Top Education Ph.D. Programs

Vanderbilt University

• Located in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University's Peabody School of Education was ranked the number one graduate school of education in the US for 2010. Students interested in researching or shaping educational policy can enroll in the Educational and Leadership Policy Ph.D. program, where they can choose to focus on either K-12 or post-secondary education. Both concentrations require courses in educational politics, economics, and sociology before students move on to focusing on their area of interest. For students who are interested in becoming future teacher educators, the doctorate program in Learning, Teaching, and Diversity allows specialization in three areas-Language, Literacy, and Culture; Development, Learning, and Diversity; and Math and Science Education. Lastly, the Ph.D. in Special Education prepares students to become professors of Special Education in colleges or universities. Students in this program can focus their research on groups such as the visually impaired, the developmentally delayed, or children with behavior disorders.

  Vanderbilt University
  Peabody College
  Peabody #329
  230 Appleton Place
  Nashville, TN 37203
  615-322-7444
  peabody.vanderbilt.edu

Columbia University

• Teachers College of Columbia University, ranked second only to Vanderbilt for 2010, is the largest school of education in the U.S. and offers numerous doctorate programs. Notable programs include the Ph.D.s in science education, history education, and math education, which prepare students to either teach these subjects or become professors in university education departments. The Ph.D. in Sociology and Education trains students to become researchers who study education from a sociological viewpoint, emphasizing the specific issues facing urban and economically disadvantaged schools. For students with international interests, the Ph.D. in Comparative International Education trains professionals who go on to be teachers and policy makers both in the United States and abroad. Students in this program can choose concentrations in areas such as African Education, Bilingual and Bicultural Education, Family and Community Education, and International Education Policy. Another unique program, the Cognitive Studies in Education Ph.D., focuses on the biological and psychological factors that underlie learning.

  Teachers College
  Columbia University
  525 W. 120th St.
  New York, NY 10027
  212-678-3000
  tc.columbia.edu

Stanford University

• Stanford's School of Education ranked third in the U.S. News & World Report rankings for 2010, making it the highest ranked school west of the Mississippi. The school itself is organized into three departments-Curriculum Studies and Teacher Education, Psychological Studies in Education, and Social Sciences, Policy, and Educational Practice-each of which offer doctoral degrees. Students with an interest in designing and developing educational technology can also earn a Ph.D. in Learning Sciences and Technology Design in conjunction with one of the other departments. Nearly two dozen concentrations are offered for students to choose from-among the choices are Anthropology of Education, English Education and Literacy Studies, History and Social Science Education, and Administration and Policy Analysis. Regardless of concentration, all doctoral students are expected to choose a minor area of study from outside the School of Education. Common minors include computer science, economics, philosophy, and biology.

  Stanford University School of Education
  485 Lasuen Mall
  Stanford, CA 94305
  650-723-2109
  ed.stanford.edu