phd in education vanderbilt

Special Education Doctorate Degree (Ph.D.)

An individually crafted program of study prepares you for faculty and leadership positions in colleges, universities, research institutes, or human service agencies.

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Program Overview

Acquire fundamental research methodology skills requisite for advanced positions in special education and engage in research on topics of particular interest and importance. Prepare and submit grant proposals-many of our students have received grants from the U.S. Department of Education. Have opportunities to publish throughout your program and present your work widely at state, regional, and national conferences. Develop a strong professional portfolio that leads to a faculty or research position in leading programs across the country.

Program Facts

Director of Graduate Studies: Robert Hodapp Admissions Coordinator: Kelly Limina Admission Term: Fall Application Deadline: December 1

Specializations

Early childhood program.

The Early Childhood Program is designed to serve infants, toddlers, young children, and their families who deal with a wide range of developmental delays including cognitive, communication, social, adaptive behavior, or motor skills.

High Incidence Program

The High Incidence Program is designed to serve children and young adults with learning disabilities, behavior disorders, and mild-to-moderate intellectual disability.

Low Incidence Program

The Low Incidence Program is designed to serve children, youth, and adults who have intellectual disability, autism, multiple disabilities, and other students with extensive support needs or visual disabilities.

Tuition and Financial Aid

All admitted Ph.D. students receive funding for at least four years of study, which includes full tuition, a monthly stipend competitive with any college of education in the nation, and health insurance. Based on presented qualifications, Peabody will nominate select students for additional honor scholarships and fellowships that supplement the baseline college award. SPED receives leadership training grants from the Office of Special Education Programs in the U.S. Department of Education that provide doctoral students with tuition, monthly stipends, health insurance, and professional travel. To be eligible for these grants, students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Other funding streams are available for those who do not meet these requirements.

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Vanderbilt Graduate School

We emphasize intensive, disciplinary-specific, and interdisciplinary training, taking advantage of Vanderbilt’s collaborative and collegial culture.

Many disciplines. One community. The highest academic standards.

How to Apply

Applications are open August 15 – January 15. See admissions information.

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Collaboration and Excellence

Team up with world-class faculty across campus.

Develop strong, supportive relationships with the best and brightest.

Pursue new ways of seeing and shaping the world.

Institutional Support

Prepare for the future with professional opportunities.

What Makes Us Unique

The Vanderbilt Graduate School offers customized post-baccalaureate degrees in a wide variety of fields, all within a collaborative and collegial environment. Our students benefit from a varied path approach that emphasizes intensive, discipline-specific and interdisciplinary training, preparing a path toward excellence.

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Students across multiple disciplines

Academic programs across the university, including 49 Ph.D. and 10 Master’s programs

Years of guaranteed funding

Of doctoral student body comprised of international students (26% Master’s)

Students with National Science Foundation GRFP Fellowships

Of underrepresented students complete their Ph.D.

Your Path to a Graduate Degree

The Vanderbilt Graduate School confers Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.F.A. and M.L.A.S. degrees in programs that are either focused in a specific academic department, or are custom-designed to draw from faculty across two or more academic units.  

If your discipline is not offered by the Graduate School, it may be housed within a Vanderbilt professional school like Vanderbilt Law School, Owen Graduate School of Management, Peabody College or the School of Medicine, that grants their degrees independently. 

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Doctoral Program Enhancements

Vanderbilt Graduate School has made a significant investment in program enhancements to doctoral education. Read about the evolution and how Dean André Christie-Mizell plans to implement changes to enhance the offerings for our Ph.D. students.

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Ed.D. vs. Ph.D.

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Home / Ed.D. / Ed.D. vs. Ph.D.

For many lifelong learners, the decision to pursue a doctoral degree is a major step. But there are several questions to answer first: Is an Ed.D. the same as a Ph.D.? Which type of doctoral program is right for your career goals?

Below, we take a closer look at these degree options: the doctor of education (Ed.D.) and the doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in education.

What Is a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)?

An Ed.D. is a doctoral degree designed for professionals who are eager to solve organizational challenges and lead meaningful change. The Ed.D. is a good fit for those interested in a career in educational leadership, but it can also be applied broadly across many industries and sectors.

Career options with an Ed.D. may include:

• University or college president
• Superintendent
• Development manager
• Curriculum developer
• Policy director

Postsecondary education administrator

$97,500 Median Annual Salary 1

What Is a Ph.D. in Education?

A Ph.D. in education is a doctorate in philosophy and is ideal for those interested in pursuing a career in research and advancing knowledge in an educational context.

Career options with a Ph.D. in education may include:

Postsecondary professor

• Research scholar
• Education director
• Policy researcher

$80,790 Median Annual Salary 2

The Difference Between an Ed.D. and a Ph.D.

When choosing between a Ph.D. and Ed.D., it’s important to consider what you want your future career to look like. A Ph.D. in education generally prepares you for a career in education research and teaching. An Ed.D. is designed to build your leadership capacity through research and practical applications of those research theories — in the education field and beyond.

Another difference to consider when weighing a Ph.D. vs. Ed.D. is the time commitment. A Ph.D. in education delves more deeply into a specific area of research, and can often take four to six years to complete. An Ed.D. can be completed in three years. Ed.D. students often work full time while pursuing their degree.

Ed.D. in Leadership and Learning in Organizations

The online Ed.D. in leadership and learning in organizations from Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development prepares mid-career professionals to become leaders who positively influence systemic change. Designed to help students strengthen their communication, management, and assessment skills, the 54-credit online program can be completed in three to four years.

Learn more about the online doctor or education (Ed.D.) in leadership and learning in organizations, including start dates and admissions requirements.

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1  U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (April 9, 2021).  Occupational Outlook Handbook: Postsecondary Education Administrators.  Retrieved May 6, 2021. arrow_upward Return to footnote reference

2  U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (April 9, 2021).  Occupational Outlook Handbook: Postsecondary Teacher.  Retrieved May 6, 2021. arrow_upward Return to footnote reference

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How to use this guide

Welcome to the Research Guide for Vanderbilt University Doctor of Education Programs! As students in the Doctor of Education programs (LPO, LLO), you may have questions about what resources are available to you for your research projects. This guide can help! Click through the tabs above to learn more about the research process, types of sources available by subject, organizing your research and more!

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• Last Updated: May 3, 2024 2:04 PM
• URL: https://researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu/PBDY_EdD

Department of Teaching & Learning Doctoral Student Association

A native of Wilson, North Carolina, Bryant received his B.A. in Psychology and African-American Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his M.A. in Sociology, specializing in Race, Class, and Gender from the University of Maryland, College Park. Prior to arriving at Vanderbilt, Bryant leveraged research and policy to support education leaders at the American Council on Education and the Council of Chief State School Officers in Washington, DC. While serving at these two national associations, Bryant worked tirelessly to advance justice, diversity, and educational equity for our nation’s most underserved students. At Vanderbilt, Bryant hopes to learn from Dr. Rich Milner and others how to further contribute to a more equitable education system and society through sound education policy, strong education leadership, and high-quality teacher education.

Laura developed an interest in the critical role language plays in education while teaching in an immigrant student inclusion classroom in Paris, France. She completed her B.A. in Anthropology, Spanish, French, and Arabic at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, and proceeded to receive her M.Ed. with a specialization in ESL Instruction at SMU as well. Laura taught third grade at a dual language elementary school in Texas. She also received a Fulbright Award which allowed her to return to France and teach English at the high school level. Laura is now Ph.D. student in the Language, Literacy, and Culture Program in the Department of Teaching and Learning. She studies early language and literacy development of young linguistically diverse children. Her current research focuses on opportunities for language learning experienced by emergent bilingual learners in English-dominant classrooms.

Basak is a doctoral student in the Language, Literacy and Culture track and is focused on emergent bilingual and multilingual learners’ literacy practices in and out of school settings. She has an M.Ed. in Learning and Design from Vanderbilt University, Peabody College. Basak taught English as Second and Foreign language for over 12 years at university programs. She took on several roles ranging from testing specialist, material designer, designer/co-director and instructor in the English Language program geared for government grantees bound for graduate studies abroad. Basak is passionate about emerging biliteracy and translanguaging, and identity navigations in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms and strives to create equitable learning environments and practices through her research.

Lana Ćosić is a doctoral student in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, working with Dr. Noel Enyedy. She earned her bachelor’s degree in cognitive science and theater at the University of California, Berkeley and her master’s in learning and design from Vanderbilt University. Prior to her time playing with augmented reality environments at Vanderbilt’s HIVE lab, she worked in communications for IBM Data and AI. Her current work explores the intersection of embodied cognition, science learning, and theatre.

Bethany is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Teaching and Learning. She received a B.A. in French and German and an M.A. in Second Language Teaching from Brigham Young University. She has worked and taught in a variety of K-12, university, and government settings, with an emphasis on designing learning environments to foster language proficiency development. Her research interests lie in understanding how dominant ideologies constrain equitable language learning in different learning environments. Her current work considers how ideologies influence teacher candidate sensemaking in elementary science and dual language immersion contexts.

Zarabeth Davis is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in the Language, Literacy and Culture program at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. She completed her undergraduate degree at Muhlenberg College and began her teaching career in rural Arkansas. She taught PreK-1st grade for 8 years in both urban and rural low-income communities and served in various leadership capacities including grade level chair and Reading First lab classroom instructor. Prior to beginning the PhD program, Zarabeth supported classrooms in various capacities through curriculum design, teacher coaching, and professional development primarily in the Memphis community. Her interests are in high-quality PreK practices and ensuring our youngest learners get to engage in big thinking. Zarabeth is currently working with Debbie Rowe on the Early Literacy Partnership to support emergent writing practices within MNPS PreK classrooms.

As a doctoral student, Natalie thinks about what expansive forms of K-12 engineering and science learning looks like, and how to prepare secondary science teachers to engage in the sociopolitical dimensions of STEM learning. Prior to Vanderbilt, Natalie taught high school Physics and Engineering.

Laura Fittz  Specialization: Justice and Diversity in Education Advisor: Rich Milner Email: [email protected] Research Interests: student leadership, restorative practices, youth participatory action research

Laura Fittz (she/her) is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Department of Teaching and Learning. After earning her B.A. from Wheaton College (IL), she taught English Literature for seven years at Glencliff High School in Nashville, Tennessee. While teaching, she earned her M.Ed. in the Learning, Diversity, and Urban Studies program at Peabody and began coordinating Restorative Practices at GHS. In 2016, she started the Peace Team, a Restorative Student Leaders team whose model has spread through the district, region, and even nationally and internationally. She is interested in how the mindset and practices of working with students (rather than to them or for them) can bring about transformational change in schools and teacher preparation programs.

Abbey Gonzales is originally from Sugar Land, Texas. She attended the University of Texas at Austin and taught both rural China and the United States. She took a brief hiatus from education and worked as a data specialist for Global Whole Foods Market. Prior to Vanderbilt, Abbey was a high school assistant principal in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she developed a passion for ELL instruction and teacher training.

Micaela Y. Harris is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in the Mathematics and Science Education specialization in the Learning, Teaching and Diversity program at Vanderbilt University. She received her B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Mathematics from Spelman College, her post-baccalaureate certificate in Mathematics from Smith College, and her MAT in Math Education from Tufts University. Prior to her doctoral studies at Vanderbilt, Micaela leveraged her interdisciplinary background to teach secondary mathematics in Boston, MA and Houston, TX. At Peabody, Micaela centers her research on the intersectional experiences of Black women mathematics teachers and Black women undergraduates majoring in STEM.

Tessaly Jen Specialization: Learning and Design Advisor: Dr. Noel Enyedy Email: [email protected] Research Interests: elementary science and environmental education, curriculum design, equity, technology-enhanced learning, place-based learning, socioecological care

Madison, a native of Lexington, Kentucky, received her Bachelor of Science degrees in Pure Mathematics and Chemistry in 2011 from the College of Charleston and her Masters in Secondary Mathematics Education in 2014 from Vanderbilt University. She has been a classroom math teacher for 7 years at international, public, and private secondary institutions. During this time learning math with students, she became interested in incorporating play as a platform for equitable mathematical inquiry in her classroom, and therefore is now currently working with Melissa Gresalfi on Mathematical play and learning environment design.

Before Vanderbilt, Sarah was the Research and Advisory Associate at a children’s museum in the San Francisco Bay Area. She contributed to publications on STEM, the benefits of play, and technology in early childhood. She also worked on state and national grant funded projects, such as developing resources for librarians based on school readiness research. Sarah also served on the board of directors for Next Generation Scholars, a non-profit college access program for low-income students of color. After earning her B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania, Sarah is now excited to return to academia and combine her passions for language, education, and equity.

Fanjie Li is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Teaching and Learning and a doctoral researcher at Vanderbilt’s LIVE Initiative. Her work resides at the intersection of educational data science and human-centered informatics. With a focus on the human-centered design and implementation of learning analytics systems, her current research ranges from data storytelling in instructor-facing dashboards, automated feedback that supports reflective practices in dental education, to learning analytics that affords more equitable and inclusive learning experiences.

Candice Love is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Department of Teaching and Learning. After earning a B.A. and M.A. in education, Candice taught in an elementary school in Oakland, CA. Currently, Candice’s research interests are playful mathematics in Black communities, and better understanding how math shows up in the games that Black people play.

Taylor McNeill 

Specialization: Math and Science Education Advisor: Luis Leyva Email: [email protected] Research Interests: postsecondary math faculty engagement in equity-oriented instructional and departmental change

Taylor McNeill is a doctoral student in mathematics education at Vanderbilt University and a member of the PRISM research lab. They previously received a Ph.D. in mathematics and worked as a mathematics professor, experiences that motivate their work to recreate postsecondary mathematics as a humanizing and affirming space for mathematicians from historically marginalized groups, both students and faculty. Taylor’s research focuses on mathematics faculty, exploring both inequity in faculty experiences and how faculty can advance equity for their students through instruction and departmental practices. They have a particular interest in how mathematics epistemological values can uphold or disrupt social inequity in postsecondary mathematics contexts, and go beyond relational dynamics and broader social forces to interrogate mathematics content and practice.

Lizi Metts is a Ph.D. student at Vanderbilt University Peabody College and a research assistant on Project TAU. Her research interests broadly revolve around mathematics education, data and statistics literacy, issues of equity and social justice, and teacher learning. Prior to graduate school, she was a high school math teacher in Tennessee for eight years. Returning to graduate studies at Vanderbilt, she is interested in exploring teacher learning around ambitious and equitable pedagogies and the teaching and learning of statistics, modeling, and data science drawing on socio-cultural, situative, and critical perspectives.

Jackson Reimers Specialization: Learning and Design Advisor: Corey Brady Email: [email protected] Research interests: modeling, collective and embodied learning, intersection of science, art, and craft

Jackson is a doctoral student in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, focusing on Learning and Design. He is advised by Corey Brady and is a member of Brady’s CROWD Lab. Jackson originally came to Vanderbilt from his native Southern California to study engineering and education at Vanderbilt as an undergraduate, after which he taught physics and engineering at a public high school in suburban Tennessee for three years. His design research focuses on multimodal modeling environments for enhancing collaborative, equitable, and playful learning.

Amanda Yoshiko Shimizu Specialization: Language, Literacy, and Culture Advisor: Debbie Rowe Email: [email protected] Research Interests: digital literacy, collaboration, multimodality, writing Website:  https://amandashimizu.com/

Prior to arriving at Vanderbilt, Amanda Shimizu was a teacher for 10 years, including international teaching with the Peace Corps in the Republic of Moldova, first grade on a U.S. military base in South Korea, and a founding literacy teacher across grades two, three, and four at charter schools in Rhode Island. Her work focuses on elementary students’ literacy practices in digital environments. In her dissertation research, she investigates the collaborative and multimodal writing practices of culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students in online spaces with digital tools. Through the development of innovative multimodal methodologies, she explores how third graders’ collaborative writing develops across multiple online spaces, authors, and modes of interaction. The digital nature of this work provides space to develop new methodologies to study students’ interactions. In turn, it also has the potential to theoretically expand what counts as writing participation as well as a place to pedagogically support practitioners hoping to incorporate collaboration, multimodality, and digital writing tools into their classroom instruction.

Rachel Siegman is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Diversity at Vanderbilt University. As a K-12 certified teacher, holding multiple and single subject credentials (in English) and an EL authorization, Rachel has taught at the PreK-12 grade levels including elementary school in inner city Los Angeles, CA, high school English in Oakland, CA, and World History/Honors United States History in Richmond, CA. She obtained her credentials, Spanish concentration and Liberal Arts Education Bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine University in California. Rachel’s MSc. in Comparative and International Education is from The University of Oxford, with a research focus on the public opinion of Syrian refugees and its role in public policy, opinion, and political action among European nations. Prior to joining Vanderbilt, Rachel established a high school Internship Program and Model United Nations team as well as taught English, International Studies, and Design Lab at Design Tech High School located on Oracle’s campus in the California Bay Area. As a former resident of Argentina and England, with teaching and school-community partnership experience in public and public charter schools, Rachel values context and the multiple stakeholders involved in successful learning experiences, especially for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.

Karen Underwood Specialization: Math and Science Education Advisor: Ilana Horn Email: [email protected] Research Interests: math education, teacher learning

Jamie Vescio Specialization: Learning and Design Advisor: Melissa Gresalfi Email: [email protected] Research Interests: elementary mathematics education, playful learning, arts-integration

Jamie is a doctoral student in the Department of Teaching and Learning, specializing in Learning and Design. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, she received her B.A. in Anthropology and French from Transylvania University and her M.Ed. in Elementary Education from Vanderbilt University. She has taught in a variety of settings, including middle school French at a creative and performing arts school, kindergarten mathematics within a dual-language French immersion classroom, and high school English through the Fulbright Program in France. As both a former student and eventual educator within arts-integrated K-12 spaces, Jamie explores the role of creativity and play-based learning in expanding opportunities for participation, learning, and joy within primary mathematics classrooms.

Fai Wisittanawat Specialization: Math and Science Education Advisor: Melissa Gresalfi Email: [email protected] Research Interests: students’ meaningful participation in STEM practices

Panchompoo (Fai) Wisittanawat is a doctoral student in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt University. She has a B.A. in Physics and Educational Studies from Swarthmore College, PA. Fai is interested in understanding disciplinary practices of mathematics and science and designing classroom environments that support students’ engagement with those practices in ways that are meaningful to them. Fai plays traditional Thai and Balinese music, and has helped teach children to play those musics in and out of school.

Liwei Zhang Specialization: Math and Science Education Advisor: Heidi Carlone Email: [email protected] Research Interests: STEM education, teacher development

Liwei Zhang is a PhD student in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College. She received a BS in Industrial Engineering and MS with a concentration on Engineering and Technology Teacher Education from Purdue University. Liwei has worked and taught at elementary and high schools in China before coming to Vanderbilt. She is interested in exploring approaches to provide students with high-quality science education through supporting science teachers.

Chengcheng Zhou Specialization: Language, Literacy, and Culture Advisor: David Dickinson and Emily Phillips-Galloway Email: [email protected] Research Interests: early language development, multilingual learners

Chengcheng received her BA in English and two MAs in Intercultural Communicaiton and TESOL, respectively. She has taught Chinese as an instructor and ESL in a variety of K-12 classrooms in the US and abroad. She is interested in early childhood langauge development and its relationship with the “school readiness gap” between children from different SES.

Hannah Hayeon Ziegler Specialization: Math and Science Education Advisor: Heidi Carlone Email: [email protected] Research Interests: STEM identity and retention, scientific epistemologies, secondary and post-secondary STEM education

Originally from South Korea, Hannah is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt University. Following her undergraduate studies at Pepperdine University, Hannah obtained a Master’s in Science Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She also spent four years as a high school science and math teacher in southern Idaho. Hannah has prior experience researching the impact of volcanic eruptions on global climate at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. More recently, she has collaborated with the Idaho Drone League to research applications of hands-on, drone-based learning in K-12. Some of her other research interests involve: teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), the retention of secondary and post-secondary science learners, as well as equitable STEM teaching practices.

Former Students

Sarah hails from Charleston, SC, where she was a public librarian before coming to Nashville. She graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Yale University and has a Master’s in Library and Information Science from University of South Carolina. Sarah is interested in learning that happens inside and outside of school–including in libraries–and how adolescents navigate the increasingly complex world of digital and networked information.

Laura Carter-Stone Specialization: Language, Literacy, and Culture Advisor: Kevin Leander Email: [email protected] Research Interests: culturally-sustaining pedagogy, ELL education, performing arts

Laura developed a commitment to culturally-sustaining instruction while teaching kindergarteners on the Pine Ridge Reservation. As a high school Spanish and Response-to-Intervention English teacher in her home state of Kentucky, she incorporated dramatic play, digital media, music, and storytelling into her language and literacy learning classroom. She recently earned her M.S. in Social and Philosophical Issues in Education from the University of Kentucky. Laura currently explores how the arts might create more engaging and equitable learning environments for culturally and linguistically diverse adolescents.

Kate Chapman is from Seattle, Washington. She holds a B.A. in Russian from Reed College, and an M.Ed. from Vanderbilt. As an academic tutor and later a field trip facilitator, she became interested in working to build better bridges between formal and informal learning environments. Her dissertation focuses on practices around STEM learning in informal spaces, as well as how different sociotechnical configurations can index and reanimate remote spaces, creating potential for negotiation of meaning and identity. With NSF support she has recently been working in curriculum development for informal spaces looking at both traditional STEM concepts and new ideas around place and mobility.

Nadav is a previous research assistant on project SIGMa (Supporting Instructional Growth in Mathematics) and a teaching assistant for Introduction to Mathematical Literacies. He studies what it means to support mid-career teachers in providing students with rich math learning experiences. Nadav taught math in pre-college and college programs, and facilitated teacher PD in southern Israel. He holds a BSc in Mathematics & Computer Science and an MSc in Mathematics (with focus on math education) from Ben Gurion University.

Mariah Harmon Advisor: Ilana Horn Email: [email protected] Research interests: teacher learning as it pertains to inclusive instruction for diverse students.

Mariah Harmon is originally from Decatur, Georgia and earned her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University (College of Arts and Science), and her Master’s in Education: Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Mississippi. Mariah started her career in education in Okolona, Mississippi as a middle school English/Language Arts Teacher. Most recently, she has served as an instructional coach in Indianapolis Public Schools. Her research interests are in teacher learning and understanding how teachers build inclusive and equitable classrooms.

Kaitlin’s research focuses on examining the quality of the classroom language practices in early childhood classrooms. Most recently, Kaitlin’s work has explored teachers’ sensemaking practices around language learning in the classroom. Her work seeks to influence the creation of professional learning experiences and ECE curriculum that are more aligned with teachers’ existing sensemaking practices.

Sara Jones is from Simsbury, CT.  She earned her B.A. in Elementary Education from Elon University and her M.Ed. in Urban and Minority Education from the University of Maryland.  Sara taught for eight years in Washington, D.C.  During the course of those years, she taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, but fell in love with and became passionate about 5th grade ELA.  She served as the ELA department chair and grade level team lead for numerous years, which allowed her to gain experience in curriculum design, teacher training and leadership, and data analysis.  Sara hopes to focus her work on practical, applicable strategies for classroom teachers. She is currently pursuing a mixed-methods research agenda focused on reading motivation as a collective, critical endeavor grounded in Literacy as a means of social justice

Jessica Lawson Specialization: Development, Learning, and Diversity Advisor: David Dickinson Email: [email protected] Research Interests: language, literacy, music

Samantha Marshall Specialization: Math and Science Education Advisor: Ilana Horn Email: [email protected] Research Interests: mathematics teacher learning, justice, professional development

Janna McClain Specialization: Language, Literacy, and Culture Advisor: Jeannette Mancilla-Martinez Email: [email protected] Research Interests: teachers as learners, language minoritized learners, language ideologies, language demands of classrooms

Heather Meston Specialization: Language, Literacy, and Culture Advisor: Emily Phillips Galloway Email: [email protected] Research Interests: student agency, teacher learning, dialogic pedagogies

Heather developed a commitment to agency-supportive dialogic instruction while teaching middle school English and social studies. In her classroom, she emphasized centering students’ voices and commitments in deepening learning and creating opportunities for students to act as change agents. She received her B.S. in Psychology from Yale University and her M.Ed. in Elementary Education from Vanderbilt University. Her current research interests revolve around teacher learning about agency-supportive instruction and dialogic pedagogies.

Mary Miller Specialization: Language, Literacy, & Culture Advisor: Debbie Rowe Email: [email protected] Research Interests: bilingual literacy development, translanguaging, digital literacies, multilingual family engagement in schools, early childhood/elementary school literacy education, teacher education

Min holds an Ed.M. in Language and Literacy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. from Mercer University as a Stamps Family Charitable Foundation Scholar. As a former English learner in the U.S. school system, Min is interested in supporting linguistically diverse learners’ language and literacy development and exploring various components that contribute to the process. She works with Drs. Jeannette Mancilla-Martinez and Emily Phillips-Galloway, to further engage in language and literacy development research focused on linguistically diverse learners. Currently, Min’s work focuses on: (1) exploring the link between teachers’ beliefs about dual language development and English language and literacy outcomes and (2) investigating equitable assessment approaches to distinguishing language differences and language disabilities among English learners.

Laura Piestrzynski Specialization: Language, Literacy, and Culture Advisor: Debbie Rowe Email: [email protected] Research Interests: emergent literacy, language and literacy development in early childhood, teacher education

Emma D. V. Reimers Specialization: Learning and Design Advisor: Rogers Hall Email: [email protected] Research Interests: digital literacy, place-based learning, ‘in the wild’ learning, design-based research, music as storytelling Website:  emmavendetta.com/research

Emma Reimers’ work stretches across the fields of learning sciences and critical media studies, finding a balanced blend in her research on sound and the social construction of listening. She also studies spatial learning and narrative in the context of public space, combining methods that draw together storytelling and digital representation. Emma has worked in the nonprofit sector as a grant writer, communications director, and business consultant. Additionally, she is a writer, musician, and graphic designer. Emma holds a bachelor’s degree in English Creative Writing and Space and the Human Condition from Vanderbilt.

David Sabey Specialization: Learning and Design Advisor: Kevin Leander Email: [email protected] Research Interests: identity, literacy, new media, mobility, connected learning, learning across contexts

Katherine Schneeberger McGugan Specialization: Math and Science Education Advisor: Ilana Horn Email: [email protected] Research Interests: culturally relevant curriculum design, impactful models for professional development

Katherine started exploring the intersection of curriculum design and professional development as a middle school Math Coach in the Boston area. Prior to her role as a coach, she received her M.A.T. from Boston University before becoming a 7th grade math intervention teacher. She is currently a research assistant for Dr. Ilana Horn’s Project SIGMa. Her research interests include how to create sustainable curricula in STEM fields that address issues of inequity in gender, race, and socio-economic status, and models for professional development that combat teacher retention and student achievement problems in high-needs districts.

I investigate how embodied theories of learning, informed by the expressive and artistic practices of dancers and choreographers, can reframe what is learned in STEM environments; how it can be learned; who can participate; and to what ends. I pair ethnography with design-based research to support and study embodied and collaborative STEM learning. With deep roots in both dance and mathematics, I have always conceptualized the tools and ideas of these disciplines as mutually supportive, not conflicting. In my research, I design and study hybrid learning environments integrating dance and STEM. I explore how such hybridity can invite learners to draw upon resources typically left out of STEM contexts, contributing to their depth of engagement and understanding.

Holland White Specialization: Language, Literacy, and Culture Advisor: Robert Jimenez Email: [email protected] Research Interests: literacy practices of multilingual students, student-centered writing practices in secondary schools, translingual writing

Holland began her teaching career in the world of freshman composition and community college tutoring, which led her to pursue a deeper understanding of the pedagogies surrounding literacy practices. After completing an M.Ed. in Language and Literacy in the Urban Teach program at the University of Texas at Austin, she taught 9th, 10th, and 11th grade ELA at a Title I school in Austin, Texas, utilizing writing and reading workshop practices. She is interested in the linguistic resources that multilingual students bring to literacy practices, how student-centered approaches to writing support multilingual students’ identities in and out of the classroom, and how multilingual students engage in translingual writing.

BRET Biomedical Research Education and Training

Phd programs, interdisciplinary graduate program in the biomedical & biological sciences.

The IGP is for students interested in pursuing a PhD in the basic biomedical or biological science departments. Participating programs and departments include:

• Biochemistry
• Biological Sciences
• Cancer Biology
• Cell and Developmental Biology
• Chemical and Physical Biology
• Human Genetics
• Microbe-Host Interactions
• Molecular Pathology & Immunology
• Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology

Quantitative and Chemical Biology

Quantitative and Chemical Biology is a PhD track, multidisciplinary program introducing elements of biology to students who wish to pursue a doctoral degree at the interface of the chemical, physical, and biological sciences. The curriculum prepares students for research careers in any area of biomedical research, and many students choose to work in interdisciplinary fields such as chemical biology, structural biology, imaging sciences, molecular and cellular biophysics, or systems biology. Participating programs and departments include:

• Mathematics
• Molecular Pathology and Immunology

Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity

Initiative for Maximizing Diversity (IMSD) exists to increase the number of PhDs awarded to graduate students in biomedical research who are underrepresented in medicine.  Applications are made through the IGP and QCB mechanisms according to the applicant’s interest. 

• Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
• Quantitative & Chemical Biology Program
• Cellular and Molecular Pathology
• Chemistry (Enter from QCB only)
• Microbiology and Immunology
• Molecular Physiology and Biophysics

Biomedical Informatics

Biomedical Informatics is the interdisciplinary science of acquiring, structuring, analyzing and providing access to biomedical data, information and knowledge. As an academic discipline, biomedical informatics is grounded in the principles of computer science, information science, cognitive science, social science, and engineering, as well as the clinical and basic biological sciences.

Biostatistics

Biostatistics graduate program emphasizes modern statistical thought and features the foundations of statistical inference, a topic of critical importance. The program aims to strike a balance between theoretical rigor, methodological proficiency, and functional aptitude. There is a strong emphasis on reproducible, validated research and how to achieve this from a statistical perspective.

Doctoral Program in Epidemiology

Epidemiology at Vanderbilt emphasizes training in advanced quantitative methods with strong roots in logic and causal inference. We engage students immediately as active collaborators in multidisciplinary research teams, focus on analysis of observational data, and encourage scholarly productivity throughout training. The PhD is based in The Institute for Medicine and Public Health with more than 127 researchers here who excel in large-scale collaborative research with basic and applied scientists worldwide focused on protecting and improving human health.

Health Policy and Health Services Research

Located in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University’s Ph.D. in Health Policy scholars work and learn at the epicenter of the national health care industry and adjacent to an elite academic medical center. The program develops students’ expertise in using interdisciplinary methods to address a wide range of health policy and health service challenges in the United States while preparing them to work in elite academic, private sector, and governmental settings as part of multidisciplinary teams. The program also pairs candidates with faculty mentors and researchers in the Department of Health Policy and across Vanderbilt.

Hearing and Speech Sciences

The PhD program in Hearing and Speech Sciences is administered through the Vanderbilt University Graduate School. The program emphasizes preparation for research and teaching careers in audiology, speech-language pathology, and hearing or speech science. Doctoral education and training is integrated with the federally-sponsored research programs of faculty members.

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Welsh leads equity-centered research practice partnership to reduce racial disparities in school discipline

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Latest Stories

• Vanderbilt scientists develop an algae time machine, advancing biomedicine
• Innovative AI learning technology projects win inaugural LIVE Spark Grants
• Class of 2024 honors loved ones in “The hands that held our hands”

May 13, 2024, 11:51 AM

By Jenna Somers

Last year, Richard Welsh reported findings on the persistence of racial disparities in exclusionary school discipline practices. Despite suspensions declining over the past decade as schools reformed their policies, exclusionary disciplinary rates remained higher for African American students. Across the South, in-school suspensions (ISS) are particularly prevalent and disruptive to the education of racially minoritized students. Given these facts, Welsh has embarked on a new co-design process of ISS that leverages an existing research-practice partnership with a school district in Georgia to crack the code on truly resolving racial inequities in school discipline policies and practices.

Supported by a $474,178 grant from the William T. Grant Foundation and a $125,000 grant from the American Institutes of Research Equity Initiative, Welsh is leading a three-year project with the school district to understand the role of race and power in equity-centered research-practice partnerships, how the dynamics of the partnership affect partnership activities, and how these activities influence research use by school administrators, district leaders, and school board members.

“These are the three key decisionmakers who can advance racial equity in school districts through policies, programs, and personnel. They make decisions about codes of conduct, which disciplinary programs to implement, and who to hire, including behavioral specialists to support students’ social-emotional development,” said Welsh, associate professor of education and public policy at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development.

“Improving the use of research evidence among education leaders via equity-centered research-practice partnerships can possibly lead to disruptive decisions necessary to addressing persistent racial inequities in school discipline. Also, turning the analytical lens on ourselves to examine how inequities might manifest in the partnership has implications for partnership and student outcomes,” Welsh added.

The research team will analyze their interviews with key decision makers, research-practice partnership primary investigators, and co-design team members. They will also observe school board meetings, school discipline committee meetings, and partnership meetings, as well as co-design workshops, district- and school-level documents, and materials to record the partnering process as well as the use of research evidence and disruptive decision-making. By engaging in cycles of disciplined inquiry to improve ISS processes, the partnership aims to reach its goal of improving youth outcomes.

The co-design process includes working with a team of school leaders and school personnel at three middle schools to analyze and reimagine their ISS process and infrastructure.

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Welsh’s study reveals persistent racial disparities in school exclusionary discipline, recommends promising reforms

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• Education and Psychology
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• Peabody College
• peabody-home
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• Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development

Educational Technology Learning Opportunities

AdvancED staff run Brightspace and Educational Technology workshops for instructors interested in learning how to use Brightspace tools effectively and efficiently. We are also available during the academic year to facilitate Brightspace workshops on topics both general and specific for departments, programs, and schools, upon request. Email [email protected] to ask about these offerings or the possibility of an invited workshop. All workshops are open to anyone teaching or developing courses at Vanderbilt University.

Brightspace

A beginner's guide to brightspace.

In this hands-on workshop for people who have little to no experience teaching with Brightspace, participants will get oriented to Vanderbilt’s course management system and learn how to accomplish common teaching tasks. By the end of the workshop, users will be able to:

• Confidently navigate around the different areas of a Brightspace course
• Post, edit, and link Content for students using a variety of tools
• Communicate with students about Brightspace tools they are using
• Access Brightspace Support when they have questions 

There will be time at the end of the workshop for participants to ask questions about using Brightspace.

Participants who would like to access Brightspace during the workshop should make sure they are able to log into Brightspace with their VUnetID beforehand.

There are currently no workshops scheduled.

Building Brightspace Assignments & Using Turnitin

Participants in this workshop will learn about how to use the Brightspace Assignments tool to receive, organize, and provide feedback on student work. Additionally, if you are an instructor planning to use Turnitin this semester, either for the originality checker or for the built-in grading features, we will discuss how to use Turnitin to support student learning and spend less time grading. Ideally, participants will have Brightspace open during the session so they can explore and build content in their own course. By the end of the workshop, users will be able to:

• Build assignments and video assignments in the Content area and the Assignments tool
• Select the most appropriate options and settings
• Connect assignments to the gradebook and use the many built-in assessment and academic integrity tools

There will be time at the end of and throughout the workshop for participants to ask questions about using Brightspace.

Building Quizzes in Brightspace

Participants in this workshop will learn about building Quizzes in Brightspace. The new quiz experience came out last fall and became the default and only option for quizzes this past summer. By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Create and/or edit a quiz in the new quiz experience
• Understand and control timing options for availability and time limits in quizzes
• Connect quizzes to the gradebook 
• Determine what students see after they complete a quiz

Grades and Grading in Brightspace

Participants in this workshop will learn about the range of tools available in Brightspace to make grading more efficient and effective. By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Build a gradebook that mirrors the grading scheme in their syllabus
• Understand and control how grades are viewed
• Create a gradebook that can be used throughout the semester, and transferred into future courses

Video Assignments in Brightspace

Brightspace Video Assignments (Bongo) is a tool that allows students to upload videos, receive feedback from their instructors and/or peers on video uploads, and provide feedback on fellow students’ video uploads. Participants in this workshop will learn about how to use the Brightspace Video Assignments (Bongo) feature to receive, organize, and evaluate such student work. Participants are encouraged to have Brightspace open so they can follow along and build out their Video Assignments. By the end of the workshop, users will be able to:

• Build Video Assignments in the Content area and select the most appropriate options and settings
• Provide feedback on student submissions in Video Assignments
• Grade Video Assignments

There will be time at the end of and throughout the workshop for a Q&A session.

Groups and Discussions in Brightspace Workshop

Participants in this workshop will learn about how to use the Brightspace Groups and Discussions tools for engagement, interaction, formative assessment, individual journaling, and more. Ideally, participants will have Brightspace open during the session so they can explore and build content in our test course! By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Build discussion forums, topics, and threads using a variety of available options
• Connect discussions to the gradebook and use the built-in assessment tools
• Construct useful prompts and activities that will promote maximum engagement from your students

Generative AI

Academic integrity and ethics: navigating generative ai use with your students.

Participants in this workshop will learn to navigate the complexities of generative AI and develop strategies to foster academic integrity in their courses. By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:  

• Articulate ethical issues related to academic integrity and generative AI use  
• Describe biases that may be present in AI technologies  
• Implement strategies in course and assignment design to minimize plagiarism and promote transparency.  
• Identify potential AI-generated content and engage in constructive conversations regarding ethical AI use with students.  

  This session will empower participants to foster an environment of integrity and responsibility in educational settings influenced by generative AI advancements.  

Creating High Quality Course Content with Generative AI

The use of generative AI is changing the way educators think about and develop course content. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Bard, DALL-E, and others offer new capabilities to create, augment, and refine engaging material at scale. This workshop is designed to guide instructors through the process of using these generative AI technologies to enhance the quality and variety of their instructional materials. Attendees will learn how to effectively integrate generative AI into their course design processes, ensuring content is not only high in quality but also relevant, diverse, and tailored to student needs. The workshop will also address quality control measures, ensuring content accuracy, originality, and alignment with course objectives. Attendees will gain hands-on experience with AI tools and develop proficiency in integrating them into their curriculum design. By the workshop’s conclusion, educators will be prepared to:  

• Navigate and utilize generative AI tools effectively to create diverse content.  
• Apply best practices to ensure the accuracy, credibility, and pedagogical value of AI-generated content.  
• Construct a blueprint for incorporating AI-crafted materials into course outlines that enrich the learning experience.

Academic Tools

Perusall is a tool that allows students to engage in the social annotation of text, audio, and video. With features such as hashtags, upvoting, and automatic grading to complement the asynchronous discussions, your students will be more engaged than ever as they prepare readings and go over homework using Perusall.

Perusall is a tool that brings the social annotation of digital resources into your classroom. Instructors can assign PDFs, webpages, video, or audio and have students collaboratively engage with those texts. In this workshop, we will explore three concrete ways you can start using Perusall in your classroom right away to increase student engagement with readings, respond to student questions, and direct student attention to course policies and expectations.

Gradescope is a tool that helps instructors administer and grade all of their assessments, whether online or in-class. With features that allow for multiple graders, auto-updating rubrics, and more, this tool can help reduce the grading load in classes with certain kinds of assessments. Join the Gradescope Workshop Series to learn more, ask questions, and demo key features. 

LockDown Browser is a custom browser that prevents digital cheating during a Brightspace quiz. This training session will cover how to use LockDown Browser to prevent digital cheating in proctored testing environments and how instructors set up tests to require LockDown Browser. It will also cover how to allow students to access resources such as digital calculators, spreadsheets, external websites, eBooks, and more, during online tests that use LockDown Browser and the student perspective taking a Brightspace quiz that requires LockDown Browser. The workshop will also touch on best practices and resources and will conclude with a Q&A period.

Using Rubrics for Grading and Feedback

Feedback and grades should convey to students where they are succeeding and where they need to invest more effort in order to meet expectations. Rubrics are organized grading schemes that can help you give better feedback in less time while also making grading criteria transparent for students. Instructors interested in thinking through how to use rubrics in their teaching are welcome to attend this workshop. Participants will explore several models of rubrics, workshop a rubric that connects to course objectives, and  learn  how to  create easy-to-use  rubrics on Bright space.

Vanderbilt University is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. Please contact Brightspace and Instructional Technology Support team at  [email protected]  to request disability accommodations. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

PhD in Higher Education – Educational Leadership Degree Shaping Organizations for Success

Credit Hours

View Courses

100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Become an Authority in Academia with Liberty’s Online PhD in Higher Education Administration – Educational Leadership Degree Online

If you’re interested in pursuing a research-based career or opportunities in academia, Liberty University’s 100% online Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Higher Education Administration – Educational Leadership may be a great fit for you. Our higher education PhD online has been designed with your success in mind. Whether you’d like to become a department chair, the dean of a school, provost, or university president, our online doctorate in higher education administration can help you reach your career goals.

As of October 2020, 61.8% of high school graduates between the ages of 16 and 24 were enrolled at a college or university.* This statistic speaks to the importance of qualified higher education administrators. Millions of young Americans attend college in hopes of earning an education, boosting their earning potential, increasing their employability, and forging lifelong connections.

As a higher education administrator, you’ll play a crucial role in building and maintaining a university setting that students want to attend. The role of a university administrator isn’t just about negotiating with accrediting partners or providing feedback to department chairs — it’s about ensuring that the future of the world is in good hands.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at College Enrollment and Work Activity of Recent High School and College Graduates Summary (viewed online Dec. 2, 2022).

Ranked in the Top 10% of Niche.com’s Best Online Schools in America

• What Sets Us Apart?
• Private Nonprofit University
• 600+ Online Degrees
• No Standardized Testing for Admission
• Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
• Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Why Choose Liberty’s PhD in Higher Education Administration Degree – Educational Leadership?

Maybe you’ve always wanted to work in an academic setting, or perhaps you already do. Either way, there are numerous job opportunities available in academia. Liberty’s educational leadership and higher education PhD online could be your ticket to a well-paying career in student services, academics, faculty research, or higher education administration.

We recognize that your personal responsibilities don’t stop when you enroll in a degree program, which is why our doctorate in higher education online is offered 100% online in mostly 8-week courses with no required intensives. That way, you won’t have to worry about traveling to campus for classes or spend time away from your job, family, or community.

What Will You Study in Our PhD in Higher Education – Educational Leadership Degree Online?

In our PhD in Higher Education Administration – Educational Leadership, you can learn about teaching the college student, college and university administration, historical perspectives of higher education, and the economic impact of higher education. You will also study the specifics of accreditation.

In the educational leadership specialization, you’ll study issues and trends in technology and learning as well as policy analysis. You’ll also be able to choose between two courses: organizational analysis and problem-solving for educators, or conflict resolution. Our educational leadership cognate is rounded out by an elective course, which allows you to study a topic you’re most passionate about.

Upon completion of your core courses, you’ll begin to venture into dissertation preparation. The research courses in our online doctor of higher education include advanced educational statistics, quantitative and qualitative methods of research, and a dissertation literature review. You will also study research concepts and methodology as part of your research courses.

And finally, the dissertation portion of your degree will consist of multiple courses. Through these courses, you will choose a topic, research your topic, and present your findings to our School of Education faculty.

Potential Career Opportunities

• College/university administrator
• Curriculum specialist
• Educational consultant
• Program coordinator
• Student affairs director

Featured Courses

• EDUC 758 – Teaching the College Student
• EDUC 759 – College and University Administration
• EDUC 782 – Historical Perspectives of Higher Education
• EDUC 784 – Assessment and Accreditation

Degree Information

• This program falls under the School of Education .
• View the Graduate Education Course Guides (login required) .
• View the Doctoral Advising Guide .
• Most of our PhD courses are offered in an 8-week format; however, the dissertation courses are full-semester in length.

Degree Completion Plan (PDF)

Not sure what to choose?

Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

• Tuition & Aid

Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.

Eligible current and former military service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $300/credit hour ( learn more ) .

All Tuition & Fees

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Financial Aid Forms & Eligibility

Scholarship Opportunities

Admission Information for Liberty’s Online PhD in Higher Education Administration Online

Admission requirements.

• A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required) .
• Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing.
• Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy .

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

• Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
• Complete a Master’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
• Submit an official transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
• Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.

Transcript Policies

Official college transcript policy.

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to [email protected] .

Admissions Office Contact Information

(800) 424-9596

(888) 301-3577

Email for Questions

[email protected]

Email for Documents

[email protected]

Liberty University Online Admissions Verification

1971 University Blvd.

Lynchburg, VA 24515

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Submit your application online or over the phone.

Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

• Active Duty
• Reserve/National Guard
• Veterans/Retirees
• Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees

Military Tuition Discount

We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want – at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $300/credit hour . Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work toward your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession – for less.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the career potential look like for this field.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), postsecondary education administrators earned an average salary of $97,500 in 2020.** Demand for this career is expected to grow by 8% between 2020 and 2030, and the BLS projects that about 14,500 new postsecondary education administration positions will become available each year during the same time frame. If you’re interested in becoming a college administrator, our doctor of higher education is an excellent choice.

**Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at Postsecondary Education Administrators (viewed online Sept. 29, 2021). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

What accreditation does Liberty University have?

Liberty University is accredited by SACSCOC , the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

What title can I use once I have earned this degree?

Upon successful completion of this degree program, you will have earned the title of “Doctor” – a title that commands respect in academic and business communities alike.

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Marie Fowler, 83, becomes Howard University's oldest doctoral graduate

Fowler earned her doctoral degree in ministry over the weekend. She already has her bachelors and two masters but wasn't sure at her age she could manage the work. She stayed the course.

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