PhD
Full-time or part-time
In-person
Generally takes around 4 years full-time
Kingston, Ontario
Funding available for full-time students
Join a Community of Innovative Educational Researchers
Become part of an inclusive, collaborative research community at Queen's Faculty of Education. Our PhD in Education program follows a mentorship-based model, where emerging scholars work closely with established faculty and active research teams to pursue meaningful, high-impact research.
Coursework is guided by leading experts across the education spectrum and is designed to support your development as a rigorous, independent researcher. Our graduates make significant contributions to educational theory, policy, and practice, both in Canada and internationally.
We offer competitive funding packages and provide opportunities for our doctoral students to engage as teaching fellows, research fellows, and graduate assistants, gaining valuable academic and professional experience along the way.
PhD in Education Highlights
- Program structure: Join a vibrant in-person PhD program. In your first year, you'll dive into coursework before tackling two comprehensive exams—then it's time to focus on your dissertation and make your mark in the field.
- Generous funding support: Every PhD student receives a minimum funding package of $23,000 per year, with most students earning an average of $25,000 annually through teaching and research assistantships.
- Supportive supervision from day one: You'll begin your journey by connecting with a faculty supervisor who will mentor and guide your research throughout the program.
- Small, interactive classes: Enjoy seminar-style courses with plenty of discussion and one-on-one engagement. Each course includes 36 instructional hours.
- Build teaching and research skills: Gain valuable experience (and funding) by teaching in our Bachelor of Education programs and working on faculty-led research projects.
- Be part of a thriving research community: Immerse yourself in an active, supportive academic environment. Collaborate in research groups, attend academic conferences, and share your findings with the wider scholarly community.
- Put your learning into practice: An optional internship offers hands-on experience in diverse communities of practice.
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Research Expertise
Our faculty brings together diverse perspectives on education and fosters multidisciplinary expertise in the following areas:
- Arts Education
- Assessment and Evaluation
- Curriculum Studies
- Disability Studies
- Early Childhood Education
- Educational Psychology
- Exceptionalities
- History and Philosophy of Education
- Indigenous Education and Land-Based Learning
- International Education
- Language and Literacy
- Leadership and Policy Studies
- Math, Science, and Technology in Education
- Outdoor Education
- Social Justice and Inclusion
- Teacher Education
Admissions
All graduate program applications are made through the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs website starting in September for admission the following year.
In addition to the online application and application fee, you are required to submit the following documentation to educgrad@queensu.ca:
- PhD in Education Research Proposal
- a PDF copy of your resume/curriculum vitae
If you have any questions, please contact the Graduate Studies & Research Office.
Completed applications (including submission of transcripts, references, CV and research proposal form) are due by January 15. Late applications are not considered. Our program begins in September of each year.
- Successful completion of a Master's degree in Education or equivalent advanced-level credential with first-class standing (A- or 80% or higher) at a recognized university
- Professional experience in education or a related field is an asset
- Applicants are required to submit a brief research proposal (one to two pages maximum)
- Applicants must identify and contact a potential supervisor who has expressed a willingness to supervise their work if they apply for admission and receive an offer of admission.
Language Testing Requirements
English is the language of instruction at Queen's. If your first language is not English, and you have not completed at least one full year of study at a post-secondary institution where English is the official language of instruction, you must submit results from an accepted English language proficiency test. Your application is not complete until those results are received. Accepted tests and minimum scores are listed in Step 4 of the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs How to Apply guide.
Only the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs can grant an exemption from the English language proficiency requirement.
Financing your Studies
Information on tuition, fees and costs as well as the financial support offered to graduate students from the University and external agencies is provided by the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs:
Funding packages are awarded based on academic merit and may include a combination of scholarships, fellowships, external awards, internal awards, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and Graduate Teaching Fellowships.
Eligible full-time PhD students are guaranteed a minimum funding package of $23,000 per year for their first 12 terms. Many students receive additional funding through teaching and research opportunities.
To qualify for the minimum funding guarantee, students must apply for all major external and internal scholarships for which they are eligible, where applicable. External awards are incorporated into the overall funding package and are not in addition to the $23,000 minimum guarantee. However, students who receive external awards will typically have a higher overall funding package.
Students who successfully apply for and obtain a Graduate Teaching Fellowship, Teaching Assistantship, and/or Research Assistantship typically receive approximately $25,000 in total funding per year.
Exact funding package details are normally communicated to students in early summer.
The Faculty of Education has a number of internal awards available, including travel fellowships and awards.
Queen's School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs has more information about Awards & Bursaries.
Graduate students who want to be considered for a teaching assistant or graduate teaching fellow position as part of their funding package are required to apply for one or more of the postings listed under Work at Queen's.