PhD in Engineering Education

Engineering education class in session 2024

Shape the future of engineering education.

Our PhD program seeks to improve the education of engineers through research, project-based learning paradigms and integrated design principles. Through our collaboration with the School of Education and other discipline-based education research groups at ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Boulder, our flexible curriculum blends technical expertise with education outcomes. 

The program is designed for students with a background in engineering. As a candidate you can expect to: 

  • Conduct and direct research in engineering education. 
  • Develop, review and critique research designs that study engineering education. 
  • Learn to effectively teach engineering subjects.
  • Design and assess engineering courses. 
  • Address critical issues facing engineering education. 
Program Structure

The 60 credit-hour program includes: 

  • Graduate level technical courses in engineering subjects or computer science (9 credits)
  • Education-related courses (12 credits)
  • Flexible credits toward either technical courses or education (9 credits)
  • Dissertation hours (30 credits) 

PhD in engineering education courses

Meet Our Faculty

Our faculty affiliates include researchers and instructors from a wide range of engineering and education disciplines.

We invite prospective students to explore their faculty profiles, as you will be asked to list faculty you are interested in working with when you apply to the program. 

Meet our faculty affiliates

Engineering Ed is Hiring!

The Engineering Education Program is hiring tenure/tenure-track faculty who have a commitment to engineering education research in a collaborative and supportive space to mentor graduate students, teach (including individualized instruction such as dissertation credits), and conduct research.

Our Values

The Engineering Education (ENED) Program at the University of Colorado (¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ) Boulder recognizes the significance of honoring and amplifying diverse voices in the fields of engineering and computer science. We are dedicated to continuously enhancing our diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility opportunities, experiences, and engagement in research and education. We believe that our success is only possible when everyone within the community is included and when diversity such as culture, race, ethnicity, gender and gender identity, social class, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, dis/ability, religion, veteran status, national origin, age, and more is celebrated. We are building a program that values the representation, interests, and contributions from all students, faculty, and staff. We commit that students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds and identities will be welcomed, supported and treated with dignity and respect. Our goal is to contribute to educating ethical, resilient and creative engineers and scientists who will become leaders in their fields, nationally and internationally.
 
Our vision is aligned with the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Boulder and its College of Engineering and Applied Science, which are committed to fostering a diverse and academically excellent community.  The college’s diversity and inclusion plan dovetails with the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Boulder Inclusion, Diversity and Excellence in Academics (IDEA) Plan and is informed by the university's longstanding efforts to create a place where everyone feels a sense of belonging and where everyone can succeed. As a university and college community, we affirm that making excellence inclusive is an active and intentional process that engages students, faculty and staff across the curriculum and in our offices, labs and meeting spaces. Moreover, our plan addresses the Chancellor’s three strategic imperatives: shape tomorrow’s leaders, innovate, and positively impact humanity.
 

ENED Program Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate expertise of knowledge in engineering education and/or computer science education 
  • Demonstrate the ability to synthesize information and formulate conclusions and recommendations related to engineering education and/or computer science education through academic writing
  • Design and conduct high-quality and original research in the discipline of engineering education and/or computer science education
  • Effectively communicate research to academic audiences in both written and oral form. 

Admission Requirements

The application process runs through the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Graduate School. It requires:

1. Transcripts

  • Unofficial transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended can be provided in the application
  • If you receive and offer of admission and confirm your intent to enroll, you will be required to submit official transcripts

2. Three letters of reference

3. A personal statement of academic and research interests

  • Please limit to 1,000 words 
  • Describe why you are choosing to pursue a research-focused doctoral program in engineering education and what has prepared you for this challenge.
  • You should consider including the following information (you aren’t expected to address all bullets):
    • Your academic and research interests, including what motivated you to apply to the Engineering Education program at ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Boulder.
    • Your long-term scientific and professional goals and how a PhD in Engineering Education from ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Boulder will help you meet your career goals
    • Your research experiences such as publications, theses, research in progress, and other scholarly activities
    • Relevant past experience, including industry work, teaching, challenging coursework, non-course educational experience, etc.
      • How did the experience prepare or motivate you to do research?
    • Your personal experiences and contributions to support diversity in your education, service activities, or research experiences. (if not addressed in diversity statement)
    • Any relevant information that is not included in the other application components, such as leadership ability, perseverance, and commitment to justice.

4. Diversity statement (optional) 

  • Describe how your educational, professional, and/or personal experiences have prepared you to mentor and/or educate students from diverse populations; experiences that have shaped your professional goals and/or vision for a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community; etc. (see full prompt on the graduate school application website)

5. Additional details

  • You will be asked to list up to five specific  who you would be interested in working with.
  • GRE scores are optional
  • You need at least a 3.00 undergraduate grade point average or a 3.25 grade point average in graduate coursework
  • For international PhD applicants, have been established by the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Graduate School

The Engineering Education Program (ENED) is interdisciplinary and offers a PhD degree in Engineering Education. The ENED Program is housed within the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS). The program convenes faculty and staff who have a commitment to engineering education research in a collaborative and supportive space to mentor graduate students, teach (including individualized instruction such as dissertation credits), and conduct research.

              

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