About PhD Program,
Ph.D. students complete a program of study that includes at least 60 hours of coursework (excluding dissertation credit). Acceptance of up to 24 hours of transfer credit from a student’s master’s degree program or from post-master’s work completed at another institution is determined on an individual basis by the student’s advisor and the program head. The program coordinator may exempt students from required courses that they have already taken.
In addition to a required set of core courses in higher education (12 credits) and a minor in research methods (18 credits), the Ph.D. student is also required to complete elective coursework in higher education (12 credits). A content minor (12 credits), chosen with the advice and consent of the student’s advisor and organized around a theme or set of questions, is also required for the Ph.D. Courses for the content minor may be taken outside of the program and the School of Education and Human Development. Typical content minor concentrations include (but are not limited to) higher education policy, economics of higher education, politics of higher education, student affairs in higher education, organization and governance of higher education, and social foundations of higher education.
Ph.D. students are required to complete ten hours of mentored research per week each semester they are enrolled. Internship placements (paid, ten to twenty hours per week) can be arranged within the University of Virginia and at cooperating colleges and universities, other postsecondary agencies, or institutes. Research assistantships may also be available.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
- Statement of purpose (3-5 pages, speaks to reasons for pursuing the degree, including academic and professional goals)
- Writing sample (typically a paper written during Master’s program)
- Applicants are welcome but are not required to come to the School of Education and Human Development for an interview. To schedule an interview or campus visit, please reach out to the contact at the bottom of this page.
PhD Funding Coverage,
Departmental fellowships and assistantships are provided to a select number of applicants each year. A typical funding package includes funding for nine months in a combination of wages and stipends, tuition and all mandatory fees, and funds to cover student health insurance costs. The University also offers a limited number of competitive fellowships for which students enrolled in Ph.D. programs may apply.
Visit the Fellowships, Scholarships, and Awards page for additional funding opportunities.
Application Requirement,
Goal/Professional Statement–
Letters of Recommendation
Transcripts
Application Fee
Writing Sample
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores Are Optional
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Scores
Application Deadline,
Dec 01, 2024
Application Fee,
You will be prompted to pay the $65 nonrefundable application fee as part of your online application.
