Doctoral Programs

Leaders in Education and Health

The College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin is a part of a tier-one research institution that is pushing the boundaries in the fields of education, policy, psychology and health behavior.

Our highly ranked doctoral programs provide research-driven experiences that pair theory and practice in collaborative environments in education, policy and health. Through specialized coursework and critical scholarship, our Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) graduates are well positioned to go out and change the world. Our industry-leading faculty work closely with our doctoral students, nurturing them as they conduct cutting-edge research and preparing them to become policy makers, researchers, professors and leaders who advance education and health and shape its future in the U.S. and beyond.

Why Our College

Ranked as one of the best education schools in the country by U.S. News & World Report, our graduates are well prepared to tackle impactful issues facing the world today and to positively transform lives through education, health research and policy.

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Doctoral Programs

The Autism and Developmental Disabilities (A&DD) Doctoral Program provides students with cutting-edge training for conducting research. Students engage in hands-on practice with individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. In this concentration, we strive to provide students with teaching, research and clinical training experiences that will prepare them for careers in academia and/or clinical-based settings.

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Build expertise in the critical issues shaping bilingual and bicultural education. Through dynamic coursework and collaborative research with faculty, students develop the knowledge and skills to advocate for high‑quality bilingual education—supporting teachers, administrators and families in diverse learning communities.

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Explore aspects of biomechanical, neural and neuromuscular mechanisms of human movement with applications to development and aging, skill acquisition, elite performance and rehabilitation following chronic or acute injuries. Our graduate students work in collaborative multi-disciplinary teams with faculty mentors on focused lines of research to address basic and applied questions, using kinematic and kinetic motion capture and electrophysiological assessment of neuromuscular function.

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The Cooperative Superintendency Program works with school administrators to develop the skills, knowledge and real-world experiences needed to advance their careers as superintendents or executive leaders in a dynamic educational landscape.

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Our doctoral program in counseling psychology is scientist-practitioner based, preparing Ph.D. psychologists to work with problems of human behavior in a range of social processes and systems.

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Center your studies on the role of cultural and social diversity in education. The Cultural Studies in Education program offers an interdisciplinary approach to exploring critical issues such as the history, philosophy, and politics of education, urban schooling, critical pedagogy, and globalization—preparing students to thoughtfully analyze and address complex educational challenges.

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Improve early childhood education and development by researching and learning about early childhood policy, pedagogy, curriculum and training for children in preschool through 3rd grade. This program prepares students to address global, national and local issues facing young children and their communities in classrooms, schools and beyond.

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The Early Childhood Intervention Ph.D. program features coursework and intensive mentoring from scholars who conduct cutting-edge clinical and translational research to improve the lives of young children with disabilities and their families. We prepare the next generation of scholars and future leaders to conduct high-quality research that advances the field of early childhood special education.

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The doctoral program in Educational Policy and Planning prepares future faculty members, policy analysts and researchers to be equity-focused scholars. Students receive training in education politics and policy, race and ethnicity, gender, poverty, and the economics of education.

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Learn how to navigate the complexities of higher education by developing an understanding the origins and impact of opposing dynamics and how to use data to build organizational leadership.

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Study exercise physiology using an integrative approach to discover and disseminate basic, applied and clinical knowledge regarding the metabolic, cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary and autonomic nervous system responses to exercise and physical inactivity in health, aging and diabetes. Our graduate students conduct a focused line of research by working with faculty mentors. Their cooperative work builds a foundation of knowledge critical for the advancement of the field.

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The PHELP Ph.D. program prepares students in the scholarly study of higher education. Through research across departments within the university, students gain first-hand experience into effective applications, policies and leadership skills used in academia by faculty and staff. Students also learn how universities function as advocates for social justice and support increasingly diverse student populations.

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The Ph.D. program in Human Development, Culture and Learning Sciences (HDCLS) explores how people think, learn and grow. Students train in cognitive science, developmental psychology, sociocultural theory, motivation and learning sciences. Graduates pursue careers in academia, research institutes, corporations, government and nonprofits that value deep expertise in learning and development.

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Learn to become a leader in language and literacy studies through collaborative research, engaging coursework and clinical practice. Students will know the importance of literacy as a social tool for change so that they can go on to become advanced degree teachers, professors in literacy studies and administrative policy makers for literacy programs.

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This program prepares you to work in a variety of settings, including leadership roles in schools, school districts, and higher education, and to further research into the practices and interventions that effectively treat learning disabilities in reading, writing and math (including dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia).

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Use state-of-the-art technologies to create and offer interactive and engaging forms of education. Learn how to use the internet and other emerging technologies in K-12 education, higher education, and business or industry training. Courses cover the design, implementation and evaluation of various educational applications and related research topics.

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Pursue a Ph.D. in physical culture and sport studies to prepare for an academic career with a focus in research. This unique program brings together several fields related to sport culture studies. Students are encouraged to choose coursework from multiple areas, integrating history, Olympic studies, cultural studies, sociology and gender studies, law, political science and ethics/philosophy. Archival collections at the Stark Center provide students with unparalleled resources for research in sport and physical culture studies.

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Study the art and science of physical education through our doctoral program. Students learn how to design curriculum for physical education along with research, assessment and evaluation practices. This program also has a strong focus on cultural studies in contemporary education.

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The Prevention Science doctoral program is designed for students ready to deepen their expertise and lead impactful research in health education and disease prevention.

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The Ph.D. quantitative methods specializations offer training in modern statistical and psychometric methods to prepare graduates to advance methodological research and to apply those methods to address educational and social science research questions. Our graduates are employed in academia, professional testing organizations, educational research and development agencies, industrial psychology agencies, governing agencies of higher education, state departments of education and research and program evaluation divisions of large school districts.

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The School/Clinical Child Psychology Program Ph.D. program features a scientist-practitioner model designed to prepare psychologists to design and conduct cutting-edge research and deliver evidence-based services to support children and adolescents.

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Our doctoral program prepares students to become educators in social studies. Courses in this program approach social studies education from a variety of disciplines in order to provide educators with a unique perspective on how to teach and improve social studies education.

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Focus on how special education is shaped by—and interacts with—larger systems such as law, health care, public policy and community organizations. Students will investigate how these systems influence service access, educational outcomes and family experiences across different populations.

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Education in science, technology, engineering and math plays an increasingly important role in addressing the critical needs of society and generating innovation in the global economy. Doctoral students learn to inspire others to pursue their interests in STEM topics and become advocates for equity in STEM through leadership, research and teaching.

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