PhD in Education

Program Structure

Step One: Program Planning

During the first fall semester in the program, each student, working with his/her faculty advising committee, plans an individualized program of study. All students take at least:

  • General Culture - interdisciplinary core courses (8 credits),
  • Educational Research (12 credits),
  • Doctoral Dissertation (12 credits).

In addition, all students must select

  • Specialization (includes three credit internship) in a field of professional education of their choice (21 credits), and
  • Secondary concentration in a area either within or outside of education (12 credits).

Step Two: Course Work

Study focuses on four areas:

1 - General Culture (8 credits)

Completion of the general culture studies provides students with broad concepts to pursue the specifics of their professional specialization. To accomplish these goals, all students enroll in two required core courses. In addition, all students enroll in a 1-credit seminar, during each of the first two semesters for a total of 8 credits. The general culture classes are taken in a cohort. The first semester, all entering students take EDUC 800 and EDUC 805.

2 - Educational Research (12 credits)

Research core courses are designed to prepare students to evaluate and investigate a range of research approaches and apply qualitative and quantitative data collection and analyzes appropriate to research in education. EDRS 810, Problems and Methods in Education Research is taken the second semester as a cohort class.

3 - Specialization - Professional Knowledge and Skills (21 credits)

Through seminars, courses, internships, and independent studies, students acquire the knowledge and technical skills requisite to a chosen educational specialization. Students may specialize in any of a variety of professional areas.

4 - Secondary Concentration - Area of Scholarship (12 credits)

All students in the Ph.D. in Education program in the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University are required to have a secondary concentration area of scholarship in addition to a major or professional specialization area of study in Education. The purpose of the Ph.D. secondary concentration requirement is to ensure that each student has adequate exposure to the concepts and research methods of a specialty or a coherent interdisciplinary field of study which is relevant to the field of specialization in Education.

Step Three: Portfolio Reviews

The Ph.D. in Education Portfolio is an organized, yet selective collection of documents designed to facilitate a student's academic and professional development and to provide a basis for evaluating degree progress. The portfolio represents the scope and depth of a student's goals, plans, and accomplishments in coursework, independent study, research, internships, and other advanced learning activities. The portfolio thus provides both a vehicle for self-reflection and a comprehensive record of a doctoral student's experiences and ongoing progress toward his or her academic and professional goals.

Step Four: Doctoral Dissertation (12 credits)

As candidates for the doctorate, students take a dissertation seminar to design a dissertation. The dissertation demonstrates a student's mastery of the knowledge and skills developed in his/her particular program of study. After completing the dissertation, each student must present satisfactory oral defense of it to complete the program.

Step Five: Awarding the Doctorate in Education

Upon successful completion of the dissertation and an oral examination, the faculty recommends the student for the Doctor of Philosophy in Education degree.