The PhD in Education with a specialization in education policy (EDPO) is individualized, interdisciplinary, and experiential. Students plan their own programs to meet self-defined goals with the guidance and support of faculty advisors. EDPO courses can be applied to primary or secondary specialization areas.
If you have questions about this specialization, please contact the specialization representative, Matthew Steinberg.
The Education Policy Specialization involves the study of education policy and how it helps individuals understand how decisions are made at various levels of government, how decision-makers use educational research and evidence, and how to influence the decision-making process. The program encourages students to hone skills that are needed for sound policy research and analysis.
This specialization allows for flexible academic planning and research according to participants' interests, career goals, and learning format. With the advisor's approval, students may add courses in education law or education finance, as well as policy courses in other academic units, to round out their program of study.
What Will You Learn?
The specialization features coursework and applied internships that enable you to learn:
- How to be a sophisticated and discerning consumer of education policy research
- How to conduct rigorous empirical research on education policies and practices
- How to communicate research findings to a broad array of audiences
How Will You Learn?
Your advisor will guide your doctoral experience by supplementing coursework with professional experiences, including:
- Graduate seminars that prepare you to critically read and discuss complex issues in education policy
- Rigorous methodological training on the empirical analysis of education policies and practices
- Independent research (with the support of education policy faculty) on an education policy issue of scholarly interest
- Opportunities to present research findings to a community of scholars, policymakers, and practitioners
Where Can This Specialization Take You?
Graduates of this specialization gained employment such as:
- Research institute
- Think tank
- Government agency
- University (tenure-track)
- Political advocacy group
- Education consulting firm
Each student prepares an individual program of study in consultation with their Program Advisory Committee. The following courses can be taken as part of a student’s primary or secondary specialization coursework:
See additional coursework required as part of the PhD in Education degree.
Robert Graham, PhD 2020
- Dissertation Title: Mic’d Up: A Critical Narrative Inquiry Into African American Males, School Counselors & the First-Year Experience at a PWI
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jenice View
Andrea Guiden, PhD 2020
- Dissertation Title: In Search of 'the Right Type': An Historical Examination of Black Teachers and Quality in the District of Columbia Public Schools, 1952-1964
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jenice View & Dr. Diana D’Amico
Kathleen Kraus-Zadrozny, PhD 2020
- Dissertation Title: The Choice and Implication of Student Achievement Goals in Virginia Assistant Principal Performance Evaluation Policy
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nancy Holincheck
Brenda Calderon, PhD 2019
- Dissertation Title: English Learner Accountability in ESSA State Plans: A Multicase Policy Study of Implementation in Four States
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Mark Ginsberg
Kristofer Pachla, PhD 2019
- Dissertation Title: Early Career Professional Development: A Multiple Case-study Examining Differences in Outcomes and Experiences in a Secondary Science Methods Course
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Roberto Pamas
Amy Boehl, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: What Decisions Do Teachers Make in the Absence of Policy? A Qualitative Study of Test Retakes at the Classroom Level
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Penelope Earley
Levi Brown, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: Observations of Selected Virginia Teachers on the Impact of a Value-Added Evaluation System
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Penelope Earley
Lindsey Burke, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: Principal Perspectives on School Participation and Non-Participation in the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program: An Institutional Theory Analysis
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Meagan Call-Cummings & Dr. Rodney Hopson
Heather Keenan, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: Teachers Making Sense of English Learner Education Policy: A Qualitative Case Study
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Penelope Earley
Jamila Jones Kennedy, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: Social Capital and Parent Engagement in Black and White Middle-Class Families
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Penelope Earley
Ave Luke-Simpson, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: Realidades Rurales: A Study of the Implementation of Title III of NCLB in a Rural Elementary School
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Penelope Earley
Jennifer Mursaloglu, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: Parental Engagement beyond School Walls: A Qualitative Case Study of African American Parental Engagement during High School
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Penelope Earley
Beth Aronstamm Young, PhD 2018 (Ed)
- Dissertation Title: District Data Personnel Perspectives on the Federal Data Collection and Reporting Process and How They Inform Their Work
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Penelope Earley
Matthew Steinberg
Anne Holton
David Houston