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Doctoral Programs
We take pride in the quality of CU Denver School of Education & Human Development’s nationally ranked doctoral programs and the educational and professional experiences provided to our students. Our EdD, PhD and PsyD programs strive to provide coursework, individual supervision and mentorship to produce scholars, researchers, leaders and innovators of the highest quality: research-savvy, methodologically sophisticated, and prepared for a lifetime of contributions to their field of study. Explore the following exciting routes. Each path leads to different careers and supports different learning outcomes.
EdD & PhD Student Resources
Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity (EdD)
This program is designed for experienced educators and human service professionals who wish to be leaders of change in schools, agencies and communities. It offers tools for leaders of school and organizational improvement, reform and educational equity and provides you the opportunity to apply evidence-based methods. Most of the students in our cohort-based program are working fulltime; therefore, the courses are taught in the late afternoon, evening or online. Our partnership with schools through our Center for Practice Engaged Educational Research (C-PEER) creates opportunities for our EdD students to work in teams with peers and faculty on district identified problems of practice.
- Learn with your peers in a cohort-based 3 or 5 year plan to graduation – coursework is completed in 2 or 4 years followed by the doctoral research project
- Several concentrations may be completed fully online – please see detailed descriptions for each area and sign up to attend an information session
- Engage with faculty and our district and community partners on identified problems of practice and policy
- Become data savvy for strategic planning and decision-making
- Culminate your program with a dissertation-in-practice
Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity, Designing for Professional Learning
Degree Earned: EdD Classroom Type: Fully Online The Designing for Professional Learning (DPL) concentration engages doctoral students in the creation, implementation, and study of learning design, learner-centered design approaches, and design-justice practices across academic, corporate, and community settings. Doctoral coursework is grounded in literature about equity-oriented learning; principles of design justice and learner-centered design; the impact of learning design on individuals and communities; and design-based research methods.Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity, Early Childhood Education
Degree Earned: EdD Classroom Type: Fully Online Designed to prepare professionals to become leaders and advocates for all children and their families. Graduates lead system and policy development in inclusive, culturally, and linguistically diverse early childhood settings. These settings encompass a range of childcare, school, and community program environments.Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity, Executive Leadership
Degree Earned: EdD License Classroom Type: Fully Online Equips passionate visionary leaders with new tools to create long-lasting positive change in their organizations or communities that is focused on equity, educational access, and social justice where students could flourish. Gain the skills you need to address the critical issues and challenges that exist in the field of education and educational leadership.Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity, Higher Education
Degree Earned: EdD Classroom Type: Fully Online Enables leaders in higher education to continue their work while completing doctoral degrees. Graduates are effective leaders, passionate about educational access, equity, and social justice in diverse settings in higher education worldwide.Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity, Justice, Equity, and Diverse Identities (JEDI)
Degree Earned: EdD Classroom Type: Fully Online This EdD concentration focuses on education for justice, equity and diverse identities (e.g., Latine, Black, AANAPI, LGBTQIA+, and dis/ability) and allows students to pursue research of interest that is adjacent to or within one of the above areas. The concentration area is designed to equip educators with the knowledge and resources to see opportunities in the range of complex challenges facing the education system and ground their approach in transdisciplinary and critical frameworks to advocate for educational equity and transformative, liberatory education.Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity, Mathematics Education
Degree Earned: EdD Classroom Type: Fully Online Equips school leaders in designing strategies and pedagogies for improvement in the learning of mathematics. Graduates of the program become leaders in addressing issues of equity in math education, making connections to community and leadership, and making data-based arguments to advance the field.Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity, Research Leadership
Degree Earned: EdD Classroom Type: Fully Online Actively gain research expertise that will prepare you for leadership roles in school districts, community-based organizations, P-12 assessment offices, and higher education institutional research. Learn how to lead long-term strategic research agendas and policy analyses, while proactively including diverse audiences who are affected by and can learn from research.Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity, Science Education
Degree Earned: EdD Classroom Type: Fully Online Helps science professionals to gain the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to become leaders in the field of science education. Graduates are able to think critically about science teaching and the nature of science and make data-based arguments to advance equity in the field.Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Development (PhD)
This full-time program is designed for those whose aspirations are to join an academic faculty at an institution of higher education for a career in higher education teaching and research. Become an expert in the field’s research literatures, contemporary policy/practice issues and research methodologies of your chosen concentration area while working in a close relationship with your faculty mentors. Earning a PhD in Education and Human Development will culminate in an original dissertation; your courses and experiences will prepare you to design and conduct a dissertation study.
- Participate in teaching and research experiences early and throughout your program
- Leverage opportunities to present, write and publish with your faculty to build your dossier
- Become involved with campus faculty governance
Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Development, Critical Studies in Education
Degree Earned: PhD Classroom Type: Online and on campus classes The PhD in Education and Human Development brings together award-winning faculty and doctoral students who ground their approach and research in transdisciplinary and critical frameworks and advocate for educational equity and transformative, liberatory education.Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Development, Early Childhood Policy
Degree Earned: PhD Classroom Type: Online and on campus classes Prepares candidates to be leaders, policymakers, policy advisors and analysts, faculty members, and researchers. Graduates will shape, direct, implement and evaluate early childhood services, infrastructure, and policy and contribute to the scholarly knowledge that undergirds the discipline.Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Development, Family Science and Human Development
Degree Earned: PhD Classroom Type: Online and on campus classes This PhD program takes a multi-disciplinary approach to preparing students for college and university teaching and research, as well as the development and evaluation of programs that seek to expand equity in opportunities and outcomes for children, youth, and families.Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Development, Leadership for Educational Organizations
Degree Earned: PhD Classroom Type: Online and on campus classes Prepares candidates for research and teaching positions in higher education or research-based organizations. Candidates contribute to the growing evidence that school leadership makes a difference in how schools succeed in improving learning outcomes.Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Development, Mathematics Education
Degree Earned: PhD Classroom Type: Online and on campus classes Equips students to become leaders, faculty, and researchers at the forefront of mathematics education. A critical shortage of mathematics teachers and lagging student achievements call for an improved understanding of math learning and teaching across all grade levels.Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Development, Science Education
Degree Earned: PhD Classroom Type: Online and on campus classes Prepares candidates to explore, understand, and think critically about the nature of science and science education from a research-oriented perspective. The program prepares graduates to become equity-focused, knowledgeable leaders in science research and education.Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Development, Research and Evaluation Methods
Degree Earned: PhD Classroom Type: Online and on campus classes We need researchers who understand societal problems firsthand AND have the tools to tackle them. Join CU Denver’s Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education and Human Development concentration in Research and Evaluation Methods to become exceptionally data savvy and immediately apply your learning to your field. Students gain expertise in methods and advanced analysis techniques while participating in research, evaluation, and teaching experiences.Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Development, Inclusive Early Childhood Education
Degree Earned: PhD Classroom Type: Online and on campus classes The PhD in Inclusive Early Childhood Education concentration prepares candidates to be faculty members, researchers, and leaders. Graduates will be at the forefront of change in the areas of early childhood education, early childhood special education, and early childhood multicultural/multilingual education.Doctor of Psychology, School Psychology (PsyD)
This School Psychology program, accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), is a top program in the United States. It is one of a few programs in the nation to offer an optional bilingual concentration. Practical experiences include supervised practicums, internships and research opportunities. The PsyD program has a 100% job placement rate.