Admission Procedures

Admission to the Ph.D. program is a two-step process.

1) Applicants must apply to both the Graduate College and the College of Education.

2) The Ph.D. Selection Committee screens applications by using the published Ph.D. Admission Criteria, and selects those to be interviewed. All applicants, including those not selected to be interviewed, will be notified in writing on a timely basis.

Admission Criteria

Students will be admitted once each year into a cohort that begins in the fall semester. All students in a given cohort (including full-time and part-time students) will enroll together in each core course, the Directed Applied Study, and both beginning research courses. All students in a given cohort (including full-time and part-time students) who choose the same concentration will enroll together in each concentration course.

The cohort concept will not apply to elective, intermediate research, and dissertation courses. Individuals applying to this program should have current or past experience in educational roles, although this experience may encompass a broad range of settings, including schools, colleges and universities, business and industry, health and human service agencies, and community-based organizations.

The Ph.D. Faculty will consider the following factors in deciding whether to admit an applicant to the program, and strengths in one area may offset shortcomings in another:

• Evidence of a completed master's degree from an accredited university in an area related to proposed studies, with a grade point average of 3.5 or better.
• Demonstration of interest in a career as an educator and potential to contribute to the advancement of education through professional leadership, as indicated by
  • a) An essay of approximately 500 words in length describing the applicant's background and professional goals. This should include the student's rationale for pursuing a doctoral degree.
  • b) An interview with program faculty set up by invitation after the admissions deadline.
  • Three completed recommendation forms addressing the applicant's professional and academic background.
• Current Resume

* GRE scores will no longer be required beginning with applicants considered for Fall 2008 admissions.

Application Forms

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