About The Program
Our program offers training in advanced educational research methodologies and applied experiences across a variety of educational systems and contexts. Faculty and students in our program engage across a range of research areas including social network analysis, machine learning, multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling, mentoring in higher education, STEM education, program evaluation, educational assessment, critical quantitative methodologies, QuantCrit, and queer studies in education. Students in the program also have numerous applied opportunities to work with schools and other educational organizations, write grants, perform program evaluations, present at conferences, and publish their work.
Career Paths
Our graduates work in a range of careers including faculty, educational assessment, program evaluation, and non-profit positions.
At a Glance
Degree Earned
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Credits: 60
Application Semesters and Deadlines
Summer or Fall: January 15
Program Modality
In-person
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
We are open to admitting students with a wide range of content area and methodological expertise, and are particularly seeking students with interest in any of the following topics and methodologies: social network analysis, machine learning, multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling, program evaluation, educational assessment, critical quantitative methodologies, QuantCrit, mixed and multi-method research, research-practice partnerships, mentoring in higher education, STEM education, queer studies in education, work-based learning, and mental health education and processes.
Admission requirements
| Degree: | Semester(s) of entry: | Deadline dates: | Test requirements: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ph.D. | Summer or fall | Jan 15 | GRE optional |
In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, the following represent the minimum requirements for admission:
- Master’s degree
- Three letters of recommendation addressing the student’s potential for graduate study in education
- Statement of intent
- Transcripts of all previous college work
- A personal interview and additional writing sample (may be requested)
- Professional vitae/resume
If an applicant chooses to submit a GRE score, it will be considered holistically with other application materials. If an applicant chooses not to submit a GRE score, that decision will have no impact on the application review.
Please visit the School of Education website for further information.
Degree requirements
In addition to the VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, students are required to complete course work in core and elective courses.
- Credit hour requirements: Students are required to complete a minimum of 60 credit hours.
- Grade requirements: Receipt of a grade of C or below in three courses constitutes automatic dismissal from the program. Courses with a grade below C cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements.
- Externship requirement: Students must complete an approved externship.
- Examination requirements: Students must pass both a qualifying examination early in the program and a comprehensive examination near the end of the program.
- Dissertation requirements: Students must complete and defend a research dissertation.
Curriculum requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation | ||
| EDUS 702 EDUS 702. Foundations of Educational Research and Doctoral Scholarship I. 3 Hours.
3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This interdisciplinary seminar is the first part of a two-semester sequence. Students will learn about the nature of scholarly inquiry and the worth of situating research within its wider social and political contexts. Course will deal with limitations of knowledge and knowing and aid students in understanding major themes in the field of epistemology. Emphasis will be given to the nature and structure of knowledge and evidence, justification of beliefs, beliefs about "truth," naturalized epistemology and the role of skepticism in inquiry and advanced study. EDUS 702 and 703 are continuous courses. | Foundations of Educational Research and Doctoral Scholarship I | 3 |
| EDUS 703 EDUS 703. Foundations of Educational Research and Doctoral Scholarship II. 3 Hours.
3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: EDUS 702. This interdisciplinary semester is the second part of a two-semester sequence. Students will deepen their understanding of scientific inquiry and apply an understanding of epistemology to a critical analysis of various philosophies of research and paradigms that exist (e.g.: positivism, constructivism, etc.). Emphasis will be placed on the relationships among research, politics, policy and ethics. Examples will be drawn from research on urban issues and deal with issues such as race, class and gender in education. EDUS 702 and 703 are continuous courses. | Foundations of Educational Research and Doctoral Scholarship II | 3 |
| Research | ||
| EDUS 608 EDUS 608. Educational Statistics. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. An introductory-level statistics class focusing primarily on techniques of inferential analysis. The course focuses on basic concepts in quantitative design and analysis for educational research, probability theory, null hypothesis significance testing, inferential statistics including the t-test and analysis of variance, and applications of statistics to applied problems in education. | Educational Statistics | 3 |
| EDUS 710 EDUS 710. Quantitative Research Design. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: EDUS 608 or equivalent. An examination of quantitative research designs and concepts commonly utilized in conducting research in applied educational settings. Fundamental principles of research are extended to cover such topics as experimental designs, quasi-experimental designs, observational designs, secondary data analysis, advanced analysis of variance designs and multiple regression analysis. | Quantitative Research Design | 3 |
| EDUS 711 EDUS 711. Qualitative Methods and Analysis. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: graduate-level statistics course, and EDUS 660 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. Examines qualitative research designs and inductive analysis, including research traditions, problems formulation in fieldwork, purposeful sampling, interactive data collection strategies, research reliability and validity. An interdisciplinary approach is used. Students conduct a small field study in their specialization. | Qualitative Methods and Analysis | 3 |
| • Collaborative research | 3 | |
EDUC 697 EDUC 697. Collaborative Scholarship. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 research hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This research course is designed to develop, apply and refine the research/scholarship skills and interests of students under the guidance and supervision of a faculty mentor. Activities will be monitored and evaluated by university faculty. Graded S/U/F. | Collaborative Scholarship | |
or EDUC 797 EDUC 797. Directed Research. 1-9 Hours.
Semester course; 1-9 variable hours. 1-9 credits. Enrollment restricted to students who have completed first-year Ph.D. courses in education or by permission of program director. The course provides doctoral students the opportunity to do hands-on research prior to the dissertation project that is relevant to their substantive area or individual learning needs. The topic and specific project will be initiated by the student and implemented in collaboration with a School of Education faculty member. A proposal for a directed research course must be submitted that specifies how the student will gain experience, knowledge and skills in one or more aspects of conducting a research project. Graded S/U/F. | Directed Research | |
| • Research elective | 3 | |
| Externship | ||
| EDUC 700 EDUC 700. Externship. 1-6 Hours.
Semester course; 1-6 practicum hours. 1-6 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits. Enrollment requires permission of department. Plan of work designed by extern with prior approval of the offering department. State certification or equivalent may be required for some externships. Off-campus planned experiences for advanced graduate students designed to extend professional competencies, carried out in a setting, under supervision of an approved professional. Externship activities monitored and evaluated by university faculty. | Externship | 3 |
| Dissertation | ||
| EDUC 899 EDUC 899. Dissertation Research. 1-9 Hours.
Semester course; 1-9 variable hours. 1-9 credits. May be repeated. A minimum of 6 semester hours required. Enrollment restricted to students who have successfully completed comprehensive examinations. Dissertation work under direction of dissertation committee. Graded as S/U/F. | Dissertation Research (minimum of six credit hours) | 6 |
| EDUS 890 EDUS 890. Dissertation Seminar. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: permission of director of doctoral studies. Designed to develop and refine the skills applicable to the preparation of an acceptable draft of a dissertation prospectus. | Dissertation Seminar | 3 |
| Concentration courses | ||
| EDUS 661 EDUS 661. Educational Evaluation: Models and Designs. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: EDUS 660 or permission of instructor. A comprehensive review of the major evaluation theories and models including their focus, assumptions, designs, methodologies and audiences in educational policy making and program development. Designed for students to gain an understanding of alternative procedures of educational evaluation, an in-depth knowledge of at least one theoretical approach to evaluation and skills in interpretation of evaluation studies for policy and in developing an evaluation design for their area of specialization. | Educational Evaluation: Models and Designs | 3 |
| EDUS 662 EDUS 662. Educational Measurement and Evaluation. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Provides an understanding of basic concepts of educational measurement and evaluation. Includes development, interpretation and use of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced measures, standardized instruments and qualitative assessments applicable to a wide variety of educational programs and settings. Students study in-depth measurement and/or evaluation procedures in their specialization. | Educational Measurement and Evaluation | 3 |
| EDUS 663 EDUS 663. Applied Multivariate Statistics in Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: EDUS 608 or equivalent. Examines multivariate statistical analysis and evaluation research methods with application to educational research. Emphasizes advanced regression, including moderator and mediator analysis, logistic regression, repeated measures ANOVA, factor analysis, cluster analysis and introductions to multilevel modeling and structural equation modeling as they are applied in the field of educational research. | Applied Multivariate Statistics in Education | 3 |
| EDUS 664 EDUS 664. Multilevel Modeling in Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: EDUS 608 or equivalent. Examines multilevel statistical analysis and evaluation research methods with application to educational research. Emphasizes both cross-sectional and longitudinal multilevel models, as well as cross-classified and generalized linear models as they are applied in the field of educational research. | Multilevel Modeling in Education | 3 |
| EDUS 667 EDUS 667. Applied Structural Equation Modeling in Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: EDUS 663 or equivalent. Enrollment is restricted to students enrolled in the Ph.D. in Education program. Students are expected to have some basic knowledge of multiple regression and multivariate data analysis. Most of the statistical methods in this course are an extension of regression and multivariate models. This course provides students with an understanding of basic concepts and statistical procedures of structural equation modeling in educational research. Students will learn to perform analyses in Mplus and R. These analyses will allow the class to examine the interrelationships among variables based on the proposed theoretical model and simultaneously handle measurement error issues and statistical biases. The analyses cover path analysis, measurement models (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis), SEM with continuous and categorical variables, multi-group SEM, measurement invariance, latent growth models, latent class analysis and multilevel SEM. | Applied Structural Equation Modeling in Education | 3 |
| EDUS 668 EDUS 668. Applied Machine Learning in Education Research. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: EDUS 608 or equivalent. This is an advanced-level course tailored for graduate students in education and related social science disciplines who are interested in integrating machine learning techniques in their research. Students will delve deep into core machine learning algorithms, data processing techniques and applications specific to education research challenges. The course will combine the technical rigor of machine learning with the nuances and needs specific to educational research. With a blend of individual mentorship, peer feedback and practical applications, students will be empowered to not just understand, but to apply these techniques to their research, producing work that stands up to academic scrutiny and has the potential for real-world impact. | Applied Machine Learning in Education Research | 3 |
| EDUS 712 EDUS 712. Mixed Methods Research. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: graduate-level statistics course, EDUS 660 and EDUS 711 or equivalents, or permission of instructor. Examines mixed methods research designs, including the major philosophical perspectives of mixed methodology, as well as the challenges and strategies for data collection and analysis procedures across designs. | Mixed Methods Research | 3 |
| EDUS 713 EDUS 713. Critical Methods in Educational Research for Justice and Equity. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisites: EDUS 710 and EDUS 711, or equivalents, or with permission of the instructor. Enrollment is restricted to students enrolled in the Ph.D. in Education program. This course focuses on critical educational research in the scholar-activist model. Through engaging with critical theoretical frameworks, critical empirical research and research methods, this course prepares students to produce research and scholarship for social justice and equity in education. | Critical Methods in Educational Research for Justice and Equity | 3 |
| EDUS 714 EDUS 714. Qualitative Data Analysis. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 seminar hours (delivered face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: EDUS 711 or equivalent. Enrollment is restricted to students enrolled in the Ph.D. in Education program. This graduate seminar surveys methods of text analysis. The focus of the course is on developing skills that students can use to do systematic analysis of textual data, including written, text, photos, and audio or video data. This course will explore a range of inductive and deductive approaches and will cover analytic skills that cut across traditions, including theme identification, code definition and construction of codebooks, as well as teamwork in text analysis. Advanced topics covered will include grounded theory, classical content analysis and word-based analysis. This course is also designed as a practicum in qualitative data collection and analysis, which will include participant interviewing. | Qualitative Data Analysis | 3 |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 60.
Students who complete the requirements for this concentration will receive a Doctor of Philosophy in Education.
The VCU Bulletin is the official source for academic course and program information.