Ph.D. in Education
Joint Doctoral Program with Claremont Graduate University
Transform your passion for education into scholarly action. Our joint Ph.D. Program in Education with Claremont Graduate University gives you the tools and mentorship to become a vocal advocate for social justice in educational systems. Shape the future of learning for all students, regardless of background, and leave a lasting legacy on diverse communities.
A Collaborative Advantage: The Best of SDSU and CGU
Our program offers the benefits of a large, comprehensive public university and a small private university with a transdisciplinary emphasis.
Students selected for the program must meet high academic standards and demonstrate a strong probability of success in doctoral studies and in their subsequent careers. Applicants must meet the general requirements for admission to both San Diego State University (SDSU) and Claremont Graduate University (CGU). In addition, strong consideration is given to the match between the applicant’s interests and the resources of the cooperating institutions. A critical consideration is the improvement of education for culturally diverse communities. Practical experience in the field of education is also considered in admission decisions.
SDSU Global Seal of Biliteracy
SDSU’s University Seal of Biliteracy and Cultural Competence (USBCC) is a digital badge that SDSU students can earn through participating in a cultural and linguistic immersion experience, and demonstrating Working Proficiency through standardized testing that covers reading, writing, listening, and speaking in a language other than English. The University Seal of Biliteracy and Cultural Competence (USBCC) is a standardized measurement of biliteracy skills, and is open to all Joint Doctoral students who meet the requirements, regardless of their pathways to proficiency in their languages.
As a transborder HSI, SDSU launched its Inaugural University Seal of Biliteracy and Cultural Competence (USBCC) in Spanish in Spring 2021 to value and honor the language of our CaliBaja region. The SDSU University Seal of Biliteracy and Cultural Competence (USBCC) was made possible through a three-year grant awarded by the California Department of Education’s Multilingual California Initiative.
To our knowledge, we are the first doctoral program offering the option to earn the Global Seal of Biliteracy alongside a Ph.D. in Education.
Changing the Face of Education
You can find JDP graduates in schools and postsecondary institutions across the nation and beyond, working as teachers, school administrators, adjunct faculty, tenure-track professors, and college or university administrators!
Get in Touch
SDSU/CGU Joint Ph.D. Program in Education
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-1105
Parking: The nearest available visitor parking is in parking structure PK 3. Please allow yourself ample time to find a place to park. You will need to purchase a parking permit. (Learn about visitor parking permits.)
Our Mission
The mission of the joint Ph.D. Program in Education offered by San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate University is to develop scholars who are committed to research on democratic schooling, social justice, and equal educational outcomes for all students, and the improvement of educational systems serving diverse communities.
Established in 1897, San Diego State University and the College of Education have been committed to excellence in the preparation of educators for more than a century. San Diego State University is an academically rich, urban university that provides endless possibilities for students. SDSU offers bachelor's degrees in 81 areas, master's degrees in 72, one educational specialist degree (Ed.S.), research doctorates (Ph.D./ Ed.D.) in 14 areas, and one professional doctorate (Au.D.). San Diego State University has an enrollment of nearly 34,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
The College of Education is one of 7 colleges within the University. It is the major teacher education institution for San Diego and Imperial Counties, preparing half of the area's teachers. The College offers graduate study leading to the Master of Arts in Education degree with concentrations in counseling, educational leadership, educational research, educational technology, elementary and secondary curriculum and instruction, reading, special education, and policy studies in language and cross-cultural education, mathematics instruction and science instruction. Each year more than 1,000 students complete credential or masters degree programs through the College of Education. In a typical year, ten graduates will be awarded the Ph.D. in Education through the SDSU/ CGU Joint Doctoral Program. See where our graduates have landed.
Claremont Graduate University is like no other graduate-level university in the nation. Founded in 1925, CGU is an independent institution devoted entirely to graduate study.
At CGU, students are encouraged to pursue academic research agendas both within and across traditional curricular boundaries. As a member of The Claremont Colleges, a consortium of 7 independent institutions, CGU is able to offer a greater breadth of faculty and campus resources than is typical of a university with 2,200 students.
Claremont Graduate University is classified by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education as R2: Doctoral Research University, Higher Research Activity. Many of our academic programs are practice-based, so students start working in their field even as they’re learning. Enrollment is limited and classes are small, so our scholars receive individualized mentorship that expands their vocational network and prepares them for remarkable careers.
The School of Educational Studies prepares future educators for the unprecedented challenges facing today’s K–12 and higher education climates.
From urban education to student affairs, educational policy to human development, and quantitative evaluation to teaching and learning, our programs draw on dynamic instruction, multidisciplinary curriculum, and hands-on classroom experience to prepare graduates for successful careers across the educational enterprise. CGU’s School of Educational Studies believes a socially just nation should educate all its citizenry through networks of effective and accountable organizations that interact responsibly with families and communities.
The joint Ph.D. program in education between San Diego State University (SDSU) and Claremont Graduate University (CGU) has been in existence since 1978. The leadership of Dr. Tomas Arciniega and Dr. Peggy Hawley at SDSU and Paul Albrecht, Dean of Faculty at CGU, guided the establishment of the program.
Since 1981 more than 250 education professionals have earned their Ph.D. through the SDSU/CGU joint program. Graduates of the program are currently employed as school principals, superintendents and program directors, college and university faculty and administrators, educational specialists in private and public agencies, and consultants to schools and businesses.