Doctor of Philosophy in Education - Educational Policy

Policymakers at the federal, state and local levels are actively exploring strategies to improve educational outcomes for all students. Increasingly, these strategies include dramatic changes in the way schools are organized, in who teaches and how these teachers are prepared, and in how schools are held accountable for student outcomes. Unfortunately, there is little good evidence on which to base many of these important policy decisions. This has led to a growing need for careful, experimental and quasi-experimental and descriptive research to inform key education policy issues. Stay up to date with the Education Policy community by subscribing to our quarterly newsletter.
The UVA School of Education and Human Development program in Education Policy provides students with preparation that draws on a theoretical foundation and employs appropriate methods to offer evidence on important education policy questions. The program is organized on four conceptual components:
Strong preparation in methods that permit causal inference
A grounding in a social science discipline
An understanding of the working of schools
Working knowledge of the existing educational policy landscape and literature
While coursework is important to student preparation, a close mentoring relationship with faculty is crucial to the design of the program. Students work closely with faculty on research projects to examine the impact of a variety of educational policies on student outcomes. Graduates are prepared to take positions in academia or research organizations. Should prospective students wish to engage with our community, we hold regularly scheduled Internal Policy Labs throughout the academic year where students and faculty present their work to receive constructive feedback.

English proficiency requirement:
Paper-based TOEFL: 600
Computer-Based TOEFL: 250
IELTS: 7.0
IBT TOEFL: at least 22 in writing, 22 in speaking, 23 in reading, and 23 in listening for a total score of 90.

Admission requirements that apply specifically to this program are listed below
Ensuring Fit: Our Ph.D. in Education Policy program seeks students whose research interests are well-aligned with one or more of our faculty members. We strongly suggest applicants review faculty member's profiles, to learn more about faculty members areas of expertise and current research projects. When submitting their application materials and personal statements, applicants are encouraged to specifically highlight why they believe the Education Policy program at UVA may be a good fit for them, and explicitly discuss faculty members with whom they would be interested in collaborating. Prospective students are welcome to reach out to individual faculty members via email to ask questions about the program, research interests, etc.

Applicants should demonstrate a background and interest in quantitative approaches to educational policy, as evidenced, for example, by appropriate social science undergraduate or master's degrees or prior work experience.
A master's degree is not a prerequisite for admission.
In addition to the Ph.D., the School of Education and Human Development offers a dual Ph.D. and Master's of Public Policy in conjunction with the Frank Batten School of Public Policy. We strongly encourage applicants to apply to the dual degree program.
The faculty is especially interested in considering applications from persons of traditionally underrepresented groups in higher education.
Please submit a resume as part of the online application.
Please submit a statement of professional goals as part of the online application. Identify your specific interests in education policy, your rationale for applying to this program, and your long-term goals.

Goal/Professional StatementThis is your opportunity to describe your understanding of and interest in the program area to which you are applying, what you hope to learn during the program, and how it will help you achieve your professional goals. The prompt on the application provides additional information you might include in your statement.
Letters of RecommendationMost programs will require you to submit two letters of recommendation as part of the online application. These should be solicited through your online application. In the event that a program requires more than two letters, the program page will list how many additional letters of recommendation you will need, along with additional guidelines for selecting a recommender. You can submit your application before the letters are received.
TranscriptsUpload copies of transcripts showing college coursework and degrees completed to date. Unofficial copies are acceptable. Official transcripts are required only when you accept an offer of admission. If you are submitting an electronic transcript, please email it directly to gehdadmission@virginia.edu. A transcript must be provided for each school listed on your application. Transcripts that are not stated in English must be accompanied by a translation into English. Your application will be considered incomplete until all transcripts are received.
We will accept international transcript evaluations from members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). While we do not endorse any specific providers, we commonly receive evaluations from Educational Credentials Evaluators, International Academic Credential Evaluators, Josef Silny and Associates, or World Education Services. Course-by-course evaluations are preferred.