Education (Ph.D.)

An innovative doctoral program designed to provide students with a cross-disciplinary understanding of contemporary educational issues. We prepare future scholars, leaders, teacher-educators and policymakers to confront the challenges facing today’s schools and community organizations.

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Program overview

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in Education at the UMaine College of Education and Human Development prepares students to apply research-based knowledge, field-tested experience and the latest technology to help address the changing needs of schools, children and families. Graduates are well-positioned for careers at research universities, regional and local universities, community colleges, K-12 schools, research groups, public and private agencies, private businesses and more. Being part of Maine’s only public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution means that faculty in the College of Education and Human Development are involved innovative research and professional development projects at the state, regional and national levels. In our doctoral programs, students work closely with and receive authentic mentorship from a faculty advisor, whose goal is to ensure that each students’ program meets their unique needs. Small classes, led by widely recognized faculty, encourage proactive conversations and inquiry based on real experiences and current issues. Flexibility is built into individual programs to allow the greatest impact in specific areas of need. Our doctoral students can choose from Areas of Specialization in Education, Schools and Communities; Special Education; STEM Education; Literacy Education; and Prevention and Intervention Studies.

Areas of Specialization

The Education, Schools and Communities specialization responds to growing interest from educators both inside and outside the classroom in applying research-backed solutions to the challenges facing schools and communities, particularly those in rural and underserved areas.

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The Special Education Ph.D. specialization is designed to prepare educators for leadership positions in both K-12 schools and higher education institutions, where they can contribute to special education teacher preparation and address a nationwide shortage of special educators.

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The STEM Education Ph.D. specialization is an interdisciplinary degree program for those who have an interest in improving the quality of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics education through research.

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The Literacy Education specialization focuses on theoretical research traditions, historical perspectives, and diverse epistemologies and methodologies that frame the study of literacy in varied settings, with emphasis on the distinct needs of rural areas.

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The goal of the Prevention and Intervention Studies specialization is to increase positive academic and social-behavioral outcomes for PreK-12 children and their families by focusing on issues related to risk, resilience, prevention and intervention.

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The Education Ph.D. requires a minimum of 57 graduate credits beyond a master’s degree. Students will develop an initial program of study with their faculty advisor. Before enrolling in their fifth course, students must form a program committee consisting of three or more faculty members to finalize the program of study. The curriculum includes of a minimum of 15 required foundation course credits, 15 required research core credits, 12 required program core credits and three elective credits combined with comprehensive exams, a research practicum and a dissertation:

Educational Foundations (minimum 12 credit hours): All students are required to enroll in a professional seminar course at the beginning of doctoral studies. After that, students may choose three additional courses from a menu of options focusing on the philosophical, psychological and social aspects of education.
Research Foundations (minimum 15 credit hours): Includes a minimum of six credits in quantitative methods and six credits in qualitative methods. In addition, students must take at least one additional research course related to their professional or academic interests.
Professional Core (minimum 15 credit hours): A series of courses in the student’s Area of Specialization.
Research practicum (minimum 6 credit hours): In the fourth year of the program, each student in consultation with their advisor and program committee, will do a two semester research practicum specific to their Area of Specialization. This allows students to develop a literature review and implement field study in that area.
Dissertation (minimum of nine credits)

Find program faculty and staff at umaine.edu/edhd/facultystaff/

When you earn a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Maine you will be prepared for professorships at major research colleges and universities. Our graduates also have gone on to work for education policy organizations, or as administrators, principals and leaders at schools in Maine and beyond.

The mission of the Graduate School of the University of Maine is to produce engaged scholars and professionals by promoting excellence in all aspects of the graduate student experience. The Graduate School provides advanced education and professional training through innovative teaching, mentorship, research, and creative activity in established and emerging areas. This rigorous education prepares students to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of the state of Maine, the nation and the global community.

The University of Maine Graduate School prepares engaged scholars and professionals to make meaningful contributions to their communities of practice: research consortia, clinical practices, studios, workplaces, classrooms, and political collectives. As graduate students are key agents in helping to sustain an environment supportive of learning through teaching, collaborative inquiry, mentoring or demonstration, they are critical ambassadors for public higher education during their coursework and after graduation. During and after graduate training, accordingly, the Graduate School’s doctoral, masters, and professional-certifications degree programs will enable students to:

Understand, interpret, shape, and augment the knowledge base by

Contributing research, scholarship, creative work, and informed practice to our developing understanding of the social and material world;
Staying abreast of methodological, pedagogical, and professional advances;
Consuming research for continuing professional knowledge and practice; and
Committing to professional development through engagement in professional societies and other knowledge-transfer modes.

Share disciplinary expertise openly, effectively, and accurately by

Accurately distilling and disseminating complex expertise to help solve problems;
Responsibly integrating developing research consensus into professional best-practices;
Working collaboratively across domains to develop new insights and effective practices;
Responding with principled recommendations to emerging concerns that confront their communities of practice; and
Respectfully observing (and where necessary, helping to shape) the communicative conventions of the community of practice.

Demonstrate responsible and ethical practice by

Attending to sustainability, responsiveness, and potential long-term implications when engaging local-global context and communities;
Learning from and working respectfully with diverse cultural perspectives, knowledge-systems, and priorities;
Giving and acting on productive feedback;
Complying with best-practices in methodology and pedagogy and in making informed recommendations to employers, coworkers and the broader public; and
Maintaining a critical awareness of structural inequities in their communities of practice and working to redress them; and
Assuring that context–and discipline-informed modes of inquiry are safe.

For current information about tuition and fees, please visit Student Business Services. Students interested in graduate assistantships will need to apply through the UMaine Graduate School. More information is online.

Admission to the Ph.D. in Education program is based on several factors, including candidates’ past academic performance, future academic or research goals, as well as program resources. Candidates must posses a master’s degree and gain recommendation by faculty in their area of specialization. Please contact program faculty before you apply to seek a recommendation and to inquire about whether we are currently accepting new students. An interview may or may not be required. For application deadlines, check with the program coordinator for your desired concentration. Applications must be submitted through the University of Maine Graduate School.

Application requirements:

UMaine Graduate School application
An essay (300-500 words) on academic and personal goals, including an special interest the candidate would like to pursue now or in the future
Three letters of recommendation
At least one letter of recommendation from a faculty member
Official transcripts
Graduate Record Examination scores (check with faculty in your desired Area of Specialization as some areas have suspended the GRE requirement)
Interview, if required
Additional requirements may be needed, depending on your desired Area of Specialization.

Contact Us

For questions about the Education Ph.D., contact Director of Graduate and Online Programs Esther Enright, esther.enright@maine.edu.

For general queries use the Graduate School contact form below, or email coehd@maine.edu.

Graduate School Contact Form