University of California Irvine

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2024-25 edition, education, ph.d..

The School of Education offers a Ph.D. in Education. The program seeks applicants from varied backgrounds and experiences who have the potential to become outstanding scholars and researchers in the field of education. The program currently offers three areas: (1) Human Development in Context; (2) Educational Policy and Social Context; and (3) Teaching, Learning, and Educational Improvement. Students enrolling in the program choose among these areas based on their research interests.

Course work for the program ordinarily takes two to three years to complete and involves a number of core courses, methodology courses, elective courses, and a directed research sequence. Before advancing, students are required to have successfully completed their first-year research poster project, second year research paper, and 12 courses as specified by the area requirements. Students should advance to candidacy in the fall quarter of their fourth year. The normative time for completion of the Ph.D. is five years, and the maximum time permitted is seven years.

Students are admitted to the program once per year to begin each fall quarter. Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree with a grade point average of at least 3.0 and have prior course work or background related to the area for which they express interest. Applicants are required to submit a UCI application, transcripts, a statement of purpose, a personal statement, CV or resume, a writing sample, and three letters of reference. General GRE scores are not required.

All graduate applicants, except those who have earned an undergraduate or master's degree from an institution at which English was the sole language of instruction according to the  World Higher Education Database,  are required to demonstrate English proficiency for admissions consideration. If English is not the sole language of instruction listed or if no language is listed at all, the waiver does not apply and the applicant is required to take and pass an approved English proficiency test (TOEFL or IELTS). More information can be found on the Graduate Division Website .

Students must complete degree requirements for one of three areas below. All students take a minimum of 12 4-unit courses, including five required research methods courses, two other area courses, and five area courses. Area requirements for the area courses and other area courses are described below.

Area courses are designated by specific letters. EPSC area courses are designated with an E, HDIC courses are designated with a D, and TLEI courses are designated with a T.

Required Methods Courses

Other area courses.

Each student must take one course from the other two areas they are not majoring in:

Area Courses

Students must take five courses based on their area requirements.

Human Development in Context (HDIC)

To satisfy HDIC area requirements, students must receive approval of their selected courses by the Associate Dean.

Of the four HDIC courses, students must select at least one course from three different sub-areas.

Educational Policy and Social Context (EPSC)

To satisfy ESPC area requirements, students must receive approval of their selected courses by the Associate Dean.

Students must select one course in the Economics of Education, one course in Education Policy, and one course in the Structure and Social Context of Schools.

Teaching, Learning, and Educational Improvement (TLEI)

To satisfy TLEI area requirements, students must receive approval of their selected courses by the Associate Dean.

Students must select two courses in one TLEI sub-area and two other courses (either in the same or a different TLEI sub-area).

S/U Research Courses

Students who wish to engage in pre-dissertation or research for credit but not for a letter grade, may enroll in EDUC 295 for 2-4 units (pre-dissertation research) or EDUC 299 for 2-8 units (dissertation research). Both courses may be repeated for credit and both are graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. As with other S/U courses, EDUC 295 and EDUC 299 may not be used to fulfill degree requirements.

Elective Courses

Students are expected and strongly encouraged to take courses beyond the 12 courses required, such as the additional research courses listed below, that provide training essential to the student's research interests and professional development throughout their five years of doctoral study. These courses may come from their own area, from the other two areas, from other appropriate classes in the School of Education, from other departments on campus, or from other campuses within the University of California. Elective courses must be graduate-level courses taken for a letter grade. Independent study courses (e.g., EDUC 298 ) are also acceptable when taken for a letter grade, pending approval and syllabus is provided.

Further information regarding the Ph.D. program, courses, and application requirements is available at the School of Education website .

Additional Research Methods Courses (not required but strongly encouraged)

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2024-2025 Catalogue

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