School of Education

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About The Program

Our urban setting keeps us in step with equity and social justice issues, creating the perfect background for the next generation of leaders who will advance research, policy and practice. Through an interdisciplinary approach to studying leadership and policy, the Ph.D. in Education program with a concentration in Leadership, Policy and Justice offers a deep understanding of the many societal and organizational barriers to equal educational opportunity.  Beyond identifying and analyzing injustices, we also prepare you to imagine, research and create more equitable, inclusive schools, organizations and societies to enact real-world change. Students in the program will hone their analytical skills through a comprehensive dissertation experience as they develop cutting-edge strategies to tackle multifaceted challenges in education.  

Career Paths

  • Inclusion professional
  • Think tank policy advocate
  • Government researcher
  • School or district leader
  • Academic (Tenure or non-tenure track)
  • Leader in higher education
  • Policy analyst

At a Glance

Degree Earned 

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Credits: 60

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Application Semesters and Deadlines

Fall: December 1

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Program Modality

In-person

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Estimated Completion Time

Full-time (9-15 credits): average completion in 3-4 years

Part-time (1-8 credits): average completion in 4-5 years

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"This program inspires you to have a vision of leadership grounded in social justice and equity; you dig into research and policy, and begin to question everything based on this lens, and this ignites your passion to change the status quo.”

Emiola Oyefuga, Ph.D., '20