George Mason University College of Education and Human Development Ph.D. in Education Information Session

1. Ph.D. in Education
Information Session
College of Education and Human Development

2. What is the Ph.D. in Education?
• Highest Academic Degree
• Focus on research methods and
becoming a producer of new
knowledge
• Follows Master’s Degree

3. What are the requirements?
• 45-54 credit hours of
coursework
• 12 credit hours of dissertation
• 57-66 total credit hours

4. What are the components of the Ph.D.
Program?
• 3 credits Introductory “Foundations” Class
• 15 credits Research Methods
• 24 credits Specialization (major)
• 3-12 credits Secondary Emphasis
• 12 credits Dissertation
57-66 total

5. Foundation Class (3)
■ EDUC 800: Ways of Knowing (3)
 Taken in the first semester to orient students
to the various ways people “come to know”

6. Research Methods Classes (15)
■ EDRS 810: Problems and Methods in
Education Research (3) (required)
■ EDRS 811: Quantitative Methods (3)
(required)
■ EDRS 812: Qualitative Methods (3)
(required)
■ EDRS 8**: Two Advanced methods:
Evaluation Methods (820); Quantitative (821); Qualitative
(822); Single Subject (823); Mixed Methods (824); Self-study
(825); Case Study (826); Scale Validation (827); Modern
Measurement Theory (828); Hierarchical Linear Modeling
(830); Structural Equation Modeling (831), and other Special
Topics with the EDRS prefix (6 credits)

7. Specialization Classes (18-24) (example)
■ 6-8 doctoral-level courses in your
specialization area which may include an
independent study under the guidance of a
faculty member (3)
■ Option: EDUC 994: Internship (3): students
may propose to undertake an internship as one
of the 6-8 courses
 100 hours in relevant setting over at least 6
weeks: government, schools, university,
professional organization, professional
association, research center to apply your new
knowledge

8. What are the specialization
areas?
• Early Childhood
Education
• Education Leadership
• Education Policy
• Educational Psychology
• Exercise Fitness and
Health Promotion
• Higher Education
• International Education
• Learning Technologies
Design Research
• Literacy
• Mathematics
Education Leadership
• Multilingual/Multicu
ltural Education
• Research Methods
• Science Education
Research
• Special Education
• Teaching and
Teacher Education

9. Who are the specialization coordinators?
• Early Childhood Education: Dr. Julie Kidd
• Jkidd@gmu.edu
• Education Leadership: Dr. Scott Bauer
• sbauer1@gmu.edu
• Educational Policy: Dr. Diana D’Amico
• ddamico@gmu.edu
• Educational Psychology: Dr. Michelle Buehl
• mbuehl@gmu.edu
• Exercise, Fitness and Health Promotion: Dr. Nelson Cortes
• ncortes@gmu.edu
• Higher Education: Dr. Jan Arminio
• jarminio@gmu.edu
• International Education: Dr. Supriya Baily
• sbaily1@gmu.edu
•

10. Who are the specialization coordinators?
• Learning Technology Design Research: Dr. Priscilla Norton
• pnorton5@gmu.edu
• Literacy: Dr. Kristien Zenkov
• kzenkov@gmu.edu
• Mathematics Leadership: Dr. Toya Frank
• tfrank4r@gmu.edu
• Multilingual/ Multicultural Education: Dr. Shelley Wong
• Swong@gmu.edu
• Research Methods: Dr. Earle Reybold
• ereybol@gmu.edu
• Special Education: Dr. Rick Brigham
• fbrigham@gmu.edu
• Science Leadership: Dr. Erin Peters
• epeters1@gmu.edu
• Teaching and Teacher Education: Dr. Becky Fox
• rfox@gmu.edu

11. Secondary Specialization (12-18)
■ 4-6 classes in a relevant program area
■ Within or outside CEHD
■ Popular secondary emphasis areas:
 Education Policy
 Teaching and Teacher Education
 Educational Psychology
 Research Methods

12. Can I waive credits based upon my
Master’s degree?
• Yes, up to 9 credit hours
• Master’s must be in an area different from
Ph.D. specialization area
• Can be applied to the secondary emphasis
• Not subject to time limits
• Must have approval from your advisory
committee

13. Can I transfer previous coursework?
 To be eligible for transfer credit, the credit must be graduate credit
earned at another accredited university, earned at another
institution and recommended for graduate credit in the American
Council on Education guidebook, or earned at Mason while in a
non-degree status or enrolled through extended studies.
 The credit must have been earned within six years prior to first
enrollment as an admitted student in the specific certificate or
degree program, and a minimum grade of B (3.00) must have been
earned.
 The course must be applicable toward a degree at the institution
offering the course. Extension and in-service courses that are not
intended by the institution offering the courses to be applied to a
degree program are not eligible for transfer credit to Mason. The
credits cannot have been previously applied toward a degree at
another institution or Mason.

14. Can I take doctoral classes prior to admission?
 Yes.
 Apply for “Non-degree status”
 In some cases, with instructor approval (not
the “foundation” or research classes, however)
 Check with specialization area faculty for
appropriate classes
 Coursework prior to admission must be
transferrable into program
 Remember: you might not be admitted, and if
admitted, your program committee might not
approve previous coursework

15. • No; students submit 3 portfolios of
their work throughout the program
• Comprehensive Final Portfolio
replaces the Comprehensive Final
Examination
Is there a Final Exam requirement?

16. What are the application requirements?
• 3 years relevant experience
• 3 letters of recommendation
• All “official” transcripts (B.A., Master’s)
• GRE scores (1-800-GRE-CALL)
• Test Prep: 703.993.2124 or oemprep.gmu.edu
• http://www.gmu.edu/depts/ur/events/testprep.html
• For those admitted in the 2014-15 academic year, the mean GRE scores are 152 (quantitative),
155 (verbal), and 4.1 (analytical writing
• Resume/Vita
• Written goal statement
• 750 – 1000 words
• *TOEFL/IELTS for international students

17. When are application deadlines?
• September 15 (for spring admission)
• January 15 (for fall admission)
• No summer admissions
• No late submissions

18. What is the Admissions process?
1. Information meeting
2. Complete application requirements
3. Interview (late-September or late-January)
4. Notification (mid-October or mid-February)
 http://cehd.gmu.edu/documents/

19. Who are the current students?
• About 400 students, ages 20-something →
??
• Acceptance rate: about 50 - 60%
• Part-time students: about 75%
• Students from minority groups: 30%

20. What is the Graduation Rate?
• About 70 - 80% graduate (est.)

21. How Long Does the Program
Take to Complete?
• Full time: 4 - 5 years
• Part time: 4 - 6 years
• Limits: 5 years coursework; 4 years
dissertation

22. 4-year Program of Studies (example)

23. 6-year Program of Studies (example)

24. What are career options for Ph.D.
graduates?
• School leadership positions
• State and Federal Governments
• Professional Associations
• Research Centers
• College and University Professors

25. Why George Mason University?
• GMU is a nationally prominent university
• CEHD has a nationally visible faculty who
are active in the local education and
human development communities
• The College of Education and Human
Development has entered the Top 50 list of best
education schools in the country, as listed in U.S.
News and World Report's "2016 Best Graduate
Schools" rankings
• Our location of 12 miles west of
Washington, DC affords many unique
academic and professional opportunities
• All classes are offered once a week
Mondays - Thursdays at either 4:30 or
7:20 pm

26. What financial assistance is available?
• CEHD fellowships, scholarships, graduate
assistantships, and tuition waivers
• http://gse.gmu.edu/programs/phd/ (“Click
on Awards and Scholarships”)
• Additional support from individual
faculty grants
• Information on loans, scholarships, and
other sources of support from Office of
Student Financial Aid:
• 703-993-2353
• http://www.gmu.edu/depts/saa/fellowship
s/opportunities/gradstudy.html

27. Additional funding opportunities
• Presidential, Dean’s and Holmes Scholars:
• One award is given to a new student in the fall semester with the highest
GPA and GRE scores. The student is selected; there is no application. The
awardee receives a stipend of $22,000 per academic year, and tuition
benefit for 9 credit hours each semester (excluding summers). There is a 20
hour per week assignment. This award is renewable for up to a total of
three years and includes university paid health insurance.
• Three awards are given to new students with the highest GPA and GRE
scores. The students are selected; there is no application. The awardees
receive a stipend of $22,000 per academic year, and tuition benefit for 9
credit hours each semester (excluding summers). There is a 20 hour per
week assignment. This award is renewable for up to a total of three years
and includes university paid health insurance.
• One Holmes Scholar Graduate Fellowship which includes: 3-years of
tuition remission for full-time course taking (up to 9 credits per semester,
Spring and Fall), health insurance, a stipend for a 20-hour graduate
research assistantship ($22,000/year), and funding up to $1200/year for
travel to the AACTE conference.

28. Whom do I contact for more
information?
• Ph.D. website:
• http://cehd.gmu.edu/academics/phd/
• Write to/Speak with a faculty
member(s) in your intended
specialization area, or
• Dr. Anastasia Kitsantas, Director,
akitsant@gmu.edu
• Ms. Joan Stahle, Program Office
Manager, jstahle@gmu.edu