credit program housed in the Department of Organization & Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University .
Program Mission
The program's mission is to support the development of professors and researchers of education leadership who will be prepared to grow aspiring and practicing school leaders and advance scholarship in the field. More specifically, the Education Leadership Ph.D. program:
- Sits at the nexus of national and global research, theory, and real-world practice.
- Equips students with the necessary skills to investigate and respond in socially just and equitable ways to critical issues in education leadership from multiple and diverse perspectives.
- Focuses on building bridges between research and practice by employing qualitative, quantitative, and data science approaches.
- Supports and stretches aspiring scholars to redefine notions of education leadership, education leadership development, and education leadership research to care for future education.
- Provides a supportive mentoring environment to develop critical thinkers, thought leaders, systematic and skilled researchers, and innovative scholars.
Faculty Recommendation on the Statement of Purpose
Applicants are encouraged in their statement of purpose to please speak to specific projects that they've undertaken in education leadership that address the intersection of the central domains in the EdL PhD program. Additionally, we ask that applicants in their statement of purpose also work to articulate the core question(s) that are driving them to commit to the PhD in Education Leadership. These should be addressed through a focus on the intersection of three or more of the domains of 1) school and district leadership and administration, 2) equity and social justice, 3) adult development, and 4) data science, as applied to K-12 Education Leadership research, theory, and practice.
Admission Information
Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.
Doctor of Philosophy
- Points/Credits: 75
- Entry Terms: Fall (Odd Year Only)
- Enrollment Formats: Full-Time Campus-Based
Application Deadlines
Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines , such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.
Application Requirements
For admission-related inquiries, please contact [email protected] .
Additional Information
- Program accepts applications for odd year cycles only.
Degree Requirements
Please contact the program for more information on course requirements.
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Program Director : Brian K. Perkins, Ed.D.
Teachers College, Columbia University 525 W 120th Street Room 303 Zankel
Senior Program Manager: Alis Zakarian, Ed. D.
Phone: (212) 678-3984 Fax: (212) 678-4162
Email: az2022@tc.columbia.edu