phd higher education stanford

Graduate School of Education

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The  Graduate School of Education (GSE)  enrolls about 400 graduate students and is preparing the next generation of education scholars, policymakers, entrepreneurs, executives and school leaders. The GSE’s 56 faculty draw from a variety of disciplines to produce scholarship that shapes teaching and learning worldwide; they translate research into practice through partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and governments. The GSE offers the Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts and Master of Arts with teaching credential, Master of Science, as well as three joint degrees in public policy, law and business. It also offers an undergraduate program.

The Graduate School of Education offers seven Masters and 21 doctoral programs. Applications for MA degrees are due in early January. PhD applications are typically due in early December.

Yesenia Ayala

Erika Bullock

Marlee Burns

Khalil Fuller

Akshatha Kamath

Rizwaan Malik

Geraldine Mukumbi

Briana Mullen

Tom Nachtigal

Liam Rahman

Mansoor Rathore

Gabriel Reyes

Takondwa Priscilla Semphere

Shyheim Snead

Aditya Vishwanath

Darion Wallace

Education Policy

The educational experiences of young people are shaped by education and social policy decisions made at the national, state, local, and school-building levels. Moreover, these policy choices impact not only the educational opportunities available to young people, but also the distribution of cognitive and other skills in the labor force. A thorough understanding of current education policy debates and their consequences requires knowledge of the structure and history of the education system, the politics of education policy-making, the relationships among educational systems and other social policies, the distribution of resources—including teachers—within an educational system, and methods of policy analysis and evaluation. The concentration in education policy prepares students to participate both in the analysis of education policy and in broader political debates about the aims and structure of the educational systems. Students completing this concentration have employment opportunities with local, state, federal, and international education agencies and organizations. 

Requirements

Core courses and electives will be selected from the list below as appropriate for the goals of individual students.    All MPP students in the concentration will take two gateway courses in Education Policy; two courses in Foundations of Education; and one course in Organizational Studies and Education; and at least two additional elective courses.    Coterm students will take one gateway course and enough foundation or organizational elective courses to satisfy the unit requirements.  Note that this is not an exhaustive list; students may select other courses for their concentration with the approval of their faculty advisor and Program Director. 

Affiliated Faculty

Eric Bettinger

Martin Carnoy

Eric Hanushek

Caroline Hoxby

William Koski

Walter W. Powell

sean reardon

Christine Min Wotipka

Gateway courses, foundations of education electives, organizational studies and education electives.

Welcome to SIHER

The Stanford Institute for Higher Education Research (SIHER) is home to sponsored research projects and programs that examine contemporary higher education planning and policy issues from a wide range of analytical perspectives, including those of social scientists, policy makers, and institutional leaders from across sectors within the United States and abroad.

We are a multi-disciplinary group of faculty and graduate students housed in the Stanford Graduate School of Education and engaged with colleagues across the University.

Programs & Funding

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VPGE's professional development programs span a wide range of topics and formats. There's something to meet your needs and schedule, from information-packed Quick Bytes lunches, to multi-session Negotiation Matters workshops, or week-long Stanford Graduate Summer Institute courses. Browse these offerings and use the  Grad Grow Professional Development search tool to find more learning opportunities.  

Fellowships and Funding

Current Stanford Students

Information for current Stanford students applying to a new graduate program is housed on the Student Services website. Click on one of the links below to go to the corresponding section of the Student Services website.

For Undergraduate Students at Stanford

For Graduate Students at Stanford

PhD Pathways 2024

PhD Pathways returns on March 14, 2024!

PhD Pathways is an all-day career exploration experience for Stanford PhD students and postdocs. At Pathways, you will have the opportunity to explore careers beyond academia in community with other PhD students and postdocs from across the university by attending panels, workshops, and more. Pathways is your opportunity to connect with PhD alums and your classmates, discover how the skills you’ve gained in graduate school translate to non-faculty careers, learn how to navigate the career exploration process, and devise advance your journey at Stanford and beyond!

By attending PhD Pathways, you will be able to:

• Identify 1-3 career fields available to PhDs outside academia
• Articulate 1-3 ways that your skills can translate to careers beyond academia
• Identify 1-3 next steps to develop your skills and refine your interests to advance towards your career goals
• Build confidence in your ability to approach people to discuss their careers 

PhD Pathways will be held on Thursday, March 14, 2024, from 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at the Arrillaga Alumni Center. Please note that attendees are expected to commit to attending the full day of events.

Registration Information

Registration for PhD Pathways 2024 is now closed. Pre-registration for PhD Pathways is required. If you did not register for the event, you are not permitted to attend.

If you have any questions about registration, or if you have already registered and have questions about your registration and deposit, please contact Sal Cipriano at [email protected] . 

Google Site

Login to the PhD Pathways google site to read panelist and presenter bios and access resources and information to help you make the most of your Pathways 2024 experience!

PhD Pathways Google Site Stanford login required.

Program Schedule

Check back regularly as more detailed information, including panelist and presenter info, is added!

PhD Pathways includes several plenary activities and four concurrent sessions scheduled throughout the day. Choose from a range of opportunities to explore different industries and job roles, learn how to apply your skills to careers beyond academia, and gain insight into career topics to help you navigate your career journey. 

9:00-9:15 a.m. | Opening Remarks Speaker :  Yi-Ching Ong, PhD ‘10, Microbiology and Immunology - Executive Director, Haas Center for Public Service

9:15-10:00 a.m. | Prime Your Mind Opening Plenary Activity Pathways will open with an interactive and reflective session to help you identify your professional curiosities, meet fellow attendees, and make a starting plan for the day.

• Urmila Venkatesh, Lecturer and Fellow, Stanford Life Design Lab
• Dustin Liu, Lecturer and Fellow, Stanford Life Design Lab

10:10-11:10 a.m. | Session 1

• Leslie Koyoma, PhD ‘19, Developmental Biology - Confocal Sales Specialist, Leica Microsystems
• Alaina Strickler, PhD ‘19, Chemical Engineering - Staff Materials Engineer, Tesla
• Joanna Lee, PhD ‘12, Biological Sciences - Principal Scientist, Genentech
• Anjali Shastri, PhD ‘14, Immunology - Senior Program Manager II, 23andMe
• Weiwei Wu, PhD ‘18, Chemistry - Senior Manager, Bain and Company
• Imran Ozer, PhD ‘21 (Duke), Biomedical Engineering - Project Leader, BCG
• Alicia Levey, PhD ‘08, Cancer Biology - Venture Partner, Versant Ventures
• Ming Cheah, PhD ‘14, Immunology and Oncology - Vice President - Life Sciences Investing, Goldman Sachs
• Alessandra Aquilanti, PhD ‘15, Italian Literature - Development Director, Music@Menlo
• Jenny Roxas - Associate Director, Belonging, Access, and Career Equity, Stanford Career Education
• Miguel Jimenez - Assistant Director, Belonging, Access, and Career Equity, Stanford Career Education
• Luca Vendraminelli, PhD ‘21 (Padova), Management Science and Engineering - Research Fellow, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence
• Christina Langer, PhD ‘23 (KU Eichstätt-Ingolstadt), Economics - Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford Digital Economy Lab
• Xiaotang Huang - Director, Employer Relations and Outcomes, Stanford Career Education

11:20 a.m.-12:20 p.m. | Session 2

• Monica Bhole, PhD ‘17, Economics - Research Scientist, Facebook
• Whitney Trump, PhD ‘15, English and American Literature - Director, Head of Content Design, WhatsApp
• Lindsay Oishi, PhD ‘12, Educational Psychology - Senior Product Manager, Indeed
• Toby Sachs-Quintana, PhD ‘14, Materials Science and Engineering - Software Engineer, NVIDIA
• Melissa Ko, PhD ‘18, Cancer Biology - Assessment and Curriculum Specialist, UC Berkeley
• Karen Rapp, PhD ‘09, Art History - Deputy Director, San José Museum of Art
• Kaneez Munjee, PhD ‘11, Musicology - Managing Director, Young Women’s Choral Projects
• Joanne Tien, PhD ‘19, Education - Director, RAISE Doctoral Program, Stanford VPGE
• Jen Wang, PhD ‘18, E-IPER - Chief Product Officer, Frame.work
• Brandon Reynante, PhD ‘23, Learning Sciences and Technology Design - Director of Community Engaged Learning, Haas Center for Public Service
• Cody Chun, PhD ‘22, English - Content Strategist, Meta
• Robert Hennessy, PhD ‘12, Electrical Engineering - Director, MEMS Design, TDK-InvenSense
• Joey Nelson, PhD ‘17, Geological and Environmental Sciences - Manager, Research Sciences, Heirloom
• Chiara Bertipaglia, PhD ‘15 (Heidelberg), Biochemistry - Associate Director of Programs and Training, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
• Jess Ross, PhD ‘17 (Cincinnati), Anesthesiology - Senior Government Affairs Lead, Unlearn.AI
• Eric Daza, DrPH ‘15 (UNC), Biostatistics - Lead Biostatistician (Data Science), Evidation

12:30-1:30 p.m. | Networking Lunch Connect, network, and learn from alums, professionals, and staff in informal conversations over lunch.

1:30-2:00 p.m. | Afternoon Plenary Activity After lunch, we will reconvene as a group to reflect on what you learned in the first half of the day, identify new questions and ideas, and chart a path for the second half of the day.

2:10-3:10 p.m. | Session 3

• Tanvi Chheda, PhD ‘20, Geology - Data Scientist, Google
• Joshua Yim, PhD ‘20, Chemical and Systems Biology - Data Science External Innovation, J&J Innovative Medicine
• Jae Yeon Kim, PhD ‘21 (UC Berkeley), Political Science - Senior Data Scientist, Safety Net Innovations Program, Code for America
• Glenn Davis, PhD ‘22, Learning Sciences and Technology Design - Senior Data Scientist, Walmart
• Neil Tangri, PhD ‘18, Climate Science - Science and Policy Director, GAIA
• Rachel Wright, PhD ‘15, Sociology - Major Gifts Officer, Jewish Family and Children's Services
• George Wang, PhD ‘09, Biology - Co-Founder and Director, SIRUM
• Elsa Billings, PhD ‘04, Education - Senior Program Associate, WestEd
• Pushpinder Lubana, PhD ‘99 (UMass), Anthropology - Executive Director, JP Morgan Chase
• Gabriela Badica, PhD ‘20, Iberian and Latin American Culture - Associate Director, Communications, Stanford GSB
• Fengjiao Lyu, PhD ‘19, Mechanical Engineering - Senior Data Scientist, Doordash
• Mufan Luo, PhD ‘21, Communication - Sr. UX Researcher, Amazon Web Services
• Jeremy Feaster, PhD ‘17, Chemical Engineering - Research Staff Scientist, Principal Investigator, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• Rachel Gillum, PhD ‘14, Political Science - Vice President, Ethical and Humane Use of Technology, Salesforce
• Julie Huang, PhD ‘16, Microbiology and Immunology - Staff Scientist, Alector

3:20-4:20 p.m. | Session 4

• Charlotte Stanton, PhD ‘14, Sustainability - Public and Environmental Health, Google
• Rachel Engstrand, PhD ‘21, E-IPER - Applied Science Team Lead, Pachama
• Ekin Gozen, PhD ‘13, Energy Resource Engineering - Portfolio Strategy Manager, Savion
• Andrew Peterman, PhD ‘06, Civil and Environmental Engineering - Director, Renewable Energy, Rivian
• Danielle Green, PhD ‘23, Education - People Operations, Coactive AI
• Lauren Vallez, PhD ‘23, Mechanical Engineering - Senior Mechanical Engineer, Fourier
• Soren Rosier, PhD ‘20, Learning Science and Technology Design - Founder and CEO, PeerTeach
• Shailendra Rao, PhD ‘10, Communication - Head of Product & Design, Codex Health
• Derek Chang, PhD ‘14, Electrical Engineering - Founding Partner, Stratus Data
• Charles Pensig - Founding Partner, Stratus Data
• Rachel Grant, PhD ‘22, Biology - Data Scientist, Stratus Data
• Donnovan Yisrael - Senior Health Educator, Mental Health and Well Being, Vaden Health Services
• Angela Estrella - Wellbeing Coach, Graduate Life Office

4:30-5:00 p.m. | Closing Reflection and Next Steps The day will end with a chance to reflect on the day’s activities and identify actionable next steps that will allow you to maintain momentum in your exploration and advance your career journey.

PhD Pathways Panel Recordings

Between 2020 and 2022, we recorded virtual panels featuring PhD alums who have forged careers beyond academia, in sectors from entrepreneurship, to government, to data science, to writing, and more. Go to the PhD Pathways Panel Recordings .

Past PhD Pathways Programs

Follow the links below to view the programs for the previous Pathways events.

PhD Pathways 2023

PhD Pathways 2019

PhD Pathways 2018

PhD Pathways 2017

PhD Pathways 2016

Graduate Medical Education

to care, to educate, to discover

Welcome from the Designated Institutional Officer

We understand the unique challenges and opportunities that come with medical residency and fellowship and are dedicated to equipping you with the knowledge, skills, and values that lay a solid foundation for competent and compassionate clinical practice, scholarly pursuits, and public service. We encourage self-evaluation and reflection that embody Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley’s mission and vision.

We envision ourselves as healing humanity through science and compassion, one patient at a time, in a supportive educational environment.

- Minjoung Go, MD

Our mission is to help residents and fellows of diverse backgrounds develop medical praxis founded in scholarship, teaching, lifelong learning & excellence in patient care

We serve the local Tri-Valley community and beyond. Whether it's assistance with physician licensure, housing, or any general inquiries about living in our region, we offer a wealth of resources for you and your families. No matter how minor the concern may seem, we are always eager to learn about your lives outside of the field of medicine.

We eagerly anticipate the role we will play in your educational and professional growth as you embark on this fulfilling and impactful medical career path.

GME Leadership

Minjoung Go, MD 

Designated Institutional Official (DIO)

Minjoung Go, MD, is a clinical associate professor in Hospital Medicine Division at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Go has served in multiple clinical and administrative leadership roles at Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley, including as the Designated Institutional Official for Graduate Medical Education Office and Academic Physician-in-Chief at Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley. She has led several teams to expand Stanford's research and education mission at Tri-Valley, and her contributions have been invaluable in shaping the institution's academic growth and development. She has a strong passion for faculty mentorship and is one of the inaugural MODEL leads at Tri-Valley, a department-wide, cross-divisional mentoring and development program. She is also actively involved in clinical research related to COVID-19, demonstrating her commitment to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes.

Kathleen Jia, MD 

Medical Director of Education

Dr. Xiaolin (Kathleen) Jia is from Houston, Texas and attended medical school at the Baylor College of Medicine, followed by Internal Medicine residency at Stanford University. She is passionate about patient care, education, and quality improvement. As the medical director of education, she is excited to work with all levels of trainees and help the next generation of healthcare professionals grow.

Lijia Xie, MD 

Associate Medical Director

Dr. Lijia Xie is from Beijing, China and grew up in the San Francisco Tenderloin. She attended medical school at the UC Berkeley/UCSF Joint Medical Program and Internal Medicine residency at Stanford University. She has been a hospitalist since 2018. She previously served as a core faculty member and Associate Program Director at the Highland Hospital Internal Medicine residency program. She is thrilled for the first residents to start at Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley to learn from the amazing patients and families in the Tri-Valley!

May 2, 2024

Apply for the Future of Higher Education Postdoc Program

By Lisa García Bedolla

The UC Berkeley Future of Higher Education (FHE) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program seeks applications for a two-year Postdoctoral Fellowship program from scholars in any discipline with a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley who have interest in a career in higher education administration.

This postdoctoral fellowship is reserved for scholars who earned or will earn their Ph.D. in recent years. To apply, a candidate must have completed all requirements for their doctoral degree by August 31, 2024. Fellows are expected to be in Berkeley for the duration of the postdoc.

The program provides two tracks for applicants: the Leadership and Strategic Initiatives Track and the Student Experience Track.

In keeping with the campus postdoc salary scale, the salary for this postdoc will be $64,480 plus benefits including a $2000 professional development fund

How to Apply

Read more about this postdoc and start your application .

If you have any questions about this postdoctoral fellowship, please email [email protected] .

Bust six myths about higher education and it will reveal the undeniable value of college

University of tennessee system president randy boyd addresses six misconceptions about higher education. his assessment: it's invaluable..

Randy Boyd is president of the University of Tennessee System

The perception of the value of higher education has been declining, and while there are clearly many areas to improve upon, there are many “myths” that just need busting. 

Here are just a few of the most common myths.

Myth 1: No one is going to college anymore.

Enrollment in four-year colleges across the state of Tennessee has increased by 2.5% in the last five years.

At the University of Tennessee System during that same time period, enrollment has increased by almost 14%, from 52,000 students to 59,000.  Our goal is to grow enrollment to 71,000 students by 2030!

Myth 2: All the job openings are for trade certificates, not for four-year degrees.

During the last decade, the number of jobs that only require a high school diploma declined by 90,000.

How a pair of socks inspired me to study and make a career in the STEM field

Jobs that require a technical certification increased by 49,000.

The pundits are right:  we do need more welders, mechatronics, etc. and those are great jobs.  However, during the same time, demand for jobs requiring a four-year degree increased by 361,000 – more than seven times the number needing a certificate. 

We need all of the above, but clearly, we need to continue to produce even greater numbers of teachers, nurses, engineers, computer scientists, etc.

Myth 3: Tuition is increasing at a faster rate than inflation. 

During the last five years, tuition across all the UT campuses increased on average by 1%.  UT Knoxville went four years with no tuition increase at all. 

During the last five years, inflation has increased from 1.4% in 2020 to 3.2% in 2024, an increase of 129%.

Thus, a college degree costs less today than it did five years ago relative to inflation.

Myth 4: If you go to college, you will graduate with a mountain of debt.

Across the UT System, 47% of all students graduate debt free. Of those that do graduate with debt, they average $26,000 in debt – down 4.4% from five years ago.

Myth 5: College is so expensive only the rich can afford to go. 

With the UT Promise scholarship program, families with a household income of $75,000 or less can go to any UT campus completely free of tuition and fees. 

This means that 66.7% of all Tennesseans can attend for free! In addition, each UT Promise scholarship recipient is matched with a volunteer mentor to help them be successful.

Myth 6:  You can make as much, or more, money without a degree.

On average, people who have earned a bachelor's degree make $1.5 million more in their lifetime than someone with a high school diploma, and $1.1 million more than someone with an associate degree.

A college degree is an essential tool in helping prepare Tennesseans for the future.

It is up to all of us to continue to “bust” these myths and remind our friends and families that a college degree is affordable, valuable and attainable.

Supporting higher education is good for you and good for Tennessee.