Graduate Programs

Education and Social Policy - Ph.D.

How do changes in safety net policies affect low-income families’ social and economic trajectories? How do charter schools differ in how they deliver instruction, and to what extent does this improve or detract from student learning? How well do early intervention programs support student learning in and out of school? How do neighborhood factors influence schooling, safety, well-being and employment? How does financial aid influence equity and access in higher education?

The University of Delaware’s interdisciplinary Ph.D. in education and social policy program, a collaboration between the College of Education and Human Development and the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, prepares students to address these complex education and social policy questions. This program grounds students in an understanding of how education, social and public policy systems work. It offers a rigorous, integrative, collaborative approach to research that includes the use of sophisticated research designs and methods to understand causes, context, implementation and relationships, leverages interdisciplinary perspectives, and utilizes meaningful collaborations with stakeholders.

Doctoral students specialize in one of five interest areas, present research at conferences, collaborate with nationally recognized faculty on peer-reviewed publications, engage in the work of interdisciplinary research centers through graduate assistantships, and learn in an environment with small class sizes and supportive faculty.