This program is designed to advance professional study to develop research-informed expertise in a selected field of professional education. As a program of doctoral study, it emphasizes theory and research as much as it does practice, breadth of study as much as depth, and process as well as knowledge. It seeks to develop both knowledge and the skills useful in educational roles as well as the abilities to analyze and respond to problems in their relationships to various educational concerns.

Admissions

Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study. See Graduate Admissions Policies.

Eligibility and Application Requirements

Admission is highly selective and applicants must fulfill all admission requirements: a minimum of three years of successful experience as a practitioner in an educational setting, baccalaureate and master's (or equivalent) degrees from accredited institutions, demonstrated high intellectual capability and leadership potential, three letters of recommendation, writing assessment, and GRE general test scores (GRE general tests scores are optional for Concentration in Education Leadership).

For more information, call the PhD Office at 703-993-2011. For deadlines, see the PhD in Education website. To apply, see Graduate Admissions.

Policies

For policies governing all doctoral degrees, see AP.6.10 Requirements for Doctoral Degrees.

Program of Study

A written program of study which lists all courses required to complete the program is used to guide student progress and to verify that they have met all requirements. The student's final Program of Study is submitted to the Office of the University Registrar with the Advancement to Candidacy paperwork and in the graduation semester for a final audit.

Transfer of Prior Earned Credits

Students are permitted to transfer credits from a master’s degree into a doctoral program per the stipulations outlined under policy AP.6.5 Credit by Exam or Transfer.

Banner Code: E1-PHD-EDUC

Degree Requirements 

Total credits: 75

Core Requirements

General Culture

EDUC 800Ways of Knowing 13
or EFHP 860 Critical Perspectives in Exercise, Fitness, and Health Promotion
Total Credits3
1

EFHP 860 is for Kinesiology concentration students only. Other students should select EDUC 800.

Research Methods

EDRS 810Problems and Methods in Education Research3
EDRS 811Quantitative Methods in Educational Research3
EDRS 812Qualitative Methods in Educational Research3
Select two from the following:6
Critical Discourse Analysis in Education Research
Evaluation Methods for Educational Programs and Curricula
Advanced Applications of Quantitative Methods
Advanced Applications of Qualitative Methods
Advanced Research Methods in Single Subject/Case Design
Mixed Methods Research: Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches
Advanced Research Methods in Self-Study of Professional Practice
Qualitative Case Study Methods
Introduction to Measurement and Survey Development
Item Response Theory
Hierarchical Linear Modeling
Structural Equation Modeling
Document Analysis and Archival Research
Participatory Action Research
Narrative Inquiry
Grounded Theory
Special Topics in Research Methods
Total Credits15

Transfer of Prior Earned Credits

Students can transfer eligible credits from an earned Master's degree: PhD without concentration (9-18 credits), Kinesiology concentration (9-18 credits), Education Leadership concentration (24 credits). Approval from student's Advisory Committee required.9-24
Total Credits9-24

Dissertation Proposal and Research

Advancement to Candidacy

Upon successful completion of all coursework and the comprehensive portfolio assessment, students are advanced to candidacy and enroll in EDUC 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal

Dissertation

Once enrolled in EDUC 998, students must maintain continuous registration in at least 1 credit. Once  a student has successfully defended the proposal, they will enroll in EDUC 999 Doctoral Dissertation Research, and must follow the university continuous registration policy as specified in AP.6.10.6 Dissertation Registration.

Minimum 12 credits of12
Doctoral Dissertation Proposal 1
Doctoral Dissertation Research 2
Total Credits12
1

Students must register for a minimum of 3 credits the first semester enrolled in EDUC 998. Students preparing their proposal must register for a minimum of 1 credit each semester thereafter until the proposal has been successfully defended. Concentration in Education Leadership requires an additional 3 credits of EDUC 998.

2

Students must register for 3 or 6 credits the first semester enrolled in EDUC 999. Once students reach the 12 required dissertation credits, they must register for at least 1 credit thereafter until all work has been completed including the semester in which the degree is conferred.

​PhD without Concentration

All students are required to create electronic portfolios to define academic and professional goals; formulate specific plans to achieve those goals through coursework, research experiences, and field-based activities; demonstrate growth in understanding the specializations and how knowledge in them is advanced through inquiry; synthesize and reflect upon the process and results of learning activities; modify goals and plans as needed based on academic and reflective self-evaluation as well as feedback from the student's Program Advisory Committee and demonstrate readiness to proceed to the dissertation phase of the program.

The first portfolio review must be completed when 18 credits have been completed or before the end of the third semester. The second portfolio review must be scheduled at the completion of 36 credit hours. When students complete the coursework phase of the program, a final meeting is held with the Program Advisory Committee. This meeting is the context for conducting the comprehensive portfolio assessment, a formal evaluation of a student's readiness to proceed to the dissertation phase of the program which is analogous to the traditional doctoral comprehensive exam.

Program Advisory Committee

Students choose a program advisory committee of three George Mason University faculty members prior to the end of their second semester. This committee is chaired by a graduate faculty member with the PhD in Education Program who is affiliated with the student’s primary specialization. One member must represent the student's secondary specialization. The major functions of this committee include assessing the student's goals, interests and academic needs, approving the program of study, monitoring the student's progress through the program and evaluating the student's three portfolio reviews.

Primary Specialization

Professional specializations include: early childhood education/early childhood special education, education policy, educational psychology, higher education, interdisciplinary, international education, learning technologies design research, literacy(ies) culture and reading, mathematics education leadership, multilingual/multicultural education, research methodology, science education research, special education, and teaching and teacher education.

Students select course work based on their area of specialization. They may choose EDUC 994 and EDUC 890 to broaden their professional expertise. These internships must be taken in a setting that differs from the student's work setting, and includes 100 clock hours of work.18-24
Total Credits18-24

 Secondary Specialization

Students may develop a secondary specialization from coursework offered within CEHD or coursework offered within other Mason units, in consultation with their advisor12-18
Total Credits12-18

Concentration in Kinesiology (KNES)

All students are required to create electronic portfolios to define academic and professional goals; formulate specific plans to achieve those goals through coursework, research experiences, and field-based activities; demonstrate growth in understanding the specializations and how knowledge in them is advanced through inquiry; synthesize and reflect upon the process and results of learning activities; modify goals and plans as needed based on academic and reflective self-evaluation as well as feedback from the student's Program Advisory Committee and demonstrate readiness to proceed to the dissertation phase of the program.

The first portfolio review must be completed when 18 credits have been completed or before the end of the third semester. The second portfolio review must be scheduled at the completion of 36 credit hours. When students complete the coursework phase of the program, a final meeting is held with the Program Advisory Committee. This meeting is the context for conducting the comprehensive portfolio assessment, a formal evaluation of a student's readiness to proceed to the dissertation phase of the program which is analogous to the traditional doctoral comprehensive exam.

Program Advisory Committee

Students choose a program advisory committee of three George Mason University faculty members prior to the end of their second semester. This committee is chaired by a graduate faculty member with the PhD in Education Program who is affiliated with the student’s concentration. The major functions of this committee include assessing the student's goals, interests and academic needs, approving the program of study, monitoring the student's progress through the program and evaluating the student's three portfolio reviews.

Kinesiology Core

EFHP 810Neuromuscular Responses to Exercise3
EFHP 811Motor Learning and Control3
EFHP 813Musculoskeletal Biomechanics in Human Movement3
EFHP 815Measurement Techniques and Instrumentation3
EFHP 820Careers in the Academy Seminar3
EFHP 825Data Analytics in Exercise, Fitness, and Health Promotion3
EFHP 840Doctoral Seminar in Exercise, Fitness, and Health Promotion3
EFHP 880Grant Writing3
Total Credits24

​Experiential Learning

KINE 890Research Experience I6
KINE 891Research Experience II 3
KINE 897Independent Study3
Total Credits12

Concentration in Education Leadership (EDLE)

All students are required to create electronic portfolios to define academic and professional goals; formulate specific plans to achieve those goals through coursework, research experiences, and field-based activities; demonstrate growth in understanding the specializations and how knowledge in them is advanced through inquiry; synthesize and reflect upon the process and results of learning activities; modify goals and plans as needed based on academic and reflective self-evaluation as well as feedback from the student's Program Advisory Committee and demonstrate readiness to proceed to the dissertation phase of the program.

The first portfolio review must be completed when 18 credits have been completed or before the end of the third semester. The second portfolio review must be scheduled at the completion of 36 credit hours. When students complete the coursework phase of the program, a final meeting is held with the Program Advisory Committee. This meeting is the context for conducting the comprehensive portfolio assessment, a formal evaluation of a student's readiness to proceed to the dissertation phase of the program which is analogous to the traditional doctoral comprehensive exam.

Program Advisory Committee

Students choose a program advisory committee of three George Mason University faculty members prior to the end of their second semester. This committee is chaired by a graduate faculty member with the PhD in Education Program who is affiliated with the student’s concentration. The major functions of this committee include assessing the student's goals, interests and academic needs, approving the program of study, monitoring the student's progress through the program and evaluating the student's three portfolio reviews

Education Leadership Core

EDLE 801Contemporary Organization Theory3
EDLE 802Leadership and Decision Making3
EDLE 812Education Law3
EDLE 813Social and Political Forces in Education Leadership3
EDLE 814Education Finance and Human Resources3
EDLE 816Instructional Leadership-Curriculum Policy and Practice3
EDLE 818Instructional Leadership-Supervision Policy and Practice3
Total Credits21

​Experiential Learning

EDUC 890Doctoral Internship in Education3
EDUC 994Advanced Internship in Education3
Total Credits6

Dissertation Proposal 

EDUC 998Doctoral Dissertation Proposal 13
Total Credits3
1

These credits are in addition to the required 12 dissertation credits.