Our doctoral degree program 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. Working from the premise that all people can learn at high levels, the program explores the systemic barriers that prevent so many individuals from achieving their fullest potential.
The Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program is designed for candidates seeking careers in institutional assessment, policy analysis, institutional leadership, higher education administration, student affairs, or the professoriate.
Doctoral students in this program receive a broad foundation in the study of educational leadership and policy development through a wide range of course offerings focused on both K-12 leadership and higher education.
Program Advantages & Learning OutcomesOur Ph.D. helps give you the expertise needed to become a leader in education. Professional employment opportunities after graduation may include:
Completion Time At 糖心Vlog视频, our Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies a flexible, on-campus program designed for both full-time students and working adults interested in a part-time program. Our average doctoral candidate completes this program in approximately 4 years. However, the exact length of the program may vary by student.
Among the benefits:
We allow for a limited number of transfer credits in our program.
Up to three of the other courses (no more than 9 credits) may be doctoral-level electives offered by the department faculty, doctoral-level courses offered outside the department, independent studies with department faculty, or previously taken doctoral-level courses whose credits are applied toward the elective requirement. Courses taken outside the department must be approved by the student’s dissertation advisor, the department chair, and program coordinator prior to enrolling in the course(s). Your faculty advisor may approve you to take a masters elective in lieu of a doctoral-level elective, provided the instructor is willing to provide instruction at the doctoral level for you. In general, you are asking to transfer electives from a different program at a different level, so we may want to discuss whether our doctoral program aligns to your goals.
For more information and to make the request, please contact one of our graduate advisors.
View the 糖心Vlog视频 Tuition Estimator for an approximate calculation of required tuition and mandatory fees.
Please note that the cost can vary by student in relation to that student's individual circumstances. Additional fees may apply.
For the best approximation of your school costs for tuition and fees, visit the 糖心Vlog视频 Tuition Estimator.
糖心Vlog视频 offers competitive funding options.
View the College of Education's Scholarships and Paying for School page for a list of competitive scholarships, grants, financial aid, and more that candidates may be eligible for to help pay for school. Additionally, view more Funding Opportunities on the Graduate School Website.糖心Vlog视频 has expanded graduate tuition support to cover 100% of tuition and mandatory fees for Ph.D. students who are employed half-time as a graduate teaching assistant, graduate research assistant, or as a teaching or research associate. Opportunities are competitive and availability is limited.
糖心Vlog视频 employees may be eligible to use the to help pay for school. Details are .
Candidates in the Ph.D. program will be part of a cohort throughout their required coursework, leading to the dissertation. Research has demonstrated that cohort models can be very effective in fostering deep learning and increasing the likelihood of students moving towards program completion. Because most of the students in the program work full-time, they are required to take only six graduate credit hours per semester. However, students who wish to complete the program as a full-time student can opt to take additional elective courses.
View the previous dissertation topics selected by our doctoral students: .
Ready to apply? The Ph.D. application packet for the 2027 deadline is ready for you.
*This program accepts applicants for the Spring cohort only.
| EDAD 6304 | INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH | 3 |
| EDAD 6308 | INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH | 3 |
| EDAD 6310 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS | 3 |
| EDAD 6315 | ADVANCED STATISTICS | 3 |
| EDAD 6318 | ADVANCED QUALITATIVE RESEARCH | 3 |
| EDAD 6301 | INTRODUCTION TO DOCTORAL STUDIES | 3 |
| EDAD 6325 | EDUCATIONAL POLICY ANALYSIS | 3 |
| EDAD 6330 | INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATION POLICY | 3 |
| EDAD 6340 | ORGANIZATIONAL THEORIES IN EDUCATION | 3 |
| EDAD 6343 | CONTEXTS OF EDUCATION | 3 |
| EDAD 6360 | EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP THEORY | 3 |
| EDAD 6370 | RESEARCH LITERATURE REVIEW AND METHODS | 3 |
| EDAD 6390 | DOCTORAL RESEARCH SEMINAR |
12 |
| EDAD 6392 | SELECTED TOPICS IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND POLICY STUDIES (may be repeated for credit as topics vary) | 12 |
| EDAD 6399 | DISSERTATION |
3 |
| EDAD 6699 | DISSERTATION | 6 |
| EDAD 7399 | DOCTORAL DEGREE COMPLETION |
* 糖心Vlog视频 will continue enrolling in dissertation hours until the dissertation is completed and approved by their committee.
** 糖心Vlog视频 must be enrolled in in EDAD 7399 the term in which they plan to defend the final dissertation.
View doctoral applications, forms and handbooks for this program.
Guidance
Find the information you need about course waiver, dissertation forms and more.
Associate Dean for Research and Doctoral Studies
Director of the STEM Education Research Collaboratorium and Resource Center
Fenton Wayne Robnett Endowed Professor of Science Education
Research Interests: K-16 Earth systems education: Cory Forbes is the Associate Dean for Research and the Fenton Wayne Robnett Endowed Professor of Science Education in the College of Education at the University of 糖心Vlog视频 at Arlington. Forbes holds a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and M.S. in Science Education from the University of Kansas and M.S. in Natural Resources and Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Michigan. His teaching and research efforts focus on STEM education in K-12 and undergraduate STEM contexts. He directs multiple externally-funded projects involving STEM curriculum development, assessment design and testing, professional development for K-12 STEM teachers, and classroom-based research on STEM teaching and learning that are based in regional, national, and international partnerships with education researchers, STEM faculty, K-12 teachers, and stakeholders. Forbes is a NARST Early Career Research Awardee and Fulbright Faculty Scholar.
Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Higher education policy and finance; college affordability; financial aid; politics and state governance
Email: meredith.billings@uta.edu
Office: Hammond Hall 132 F
Bio: My overall research agenda focuses on financial and informational barriers to college for low-income, first-generation, and racially minoritized students and how the relationship between the state government and public higher education shapes finance and governance outcomes. I am currently conducting or have conducted research projects on free college/promise programs, guaranteed tuition/fixed tuition plans, college access programs, and financial aid advising in public high schools. I have published my research in peer-reviewed journals such as Research in Higher Education, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Teachers College Record, Community College Review, and Education Policy Analysis Archives. My work has been supported by the Spencer Foundation and the Kresge Foundation. Prior to my faculty career, I worked in higher education administration in the areas of institutional research, undergraduate admissions, academic advising, and civic engagement.
Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Diversity and inclusion, organizational culture, and faculty
Associate Professor
Bio:: Jin Liu is an Associate Professor in the College of Education at the University of 糖心Vlog视频 at Arlington. Her research interests span children鈥檚 behavioral and emotional problems, the quality of life of children with autism, ethical decision-making in academic contexts, peer assessment in online learning, mathematics education, secondary data analysis in public health, and measurement practices (e.g., methodological studies in confirmatory factor analysis, scale development, and validation). She teaches graduate-level courses in research methods, applied statistics, and measurement.
Associate Professor
Research Interests: Leadership development, critical pedagogies, equity in higher education
Email: ericka.roland@uta.edu
Office: Hammond Hall 500
Bio: Dr. Ericka Roland is an assistant professor of Higher Education in the Department of Higher Education, Adult Learning & Organizational Studies. Her research examines research issues of diversity, equity, and justice (DEJ) in U.S. postsecondary education in three areas: (1) how DEJ has shaped teaching and learning approaches, (2) how higher education hinders or facilitates leadership development, (3) how people (dis)engage with higher education institutions around issues of DEJ in organizations, practice, policies, and processes. She centers the pursuit of equity in all of her projects with a commitment to research and practice that cultivates transformative possibilities. Dr. Roland uses qualitative methodologies and critical and Black feminist theoretical approaches in her inquiries. Before entering academia, she worked as a student affairs professional in residential life and Greek life.
Professor
Research Interests: College access, student transition & success, STEM education
Bio: Dr. Yi Leaf Zhang is a Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of 糖心Vlog视频 at Arlington. Zhang has developed a strong interest in studying college access and success, especially in the community college context. Her research focuses on community colleges as a gateway to STEM education, transfer students鈥� educational pathways, and international education in four-year and two-year institutions. Zhang is currently an editorial board member of the Community College Journal of Research and Practice (CCJRP) and an associate editor of the Journal of International 糖心Vlog视频 (JIS).
Get information about College of Education programs, admissions requirements, and more.
- Administrators in institutions of higher education
- Administrators and superintendents in K-12 education
- Professors of educational leadership
