Admission Requirements for Ph.D.
To qualify for admission to the Ph.D. all applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Candidates should submit a statement of no more than 1,500 words, that responds to two questions:
- 1. What are you interested in researching during your doctoral studies, and why?
- 2. How would doctoral studies at UMass Lowell advance your career goals?
- Earned master’s degree from an accredited institution. The most appropriate master’s degree is the M.Ed.; however, other related master’s degrees will be considered if the candidate can demonstrate work experience or knowledge of education policy and/or research. The master’s degree must have been earned with a 3.0 GPA or better.
- Resume, which highlights the applicant’s education and experience relevant to the degree after completion of the bachelor’s degree.
- Satisfactory TOEFL scores taken within the last year for international applicants as appropriate.
- Three letters of recommendation which speak to the suitability of the applicant for advanced graduate work, work ethic and knowledge of the field of education and/or education research.
- Please submit a writing sample that demonstrates the applicant's ability to present a cohesive, focused and persuasive response to an education issues of his or her choice. The writing sample should be accompanied by a brief note explaining the context in which it was written and identifying the kinds of support received by the applicant producing it.
- Interview on-campus or via a video-conferencing tool for those applicants seeking Teaching or Research Assistantships, or for those whose application materials raise unanswered questions.
Admission Requirements for ED.D.
- An M.Ed., Ed.S. or master’s degree in a field relevant to PK-12 education
- Should be currently working in a PK-12 school or other setting that serves these students, have a commitment to continuing to serve such students as a leader who will influence excellence and equity
- STEM option: Should have experience as a STEM teacher or other roles in STEM within the district e.g. elementary STEM coordinator; mathematics coach
- Demonstrated leadership skills in such settings
- Official transcripts from previously earned degrees
- 2 letters of recommendation
- A Professional resume
- A two-page statement of purpose in which the applicant describes their work as an educator to date, including a discussion of leadership roles beyond classroom teaching and professional goals, research interests, and reasons for entering a scholar-practitioner doctoral degree. Applicants demonstrate their understanding of equity-based educational problems; the ability to identify and articulate the reasons to address a contextually relevant, equity-based problem (Equity-based problems for STEM applicants should have a STEM focus).
- $50 application fee
Questions about the ED.D. should be sent to the ED.D. coordinators via email: Phisamay_Uy@uml.edu or Michelle_Scribner@uml.edu.
Application for admission to the Ph.D. program is available online through the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Additional Admission Requirements for International Applicants
- For applicants who earned their degree outside of the US, you do not need to have your transcript evaluated by a credentialing service such as WES or CED.
- English proficiency testing
- TOEFL minimum 90
- IELTS minimum 7.0
- Duolingo minimum 105
Please note, F1 student visas are not issued for ED.D program since it is offered exclusively online.
Degree Requirements
- Complete the stipulated course requirements for the degree program at this university.
- Complete all course requirements for the degree with a cumulative grade point average of B or better.
- No more than nine credits of coursework with an earned grade below B (3.00) may count towards the doctorate.
- Pass comprehensive examinations as determined by the specific program prior to beginning dissertation work.
- Satisfactorily complete and defend a dissertation based upon the results of original research as approved by the candidate’s dissertation committee, and submit the dissertation per University regulations.
- Complete the program within eight years from the date of admission.
Degree Pathway for
Links to program information on the School of Education pages:
Updated 10/17/2022