Education Policy and Equity, Ph.D.
The Ph.D. in education policy and equity (EPE) is an in-residence, interdisciplinary doctoral degree program at Saint Louis University focused on advanced training in education and social science research methods where students learn to evaluate educational practices and analyze issues in education policy from a social justice perspective.
Students take core courses in educational policy, history and practice; interdisciplinary electives in economics, sociology, political science and law; and advanced-level quantitative and qualitative research courses at SLU. As a result, students develop a specialization and conduct research that combines education policy questions with equity frameworks.
Program Highlights
Defining features of SLU's education policy and equity Ph.D. program include methodological rigor, opportunities for firsthand experiences in schools, student-faculty research collaboration and commitment to the goal of creating a more equitable system of education for all students.
Curriculum Overview
SLU's Ph.D. in education policy and equity offers flexibility for students to select courses that align with their individual interests and to specialize while meeting the specific requirements of the degree. This flexibility allows students from varied backgrounds to develop research that arises from their experiences and reflects their strengths. Through seminar-style instruction, students engage in collaborative problem-solving and discussion across ideological and policy differences—both key skills for education policy professionals.
Students in SLU's education policy and equity Ph.D. program develop a solid theoretical foundation along with an ability to conceptualize problems through different disciplinary perspectives and apply advanced research techniques to the study of issues in education policy. At the same time, they gain familiarity with the processes by which education policies are created and implemented, and how they influence various populations.
Fieldwork and Research Opportunities
Students in the education policy and equity Ph.D. program have the opportunity to conduct research that can inform policy and influence students and schools.
Together with faculty members from SLU's School of Education, students:
- Collaborate with local schools, districts and educational partners to conduct original research that reflects a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods.
- Support school and community leaders in making data-driven decisions by gathering and analyzing educational data, conducting program evaluations and disseminating evidence.
- Publish research findings in academic journals and conference proceedings, as well as through the PRiME Center at SLU, a policy research center within SLU's School of Education that serves as a resource for state lawmakers, educators, administrators and other leaders who make critical policy decisions for K-12 education in the state of Missouri.
Careers
SLU's education policy and equity Ph.D. program prepares students for careers in academia, public service and the nonprofit sector. Graduates are trained as scholars with the research skills and content knowledge required for jobs such as university faculty in education policy or related programs; researchers at university research centers; researchers at think tanks and foundations; and directors of research departments in local, state and federal education agencies.
Admission Requirements
- Transcript(s)
- Three letters of recommendation
- GRE or other applicable graduate entry exam scores
- Résumé
- Professional goal statement
Requirements for International Students
Along with the general admission requirements above, the following must be provided by prospective international students:
- Demonstration of English Language Proficiency.
- Proof of financial support that must include:
- A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at Saint Louis University.
- A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University.
- Academic records, in English translation, for postsecondary studies outside the United States. These must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.
Please note that application deadlines for this program differ for international students.
Review Process
A committee reviews each application holistically.
Application Deadlines
Domestic students should apply for the fall semester by June 15, for the spring semester by Nov. 1, and for the summer semester by April 1.
International students should apply by May 1 for the fall semester, Oct. 1 for the spring semester, and Feb. 1 for the summer semester.
Tuition
| Tuition | Cost Per Credit |
|---|---|
| Graduate Tuition | $1,370 |
Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:
Information on Tuition and Fees
Scholarships and Financial Aid
For priority consideration for graduate assistantships, apply by Jan. 15.
For more information, visit the Office of Student Financial Services.
- Graduates will be able to evaluate issues in education policy and their impact on educational outcomes for students, with an emphasis on marginalized groups.
- Graduates will be able to design and execute policy research that extends the knowledge base in education policy and equity.
- Graduates will be able to evaluate competing theoretical frameworks that are employed in the design of education policy research.
- Graduates will be able to identify forms of inequity (racial, gender, class, ability, etc.) in education policy and the effect of inequity on student outcomes.
- Graduates will be able to apply research tools and methods to analyze educational problems.
SLU's Ph.D. in education policy and equity is a 66-credit (54 credits of coursework plus 12 credits of dissertation research) degree program beyond the bachelor’s degree. As such, we may accept students into the Ph.D. in education policy and equity directly from bachelor’s programs.
For students admitted with master’s degrees, we follow SLU’s advanced standing policy and allow students to petition for advanced standing.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDR 5000 | General Research Methods for Education | 3 |
| EDR 5100 | Intro to Inferential Stats: Ed | 3 |
| EDR 5400 | Qualitative Research in Education | 3 |
| EDR 6100 | Intermediate Applied Statistics for Education | 3 |
| EDR 6350 | Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs | 3 |
| EDR 6400 | Advanced Qual Research for Ed | 3 |
| EDR 6700 | Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks in Education Research | 3 |
| EDF 5600 | Foundations of Urban Education | 3 |
| EDF 6650 | Seminar: History of American Education | 3 |
| EPE 5050 | Proseminar on Ed Research | 3 |
| EPE 5250 | Contemporary Issues in Education Policy | 3 |
| SOC 5850 | Policy Evaluation and Assessment | 3 |
| SOC 6250 | Poverty, Inequality and Public Policy | 3 |
| Content Electives | 9 | |
Select 9 credits from the below list of Content Electives. | ||
| Advanced Research Electives | 6 | |
Select 6 credits from the below list of Advanced Research Electives. | ||
| Dissertation Research | 12 | |
EDR 6990 | Dissertation Research | |
| Total Credits | 66 | |
Continuation Standards
Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.
Non-Course Requirements
- Students must pass doctoral comprehensive exams (including both oral and written components) upon completion of all required and elective courses.
- Students must pass an oral defense of a dissertation proposal representing a critical examination of a problem in the field of education policy.
- Students must pass a public presentation and defense of their dissertation.
Content Electives
Select 9 credits of the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 8720 | Education Law | 2 |
| EDF 6050 | Multicultural Issues in Public Service | 3 |
| EDF 6600 | Education in American Culture | 3 |
| EDF 6870 | Seminar: Current Educational Problems | 3 |
| EDH 5250 | History of American Higher Education | 3 |
| EDH 5400 | Law and Higher Education | 3 |
| EDI 5601 | Language & Culture | 3 |
| EDI 5650 | Racial Literacy and Antiracist Praxis | 3 |
| EDI 5900 | Developing and Implementing a Culturally Responsive Curriculum through Instruction and Assessment | 3 |
| EDL 6140 | The Politics of Education | 2-3 |
| EDL 6200 | Ethics of Ed Leadership | 3 |
| EDL 6300 | Advanced School Law | 2,3 |
| EPE 6250 | Economics of Education | 3 |
| SOC 6200 | Urban Social and Political Theory | 3 |
| SOC 6225 | Urban Community Development | 3 |
| POLS 5171 | Law, Policy, Society | 3 |
| POLS 6310 | Policy Process | 3 |
| ASTD 5020 | Frontiers & Borderlands: Contact & Conquest in the American Imagination | 3 |
| ASTD 6020 | American Political Thought | 3 |
Research Electives
Select 6 credits of the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BST 6100 | Causal Inference | 3 |
| ECON 6050 | Econometrics I | 3 |
| EDR 6500 | Multilevel Regression Models | 3 |
| EDR 6600 | Designing Mixed Methods Research | 3 |
| EPE 6650 | Applied Research and Reporting | 3 |
| PSY 5090 | Psychometric Theory | 3 |
| SOC 5530 | Urban Ethnography | 3 |
| SOC 5800 | Survey Design & Sampling | 3 |
Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.
This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| EDR 5000 | General Research Methods for Education | 3 |
| EDR 5100 | Intro to Inferential Stats: Ed | 3 |
| SOC 5850 | Policy Evaluation and Assessment | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDR 5400 | Qualitative Research in Education | 3 |
| EDR 6100 | Intermediate Applied Statistics for Education | 3 |
| EPE 5250 | Contemporary Issues in Education Policy | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Summer | ||
| SOC 6250 | Poverty, Inequality and Public Policy | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDF 6650 | Seminar: History of American Education | 3 |
| EPE 5050 | Proseminar on Ed Research | 3 |
| EDR 6400 | Advanced Qual Research for Ed | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDF 5600 | Foundations of Urban Education | 3 |
| Research or Content Elective | 3 | |
| Research or Content Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDR 6350 | Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs | 3 |
| Research or Content Elective | 3 | |
| Research or Content Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| EPE 6650 | Applied Research and Reporting | 3 |
| EDR 6700 | Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks in Education Research | 3 |
| EPE 6950 | Special Study for Written Comprehensive Exams (Please register in your advisor's section number.) | 0 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDR 6990 | Dissertation Research | 6 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDR 6990 | Dissertation Research | 6 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 66 | |
For additional admission questions, please contact:
Saint Louis University School of Education
314-977-3292
slued@slu.edu
