Prospective Students

Welcome!

Choosing an appropriate graduate school is an important decision, and the program you choose should be one that will meet your unique goals. The following in-depth information about our programs, admission requirements, opportunities for financial assistance, and more should help in your search.

Please review our website to understand which specific program you want to apply to as most of our information is online. Visit our How to Apply page for application deadlines, requirements, and program-specific instructions. If you have questions about the Apply Texas common application or where to send your information, contact Kelsey Samsel. If you are a prospective doctoral student and are interested in working with a specific faculty member, you are welcome to reach out to the faculty directly. Our program coordinators can answer more general program questions and prospective master’s student inquiries.

Program Profiles

To learn more about program offerings in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy.

Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership: The Program in Higher Education Leadership (PHEL) is devoted to the scholarly study of higher education, its students and institutions, and its place in society. This program prepares, trains, and educates students to become researchers in academia and the private sector. 

Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Planning: The doctoral program (Ph.D.) prepares future faculty members, policy analysts, and researchers to be thoughtful scholars with a critical focus on issues of equity. Students receive rigorous training in education politics, policy implementation, organizations, race and ethnicity, gender, poverty, social and cultural contexts of education, and the economics of education. This is a full-time program of graduate study; we do not have the capacity to accept part-time students.

Executive Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership: The Executive Ed.D. is a doctoral program in Higher Education Leadership launched in 2019 explicitly designed for working professionals aspiring to high-level administrative and executive roles in higher education. We develop students who will lead dynamic organizations in an increasingly complex world.  This program starts in the first summer session.

M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership: The master’s (M.Ed.) degree in Higher Education Leadership prepares, trains and educates students to become leaders in the administration of colleges and universities. This degree is part of the Program in Higher Education Leadership (PHEL) which also offers doctoral degree programs.

M.Ed. in Educational Policy and Planning: The master’s program (M.Ed.), designed for working professions by offering late afternoon and evening courses, trains students in education policy analysis. Students gain a theoretical foundation in policy implementation, politics, school law, poverty and educational policy, and critical policy analysis. Our program prepares students for careers as policy analysts, researchers in the public and private sectors, and for entry into a doctoral program in educational policy.

Cooperative Superintendency Program: The Cooperative Superintendency Program (CSP) offers a doctoral degree (Ed.D.) within the Educational Leadership and Policy Department This program prepares students with the skills, knowledge, and real-world experiences to provide direction within a dynamic educational landscape. Students are engaged through content focusing on superintendency preparation, as well as for positions in state education agencies, education research centers, and executive-level positions in both urban and suburban districts. This program starts in the first summer session.

Texas Principal Leadership Academy: The Texas Principal Leadership Academy (TPLA) is a 12-month Master's in Education (M.Ed.) program designed to prepare graduates to take the Principal as Instructional Leader EC-12 exam and become leaders of socially just, equitable, and high-achieving public schools in Texas. Built on the strengths and historic legacy of preparing public school leaders, the master’s program is designed to prepare graduates to be leaders of socially just, equitable, and high-achieving public schools. This program begins in the first summer session.

Student and Alumni Profiles

• All ELP Graduate Student Profiles
• Educational Policy and Planning Alumni Profiles

Faculty Profiles

Faculty profiles are available in the College of Education faculty directory.