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PhD in Education: Careers Outside the Classroom

A doctorate in education can prepare you for a professional shift to an exciting new environment.

Teaching is a rewarding career. Those who have spent many years in the field, however, may be ready for education careers outside the classroom.

A PhD in Education can be an effective stepping stone to leadership positions in a variety of environments, from government agencies to corporate conference rooms.

PhD in Education: Careers Outside the Classroom

PhD in Education: What You’ll Learn

An on-campus or online PhD in Education program will challenge you to think critically about education and to develop solutions to the field’s most pressing issues. You’ll study education theory, challenge traditional ways of teaching, produce new knowledge with original research, and much more.

You’ll also be able to choose a specialization that aligns with your interests. Options may include:

Whether you choose to pursue a doctorate in education on campus or online, a PhD in Education will help you transition from practitioner to leader, equipping you with knowledge, strengths, and skills highly applicable to many careers.

Careers With a PhD in Education

A doctorate in education can qualify you for a range of opportunities that demand robust, research-based decision-making and leadership skills. The following is a sampling of areas in which you can pursue work with a PhD in Education:

  • Professional Development
    Your teaching experience combined with the leadership skills you’ll develop through your doctoral program provide the perfect foundation for a career in professional development. School systems, nonprofits, higher education institutions, government agencies, and corporations depend on professional development programs to keep employees at peak performance. Equipped with a doctorate in education, you could be a critical part of their success.
  • Education Policy
    If you feel inspired by the thought of working side by side with legislators to develop education policy at the local, state, or national level, a doctorate in education can help you get there. An on-campus or online Phd in Education program will help equip you with the comprehensive knowledge and research abilities to work with government agencies, lobbyists, and other entities developing education policies that affect teachers and students.
  • Administration
    The right leadership can help an institution thrive. A doctorate in education provides the perfect foundation to enter the field of academic administration. The innovative leadership skills you’ll gain from a PhD in Education program will prepare you for a successful career as an administrator in a variety of academic settings, from public schools to universities.
  • Education Research
    With the goal of better understanding the learning process in order to improve learning outcomes, the field of education research is ideal for those with a doctorate in education. Education researchers provide essential information about topics ranging from psychology and child development to classroom management and testing, raising awareness of important issues and propelling the development of new tools and teaching methods. Many education professionals holding a PhD in Education decide to focus their studies on early childhood special education so that the research they conduct can help meet the increasing demand for these students.
  • Curriculum Development
    After spending years teaching curriculums developed by others, earning your PhD in Education can give you the background to design curriculums for fellow educators to use as the foundation for their own classroom approaches, as well as standardized tests that measure achievement and preparedness. You’ll work with teachers, administrators, and a host of other important stakeholders to create meaningful, effective curriculums that will have a lasting impact.

Ready to take your passion for education out of the classroom with a doctorate in education? Explore how Walden University’s online PhD in Education program can help you change your world and the world of others.

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