The College of Educational Studies of Chapman University's Ph.D. program is intended primarily for individuals seeking a career in higher education or in other research-oriented leadership fields. The program focuses on the formulation of new ways to think about issues and solve problems in the field of education.

Chapman University's Ph.D. in Education program is the only one in the area that offers a unique combination of three emphases: Cultural and Curricular Studies, Disability Studies, and School Psychology. College of Educational Studies (CES) faculty, students, and field-based practitioners all bring a wealth of knowledge and experiences to the program and all learn from each other.

Program Description
The Ph.D. in Education program is offered as a cohort model with entry in the fall semester each year and is offered only at Chapman's Orange campus. The program is characterized by five distinct, yet interwoven, components:

• the notion and praxis of a socially just society articulated in the theory and practice of constructivism, humanism, and critical theory;
• student collaboration supported by student cohorts, designed to demonstrate effective action within a culture of collaboration;
• personalized and collaborative mentorship between faculty and students, toward the goal of creating a better world;
• a rigorous core of the philosophy and foundations of education and methods of inquiry used to assist in the creation of new understanding in the field; and,
• a student-guided specialized curriculum with a wide menu of specialized study courses based on research interests and needs.

Coursework within each emphasis is in four core curricular areas:

• Philosophy and Foundations
• Inquiry
• Emphasis
• Dissertation