Online Doctorate of Education in Adult and Continuing Education (PhD)
Adult and Continuing Education
Program Overview
Want to turn your passion for lifelong learning into a career? The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, offers an online PhD in Education, Adult and Continuing Education Concentration.
This program, which combines educational psychology, research, and development experiences, will prepare you for a fulfilling career as an educator, researcher, scholar, or any other practitioner who works with adult learners.
A Degree to Advance Your Career
The Adult and Continuing Education PhD Program is designed for people interested in higher education, workplace learning, community-based organizations, or any setting where adults can learn.
The doctoral concentration in adult and continuing education helps develop professionals who can work effectively with adult learners in a wide range of settings and under various situations. This graduate program is internationally recognized. It offers students learning experiences that prepare them to work with diverse adult learners, equipping them to work and live in globalized societies and environments that are more culturally sensitive.
The Adult and Continuing Education Concentration in the doctoral psychology and research program prepares students for careers as scholars and practitioners working with adult learners in various settings.
The program includes the following key components:
-
Ongoing research and inquiry to foster critical thinking and engagement.
-
Courses and professional experiences in educational psychology and related fields, providing a strong academic foundation for future research and teaching roles.
-
Personalized learning and development opportunities aligned with each student’s unique goals and career aspirations.
Admission Requirements
- A Master’s degree is required for students who apply for admission to the concentration.
- No GRE scores are required; instead, admissions decisions are made holistically to discern the candidate’s promise for doctoral study and to ascertain how the candidate’s educational goals align with the resources and goals of the program/department.
- Transcript(s) - Upload your degree transcripts. Check the page on Transcripts or call Graduate Admissions at 865-974-3251 for help with this process.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) - This document should provide detailed information about your professional and academic experiences, as well as notable achievements, awards, volunteer work, etc.
- Cover Letter/ Letter of Introduction The cover letter is an opportunity for us to get to know you. It should elaborate upon your CV, highlight your skills, and explain your goals for pursuing a Ph.D. in adult and continuing education.
- Statement Goals - Please share with us your research interests and how this degree will help you achieve goals in your learning, career development, and life enrichment; how you plan to use your prior life and work experiences, knowledge, and skills in your new learning; and how you intend to complete the degree.
- Writing Sample - Select a copy of your prior thesis for a graduate degree, a course paper for a degree program, a published article, a conference paper, or another form of writing that you feel represents your professional writing skills and style.
- Three Recommendation Letters/ Rating Forms - Provide either a letter by appropriately selected recommenders, OR provide selected raters to complete a form that Graduate Admissions will automatically send to your chosen raters. For example, one or more faculty members can attest to your academic work, or your work supervisor can attest to your capabilities. Family members and personal friends are not appropriate raters. Although we can start to review your application with two recommendations, the third recommendation often helps in our decision-making process.
- Students must submit an online graduate application to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
- Following a review of applications, an interview with the faculty is required.
Request Information
Featured Courses
The Ph.D. in Education, Adult and Continuing Education Concentration requires a mix of core courses, advanced courses, and research methods. Here are some examples of courses from each section:
Theory, research, and practice related to working with adults in teaching-learning situations.
Models of action research and applications in professional practice.
Adult learning and development theories and research are essential for adult educators who design and implement educational applications and opportunities. Topics covered include advanced research and adult education theories for improving learning and teaching in educational contexts.
Designed to give you a strong foundation for pursuing a doctorate, this course focuses on four key areas: the history of literature in adult and continuing education, professional organizations, crafting practical conference proposals and presentations, refining your academic resume, and grasping the role of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) in research. By the end of the course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge to tackle doctoral studies with confidence.
