ucla phd programs education

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Graduate Admission

UCLA’s graduate programs are recognized among the most prestigious globally, consistently ranking in the top 25 across various disciplines. Forty of our doctoral programs are ranked in the top 10, reflecting the high caliber of education and research opportunities available.

Our campus hosts over 130 graduate and professional programs, spanning from an extensive array of business and medical disciplines to specialized degrees in over 40 different languages. Each year, UCLA receives around 55,000 graduate applications and admits approximately 14,000 students, ensuring that our graduate community is composed of some of the most talented individuals worldwide.

At UCLA, graduate education is designed to blend deep expertise in one field with elements from others, fostering a hybrid approach to knowledge. This multidisciplinary methodology is fundamental to our academic philosophy. Our programs are structured to facilitate collaboration across various departments and disciplines, allowing faculty and students to engage in research and study that transcends traditional boundaries.

Our commitment to interdisciplinary research extends beyond the university. UCLA is strategically located in Los Angeles, a city with strong connections to other major academic institutions, public and private research centers, and industry leaders. This prime location provides graduate students with ample opportunities to collaborate with these external entities, enhancing both academic and cultural experiences.

Students who excel in this environment are those who are innovative, driven and persistent in their pursuit of new solutions and ideas. If you are passionate about exploring complex questions and pushing the boundaries of knowledge, UCLA’s graduate programs offer an exceptional platform to achieve your goals.

Applying to a Graduate Program

Most graduate applications are managed through the Graduate Education Department. With over 130 graduate degree programs to choose from, you can find one that aligns with your academic and professional aspirations. To explore our programs and determine which one fits your goals, visit our Graduate Programs page.

Professional Schools

Four of UCLA’s professional schools have unique application processes. For detailed information on the admission steps and requirements for these schools, follow the links below:

Explore the specific requirements and application procedures for each school to ensure a complete and successful application process.

Human Development & Psychology Division

In the Human Development & Psychology (HDP) graduate division, students explore the situations and processes that promote learning and development in a variety of social contexts for individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds. The program is designed for students interested in human learning and development to improve educational practices. The HDP Division offers two Ph.D. programs — the Ph.D. in Education and the Ph.D. in Special Education — and one M.A. in Education program. The Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education is offered with the California State University, Los Angeles.

Academic Information

Overview of the program.

The Division of HDP is committed to understanding individual differences and bettering the lives of children, adolescents, and their families from under-served and under-resourced communities, and those who are under-represented in the scientific literature.

HDP faculty and students employ a variety of research designs and methodological approaches. Faculty expertise includes qualitative (e.g., clinical structured interviews), quantitative (e.g., survey research methods), and mixed methods approaches, as well as randomized experimental designs, and longitudinal and intervention studies. The program has served as a model for training in applied research and the application of research to real-life settings.

Division Values

The goal of the HDP program is to study the nature and course of human development, in context, to inform practices and policies that affect the welfare of children. Topical Areas of Study Include:

• Interactions between risk and resilience across development
• Concerns with life circumstances (e.g., experiencing poverty or immigration) and personal characteristics (e.g., ability to learn a language or disability) that make individuals or groups vulnerable to variations in achievement, social, and emotional outcomes
• Relationships between single and multiple risk factors
• Processes that mediate the presence of a risk factor and later outcomes
• Developmental trajectories of children and adolescents
• Identifying protective factors that may alter or alleviate the impact of high risk
• Specific disabilities, such as autism, mental health disorders, intellectual disabilities, and language disabilities
• School-based research relevant to children’s and adolescent’s academic, social, and motivational development
• Developing more effective learning strategies for diverse learners
• Examining structural features (e.g., racial and ethnic diversity, socioeconomic composition of the school, dual language immersion programs) that affect educational progress and attainment
• Studying process features (e.g., peer relations, instructional approaches, parental involvement in schools) that affect educational progress and attainment

What Our Graduates Do

The training that HDP students receive prepares them for work in a variety of fields. Recent HDP graduates have assumed positions either as faculty, consultants, or researchers in a number of institutions across the country.

• Assistant Professor, Teacher Education Program, University of California, San Diego
• Assistant Professor, Elementary Education, University of Georgia
• Assistant Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, University of Washington (Seattle)
• Associate Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University
• Associate Professor, Special Education, Charter School of Education, California State University, Los Angeles
• Postdoctoral Scholar in Child Abuse and Neglect, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
• Postdoctoral Scholar in Special Education, Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California, Los Angeles
• Research Associate, LessonLab, Santa Monica, California
• Program Specialist, Pomona Unified School District, California
• Consultant, Milken Foundation
• Research Associate, Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles
• Research Associate, American Institute of Research, Washington, D.C.

M.A. Program in HDP

The M.A. Program in HDP is typically a full-time, one-year program. You should plan to be enrolled in the equivalent of at least three 4-unit classes for all quarters. Most courses are offered during the day. University regulations are that the M.A. must be completed within 7 quarters (two and one-third years), but students in our division rarely take that long. As a student in the M.A. Program, you must take at least nine 4-unit courses. About half are required courses and half are courses selected to fulfill various required types. Consult with your advisor in order to choose courses that best support your academic plan and goals.

Ph.D. Program in HDP

The Ph.D. program is a full-time program. You should plan to be enrolled in the equivalent of at least three 4-unit classes every quarter and to be on campus almost every day. Many of the formal courses you will take are during the day, as are most colloquia, research group (RAC) meetings, and research work. You will gain valuable experience and learn much from the time you spend outside of courses with faculty and students conducting research, writing papers, and working in formal and informal educational settings. Typically, you should expect to finish your degree in four to six years. University regulations require that the Ph.D. be completed within 21 quarters (seven years), but students in our division normally do not take that long. As faculty, we are committed to helping you finish in a reasonable time-to-degree of four to six years.

Joint Doctoral Ph.D. Program in Special Education

If you are in the Joint Doctoral Ph.D. Program in Special Education, your general experiences and timetable will be similar to those of students in the HDP Ph.D. program. Like the HDP doctoral program, the Joint Doctoral Ph.D. program is full-time. The time periods within which you can and must complete the Joint Doctoral Ph.D. degree are also about the same as those for the HDP Ph.D. program with the main difference that you take your initial year of courses at California State University, Los Angeles and then complete course requirements at UCLA. Having the first year of courses at California State University, Los Angeles will not extend the length of your Ph.D. program.

The Joint Doctoral Program is DISTINCT from the HDP Ph.D. in the following ways: You will have a slightly different timeline as you will take your first year of courses at California State University, Los Angeles. You must complete a minimum of six courses at California State University, Los Angeles. You will be required to take three fewer quarters of colloquium. You will have NO publication requirement. You are required to have five rather than four dissertation committee members.

Our Current Students

Visit the student directory and see what they are working on.

Graduate students at UCLA Department of Education benefit from — and contribute to — the resources of the country’s number one public graduate school of education.

A distinguished faculty committed to research, teaching, and excellent research centers and institutes offer extraordinary opportunities for graduate endeavors. We are preparing the next generation of researchers and professionals to address some of the most pressing challenges in the field.

Learn how HDP could be the right fit for you.

The UCLA Ed & IS Office of Student Services looks forward to assisting you through the application process. If we can be of service to you in any step of this process, please feel free to contact any one of our advisors.

Find Your Place

UCLA Ed&IS provides pathways for all.

Student Resources

HDP M.A. Plan of Study

HDP Ph.D. Plan of Study

HDP Course Schedule

HDP Student Handbook

Admissions Resources

HDP Application Step-By-Step Guide

Information Sessions for this Program

Jennie Grammer

Associate professor of education; faculty director, uc|csu collaborative for neuroscience, diversity and learning.

Sandra Graham

Distinguished professor.

Jeffrey Wood

Rashmita Mistry

Division head.

Alison Bailey  [email protected] (310) 825-1731

Division Administrative Assistant

(310) 825-9260

Division Graduate Advisor

Kim Mattheussens [email protected] (310) 825-0830

Student Ambassadors

Lauren Kinnard

Ingrid Tien

Maira Tafolla

Desiree Tanimura

[email protected]

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UCLA Graduate Programs

UCLA Graduate Programs: A-Z

Quickly browse graduate programs at the University of California Los Angeles. Meet UCLA faculty, learn graduate school admissions requirements, acceptance rates, and deadlines, and which programs offer doctoral and master’s degrees.

Key: D octorate M aster’s Degree M aster’s Degree (on path to Doctorate) C ertificate

A • B • C • D • E • F • G • H • I • L • M • N • O • P • S • T • U • W

Aerospace Engineering

African American Studies

African Studies

American Indian Studies

Anderson School of Management

Anthropology

Archaeology

Architecture

Architecture - M.Arch.

Architecture - M.S. in Architecture and Urban Design

Architecture and Urban Design Department

Art History

Asian American Studies

Asian Languages and Cultures

Asian Languages and Cultures Department

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy and Astrophysics-MAT

Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology

Bioengineering

Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics Department

Biomathematics

Bioscience Programs

Biostatistics

Biostatistics Department

Biostatistics MPH

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department

Chemical Engineering

Chemistry - Master of Applied Chemical Sciences

Chemistry and Biochemistry Department

Chicana & Chicano Studies

Chicana/o and Central American Studies Department

Choreographic Inquiry

Civil & Environmental Engineering Department

Civil Engineering

Classics Department

Clinical Research

Communication

Community Health Sciences

Community Health Sciences Department

Community Health Sciences MPH

Comparative Literature

Computational Medicine Department

Computer Science

Conservation of Cultural Heritage

Conservation of Cultural Heritage Department

Conservation of Material Culture

Culture and Performance

Data Science in Biomedicine

Data Science in Health

David Geffen School of Medicine

Design | Media Arts

Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences Department

East Asian Studies

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department

Economics - Master of Quantitative Economics

Economics Department

Educational Leadership Program

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Engineering - Master of Engineering

Engineering - MS in Engineering, Online

Engineering - MS in Engineering-Aerospace, Online

Engineering - MS in Engineering-Computer Networking, Online

Engineering - MS in Engineering-Electrical, Online

Engineering - MS in Engineering-Electronic Materials, Online

Engineering - MS in Engineering-Integrated Circuits, Online

Engineering - MS in Engineering-Manufacturing and Design, Online

Engineering - MS in Engineering-Materials Science, Online

Engineering - MS in Engineering-Mechanical, Online

Engineering - MS in Engineering-Signal Processing and Communications, Online

Engineering - MS in Engineering-Structural Materials, Online

Environment and Sustainability

Environmental and Molecular Toxicology

Environmental Health Sciences

Environmental Health Sciences Department

Environmental Health Sciences MPH

Environmental Science & Engineering

Epidemiology

Epidemiology Department

Epidemiology MPH

Ethnomusicology

European Languages & Transcultural Studies Department

Executive Master of Public Health

Fielding School of Public Health

Film & Television

Film, Television, & Digital Media Department

French & Francophone Studies

Gender Studies

Genetic Counseling

Geochemistry

Geography Department

Geophysics & Space Physics

Germanic Languages

Health Management MPH

Health Policy & Management

Health Policy & Management MPH

Health Policy and Management Department

Health Policy MPH

Healthcare Administration

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Herb Alpert School of Music

Hispanic Languages & Literatures

Human Genetics

Human Genetics Department

Indo-European Studies

Information Studies

Information Studies Department

Institute of the Environment & Sustainability

Integrative Biology & Physiology Department

International Institute

Islamic Studies

Latin American Studies

Library & Information Science

Library & Information Science Certificate

Life Sciences

Linguistics

Luskin School of Public Affairs

Management - Business Analytics MS

Management - Executive MBA

Management - Fully Employed MBA (FEMBA)

Management - Global Executive MBA for Asia Pacific

Management - Master of Financial Engineering

Management - MBA

Management - MS, PHD

Manufacturing Engineering

Master of Applied Geospatial Information Systems & Technologies

Master of Legal Studies

Master of Public Health in Community Health, Health Promotion and Education

Master of Quantum Science and Technology

Master of Real Estate Development

Master of Social Science

Materials Science & Engineering

Mathematics

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department

Mechanical Engineering

Medical Informatics

Molecular & Medical Pharmacology

Molecular Biology

Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology

Molecular, Cellular, & Integrative Physiology

Near Eastern Languages & Cultures

Near Eastern Languages & Cultures Department

Neuroscience

Nursing - Doctor of Nursing Practice

Nursing - Post-BS to DNP

Oral Biology

Physical Sciences

Physics & Biology in Medicine

Physics and Astronomy Department

Physiological Science

Planetary Science

Political Science

Public Health

Public Policy

Scandinavian

School of Dentistry

School of Education and Information Studies

School of Law

School of Nursing

School of the Arts and Architecture

School of Theater, Film and Television

Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Languages & Cultures

Social Sciences

Social Welfare

Spanish and Portuguese Department

Special Education

Statistics - Master of Applied Statistics and Data Science

Statistics and Data Science Department

Teaching Asian Languages

Theater and Performance Studies

Theater Department

Urban and Regional Planning

Urban and Regional Planning - Institut d'Etudes de Paris

Urban Planning

Urban Planning Department

World Arts and Cultures/Dance Department

UCLA is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and by numerous special agencies. Information regarding the University's accreditation may be obtain from the Office of Academic Planning and Budget, 2107 Murphy Hall.