Leadership, Research, and Policy, PhD

The College of Education PhD program is designed to meet the need for PhD-level researcher/practitioners to address problems of practice within area school districts and institutions of higher education (P–16), and non-governmental organizations (NGO) with education related missions.

The rigorous curriculum requires 22 credit hours in the Research Core, 18 credit hours in the Professional Core, and 30 credit hours of Dissertation (70 credit hours total). A key feature of the program is that students will work with program faculty in Research Labs throughout the duration of course work. These Labs are designed to give students an opportunity to conduct research early in the program under the supervision of seasoned faculty researchers in authentic work settings with teams of student colleagues.

Learning Outcomes

The PhD in Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy will prepare graduates to:

• Engage in culturally responsive reflective practice and scholarly inquiry as scholar/practitioners
• Synthesize multiple research perspectives to lead educational communities toward enhancement and refinement of policies and programs, enrichment and strengthening of instructional practices, and improvement of student outcomes
• Communicate comprehensibly and effectively in both oral and written scholarly discourse
• Direct educators and policy makers in the continuous improvement of practice through the cycle of implementation and evaluation
• Model cultural competence appropriately in research based policy and program educational initiatives

Admission Requirements

As minimum requirements for admission into the PhD program in Leadership, Research, and Policy, the applicant must:

1. Hold a master’s degree from an accredited college or university
2. Submit scores of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) taken within the past five years. Scores from the Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical subtests are required. There are no cutoff scores for the GRE subtests or composite score. GRE scores will contribute to an index score, which will be considered in admission decisions.
3. Submit three letters of recommendation: one from a former graduate instructor, one from a current supervisor, and one from a professional colleague. The requirements for the letters are described in the admission packet. Letters from current UCCS faculty in the Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundations (LRF) will not be accepted.
4. Exhibit a history of professional leadership experience that demonstrates high motivation and a significant contribution to the field of education. This criterion should be reflected in the required Career Goals Statement described in the admission packet.
5. Describe a pattern of professional experience that exhibits a trajectory of increased leadership responsibilities over time. This criterion will be reflected in the Career Goals Statement described in the admission packet.
6. Submit an up-to-date resume or academic vitae.

Acceptance decisions will be based upon an overall index score generated from all admission requirements.