For current students: INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
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 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.
Opportunities for Additional Specializations (with additional credits required)
- Advanced Certificate in Program Evaluation: To strengthen your research skills in planning and conducting evaluations of existing programs.
- Advanced Certificate in Online Teaching: To be more competitive for positions that may involve teaching online.
- Advanced Certificate in Teacher Leadership: To prepare you to take on important leadership roles in K-12 schools.
- Advanced Certificate in Urban Teaching and Leadership: Prepares you to work with highly diverse and disadvantaged students in urban settings.
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:
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.
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.
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.
All About Experience
Project SyncOn
Warner students benefit from the work of faculty that are exploring innovative uses of digital platforms. In fact, faculty member and Program Director Jeffrey Choppin is currently the principal investigator of a $2.8M National Science Foundation grant developing and studying innovative online professional learning experiences for mathematics teachers in rural schools.
Writing Camps
Warner doctoral students as well as faculty hone their academic writing capability in “writing camps” organized by writing experts Mary Jane Curry and Jayne Lammers. Take advantage of this opportunity to improve your writing skills and get publication and presentations ready, while experiencing the benefits of mentoring and networking.
NSF CAREER Grant to Support Students with Disabilities
Samantha Daley has been awarded a NSF CAREER grant to study the potential barriers preventing students with learning disabilities from going into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
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.
Faculty
An Accessible, Supportive Faculty of Researchers and Accomplished Practitioners.
Core Program Faculty
Nancy Ares, PhD(foundations of education; diversity in education)
Raffaella Borasi, PhD
(math education; teacher education; learning in the digital age; entrepreneurship in education)
Jeffrey Choppin, PhD
(math education; teacher education)
Mary Jane Curry, PhD
(academic writing; TESOL)
Michael Daley, PhD
(science education; learning in the digital age)
Samantha Daley, EdD
(disabilities; inclusion; special 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)
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.
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.
Testimonials
Meliora means 'Ever Better.' To our graduates, it means making a world of difference.
“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
“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
“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
“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
"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
"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
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 apply@warner.rochester.edu or call (585) 275-3950.
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Application Deadlines
PhD applications are accepted once a year, and can be applied to from October 17 until December 15.
The next application deadline for the EdD program is October 15, 2022.
View all admissions deadlines
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