Important Update

Thank you for your interest in the PhD program at Washington University.  Due to the current challenges in higher education, the Education Department is not accepting any new graduate students in Fall 2026.  If you have any questions, I encourage you to contact the Office of Graduate Studies (artscigradadmissions@wustl.edu)

Is a PhD in Education right for you?

Doctoral Program

Doctoral study in education at Washington University in St. Louis is aimed at strengthening and deepening the student's analytical understanding of education in both research and practice. Our doctoral program focuses on two major strands of study:

• Educational Policy Studies
• Educational Psychology

Students working toward a PhD in education are expected to acquire an understanding of education as a complex social, cultural, and moral/political activity and as a field of study with rich literature bases and strong ties to disciplinary knowledge, classroom practice, and a variety of technologies.

More about OUR doctoral program