Ph.D. in Education - Higher Ed
The School of Education and Human Development's Ph.D. in Higher Education program prepares graduates to pursue faculty careers or become senior administrators in colleges and universities. This is a research-based, full-time program that is offered in Charlottesville only.
The Ph.D. degree is the highest scholarly degree awarded by the University. The primary purpose of the Ph.D. degree is to develop scholars who are able to conduct original research and interpret and communicate the results of such research through writing, teaching, practice, and other means. The dissertation is characterized by original research that extends the theoretical and empirical knowledge bases of postsecondary education policy and practice.
Ph.D. students in higher education complete a program of study that includes at least 60 hours of coursework (excluding dissertation credit). Acceptance of up to 24 hours of transfer credit from a student’s master’s degree program or from post-master’s work completed at another institution is determined on an individual basis by the student’s advisor and the program head. The program coordinator may exempt students from required courses that they have already taken.
In addition to a required set of core courses in higher education (12 credits) and a minor in research methods (18 credits), the Ph.D. student is also required to complete elective coursework in higher education (12 credits). A content minor (12 credits), chosen with the advice and consent of the student’s advisor and organized around a theme or set of questions, is also required for the Ph.D. Courses for the content minor may be taken outside of the program and the School of Education and Human Development. Typical content minor concentrations include (but are not limited to) higher education policy, economics of higher education, politics of higher education, student affairs in higher education, organization and governance of higher education, and social foundations of higher education.
Ph.D. students are required to complete ten hours of mentored research per week each semester they are enrolled. Internship placements (paid, ten to twenty hours per week) can be arranged within the University of Virginia and at cooperating colleges and universities, other postsecondary agencies, or institutes. Research assistantships may also be available.
Program Details
-
-
December 1
Decisions are typically 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.
-
-
Ph.D. students in the higher education program are generally supported through graduate assistantships and/or research apprenticeships with higher education faculty. Ph.D. students generally receive a combination of wages and/or stipends, health insurance, and tuition and fee support for up to four years. A typical 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.
Students may apply for federal financial aid such as loans or grants by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students who have financial need and who are not dependents of their parents may also qualify for work-study stipends. Applications and further information is available from the Office of Student Financial Services.
Once enrolled in the School of Education and Human Development, students are eligible for Foundation scholarships and awards. The majority of these scholarships and awards are based on merit and financial need. Because some funds are based on financial need, all students are encouraged to apply for federal financial aid in order to determine need.
-
Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowship
-
There is a pressing need to address and eradicate racial injustice from institutions of higher education across the country. The most effective responses to this complex situation are informed by collaboration among scientists, social scientists and humanists. Mutual insights from psychology, sociology, public policy, and higher education are further enriched and deepened through their intersection with the study of anthropology, culture, economics, history, politics and spatial planning. Training researchers across these areas will advance the development of meaningful interventions in the higher education environment, refine our ability to assess these interventions quantitatively and qualitatively, and enhance our opportunity to engage public audiences on this topic. Doctoral students with this background will be better positioned to pursue research careers in academe and a variety of employment sectors.
Although students will apply to the Higher Education program, more information regarding the fellowship can be found on The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences website.
The following faculty proposed this theme for an interdisciplinary doctoral fellowship program and are committed to co-mentoring students. Please contact them with questions about the research cluster or to discuss your research interests.
Josipa Roksa Juan Garibay Karen Inkelas
The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only. The Undergraduate Record and Graduate Record represent the official repository for academic program requirements. These publications may be found at http://records.ureg.virginia.edu/index.php.