Global Directory of Academic Programs in Evaluation

The program is designed to prepare students to be an evaluator, assessment specialist, or researcher for leadership and teaching positions in schools, non-school organizations, institutions of higher education, and government. It is interdisciplinary in nature and is designed to expose future academics, researchers and evaluators to practice linked learning in a world-class environment of excellence. The faculty advising and teaching in these programs are nationally and internationally recognized in their fields.

This interdisciplinary program is designed to cultivate evaluation scholars and practitioners with a deep understanding of evaluation theory, methodology, and practice. The program focuses on developing the competencies necessary to become a highly skilled evaluator and is tailored to each student's professional goals. It is multidisciplinary, exposing students to a variety of disciplines, problem-solving strategies, and methods of inquiry. The program aims to foster critical thinking, encourage debate among students, and provide opportunities for interaction and learning from leaders in the field.

The main goal of the program is to provide a comprehensive education for evaluators and leaders who can effectively integrate various inquiry methods and apply them to address research and evaluative questions in a practical manner.

The program ensures that the students have a broad understanding of important topics in education and that they begin developing the research expertise needed to carry out independent research projects.

The program combines training with research experiences gained from participation in research projects. In measurement and evaluation, specific areas of study include measurement theory, rasch measurement, item response theory, true score theory, generalizability theory, test score equating, standard setting, instrument design and program evaluation. In Statistics, areas of study includes statistical theory, hierarchical linear modeling, nonparametric modeling, regression analysis, multivariate analysis, structural equation modeling, factor analysis, causal analysis, categorical data analysis, research synthesis and meta-analysis, exploratory data analysis, model estimation, model goodness-of-fit analysis, model selection, robust analysis, missing-data analysis, and research methods. In assessment, study areas include qualitative methods, testing for licensure and certification, computer adaptive testing, large-scale testing and classroom-based assessment.

The program focuses on research methodology and prepares scholars to critically engage in educational research and evaluation, develop appropriate and innovative research designs, and contribute conceptually sound analyses to the overlapping fields of education, the social sciences, and the health sciences. The strength of our program centers around a core of collaborative faculty and prominent scholars who remain dedicated to the development and application of dynamic research methodologies situated within contemporary conceptual frameworks. Areas of specialization within our degree program include qualitative methods, quantitative methods, mixed-methodology, psychometrics, and evaluation.

The program aims to develop students into expert methodologists who are appropriately prepared to pursue influential careers in the fields of research methodology, educational measurement, and program evaluation. To this end, the training offered by the program has the joint focus of providing students with a comprehensive training across the major domains of research methodology, while also having students gain extensive knowledge in one or more areas of concentration that align with the student’s professional and intellectual interests. The program is intended for students who are interested in becoming an expert in research methodology, the measurement sciences, or program evaluation.

The overall focus of the program is to provide students with the requisite skills and experiences essential for three types of professional careers: i) as an evaluation, applied statistics, and assessment or measurement faculty member in higher education settings, ii) as an external evaluator employed by an evaluation group or organization providing external evaluation services, or iii) as an internal evaluator or in-house ESM consultant serving the needs of the organization in which they are employed. The program integrates evaluation, statistics, and measurement theory, content knowledge, technical skills, and highly relevant and meaningful field experiences to enable graduates to function as esteemed professionals, productive scholars, and leaders in their sub-fields of interest.

The department of Organizational Psychology offers a PhD in Program Evaluation by dissertation only. We do not offer a PhD by coursework and dissertation.

The program prepares students to conduct rigorous, high-impact, transdisciplinary research on education policy that advances the collective understanding of PK–20 and other educational environments. Students will engage in systematic analysis of education policies in schools, universities, research centers, government agencies and NGOs. The program emphasizes intensive training in the theory and methods of education policy research and evaluation and an area of specialization supported by faculty expertise. You'll work closely with nationally and internationally recognized faculty members on collaborative and independent research projects that result in policy briefs, reports, scholarly articles and engagement in education policy.