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Doctoral Programs
in Teaching

Advancing
Education.
Advancing
Your Career.
Are you interested in pursuing research in teaching and learning? Do you want to influence your field and the  next generation of teachers?
Whether you want to become a teacher educator or faculty in higher education institutions, pursue a leadership role in the teaching profession, or contribute new knowledge about teaching and learning, Warner’s flexible doctoral programs in teaching will help you achieve your goals. 

We invite you to check out our doctoral programs, and see how you can benefit from the expertise and support of faculty involved in cutting-edge research and innovative education reform projects, while pursuing your specific interests.
PROGRAM QUICKVIEW OUR APPROACH THE WARNER ADVANTAGE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FACULTY SCHOLARSHIPS RELATED PROGRAMS TESTIMONIALS CONTACT US
For current students: INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
We Can Customize Your Doctoral Program to Meet Your Career Goals and Interests!

Program Quickview

These Warner School PhD and EdD programs can be easily customized to meet your specific career goals and interests related to teaching and curriculum.  Whether you are interested in specializing in specific subject areas, focusing on a specific age group, or pursuing more general topics like urban education, learning in the digital age, or health professions education, just to name a few, Warner will work with you to help you achieve the goals for your doctoral program.

If you are interested in other Warner doctoral programs, check our Related Programs.
Prerequisites:
  • Prior preparation and experience as an educator.
  • Prior master's degree highly desirable; most students will have already completed a master's program.
Key Program Features:
  • Minimum Credits:  90 graduate credits; some of which can be transferred from previous programs (up to 30 credits for PhDs; up to 36 credits for EdDs).
  • Customizable: With only six required courses, it’s easy to choose electives in your specific areas of interest, tailor projects in most courses, and most importantly select your dissertation topic.
  • Choice of Research Methods: Benefit from a vast array of research methods courses, and choose from a variety of research methods for your dissertation.
  • Exciting Research Opportunities: Warner faculty are always working on exciting research and reform projects that provide opportunities for apprenticeships as well as interesting contexts for your dissertation.
  • Flexible: Programs can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis, starting in any semester; minimum one year full-time residency requirement for PhD students only.

Warner Doctoral Programs in Teaching

PhD in Education with Concentration in Teaching, Curriculum and Change (TC3): Prepares graduates for academic positions in universities and other higher education settings, as well as research positions in government agencies or other educational organizations.

EdD in Teaching & Curriculum: Prepares and supports experienced educators for leadership positions in their field, as well as selected higher education faculty positions; can be completed on a part-time basis while maintaining full-time employment.  You can choose among two options to complete the same program requirements:
  • EdD Accelerated Option (TC9): Dissertation must be an action-research study related to your job, to be completed in the span of one year as part of a cohort, supported by a three-semester dissertation seminar. This program can be completed within three years by taking coursework in a prescribed sequence.
  • EdD Traditional Option (TC2): More flexibility for type and pace of dissertation and coursework completion.
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Opportunities for Additional Specializations (with minimum additional credits required)
  • Advanced Certificate in Program Evaluation (+3 credits): To strengthen your research skills in planning and conducting evaluations of existing programs.
  • Advanced Certificate in Online Teaching (+3 credits): To be more competitive for positions that may involve teaching online.
Choosing Between a PhD and an EdD Program … What’s the Difference?
Warner PhD programs are primarily designed to prepare researchers and higher education faculty. Warner EdD programs are more appropriate for experienced professionals interested in using research to solve problems of practice, enabling them to pursue leadership positions in educational institutions or to assist them in designing and implementing programs to improve practice in their field.

While the required coursework may be very similar, these two degree programs have very different expectations concerning dissertation study, expertise in research methods, and residency requirements.  Here’s what you can expect:
  • PhD students are expected to focus early on only a few specific areas so as to become experts in those areas. EdD students on the other hand are expected to develop a broad understanding of their own as well as related fields.
  • While both PhD and EdD students take the same foundational research methods courses, PhD students are required to take additional, advanced research methods courses to develop expertise in using a rich array of traditional research methods.
  • PhD dissertations require independent research that will contribute new knowledge to their field, while EdD dissertations may involve a wider array of choices, including: case studies of specific innovations; action research studies to improve specific programs or practices; research- and data-based analysis to inform important decisions; or rigorous evaluations of existing programs.
  • In addition to their dissertation, PhD students are required to engage in research apprenticeships with faculty.
  • EdD students can complete their program part time, while PhD students are required to complete at least one year of residency (i.e., be full time for two consecutive semesters, taking at least 12 credits of coursework each semester or 9 credits, if awarded an assistantship) and are encouraged to complete as much of their program as possible full time.
Contact admissions if you wish to speak with a faculty member to better understand which option will best meet your career goals.

Our Approach

Preparing You to Be an Innovative Educational Leader and Researcher.

Warner's doctoral programs in teaching take a socio-historical and interdisciplinary approach, while exposing students to multiple research methodologies to assist them to effectively study and improve the processes of teaching, learning, and curriculum development and implementation.
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Learn More About Warner's Approach to Doctoral Programs
All doctoral programs offered at the Warner School are characterized by the following common principles and goals:
  • Integration of Research, Theory, and Practice: We believe that doctoral candidates should recognize the false dichotomy between theory and practice, as well as the complementary values of basic and applied research.  Our graduates will not only gain an excellent understanding of key theories in their field, but will also be able to identify and critically examine the theoretical framework informing research reported in the literature, as well as their own. EdD candidates also form a solid research and theory base that grounds their leadership in their field of practice.   
  • Interdisciplinarity and Collaboration: We encourage doctoral candidates to recognize the need and value of collaborating across fields and constituencies to address complex problems in education.
  • Commitment to Social Justice: We strengthen our doctoral candidates' commitment to equity and social justice and for conducting research that is inclusive of all individuals, communities, and cultures.
  • In-Depth Knowledge of Area of Specialization: Our doctoral candidates develop a broad and solid knowledge of relevant research in their area of specialization, while understanding how that field is connected to others.
  • Research Practices: Our doctoral candidates articulate and pursue worthwhile research questions, and are familiar with and able to use a variety of research methodologies relevant to their field of specialization.   
  • Academic Writing Practices: We prepare our doctoral candidates to effectively communicate research results in scholarly publications, consistent with academic writing expectations.

The Warner Advantage

Preparing Graduates to Innovate, Advocate, and Elevate.

Warner is helping to create world-class educational leaders and researchers who can advance high-quality teaching and learning in a variety of contexts.
  • Become an innovator and a thought leader in your field by learning from faculty involved in cutting-edge projects.
  • Develop strong research skills by taking advantage of a variety of research methods courses and opportunities for research apprenticeships. 
  • Broaden your skillset and increase your competitiveness in the job market by adding an advanced certificate for only a few additional credits.
  • Network with the best and the brightest educators and future leaders.
  • Small, personalized program allows both flexibility to pursue your interests and opportunities to create strong relationships with faculty.
  • Give your degree even more recognition by leveraging the reputation of a leading research university.
While rigorous, Warner can provide a customized, flexible, and affordable program.
  • Go at your own pace by choosing between full-time or part-time options. 
  • Use your electives and choices for core courses to specialize in your area of interest and/or add advanced certificates.
  • Take advantage of online courses to reduce trips to campus.
  • Reduce tuition costs by taking advantage of a wide range of competitive full and partial assistantship opportunities.
  • Are you a University of Rochester employee? Make sure you make full use of your tuition benefits.

Career Opportunities

Warner Doctoral Programs Provide the Perfect Pathway to Wherever You Want to Go.

Graduates of a Warner doctoral program in teaching are well prepared to assume a variety of positions in higher education as well as K-12 schools and other educational organizations.
  • Warner EdD graduates hold positions such as teacher leaders, department chairs, and curriculum coordinators in K-12 schools; faculty and program directors in a variety of teaching and community colleges; clinical faculty at research universities; as well as other faculty and academic leadership positions.
  • Warner PhD graduates hold tenure-track and clinical faculty positions in a variety of higher education institutions, including research universities in the United States and abroad as well as faculty positions at four-year colleges, community colleges, and specialized professional schools.  Many have pursued academic leadership positions, becoming successful program directors, chairs, and deans at their respective colleges and universities.  Some graduates pursue less traditional positions, including roles with not-for-profit education organizations in areas involving program development and evaluation.
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Faculty

An Accessible, Supportive Faculty of Researchers and Accomplished Practitioners.

Core Program Faculty

Marium Abugasea-Heidt, PhD
TESOL; foreign language education
Nancy Ares, PhD
foundations of education; diversity in education
Raffaella Borasi, PhD
math education; teacher education; learning in the digital age; entrepreneurship in education
Jeff Choppin, PhD
math education; teacher education
Mary Jane Curry, PhD
academic writing; TESOL
Michael Daley, PhD
science education; learning in the digital age
Lynn Gatto, PhD
elementary education; informal learning; urban education
David Hursh, PhD
foundations of education; policy; elementary education; social studies education; diversity in education
Jayne Lammers, PhD
English education; learning in the digital age; literacy learning
Joanne Larson, PhD
Joanne Larson literacy learning; elementary education; urban education; diversity in education
April Luehmann, PhD
science education; teacher education; learning in the digital age; informal learning
Kevin Meuwissen, PhD
social studies education; teacher education
Martha Mock, PhD
disabilities; inclusion; special education; early childhood education
Hairong Shang-Butler, PhD
TESOL; academic writing
Carol Anne St. George, EdD
literacy learning; teacher education
Samantha Daley, EdD
disabilities; inclusion; special education

Learn More About All Warner School Faculty

Scholarships

Making Warner Affordable.

Many of our full-time doctoral students benefit from full and partial assistantships to support their studies while gaining valuable career experience at the same time.  Full assistantships require 15 to 20 hours per week of service during the fall and spring semesters, and provide a full tuition waiver as well as a stipend.  Partial assistantships require five to 10 hours per week of service, and offer tuition reduction and stipends commensurate with hours of service. Contact admissions for more information.

Are You a UR Employee? Inquire about your tuition benefits. If eligible, up to 95% of your tuition costs can be covered depending on your position.Contact the UR benefits office at benefitoffice@rochester.edu.


Learn More About Doctoral Assistantships
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Testimonials

Meliora means 'Ever Better.' To our graduates, it means making a world of difference.

  • Laura Van Laeken, Teacher, Midlakes, NY

    "The growth I’ve realized in myself is something I will be forever grateful for. I’ve learned to question, analyze, think and create in ways I never considered. I’ve changed as an educator and as a person."

    Laura Van Laeken, Teacher, Midlakes, NY

  • Dawn Santiago-Marullo, Superintendent, Victor, NY

    "The most important thing I received there was the opportunity to be immersed in the study of education and leadership with very talented people, that think-tank mentality of being surrounded by the best of the best. The intellectual stimulation from both the staff and fellow classmates really did allow me to think about things differently."

    Dawn Santiago-Marullo, Superintendent, Victor, NY

  • Jody Goodman, Program Director, UMass Amherst

    “As educators, it’s our job to make sure we’re giving students the knowledge to be successful when they move on in their life….Warner was the best grad school experience I’ve ever had because it prepared me extremely well to jump into my career, and I will forever be grateful for that.”

    Jody Goodman, Program Director, UMass Amherst

  • Beatriz M. Folch-Torres, MD, Rochester, NY

    “It was more than I expected. Not only what I learned in the program, which I’ve been able to put into practice every day since, but also the connections I was able to make and the relationships I was able to form."

    Beatriz M. Folch-Torres, MD, Rochester, NY

  • Shannon Walton, Sports Performance Counselor, Rochester, NY

    “I had a very unique situation. I wasn’t going down the typical path of a Warner student, and the school was just so flexible and supportive.”

    Shannon Walton, Sports Performance Counselor, Rochester, NY

  • Jeremy Friedman, Research Associate, Harlem Children's Zone, New York, NY

    “When it came time to interview for jobs, it was very easy for me to talk about anything in the field, and that set me apart,” he says. “You name it, and I had at least one experience in it—largely due to Warner.”

    Jeremy Friedman, Research Associate, Harlem Children's Zone, New York, NY

Contact Admissions

The admissions team looks forward to assisting you as you explore graduate education at the Warner School. Please feel free to use the form below to contact us with any questions. You can also email us at admissions@warner.rochester.edu or call (585) 275-3950.

Application Fee Waiver

As our way of saying thank you for applying to the Warner School of Education, we are providing a Full Cost Application Fee Waiver to all prospective students who apply. Simply fill out the Request Information Form below with the email address you will use on your application, and your application fee will be waived.


Application Deadlines

January 15
March 15
June 15
October 15


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