The PhD in Education is a research-oriented degree designed for practitioners from school districts, businesses, industry, agencies and other educational settings seeking a robust research base to advance their careers. Our program intends to be interdisciplinary, and as a doctoral students, you will have the opportunity to work in research clusters and learning communities with faculty on education-related research. The College of Community Innovation and Education offers eight distinct tracks, and programs of study can be designed for doctoral students seeking teaching positions in a research university or research-oriented education positions in business and industry.
Program Tracks
Counselor Education
The Counselor Education track, a CACREP-accredited program, is designed for individuals seeking to pursue careers as counselor educators in higher education settings or serve as clinical supervisors in schools or agencies.
Contact: Sejal M. Barden, Ph.D.
Exceptional Education
The Exceptional Education track prepares doctoral students to assume university-level faculty positions and leadership roles in teaching, research and service in the area of special education.
Contact: Eleazar Vasquez, Ph.D.
Instructional Design and Technology
The Instructional Design and Technology track prepares students for teaching and research in the field of instructional design and technology, instructional systems, educational technology, and e-learning in professions such as university professors, corporate directors of training and human resources, and corporate researchers.
Contact: Atsusi Hirumi, Ph.D.
Learning Sciences
The Learning Sciences track will expose students to key components of research on learning with additional training on using big data for research on learning analytics and data science for focus on learning for both humans and machines.
Contact: Michelle Taub, Ph.D.
Mathematics Education
The Mathematics Education track is designed to prepare mathematics educators for various career options, including preparing educators, teaching postsecondary mathematics, and conducting research in mathematics education.
Contact: Sarah Bush, Ph.D.
Methodology, Measurement and Analysis
The Methodology, Measurement and Analysis track is designed to prepare methodologists in education, the social sciences, and other human sciences for either the professoriate or practice, including diverse quantitative and qualitative areas such as statistical consulting, data analytic fields, psychometrics, and program evaluation.
Contact: Debbie Hahs-Vaughn, Ph.D.
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
The Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) track offers students in-depth experiences in the research, theory and practice of TESOL, as well as flexibility in selecting a complementary cognate.
Contact: Joyce Nutta, Ph.D.
Teaching, Learning and Development
The Teaching, Learning and Development track is designed to prepare the next generation of highly competent educational scholars and leaders who wish to pursue careers in teacher education or related areas.
Contact: Elizabeth Dooley, Ed.D.
Funding Doctoral School
A doctoral degree is an investment in your future, and financing your program is an essential factor to consider. There are various resources available to admitted doctoral students at UCF.
Program-Specific Scholarships
Project Tuition Support
Graduate Assistantships
UCF Financial Aid
Holmes Scholars
The UCF Holmes Scholars program is a select network of doctoral students preparing for careers in the higher education professorate. The National Holmes Scholars Network is designed to enrich the scholarly experiences and professional connections of talented men and women from underrepresented groups in universities and colleges.