Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Education

Students seeking funding should indicate their interest in a Graduate Assistantship at the time of submitting their application. There are two funded Graduate Assistantship opportunities for full-time students:

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching Assistantships are awarded at the time of admission. Teaching Assistants (TAs) support the Bachelor's of Education program and Master's in Education programs. Given the School of Education focus on teacher training, we seek TAs with previous experience in elementary education, special education, STEM education, literacy education and/or working with culturally and linguistically diverse learners. TAs work directly with faculty, gaining hands-on experience in syllabus development, classroom instruction, assessment, supervising student teachers and/or supporting student academic success. Several TAs go on to become instructors of record in their third or fourth year of the program.

Research Assistantships

Research Assistantships are typically awarded at time of admission, though opportunities can become available for students in subsequent years of the program. Research Assistants (RAs) work directly with UMass Lowell faculty, Research Centers or Academic Units, typically supporting grant-funded research or teacher training projects or research and evaluation-focused university projects. Depending on the focus of the project, RAs gain hands-on experience in research instrument development, data collection, data analysis and other aspects of the research process.

Additional options include Hourly School of Education Research Assistant positions (Hourly RAs) and Student Affairs Graduate Fellowships. 

Hourly RA opportunities depend on whether faculty members have research grants with funding to support an hourly RA. When available, hourly RA opportunities are posted to all School of Education PhD students, and interested applicants can apply. 

Student Affairs Graduate Fellowships are offered through the Division of Academic and Student Affairs. School of Education PhD Program faculty do not participate in the hiring or supervision of Student Affairs Graduate Fellowships, though several PhD students have worked in these positions.

The stipend for the academic year, covering the fall and spring terms (9 months), is approximately $19,200. However, TA and RA stipends do not cover the Summer and Winter terms. 

If you have external funding, such as a scholarship or work-based tuition support, and/or plan to attend as a self-funded student, please indicate that at the time of application.

Yes, we offer two Ph.D. programs allowing for specialization:

1. Leadership in Education
2. Research and Evaluation in Education

No, a GRE/GMAT score is not required for application.

No. We require a master's degree for applicants to be eligible to apply for our Ph.D. programs.

No, there is no specific template required for letters of recommendation.

Students are welcome to contact program faculty members to express interest and seek more information. However, please note that contacting faculty members does not guarantee the award of Teaching Assistantship (TA) or Research Assistantship (RA). Refer to the previous questions regarding TA and RA above for more information on securing these positions.

If you would like to be considered for a School of Education Teaching Assistantship or Research Assistantship, you should submit your application by January 15th. 

If you are applying as an externally-funded or self-funded student, you may submit your application at anytime.

Yes, our Ph.D. programs are open to international students.

For detailed information regarding the requirements for Ph.D. program applications, please refer to the information provided on the School of Education Admission Requirements page.

For specific application requirements pertinent to international students, please refer to the information available on the International Admissions Graduate Application Requirements page.

If you encounter any problems while uploading files to the UMass Lowell (UML) application portal, please seek support by contacting UML Graduate Admissions.

A foreign credential evaluation is not required. Provide transcripts from the institutions where you received post-secondary degrees or have taken relevant coursework. You may submit official or unofficial transcripts.*

*Admitted students must submit sealed official transcripts prior to the start of their first semester.

Since Fall 2009, the policy allows students to transfer a maximum of 6 credits of relevant coursework completed before admission to the School of Education from another accredited institution. However, courses taken at UMass Lowell prior to admission are not considered transfer credits. For more detailed information, please refer to the official policies at UMass Lowell School of Education's Policies webpage.

For detailed information on how to coordinate financial aid options with state-offered tuition reimbursement, please reach out to Kate King, a Graduation and Academic Progression Specialist at UMass Lowell. You can contact her via email at: Kate_King@uml.edu. She is part of the Office of the Registrar and can provide you with the specific guidance and information you need.

While 2-3 courses may be offered online, PhD courses are predominantly in-person.

For specific details regarding English proficiency requirements for international students, please visit the University of Massachusetts Lowell's International Admissions Graduate Application Requirements page.

Should you have further questions or need clarification, feel free to reach out via email at: Graduate_Admissions@uml.edu.

International students seeking an application fee waiver should directly contact the University of Massachusetts Lowell's Graduate Admissions office. Please send your inquiry via email to: Graduate_Admissions@uml.edu for assistance and further instructions regarding the fee waiver process.