Children, Families, & Schools PhD

Interested in Teacher Education & School Improvement, as of July 2026 see the new expanded EdS and PhD program in Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Studies. Contact TLCS [at] umass [dot] edu (TLCS[at]umass[dot]edu) for more information.

Children, Families, & Schools doctoral students build a firm grounding in the philosophical, historical, and cultural foundations of learning and development. Dissertation research topics reflect a wide range of scholarly interests, including family development, the child as learner, the human interactions involved in the teaching process, the implications of the new technologies for learning, character development, the family of the special needs child, and early intervention.PhD students have the opportunity to build practical experience through field supervision and teaching assistantships with early-childhood and elementary teacher preparation programs.

Applicants to the program must have a master's degree in a related area (e.g., Education, Psychology, Communication Disorders) and teaching experience in a school setting. Many graduates of the program go on to hold faculty positions in colleges and universities or leadership positions in preschool education.