Educational Studies Admission

Educational Studies Admission Information

Master's Degree

The prospective M.Ed. student in Educational Studies must first make application to the Graduate College of The University of Oklahoma. (Admission information is distributed through that office). Then the applicant must submit admission materials to the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies. When all required materials have been submitted, this office will forward materials to the Educational Studies graduate programs coordinator, who will share them with the Educational Studies faculty. After following the procedures outlined in this document, the Educational Studies program faculty will make a recommendation concerning the applicant's admission, and forward it to the Graduate Liaison for the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies. The Graduate Liaison will then send the application and recommendation to the Graduate College. The minimum criteria for admission to the Educational Studies program are as follows:

The applicant must have an accredited baccalaureate degree.
The applicant must have a GPA of 3.0 in previous Educational Studies course work and in relevant liberal arts course work (e.g., history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, literature, rhetoric, interdisciplinary social and cultural studies), with a minimum of 9 hours completed in such subjects at the 4000 level or above. Candidates who do not meet this requirement may be admitted conditionally, pending completion of 12 credit hours in Educational Studies at the 5000 level with grades of B or better.
The applicant must submit three letters of recommendation that offer evidence of readiness for graduate study in Foundations.
The applicant must provide three examples of written work.
The applicant must be interviewed by the Educational Studies faculty, who will look for evidence of basic oral competencies for seminar work in the field. Interviews will take place in late fall and late spring each year.
The applicant must meet all admission requirements for the Graduate College, the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, and the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies.

Doctoral Degree

The prospective doctoral student in Educational Studies must first make application to the Graduate College of The University of Oklahoma. (Admission information is distributed through that office). Then the applicant must submit admission materials to the Department of Educational Leadership in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education. When all materials have been submitted, this office will forward materials to the Educational Studies graduate programs coordinator, who will share it with Educational Studies faculty. After following the procedures outlined in this document, the Educational Studies faculty will make a recommendation concerning the student's admission, and forward it to the Graduate Liaison for the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS). The Graduate Liaison will then send the application and recommendation to the Graduate College. The minimum criteria for admission to the Educational Studies program are as follows:

M.Ed. or MA in Educational Studies or an equivalent combination of post-baccalaureate work, including experience as an educator in any setting and course work in Educational Studies, liberal arts, and/or the Historical, Philosophical, and Social Foundations of a particular profession, fine art, or science;
GPA of 3.0 in previous course work at the undergraduate and graduate levels, preferably including Educational Studies or relevant liberal arts such as history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, literature, rhetoric, African or African-American studies, Asian studies, international studies, or Native American Indian studies, women's & gender studies, human relations;
Recommendations from at least three individuals in relevant fields who offer persuasive evidence of the applicant's ability to succeed at and complete doctoral course work and research in Foundations;
A sample of 3 best written work in the humanities or fine arts, which displays an ability to think conceptually, analyze text or data, and present a logical argument or response to a foundational research question;
A 500-1000 word statement of the applicant's purpose in pursuing the PhD in Foundations. The essay should explain how the applicant's background has inspired the choice of Educational Studies, what resources at the University of Oklahoma seem particularly suited to the applicant's stated purpose, and what professional options would be available should the applicant complete a PhD in Foundations; and
An interview with the Educational Studies faculty. Interviews will be held by appointment, in late fall and late spring, when applicants are considered for admission.