PhD in Education
Earn a Ph.D in Education at the George Washington University and
advance your career in Education
Become an Education Change Agent
How do we educate people to interact with intelligent technologies? How can modern societies combat inequality and enhance opportunity for disadvantaged populations? These are just a few of the complex challenges facing policymakers that students and faculty within GW's Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD) are tackling.
Our PhD in Education programs are centered on cross-disciplinary research, collaborating with leading experts, and a commitment to driving change in education. Gain a deeper understanding of the responsible conduct of research with human subjects, research ethics, and how to consider the social impact of the work.
Whether you're passionate about policy reform, curriculum development, or educational leadership, our PhD program provides the platform for you to explore, innovate, and become a thought leader in the field of education.
Learn more about the concentration that fits your career goals:
Request Information
Complete the form below to learn more about degree requirements, course descriptions, tuition, and more.
Why GSEHD at GW?
Access Washington, D.C.
Our unique location in the policymaking capital of the world, along with GW’s vast connections, offers unparalleled opportunities for high-level, hands-on research experience and competitive employment opportunities with prestigious organizations, think tanks, federal agencies, and diverse school systems.
Transform Education
As a GW PhD candidate, you'll engage in independent and collaborative research to confront critical national and global educational issues—including evolving technology, inequality, leadership, policy, and more—to make an impact on society.
Collaborate on Research
Engage with peers from multiple concentrations within our inclusive cross-disciplinary team, as well as within more focused research projects. You’ll bring your experience in education to the design, development, data collection, and analyses in a research project.
Programs at a Glance
Human & Organizational Learning
This program takes a cross-disciplinary approach to the study and application of leadership, learning, culture, and change at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. Students conduct research on complex organizational/societal topics and develop theories and models to guide global, equitable, and sustainable organizational practices.
Curriculum & Instruction
Research issues related to curriculum and instruction in the context of academic, social, cultural, environmental, and civic advancement. Prepared as cross-disciplinary scholars in education, graduates are poised to move into academic and research positions in universities, government agencies, and professional research organizations with missions to improve education opportunities and outcomes.
Human-Technology Collaboration
Being prepared to create, train, interact, and collaborate with intelligent technologies is an immediate challenge in the preparation of the global workforce. Drawing upon faculty and experts from education, data science, engineering, psychology, business, public health, and medical informatics, students in this program take an interdisciplinary approach to education and research into how the collaborations of people and machines shape the future.
Comparative & International Education
This program researches education as a means of developing individuals, communities, nations, and the world. Graduates are prepared to lead in high-level educational organizations that focus on topics such as migration issues, armed and social conflict, the need for local/global development of human capacity, and more.
Education Policy
This program is designed to foster the methodological skills and conceptual understanding needed to systematically address complex and multi-faceted education issues. Students develop expertise in examining and assessing education problems and their interaction with their broader social environments. The program relies on interdisciplinary paradigms and methodological tools (including public policy, economics, sociology, political science, and psychology) to train students in evidence-based problem-solving research.
Programs at a Glance
Human & Organizational Learning
This program takes a cross-disciplinary approach to the study and application of leadership, learning, culture, and change at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. Students conduct research on complex organizational/societal topics and develop theories and models to guide global, equitable, and sustainable organizational practices.
Curriculum & Instruction
Research issues related to curriculum and instruction in the context of academic, social, cultural, environmental, and civic advancement. Prepared as cross-disciplinary scholars in education, graduates are poised to move into academic and research positions in universities, government agencies, and professional research organizations with missions to improve education opportunities and outcomes.
Human-Technology Collaboration
Being prepared to create, train, interact, and collaborate with intelligent technologies is an immediate challenge in the preparation of the global workforce. Drawing upon faculty and experts from education, data science, engineering, psychology, business, public health, and medical informatics, students in this program take an interdisciplinary approach to education and research into how the collaborations of people and machines shape the future.
Comparative & International Education
This program researches education as a means of developing individuals, communities, nations, and the world. Graduates are prepared to lead in high-level educational organizations that focus on topics such as migration issues, armed and social conflict, the need for local/global development of human capacity, and more.
Education Policy
This program is designed to foster the methodological skills and conceptual understanding needed to systematically address complex and multi-faceted education issues. Students develop expertise in examining and assessing education problems and their interaction with their broader social environments. The program relies on interdisciplinary paradigms and methodological tools (including public policy, economics, sociology, political science, and psychology) to train students in evidence-based problem-solving research.
You May Be Eligible
No Application Fee
GRE is Not Required
Scholarships Available
Learn more about benefits that may apply to you, depending on the program you choose >
Being in the Ph.D. program set the foundation for my career by showing me that education doesn't have to be one-size-fits-all to be meaningful and effective. As a result, I have been able to transform the way I approach my goal to educate, advocate, and liberate. I am now a proud public scholar who uses innovative educational tools, such as social media, to increase access to academic scholarship.
DR. ANGEL JONES
Ph.D. ’20 (Education)
