Consult your faculty advisor regarding transfers between Fields of Emphasis. Transfers among emphases once a student is admitted are possible but not guaranteed. The following descriptions of the specialized Fields of Emphasis for the Ph.D. degree program will assist students in deciding where their interests are best served. This Field of Emphasis is intended for students who are preparing for careers in research and theory development concerning schools and school systems as complex organizations, as well as administrative processes with those organizations. Typically, graduates will be employed in institutions of higher education and in research and development centers concerned with the organization and functioning of the nation s schools.
Emphasis is given to the role of administrators in schools as organizations.
Research might emphasize topics such as leadership, collective bargaining, decision- making, or organizational development. For more information about this Field of Emphasis, see Professors Lynn Beck, James Catterall, or Renee Smith Maddox. This Field of Emphasis is intended for students who are preparing for careers in research on educational policy and in the development of policy analysis tools and techniques, both quantitative and qualitative. Graduates will typically be employed in institutions of higher education and in Research and Development Centers concerned with issues of policy analysis relevant to the educational setting. The program of study draws upon political science, economics, sociology, information systems research, operations research, philosophic inquiry as applicable to decision-making, policy formulation, and planning in social organizations, as well as upon research on education policy making and implementation and on education policy problems.