Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. program is designed to augment an existing master’s degree or equivalent preparation.

The program requires 60 credit hours of coursework and typically takes approximately 4 years to complete. All admitted students receive a tuition waiver and health insurance fully funded by the Simmons School for 4 years. Students also receive $30,000 in compensation per academic year for 4 years. To receive these benefits, students complete a Graduate Research Assistantship (a form of mentored research experience under the supervision of one or more faculty members). Graduate Research Assistantships typically involve 20 hours of work per week throughout the academic year. Students receive their compensation in the form of bi-weekly or monthly payments. Miscellaneous student fees (e.g., on-campus parking fees) are not included.

Graduates of our program are prepared for academic and research careers through direct mentoring in the professional domains of publishing, presenting, teaching, grant writing, and community engagement and are also provided with opportunities for collaborations across departments, schools, university-wide or regional projects (e.g. CORE, RME, Bush, etc.), as well as national and international institutions.

Applications are due annually by December 1. We hope you will consider joining us here at SMU and sharing your unique insights and perspectives with our Mustang community and with the broader world of education research and innovation!

Apply now

Program Structure

Doctoral students must complete a minimum of 54 credit hours during a three-year full-time program prior to the dissertation year. Students must enroll in a minimum of 9 credit hours of coursework per term and be full-time residents in the Dallas area for the first three academic years of the program. In addition to coursework, students apprentice for 20 hours each week on research projects during the academic year (Sept. - May), for which they typically receive fellowship compensation, benefits, and waived tuition.

The program is a model in which students complete a core set of courses as a cohort and a unique set of electives and research experiences. Some of the course topics are: 

• Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Education Research 
• Foundations of the Learning Sciences
• Synthesis and Integration of Knowledge and Skills in Education Policy and Leadership
• Historical and Social Foundations of Education
• Technology in Education

Degree Requirements

Degree requirements include the following milestones:

• 60 hours of coursework (up to 6 credit hours can be transferred)
• Qualifying exams
• Major area paper
• Conference presentation
• Manuscript submission
• Dissertation with an oral defense
• Teaching competency