Our doctoral degree program challenges the conventional wisdom that K-12 and postsecondary education are different worlds by bringing together scholars and students from all levels of education to work and study together. Working from the premise that all people can learn at high levels, the program explores the systemic barriers that prevent so many individuals from achieving their fullest potential.
The Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program is designed for candidates seeking careers in institutional assessment, policy analysis, institutional leadership, higher education administration, student affairs, or the professoriate.
Doctoral students in this program receive a broad foundation in the study of educational leadership and policy development through a wide range of course offerings focused on both K-12 leadership and higher education.
Program Advantages & Learning OutcomesOur Ph.D. helps give you the expertise needed to become a leader in education. Professional employment opportunities after graduation may include:
Completion Time At UTA, our Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies a flexible, on-campus program designed for both full-time students and working adults interested in a part-time program. Our average doctoral candidate completes this program in approximately 4 years. However, the exact length of the program may vary by student.
Among the benefits:
We allow for a limited number of transfer credits in our program.
Up to three of the other courses (no more than 9 credits) may be doctoral-level electives offered by the department faculty, doctoral-level courses offered outside the department, independent studies with department faculty, or previously taken doctoral-level courses whose credits are applied toward the elective requirement. Courses taken outside the department must be approved by the student’s dissertation advisor, the department chair, and program coordinator prior to enrolling in the course(s). Your faculty advisor may approve you to take a masters elective in lieu of a doctoral-level elective, provided the instructor is willing to provide instruction at the doctoral level for you. In general, you are asking to transfer electives from a different program at a different level, so we may want to discuss whether our doctoral program aligns to your goals.
For more information and to make the request, please contact one of our graduate advisors.
View the UTA Tuition Estimator for an approximate calculation of required tuition and mandatory fees.
The estimated cost for tuition and mandatory fees is $3,628 as of Spring 2024 for an in-state, Texas resident enrolling in 6 credit hours (two courses) of graduate coursework through the College of Education.
Please note that the cost can vary by student in relation to that student's individual circumstances. Additional fees may apply.
For the best approximation of your school costs for tuition and fees, visit the UTA Tuition Estimator.
UTA offers competitive funding options.
View the College of Education's Scholarships and Paying for School page for a list of competitive scholarships, grants, financial aid, and more that candidates may be eligible for to help pay for school. Additionally, view more Funding Opportunities on the Graduate School Website.
UTA has expanded graduate tuition support to cover 100% of tuition and mandatory fees for Ph.D. students who are employed half-time as a graduate teaching assistant, graduate research assistant, or as a teaching or research associate. Opportunities are competitive and availability is limited.
UTA employees may be eligible to use the Employee Tuition Affordability Program to help pay for school. Details are online.
Candidates in the Ph.D. program will be part of a cohort throughout their required coursework, leading to the dissertation. Research has demonstrated that cohort models can be very effective in fostering deep learning and increasing the likelihood of students moving towards program completion. Because most of the students in the program work full-time, they are required to take only six graduate credit hours per semester. However, students who wish to complete the program as a full-time student can opt to take additional elective courses.
View the previous dissertation topics selected by our doctoral students: https://rc.library.uta.edu/uta-ir/handle/10106/11294.
Our PDF application provides all the information you need to apply to our Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. Submit all application materials and any questions about the program to [email protected]. Open the link below to get started.
Ready to apply? The Ph.D. application packet for the 2026 deadline is ready for you.
*This program accepts applicants for the Fall cohort only.
| EDAD 6304 | K-16 Quantitative Research Design & Methodology | 3 |
| EDAD 6310 | Statistical Methods | 3 |
| EDAD 6315 | Advanced Statistical Methods | 3 |
| EDAD 6318 | Advanced Qualitative Methods | 3 |
| EDAD 6308 | Qualitative Research Design & Methodology | 3 |
| EDAD 6301 | Introduction to K-16 Doctoral Studies | 3 |
| EDAD 6325 | K-16 Philosophy & History Policy Research | 3 |
| EDAD 6330 | K-16 Policy & Law Analysis Research | 3 |
| EDAD 6342 | K-16 Organizational & Leadership Theory Research | 3 |
| EDAD 6343 | History, Social & Cultural Contexts of Education | 3 |
| EDAD 6391 | Independent Research |
3 |
| EDAD 6392 | Selected Topics K-16 Educational Policy Research | 3 |
| EDAD 6399 | Dissertation |
3 |
| EDAD 6699 | Dissertation | 6 |
| EDAD 7399 | Doctoral Degree Completion |
3 |
View doctoral applications, forms and handbooks for this program.
Guidance
Find the information you need about course waiver, dissertation forms and more.
Professor
Research Interests: College access, student transition & success, STEM education
Bio: Dr. Yi Leaf Zhang is a Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington. Zhang has developed a strong interest in studying college access and success, especially in the community college context. Her research focuses on community colleges as a gateway to STEM education, transfer students’ educational pathways, and international education in four-year and two-year institutions. Zhang is currently an editorial board member of the Community College Journal of Research and Practice (CCJRP) and an associate editor of the Journal of International Students (JIS).
Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Higher education policy and finance; college affordability; financial aid; politics and state governance
Email: [email protected]
Office: Hammond Hall 132 F
Bio: My overall research agenda focuses on financial and informational barriers to college for low-income, first-generation, and racially minoritized students and how the relationship between the state government and public higher education shapes finance and governance outcomes. I am currently conducting or have conducted research projects on free college/promise programs, guaranteed tuition/fixed tuition plans, college access programs, and financial aid advising in public high schools. I have published my research in peer-reviewed journals such as Research in Higher Education, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Teachers College Record, Community College Review, and Education Policy Analysis Archives. My work has been supported by the Spencer Foundation and the Kresge Foundation. Prior to my faculty career, I worked in higher education administration in the areas of institutional research, undergraduate admissions, academic advising, and civic engagement.
Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Diversity and inclusion, organizational culture, and faculty
Associate Professor
Bio:: Jin Liu is an Associate Professor in the College of Education at the University of Texas at Arlington. Her research interests span children’s behavioral and emotional problems, the quality of life of children with autism, ethical decision-making in academic contexts, peer assessment in online learning, mathematics education, secondary data analysis in public health, and measurement practices (e.g., methodological studies in confirmatory factor analysis, scale development, and validation). She teaches graduate-level courses in research methods, applied statistics, and measurement.
Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Leadership development, critical pedagogies, equity in higher education
Email: [email protected]
Office: Hammond Hall 500
Bio: Dr. Ericka Roland is an assistant professor of Higher Education in the Department of Higher Education, Adult Learning & Organizational Studies. Her research examines research issues of diversity, equity, and justice (DEJ) in U.S. postsecondary education in three areas: (1) how DEJ has shaped teaching and learning approaches, (2) how higher education hinders or facilitates leadership development, (3) how people (dis)engage with higher education institutions around issues of DEJ in organizations, practice, policies, and processes. She centers the pursuit of equity in all of her projects with a commitment to research and practice that cultivates transformative possibilities. Dr. Roland uses qualitative methodologies and critical and Black feminist theoretical approaches in her inquiries. Before entering academia, she worked as a student affairs professional in residential life and Greek life.
Assistant Professor
Research Interests:: Critical comparative global Indigenous, ethnic, and racial studies in higher education • Activism/social movements/social transformation • Abolition • Decoloniality • Community, kinships, and relationality within/beyond academia/higher education • Comparative international higher education • Critical human rights education • Science, technology, and society (STS) • Political economy • Critical pedagogy
Professor
Research Interests: College access, student transition & success, STEM education
Bio: Dr. Yi Leaf Zhang is a Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington. Zhang has developed a strong interest in studying college access and success, especially in the community college context. Her research focuses on community colleges as a gateway to STEM education, transfer students’ educational pathways, and international education in four-year and two-year institutions. Zhang is currently an editorial board member of the Community College Journal of Research and Practice (CCJRP) and an associate editor of the Journal of International Students (JIS).
Get information about College of Education programs, admissions requirements, and more.
- Administrators in institutions of higher education
- Administrators and superintendents in K-12 education
- Professors of educational leadership
