Doctorate Degrees
The University offers 30 doctoral degrees, with over 50 emphases of study, across seven Schools or Colleges. If you're interested in advancing your education and your career, we have the perfect program for you.
Doctoral Degree Programs
The Ph.D. in Accountancy prepares students to pursue research in financial accounting, auditing, taxation, or managerial accounting, with a focus on archival, behavioral (including judgment and decision-making and experimental economics), or qualitative methodologies.
The Ph.D. in Biological Science equips students for a wide range of professional roles in academia, industry, or government, spanning fields such as freshwater biology, medicine, education, molecular genetics, ecology, and conservation biology.
The Ph.D. in Business Administration allows students to choose from a set of three focus areas and complete a set of research method courses suited for exploring their areas of interest.
There are two doctoral degree tracks in Chemistry: the Ph.D. and the Doctor of Arts (D.A.).
The Ph.D. in Chemistry is designed for those who intend to seek employment as a professional chemist in academia, industrial, or government research laboratories, or in other vocations where specialized knowledge in chemistry is desired or required.
The D.A. in Chemistry equips students whose goal is a career of teaching at two-year or four-year colleges, preparing students to be broadly competent in the field of chemistry and providing them with skill in effective classroom and laboratory teaching.
The Ph.D. in Counselor Education develops counselor educators who are prepared to be skillful teachers, expert supervisors, insightful quantitative and qualitative researchers, and outstanding professional faculty at a college or university.
The Ph.D. in Criminal Justice Policy Studies degree program is designed to educate students to become competent and productive scholars in creating, studying, and evaluating criminal justice policies.
The Ph.D. in Economics is designed for students pursuing careers in university teaching, research, or as specialists in business, government, or research organizations. The program provides an expansive and in-depth course of study, with individualized tracks tailored to each student's interests and background.
The Ph.D. in Educational Leadership prepares its graduates for faculty and research positions in higher education. The program equips students for advanced administrative practice or advanced support roles in the public or private sector.
The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership prepares its graduates to beeducational leaders for advanced administrative practice at the school or district level.
The Ph.D. in English is a specialist degree that prepares students for teaching in postsecondary education as well as for literary interpretation and scholarly pursuits. Graduates will gain awareness of the richness inherent in literature written in English and hone to a high level both interpretive thinking and oral and written competencies.
- Aeroacoustics
- Chemical engineering
- Civil engineering
- Computational hydroscience
- Computer engineering
- Computer science
- Electrical engineering
- Electromagnetics
- Environmental engineering
- Geology
- Geological engineering
- Hydrology
- Mechanical engineering, and
- Materials science and engineering
The Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology offers exceptional research opportunities for students passionate about addressing pressing environmental health issues.
The Ph.D. in Health and Kinesiology prepares students for university teaching and research positions. The degree also readies students for research careers in industry and medicine that include the study of health, exercise, sports/recreation, and sport analytics.
The are four emphases:
- Exercise Science
- Health Behavior
- Sports/Recreation
- Sport Analytics
A Ph.D. in Higher Education prepares students to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and equitableness of post-secondary institutions through scholarly leadership and informed decision-making.
The Ph.D. in History offers various foci for students' interest. These include the histories of Africa, America, Europe, and modern Latin America, with secondary fields in any of these regions as well as East Asia and the Middle East.
The Ph.D. in Mathematics prepares students for a professional career in mathematics. This includes education, research, government, and more. With a mastery of a broad area of mathematics and completion of a dissertation that is an original and substantial contribution, graduates have many opportunities to apply their analytical skills.
The Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry offers unparalleled research opportunities in this interdisciplinary field. Medicinal Chemistry plays a pivotal role in drug discovery, focusing on the design, synthesis, and analysis of biologically active compounds, with an emphasis on understanding how they function at the molecular level and the relationship between their structure and activity.
The Ph.D. in Music with emphasis in Music Education is designed for students who wish to pursue advanced study in preparation for university teaching, research, and other leadership roles in music education. Students can individualize the program to fit their interests and background.
The Ph.D. in Nutrition and Hospitality Management (NHM) program is designed to train and mentor students to become proficient teachers, researchers, and industry leaders.
Students pursuing the Ph.D. in NHM can choose from one of the two emphasis areas:
Nutrition (with concentrations in Sport Nutrition, Nutrition Policy, or General Nutrition)
Hospitality Management
The Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an emphasis in pharmaceutics offers unparalleled research opportunities in the science of developing safe and effective medications. Doctoral students have the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research that bridges lab work with real-world applications.
The Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy offers an exciting opportunity to explore natural products research, focusing on the chemistry, origins, and biological functions of small molecules derived from plants, animals, fungi, and microbes across diverse environments.
The Ph.D. in Pharmacology offers research opportunities in the science of drug action, preparing you to make impactful contributions to therapeutic innovation and health. As a Ph.D. student, you’ll have the opportunity to work closely with our faculty, who are leading research on topics such as cannabinoids, opioids, hormones, and cellular signaling pathways.
The Ph.D. in Pharmacy Administration offers exceptional research opportunities for those eager to transform health care through innovative studies and interdisciplinary collaboration. The doctoral program provides a unique platform to dive into health economics, pharmaceutical marketing, outcomes research, pharmacoepidemiology, and the evolving role of pharmacists,
The Ph.D. in Physics is designed primarily to meet the needs of students who intend to pursue professional careers in physics, either in academia, as research physicists, or in industry careers.
The Ph.D. in Political Science prepares students for university teaching and research careers. Students specialize in American politics, comparative politics, international relations, or political science methods, developing research skills and pursuing independent or collaborative research projects.
There are two options for a Ph.D in Psychology, with emphases in either Clinical Psychology or Experimental Psychology.
Clinical Psychology
- This emphasis is based on the scientist-practitioner model and thus designed to prepare an individual to become a professional psychologist capable of working in clinical and/or research settings
Experimental Psychology
- This emphasis provides rigorous and supportive scientific training that prepares graduates for careers in a broad spectrum of fields such as academic careers in teaching and research or corporate careers in health, behavioral, or social sciences. Experimental psychology students specialize in cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, or social psychology.
There are two options for a Ph.D in Second Language Studies, with emphasis either in Applied Linguistics and Spanish. Both tracks are shaped by faculty expertise in diverse areas of language and cultural studies.
Applied Linguistics
- This emphasis focuses on linguistics, research, and language pedagogy.
- This emphasis explores Hispanic linguistics, literature, culture, and film.
Learn more about the Ph.D. in Second Language Studies
The Ph.D. in Social Welfare trains students to become competent scholars and applied practitioners who advance knowledge and provide leadership in addressing issues pertinent to at-risk and vulnerable populations.
There are two doctoral degree tracks in Teacher Education: the Ph.D. and the Doctorate in Education (Ed.D). Each degree offers four emphases.
Ph.D. in Teacher Education
- Early Childhood Education
- Elementary Education
- Special Education
- Secondary Education (with specializations in Social Studies, Mathematics, English Language Arts, or Science)
Learn more about the Ph.D. in Teacher Education
Ed.D. in Teacher Education
- Early Childhood Education
- Elementary Education
- Secondary Education (with specializations in Social Studies, Mathematics, English Language Arts, or Science)
- Special Education