ExpERT Predoctoral Training Program

What works in education, and for whom, under what circumstances? As a Ph.D. student, join researchers from a variety of disciplines--quantitative methods, psychometrics, education, psychology, economics, public policy and more--in studying common problems of learning, achievement and education. Vanderbilt's new predoctoral program gives students the opportunity to engage in rigorous, field-based, experimental research--along with interdisciplinary discussion and study of important educational problems--that equips them to ask better questions, use better methods and find better answers to today's pressing issues in education. Armed with the Ph.D. degree, graduates will be prepared for employment in research-intensive institutions, to publish on relevant topics and to train the next generation of education scientists.

The Experimental Education Research Training (ExpERT) program features an integrated sequence of graduate courses in statistics, measurement and design, along with courses in educational practices, context and learning. It offers extensive field research experience with world-class faculty, monthly interdisciplinary lectures and colloquia, teaching experiences, internships and conference attendance. Students will acquire expertise in planning, executing and analyzing high-quality randomized field trials of educational strategies (e.g., programs, interventions, policies) firmly grounded in theoretical frameworks and supported by empirical evidence. The ultimate goal is to develop a new generation of education scientists who are both committed and well equipped to lead the way in education research.

The predoctoral ExpERT program culminates in the receipt of the Ph.D. degree. The path to this goal includes:

• Staged courses in statistics, design, measurement, education context and learning
• Research experiences with faculty conducting field experiments
• Monthly interdisciplinary seminars on education, methods and statistics (internal and external speakers)
• Full tuition support (up to 5 years)
• Access to supplemental research funds
• Annual attendance at two professional conferences and one training conference in Washington, DC

Peabody is the top-ranked school of education in the nation according to U.S.News & World Report's 2011 survey. Peabody has held a top-10 ranking for the last 15 years.