- Ask bigger questions and answer them with rigor — Conduct research that tackles complex educational challenges across systems.
- Design the future of education — Conduct research that addresses real-world challenges across systems, policies, and learning environments.
- Break out of silos — Design interdisciplinary work that blends education with policy, data, or leadership.
- Generate New Knowledge – Demonstrate your ability to craft extensive, original dissertation research that makes a significant contribution to the field of education.
- Cultivate your network – Develop meaningful relationships with colleagues, mentors, and advisors who enrich your career.
- Turn research into real-world change — Apply your findings to influence practice, organizations, and policy.
- Work closely with faculty who are shaping the field — Mentorship here is active, not distant.
- Build a career with range — Prepare for roles in academia, research, policy, or executive leadership.
The PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in Education reflects the School of Educational Studies’ mission to prepare leaders who advance positive change through research, practice, and community engagement. Grounded in a commitment to educational equity and social justice, the program fosters the development of learning environments that are just, relevant, and rigorous.
Built on a transdisciplinary foundation, the program integrates perspectives from education, sociology, psychology, cultural studies, policy, and beyond—equipping students to address complex challenges that no single field can solve alone. Designed for working professionals, the PhD experience connects theory to practice, enabling students to apply research to real-world issues while learning alongside a diverse community of experienced educators and leaders.
Guided by faculty-scholars, students design a course of study aligned with their professional goals and intellectual interests, expanding their perspective across disciplines and contexts. This collaborative, inquiry-driven environment reflects SES’s commitment to lifelong learning, mentorship, and the creation and application of knowledge for impact.
Graduates emerge as scholars, administrators, and educators prepared to lead with integrity—advancing equity, accountability, and social justice across educational systems and communities.
Program At-a-glance
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72 units
required units
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PhD in Education
degree awarded
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Hybrid
modality
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Spring, Summer, Fall
program start
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4 years | full time*
estimated completion time
7 years | part time
estimated completion time
Areas of Concentration
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Higher Education/Student Affairs
Take an approach to study based on a multidisciplinary view of theory and research and a commitment to developing educational environments that are just, relevant, and rigorous.
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K12 Education & Equity
Prepare for a career as a forward-thinking educator who focuses upon the important roles schools play to support our diverse communities.
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Urban Leadership
Join an innovative cohort program designed to meet the needs of urban K–14 educational leaders who have a demonstrated potential for leadership in education or a related field.
Where You Can Find Our Alumni
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San Bernardino County
Superintendent of Schools
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Kit-Macquarie Brain Research Laboratory
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Los Angeles Unified School District
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Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
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University of California, Berkeley
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Boeing
Faculty
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Claudia Bermúdez
Clinical Assistant Professor
Preliminary Program Coordinator
Department of Teacher EducationResearch Interests
Bermúdez's research and teaching interests explore the significance of healthy classroom ecologies and the tension between critical social justice teaching and subtractive schooling. Her work spans PK-12 to higher education, with an emphasis on antiracist, antibias and culturally sustaining pedagogies; the intersection of class/race in education; the value of testimonios y pláticas in qualitative research; linguistic justice and translanguaging; and critically socially just leadership.
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Deborah Faye Carter
Associate Professor of Higher Education
Research Interests
Higher education; transition to college; college student outcomes; access to college; race in education; mentoring, equity, and diverse learning environments in STEM
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DeLacy Ganley
Dean, School of Educational Studies
Professor of EducationResearch Interests
Culturally relevant education; resiliency and achievement of marginalized populations; intersection of families, community, and school; language acquisition; social capital theory; systems theory
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Gwen Garrison
Clinical Professor of Education
Director of Educational Evaluation and Data Analysis
Research Interests
Organizational effectiveness; diversity & inclusion; research & evaluation process; data systems; data management; data visualization and storytelling
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Frances Marie Gipson
Clinical Professor of Education
Director, Urban Leadership ProgramResearch Interests
Urban schooling; distributed leadership; social-emotional learning; culturally relevant and linguistically responsive education; systems theory; learning and achievement; talent and leadership development; P-20 school policy
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June K. Hilton
Senior Research Fellow
Research Interests
STEM Education, Equity Issues in Science and Mathematics, Effective Use of Instructional Technology, Teacher Preparation
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Tom Luschei
Professor of Education
Research Interests
International and Comparative Education; Economics of Education; Teacher Quality, Teacher Policy, and Teacher Distribution; Education Policy across the Americas
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Dina C. Maramba
Professor of Education
Research Interests
Equity and diversity issues in higher education; theory and practice in student affairs; college student development; access and retention; first-generation college students; Asian American and Pacific Islander populations; minority serving institutions
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Susan J. Paik
Professor of Education
Research Interests
Educational productivity; talent and leader development; giftedness and creativity; learning and achievement; psychosocial and environmental factors; urban and international studies; underserved students; Asian Americans and education; family-school-community partnerships; research methods, design, and evaluation
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Linda Perkins
University Professor
Director, Applied Gender StudiesResearch Interests
Women and African-American higher education, history and contemporary issues on women in higher education, especially Black women, global gender issues, history of talent identification programs.
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Emilie Reagan
Associate Professor of Education
Research Interests
Social justice and equity-oriented teacher education policy and practice; context-specific teacher preparation; teacher residency programs; assessment; accountability; quantitative methods; mixed methods
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Guan K. Saw
Associate Professor, Joseph B. Platt Chair in Management of Technology
Research Interests
Educational inequality; STEM education and workforce; rural education; college access and success; social capital; mentorship; teacher victimization; health disparities; research methodology
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Samara Suafo’a
Clinical Assistant Professor
Interim Director of the Department of Teacher EducationResearch Interests
Indigenous research methodologies; the Indigenous art of storytelling as a high-impact practice in K-16 classrooms; Intersectionality of Dis/ability Research and Critical Social Justice; Role of Relationships as a Foundation for Creating Positive Classroom and School Ecologies; the intersectionality of race and athletics w/in K-16 systems; College Choice for historically minoritized communities; Impact of Colonization on the Educational Trajectory of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders (NHPIs); Critical Social Justice in K-16 Education; Anti Racist/Anti Bias Pedagogy in K-16 classrooms
Curriculum
Program Features
- You will take an introductory course, Proseminar for Doctoral Study, designed to orientate you to doctoral study. Toward the end of your program, you will take another course, Capstone for Doctoral Research, to prepare you for the move from coursework into doctoral research and dissertation writing.
- Sample research and methods courses include: Introduction to Educational Evaluation, Assessment & Effectiveness, Introduction/Advanced Qualitative Inquiry, Introduction/Advanced Quantitative Research Methods, Research Methods & Design, Community-based Participatory Research – Focus on Transformative Movement Organizing, Research Practicum
- CGU embraces transdisciplinary learning and thinking. To foster the ability to communicate across discipline areas, you will take at least one transdisciplinary course.
Below are all examples of typical SES 4-unit course offerings. It does not include all SES courses.
- EDUC 503. Models of Leadership
- EDUC 576. LGBTQ+ Issues in Education
- EDUC 590. Organizational Theory & Change
- EDUC 601. Research Methods and Design
- EDUC 647. Inequalities in Education
- EDUC 689. Education Across America
- EDUC 695. Theory, Methods and Practice in International Comparative Education
Application Guidelines
| University Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Application Fee | $80 (fee is non-refundable) |
| Official Transcripts | Undergraduate/graduate Applicants must submit a sealed, official transcript from every undergraduate and graduate institution that has granted the applicant a degree. Electronic transcripts sent to admissions@cgu.edu are also accepted. For undergraduate coursework, applicants are required to submit proof of a completed bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Unofficial copies of transcripts are accepted for review purposes, but official copies will be required upon admission. Applicants currently earning a degree that will be completed prior to attending CGU are required to submit a transcript showing work in progress for evaluation purposes. Once the degree has been granted, a final official transcript documenting the degree conferred must be submitted to CGU. International applicants are advised to review the International Transcript Guidelines for additional information on submitting international transcripts. |
| English Proficiency Exam | Required (international applicants only) A valid score on one of the following examinations TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson PTE, Duolingo English Test is required of all non-native English-speaking applicants. The examination is not required for the following applicants:
CGU’s school code for the TOEFL exam is 4053. International applicants are encouraged to visit our International Applicants page for more information, including score requirements. |
| Resume | Applicants must submit an up-to-date copy of their resume. |
| Program Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Statement of Purpose | Please submit a five-page, double-spaced personal statement that answers the following questions: 1. Who are you? |
| Letter of Recommendation | 3 letters required When filling out the online application, please enter references acquainted with your potential for success who will submit a written recommendation on your behalf. In most academic departments, references from faculty members who can speak to your academic ability are preferred; applicants with substantial work experience may request professional references. Please do not enter family members as references. You will be required to input information for your recommenders (whether they are submitting online or not) in the “Recommendations” section of the online application. Please follow the directions in this section carefully before clicking on “Recommendation Provider List” to input the names and contact information for each recommender. You will have an opportunity to indicate if the reference writer will be submitting online. These reference writers will receive an email from CGU with instructions on submitting an online recommendation. Recommenders who are indicated as offline will not receive an email from CGU with instructions to submit. These reference writers can submit via traditional mail and should use the supplemental New Student Recommendation Form. Recommenders can also email their letter of recommendation to the Office of Admissions at admissions@cgu.edu. |
| Standardized Test Scores | GRE (optional) Applicants who have taken the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test are invited to submit scores but are not required to do so. Applicants who feel that their Grade Point Averages do not adequately represent their ability to succeed in a graduate program may find it helpful to submit GRE scores for consideration. CGU’s school code: |
Key Dates & Deadlines
CGU operates on a priority deadline cycle. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit complete applications by the priority dates in order to assure maximum consideration for both admission and fellowships.
Once the priority deadlines have passed, the University will continue to review applications for qualified candidates on a competitive, space-available basis. The final deadlines listed are the last date the University can accept an application in order to allow sufficient time to complete the admissions, financial aid, and other enrollment processes.
Spring 2026
Priority Deadline – November 1, 2025
Final Deadline (International) – November 15, 2025
Final Deadline (Domestic) – December 1, 2025
Classes begin – January 20, 2026
Summer 2026
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2026
Final Deadline (International) – March 1, 2026
Final Deadline (Domestic) – April 1, 2026
Classes begin – May 18, 2026
Fall 2026
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2026
Final Deadline (International) – July 5, 2026
Final Deadline (Domestic) – August 1, 2026
Classes begin – August 24, 2026
Cost & Aid
ESTIMATED TUITION (CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, NON-RESIDENTS, INTERNATIONAL)
*Based on 2025-2026 tuition rates.
STUDENT FEES (PER SEMESTER)
| $245 Student Fee |
| $150 Technology Fee |
| International Student Services Fee**: $802 fall semester, $898 spring semester **Applies to all international students (F-1 visa only) who are registered in coursework, doctoral study, or continuous registration. The fee is assessed each fall and spring semester for annual ISO accident and sickness plans and administrative fees. Subject to changes. |
For estimates of room & board, books, etc., please download CGU’s Cost of Attendance 2025-2026.
| Program | 72 units |