Ph.D. in Education - Applied Developmental Science

Program Details

• Prerequisites and Admission Requirements

  The GRE is not required for applicants applying to begin in 2021.  Due to test center closures related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic applicants may apply without submitting GRE scores.

  • CONTACTING FACULTY:  Identification of a core faculty member with interests similar to yours is strongly recommended. It is highly encouraged that you find and read articles describing recent research conducted by one or more faculty members and directly contact them to discuss your research interests.  Please contact faculty via email to set up a time to talk either over the phone or in person.
     
  • APPLICATION FORMS: Application for admission is made to the Admissions Office of the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia. Application forms and other information may be obtained from the School of Education and Human Development Admissions and the University of Virginia prospective student information. (Alumni of our Summer Undergraduate Research Program receive a fee waiver when applying to the School of Education and Human Development graduate programs; please contact us for details.)
     
  • REQUIRED MATERIALS include the online application (which includes the statement of professional goals), unofficial test scores (taken within the past 5 years), unofficial transcripts, and two recommendations. Please also submit a resume and writing sample.  When submitting a statement of professional goals, identify your specific interests in applied developmental science, your rationale for applying to this program, your long term goals, and the faculty under whom you wish to train. Official test scores and transcripts are required after acceptance of admission.
     
  • ADMISSIONS DECISIONS:
    • A committee of faculty in EP-ADS, comprising core and associated faculty, makes decisions regarding admission. Preference is given to individuals whose application materials show potential for outstanding performance in a rigorous and interdisciplinary doctoral training program and who are likely to make significant contributions to the study of applied developmental science.
    • A master’s degree is not a prerequisite for admission.
    • The faculty is especially interested in considering applications from persons of traditionally underrepresented groups in higher education.   
    • We receive many qualified applicants for our doctoral program every year, yet we are only able to admit a few students. Please include a statement in your letter of application if you would like to be considered for our master’s program in the event that you are not admitted to the doctoral program. Then, we will forward your application to the master's program admissions committee with no additional application fee and notify you if you are accepted.
    • More information is available from the School of Education and Human Development Admissions and in the Prospective Graduate Students Gateway.

  Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all required materials are submitted by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be read and may be cancelled if left incomplete. Materials should be tracked using the checklist in the application.

• Application Due Date

  December 1st

  Application decisions will be released by February 15th.

  Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all required materials are submitted by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be read and may be cancelled if left incomplete. Materials should be tracked using the checklist in the application.

• Degree Requirements

  The Educational Psychology and Applied Developmental Science (formerly Risk and Prevention in Education Sciences) Doctoral Program is designed to require approximately four years of full-time on-Grounds research-intensive training.  The typical program of study involves the following:

  • INTERDISCIPLINARY CORE REQUIREMENTS - A set of courses common to all EP-ADS students, with limited choice and substitution. Includes courses in community psychology, developmental psychology, and other areas such as family processes and education policy.
  • COURSEWORK IN A SUBSTANTIVE AREA (e.g., social development, language and literacy, health, teacher education) for an 15-hour specialization, including up to 9 credits outside of education in disciplines such as economics, health sciences, psychology, or sociology.
  • A set of rigorous METHODS COURSES (including at least 5 courses in statistics, as well as several courses in research design and grant writing).
  • An ongoing, personalized, intensive RESEARCH APPRENTICESHIP during each semester.
  • TEACHING EXPERIENCE at the undergraduate or graduate level.
  • PRACTITIONER-PARTNERSHIP EXPERIENCE involving 8-14 weeks of collaborative work with nearby school districts, policy-making agencies or other organizations to experience a different perspective on applied developmental science.
  • Completion of a COMPREHENSIVE EXAM and DISSERTATION REQUIREMENTS.  (See sample comprehensive exam questions.)

  Please see the EP-ADS Guidelines for Prospective and Current Students for details. 

  In May, each student will meet with her/his primary advisor and other faculty.  See the Guidelines above and this link to Annual Review Meetings

• Funding Opportunities

  The program faculty aims to provide financial support to all of its trainees so that they may focus their attention fully on their training experiences. Although the faculty cannot guarantee financial support, we work closely with students to identify means for funding that match their interests and goals.  All applicants are automatically considered for funding. The minimum funding package includes (a) a minimum of $18,000 for 9 months in a combination of wages and stipends, (b) tuition and all mandatory fees, and (c) funds to cover student health insurance costs. Typically, doctoral students are paid for work related to the content of their doctoral program during the summer, which adds to their total wages. Possible sources include:

  1. Research Assistantships

  Applicants are automatically considered for research assistantships funded through faculty grants or the EDLF Department.  A typical package through the School of Education and Human Development provides tuition, health insurance, and biweekly compensation in return for 20 hours of weekly work.

  2. IES-funded VEST Fellowships

  The School of Education and Human Development has been awarded a number of training grants from the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences to fund the Virginia Education Science Training (VEST) program to train future leaders in education research. A limited number of fellowships are available each year and application is very competitive.  All applicants to the EP-ADS PhD program are automatically considered for VEST Fellowships. 

  3. Federal Need-Based Financial Aid

  To apply for need-based financial aid, applicants should submit: 1) Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to the U.S. Department of Education by February 1 and 2) University of Virginia Financial Aid Application (UFAA) form to the UVA Office of Student Financial Services by February 1. Please also see the School of Education and Human Development’s Financial Aid page.

  4. Additional Sources

  Students are encouraged to apply for funding from other sources. A few options are listed below. If you are already receiving IES-VEST or UVA support, please contact your advisor to discuss the specifics of the grant you are applying for and how that would work with your current funding.

  • Jacob K. Javits Fellowships Program (stipend of up to $30K/year)
  • American Educational Research Association Minority Fellowship Program in Education Research ($25K for dissertation research)
  • Spencer Foundation Fellowships ($25K for dissertation research)
  • School of Education and Human Development Foundation Scholarships (ranging from a few hundred dollars to 10K)

  5. Optional Monthly Payment Plan

  If you will be paying for your tuition or part of your tuition yourself, please see information about billing and setting up monthly tuition payments on the Student Accounts website and contact Student Financial Services to discuss your payment options.

• Typical Length of Study

  The typical length of study for this degree is 4 years.

  Semester of Entry:

  Fall semester only.

  Full or Part Time:

  Students are full-time.

• Course Overview

  Below is a sample program of study.  Please see the EP-ADS Guidelines for Prospective and Current Students for details about course requirements.

  Year 1

  Fall:

  Proseminar (EDLF 5500)
  Research Foundations (EDLF 7300)
  Community Psychology and Prevention Science (PSYC 7480)
  Research Design and Methods (EDLF 8300)
  Directed Research (EDLF 9998; 3 credits)

  Spring:

  Proseminar (EDLF 5500)
  Research Design and Methods (EDLF 8310)
  2 Specialization Courses
  Directed Research (EDLF 9998; 3 credits)

  Year 2

  Fall:

  Proseminar (EDLF 5500)
  Research Design and Methods (EDLF 8350)
  Grant writing (EDLF 8853)
  Specialization Course
  Data Management for Analysis (EDLF 5500)
  Directed Research (EDLF 9998; 3 credits)

  Spring:

  Proseminar (EDLF 5500)
  Research Design and Methods (EDLF 8360)
  Causal Inference (EDLF 5500)
  1 Specialization Courses
  Directed Research (EDLF 9998; 3 credits)

  Year 3

  Fall:

  Proseminar (EDLF 5500)
  Research Design and Methods (EDLF 8150)
  1 Specialization Course
  Area Requirement (for ex., EDHS 8100)
  Directed Research (EDLF 9998; 3 credits)

  Spring:

  Proseminar (EDLF 5500)
  Internship/practicum in teaching (EDHS 9740)
  Directed Research (EDLF 9998; 3 credits)
  Dissertation Research (EDLF 9999; 3 credits)

  Year 4

  Fall:

  Proseminar (EDLF 5500)
  Dissertation Research (EDLF 9999; 9 credits)

  Spring:

  Proseminar (EDLF 5500)
  Dissertation Research (EDLF 9999; 9 credits)

• Sample Jobs After Graduation

  Graduates are prepared for careers in the educational sciences in academic, policy, and research organizations.  Recent alumni hold positions as faculty in psychology and education departments (Western Michigan University, University of Louisville, University of Michigan, George Mason University), while others are educational researchers in research organizations (Edvance Research Inc.) and university research centers (SUNY-Buffalo, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, and UVA).

  Read more about some of our Alumni in this Question & Answer Series