Graduate Specialization

The Graduate Specialization in Education Policy and Social Sciences, which is administered by the Department of Educational Administration, trains doctoral students to conduct research on improving education systems through rigorous exploratory and efficacy methodologies.

The specialization is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in doctoral degree programs at Michigan State University. With the approval of the department and college that administers the student’s degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the specialization may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the doctoral degree. The students program of study must be approved by the advisor for the specialization.

Admission

Students must declare intention to pursue the Graduate Specialization in Education Policy and Social Sciences prior to the start of the 3rd year in a Ph.D. program.

Requirements for the Graduate Specialization in Education Policy and Social Sciences

Students must complete the following with a 3.5 grade-point average in courses across the specialization (18 credits):

1.	Both of the following courses (6 credits):
	EAD	932	Education Policy Implementation						3
	EAD	933	Evaluation of Education Policy Implementation						3
2.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
	EAD	907	Education Policy for Immigrant and English Language Learner Students						3
	EAD	925	Policy and Practice in Education						3
	EAD	926	School Finance and Operations						3
	EAD	948	Advanced Economics of Education						3
	EAD	949	Advanced Seminar in Education Policy						3
	EAD	967	Policy Development and Analysis in Postsecondary Education						3
3.	At least two of the following courses (6 credits):
	EAD	948	Advanced Economics of Education						3
	EC	835	Public Expenditures						3
	EC	880	Labor Economics I						3
	EC	881	Labor Economics II						3
	PLS	811	Proseminar in Policy Analysis						3
	PLS	820	Proseminar in American Politics						3
	PLS	821	State Government and Politics						3
	PLS	822	Urban Government and Politics						3
	A course used to fulfill item 2. may not be used to fulfill item 3.
4.	At least one of the following courses (3 credits):
	EAD	946B	Econometric Analysis for Education Policy						3
	EC	821A	Cross Section and Panel Data Econometrics I						3
	EC	823	Applied Econometrics						3
5.	Submit a policy brief summarizing research findings on education policy evaluation or implementation.
6.	Submit a dissertation that, in the judgment of the student’s dissertation committee, represents the integration of education policy and social sciences and the student’s primary field and includes research that is relevant to practical issues in United States education.