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Educational Studies

The Educational Studies program focuses on the improvement of K-12 education. We do this through research and scholarship on educational practice and through the preparation of knowledgeable, skillful, and thoughtful teachers and education administrators. We offer a number of PhD specializations that will allow you to pursue the specific set of knowledge and skills you need to make your unique contribution to our common goal.

In keeping with our traditions of interdisciplinary scholarship, the Educational Studies program allows you to create and complete an individualized set of requirements developed in coordination with faculty on your advising committee.

Our faculty are situated in one or more of the following fields of specialization. Review faculty profiles to learn more about our work in Educational Studies.

EXAMPLE SPECIALIZATION AREAS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:

Foundations and Sociopolitical Contexts of Education
Critical Race Studies
Educational Policy and School Improvement
Learning Design and Technologies
Literacy, Language and Culture
Disciplinary Learning and Teaching (e.g., Mathematics, Science, Social Studies)
Teacher Education and Learning
Measurement and Research Methods
Learning Experience Design Certificate

Requirements

Foundational coursework / research core.

Students complete the following:

EDUC 787 – Educational Equity Lab & Studio (5 credits)
EDUC 790 – Foundations of Schooling (3 credits)
EDUC 791 – Foundations of Teaching & Learning (3 credits)
EDUC 792 – Methods of Educational Research: Qualitative (5 credits)
EDUC 793 – Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Educational Research (5 credits)
EDUC 895 – Logics of Inquiry (2 credits)
An advanced research methods course (3 credits)

Professional Development and Training Core

EDUC 898 – Professional Development Seminar (1 credit); need 6 credits total

Specialization Core

Students design their specialization in coordination with faculty on their advising committee. Specialization courses support development as an expert in a particular field or subfields. Students complete the following:

EDUC 897 – Race & Social Justice Institute (1 credit)
Specialization/Elective Courses (12-20 credits)

COGNATE: Cognates are defined as graduate, non-Educational Studies courses. Cross-listed, meet-together courses with Educational Studies can be elected to fulfill the cognate requirement. Students may choose Higher Education courses with the approval of their primary faculty advisor. (3 credits) APPRENTICESHIPS: Students complete a minimum of one and up to three credits in each of the following:

EDUC 789 – Research Apprenticeship (1-3 credits)
EDUC 798 – Teaching Apprenticeship (1-3 credits)

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION: Students complete a minimum of one and up to three credits in each of the following:

EDUC 991 - Scholarly Paper (1-3 credits)
EDUC 992 - Portfolio (1-3 credits)

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore more offerings

Connect with es.

[email protected]

Recruitment

Interested in an ES doctoral degree? Schedule an appointment with one of our PhD student ambassadors to learn more:

Meet a student ambassador

Location and Office Hours

610 E. University Avenue Room 4218 - Educational Studies Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1259

Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Application Deadline

Application process.

To submit a successful application for admission, you need to provide the following:

1. A clear statement about the opportunities, issues, and/or problems of education that motivate you to pursue the Educational Studies doctoral program 2. A concise summary of relevant academic or professional experience. Please explain the connection between your academic or professional experience and the opportunities, issues and/or problems of education introduced in #1. 3. An overview of your short-term and long-term career goals. Please introduce how you will go about addressing the opportunities, issues, and problems of education introduced in #1. 4. A clear statement explaining how you expect that the doctoral program will allow you to better understand the opportunities, issues, and problems of education that motivate your graduate studies and on which you will focus your career. Please make specific reference to details such as course offerings, experiential learning opportunities, and campus resources. 5. A clear indication of the faculty members that you would like to work with and what aspects of their work and projects.
500 word limit
How have your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan? For example, if you grew up in a community where educational, cultural, or other opportunities were either especially plentiful or especially lacking, you might discuss the impact this had on your development and interests. This should be a discussion of the journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree. Please do not repeat your Academic Statement of Purpose.
Ten to 20 pages (approximately) of your academic writing.
Sample can come from a course paper, Master's thesis, published work, etc.
Applicant should be the solo or main (first) author of the submitted sample.
We strongly encourage two of your letters come from individuals who are familiar with your academic performance. The third may be from a professional reference.
Register your recommenders' names and contact information on the online application so that they will be sent instructions for submitting their letters via the application system. Let your recommenders know that they need to upload a letter and that it is required by the program.
As soon as you click "save" on the page of the application where your recommenders' contact information is entered, they will receive an email with instructions for completing the process. Proceed to this point in the application process as soon as possible to trigger that email.
Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
English proficiency scores (for non-native speakers of English only)
GRE Test Scores are not required for admission

Create an account with Rackham Graduate School .

This program, like all of the Marsal Family School of Education's graduate programs, is administered through the University of Michigan's Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies. Rackham offers a host of resources and administrative support to help see you through from submitting your application to completion of your degree.

After completing page 5 of the application, you will receive an e-mail with your U-M ID. A U-M ID number will be issued to you via email within 5 business days of completing pages 1-5 and advancing to page 6 of the ApplyWeb application. Having your U-M ID number to include on all your application materials ensures accurate and timely processing, so we encourage you to complete pages 1-5 early in the process.
If you need to submit your application before you receive your U-M ID number, you may still complete the application. Include your date of birth and the program’s name on your application materials.
Current and former U-M Ann Arbor students, alumni and employees: You do not need to obtain a new U-M ID number. Use your previously obtained U-M ID number.
If your personal information has changed (for example, legal name, gender), make sure the personal information you submit with your application matches your previous Ann Arbor campus record. If your previous Ann Arbor campus record does not display your current personal information, contact the Registrar’s Office or the Shared Services Center to change your personal information before you apply.

Include at the top of each document:

The type of document (Academic Statement of Purpose, Personal Statement, Sample of Academic Writing, or Curriculum Vitae or Resume)
The name of the graduate program (PhD in Educational Studies)
Your 8 digit U-M ID (if known)

Set document margins to one-inch and verify that any tables fit within the margins. Recommendation: Convert documents to PDF format before uploading.

Information regarding English Proficiency tests and exemption guidelines can be found on the Rackham Graduate School website .
GRE test scores are not required for admission , but scores (valid 5 years from test date) can be included with your application.
Provide ETS with the U-M Institutional Code of 1839 and your scores will be sent directly to the university.
Test scores must be sent directly from the testing center to the Rackham Graduate School. We recommend starting this process early as it can take up to two weeks for the scores to be received.
Upload an electronic version of your official transcript(s) for each Bachelor’s, Master’s, Professional, or Doctoral degree earned or in progress through your ApplyWeb application account (part of the Rackham application system). Do not upload academic records printed from your school’s website or student portal.
You are not required to send official transcripts at the time of application. If you are recommended for admission, the Rackham Graduate School will require official transcripts. Admitted applicants will receive an email notification when the official transcripts are required.
Students who have studied in a country outside of the U.S. should review the required credentials from non-U.S. institutions. For all degrees obtained at non-U.S. institutions —Request that degree-granting institutions submit official transcripts/records to the Rackham Graduate School at the time of application.
Information for submitting official transcripts can be found on the Rackham Graduate School website .
Check the status of your letters of recommendation, change a recommender, or resend the notification email to your recommender using the ApplyWeb Activity Page
Please reach out to [email protected] if there are any questions regarding the submission of the letters of recommendation.

Check on your application status . If you’ve been accepted, you will receive an email with information on how to send your official transcripts.

If you have been accepted, congratulations! You may accept or decline the offer of admission in your U-M Friend Account .
For international students that accept offer of admission, Rackham prepares immigration documents for visas.

For general questions regarding the Educational Studies doctoral program:

Lisa K. Hawkins, Ph.D. Educational Studies PhD Program Manager [email protected]

U-M Office of Financial Aid www.finaid.umich.edu

Quick Facts

Gre general exam scores, financial aid, graduates typically go into these industries.

Educational foundations and policy
Educational leadership
Mathematics education
Science education
Teaching and teacher education
Higher education research
Independent research organizations
Non-profit organizations and research institutes
Museums and other informal learning settings
Curriculum development organizations
Organizations related to K-12 schooling (such as state departments of education, school district offices)
Policy communities at the local, state, and national levels
Reform and innovation communities within and beyond K–12 governance

Graduates often work as

Education Consultant
Director of Research
Policymaker
Research Design Specialist
Research Investigator
Research Specialist
Expert Practitioners

Recent job titles include

Associate Director of Education Research
Chief of Research
Clinical Professor
Deputy Director
Director of Enrollment Research and Data Management
Director of Mathematics Learning Center
Instructional Consultant
Principal Researcher
Research Scientist

Internships

Although no internship is required, students must satisfy the apprenticeship requirement by completing a minimum of one and up to three credits in each of the following apprenticeships:

Department of Educational Administration

Higher, adult, and lifelong education.

M.A. in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education
M.A. in Student Affairs Administration
Ph.D. in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education
Ed.D. Leadership for Equity-Minded Change in Postsecondary Education
All Graduate Programs
Center for Higher & Adult Education
HALE Graduate Research Colloquium
HALE Faculty Research
HALE Dissertation Abstracts
K-12 Educational Administration
Master of Arts in K-12 Educational Administration
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership
Ph.D. in K-12 Educational Administration
Urban Education Graduate Certificate
Certification Pathway
K-12 Graduate Research Colloquium
K-12 Admin Faculty Research
K-12 Admin Dissertation Abstracts
University Council for Educational Administration
Education Policy Doctoral Program
Economics of Education
Education Policy Forum
Education Policy Innovation Collaborative
Green and Write Blog
Faculty Research
Dissertation Abstracts
Graduate Student Conference Support
Erickson Chair
Raines Colloquium
Focus on Urban Education
International
Featherstone Society
Student Forms & Policies
Funding & Scholarships
Faculty Resources
Requirements
HALE MA MEDIA
Handbook & Forms
Funding Opportunities for SAA MA Students
Our Students
Experiences
Teaching Opportunities
What to Expect
Certificate Completion Requirements
State Authorization
Additional Resources
CENTER FOR HIGHER & ADULT EDUCATION

The Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education (HALE) program at Michigan State University is a dynamic community of scholars comprised of nationally and internationally recognized faculty members and dedicated master and doctoral students. In conjunction with the affiliated Center for Higher and Adult Education (CHAE), HALE scholars work to address real-world problems in postsecondary education.

National Recognition

The HALE program is consistently ranked among the top higher education graduate programs in the United States, and provides students educational opportunities and mentorship from one of the largest and most well-known groups of postsecondary education scholars.

Building Careers

HALE offers master’s and doctoral degrees to students pursuing a variety of career paths and research interests throughout postsecondary education, including community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, research consortia, educational policy agencies, and adult learning agencies.

Register for Upcoming Prospective Student Events

Four graduate degree programs

Master’s in student affairs administration.

Join a small cohort of peers preparing to work with students, and to cultivate educational environments that promote diversity and multiculturism

Learn More ›

Master’s in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education

Enhance or begin your career in various higher and adult education settings through a flexible, fully online learning experience

PH.D. IN HIGHER, ADULT, AND LIFELONG EDUCATION

Examine changes in and prepare for leadership, faculty, research or policy positions in postsecondary educational organizations

ED.D. IN LEADERSHIP FOR EQUITY-MINDED CHANGE IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

Our on-campus, cohort-style program prepares future leaders in higher education administration.

Points of distinction

National reputation.

Michigan State University is ranked #1 in the nation for higher education administration ( U.S. News & World Report ) .

FOCUS ON GLOBAL POLICY

The Center for Higher and Adult Education provides opportunities to explore higher education policy in the U.S. and around the world.

LEADING SCHOLARS

HALE at MSU faculty have been named pillars of the profession, lead associations in the field and participate in long-standing international partnerships.

HALE Faculty Members

Marilyn Amey

Ann E. Austin

Brendan Cantwell

Dongbin Kim

Patricia Marin

Kristen Renn

Riyad Shahjahan

Matthew Wawrzynski

Kenya LeNoir Messer

Justin Gutzwa

Learn to teach adult students

Enhance your understanding of education for adult learners with the nine-credit Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Postsecondary Education. Upon completion, partipants will hold knowledge, skills and tools for helping adults learn in postsecondary instutions, organizations and beyond.

Renn receives prestigious ASHE Mentoring Award
Brendan Cantwell named Erickson Chair

Tue . Dec . 10 2024

Broader Impacts Writing Retreat, Fall 2024

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center

Fri . Dec . 6 2024

Master of Arts in Education Virtual Open House

4:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Office of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies – Virtual Open House

9:30 am - 10:30 am

Graduate Degree

Higher, adult, and lifelong education - doctor of philosophy, college of education, department of educational administration, graduate study.

The doctoral program in higher, adult, and lifelong education is designed for individuals pursuing careers as administrators, researchers, professors, or policymakers in the field. The program emphasizes the complex and multifaceted nature of post-secondary education in the United States and other nations. By studying the diversity of contexts, structures, practices, and participants, students in the program should gain a broad, comparative perspective on the interrelated systems that influence the provision of post-secondary education in modern societies. The program is designed to assist students to distill from these perspectives a meaningful professional agenda and to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to carry this agenda forward. The program is based on the belief that practitioners in the field of higher, adult, and lifelong education must (1) be knowledgeable about current practices, trends, and issues and (2) be able to advance the current boundaries of professional knowledge.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Education, students must meet the requirements specified below.

The applicant must submit three letters of recommendation from persons who are acquainted with the applicant's academic and professional experience, performance, and potential. Applicants may be required to participate in an interview and to submit a sample of scholarly writing.

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education