Interested in joining one of our nationally-ranked graduate programs? The College of Education has all the resources and services you need to successfully complete your program, conduct innovative research, and achieve your post-graduate goals.
Assistantships
Assistantships provide valuable experience, open new career paths, and help finance your graduate education. In addition to a monthly salary, assistantships frequently provide a fee waiver for the out-of-state portion of tuition.
Graduate assistantships are available in the following areas:
- Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development
- Department of Rehabilitation and Counselor Education
- Education Technology Center
- Department of Educational Policy and Leadership Studies
- Iowa Testing Programs
- Department of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations
- Student Field Experiences
- Department of Teaching and Learning
The most important source of funding for most graduate students is their own graduate program. Please contact your program’s Graduate Coordinator for information about funding opportunities within the department.
Research
As part of a Big Ten institution, you will get to participate in research opportunities from the moment you start your program. Our faculty are innovative scholars participating in cutting-edge and impactful research in their respective areas.
Whether you are interested in mental health and counseling, assessment, education leadership, and more, our staff and faculty are dedicated to supporting your interests and helping you flourish as a scholar.
To view some of our active research projects you can participate in, visit: Research.
Student Spotlight

Mintz nets NSF grant to improve computerized adaptive tests
Catherine “Catie” Mintz, a PhD candidate in the Educational Measurement and Statistics program, recently received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to pursue research on multidimensional computerized adaptive tests.
College of Education Writing Resource
Staffed by graduate students, the free College of Education Writing Resource helps facilitate individual growth as a writer and fosters a collaborative writing community.
Graduate and Professional Student Government
GPSG is the student government for graduate and professional students at the University of Iowa. They represent UI's nearly 10,000 graduate and professional students and advocate on their behalf.
Grants and Research Services Center
The College of Education Grants and Research Services Center (GRSC) provides support for grant and research projects, training projects, and service projects.
Office of Graduate Teaching Excellence
The Office of Graduate Teaching Excellence works closely with College of Education students and faculty to provide our PhD students with the support and programming needed to not only succeed, but to stand out in a competitive market.
Graduate Student Resources
Connect with GSEC
The college has invited a group of experienced graduate students to form our Graduate Student Executive Committee (GSEC) which has been active in offering sessions both informational and social that are intended to support graduate student endeavors. They have also provided valuable input to college administration on many issues including orientation for new students entering the college.
Comprehensive Exams
Offered by most programs during fall and spring semesters and by some programs during summer session. Program Coordinators or advisors should be contacted regarding availability of exams during summer session.
Comprehensive Exam sessions are scheduled twice each semester over two consecutive days. Applications must be submitted by the established deadlines (see procedures and exam deadlines above).
- Non-doctoral comprehensive exams - deadlines, checklist, instructions
- Doctoral comprehensive exams - deadlines, checklist, instructions
Non Doctoral Thesis Defense (final exam)
The student and their faculty committee schedule Non Doctoral final examinations (thesis defense). Exam dates must be officially declared in the Office of Student Services at least two weeks before the oral defense and by the established deadlines. Students preparing for thesis defense must have satisfied all coursework submitted on the Graduate College Plan of Study form.
PhD Thesis Defense (final exam)
The student and their faculty committee schedule PhD final examinations (thesis defense). Exam dates must be officially declared in the Office of Teacher Education and Student Services at least two weeks before the oral defense and by the established deadlines. Students preparing for thesis defense must have satisfied all coursework submitted on the Graduate College Plan of Study form.
Additional Graduate College Forms
Ph.D. Thesis Defense: Devon Dawson
Wednesday, May 24, 2023; 11:00 AM; Zoom
Title: An Examination of College Major Meaning Using a Consensual Qualitative Research Approach
Committee Chair: Saba Ali
Ph.D. Thesis Defense: Nicole Amato
Thursday, July 6, 2023; 11:00 AM; Zoom
Title: COMICS AS A TOOL FOR ANTI-OPPRESSIVE PEDAGOGIES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND LITERACY EDUCATION
Committee Co-Chairs: Amanda Thein, Saba Vlach
Ph.D. Thesis Defense: Deborah Koons-Beauchamp
Friday, July 7, 2023; 10:00 AM; Zoom
Title: Dyadic Relationships and Their Impact on Health and Wellbeing
Committee Chair: Kayla Fitzke
The college has invited a group of experienced graduate students to form our Graduate Student Executive Committee (GSEC) which has been active in offering sessions both informational and social that are intended to support graduate student endeavors. They have also provided valuable input to college administration on many issues including orientation for new students entering the college.
GSEC aims to support new graduate students by helping them get acquainted with other students, the college, and the area. In addition to the New Graduate Student Orientation event, helpful information regarding the college, transportation, family services, surrounding attractions, etc., can be found here: Helpful Information for New College of Education Graduate Students.
Mission Statement
The Graduate Student Executive committee is a volunteer group of graduate students who serve in an advisory role reporting to the Associate Dean of Faculty and Graduate Programs on issues related to students. The committee also organizes and administers sessions promoting the quality of life for graduate students including the New Graduate Student Welcome Event with the support of the Dean’s Office.
Activities include:
- New Graduate Student Welcome Event – organized and delivered by experienced students.
- Ice Cream Social
- Finals Breakfast
- Information in support of graduate student quality of life including adjusting to Iowa City culture.
- Sessions that specifically target master’s students, and international students
- Sessions in support of those in programs whose career goals support education in industry and non-academic jobs.
- Support in the Graduate Student Commons
- Cooperative projects with other graduate student organizations in the COE
Student volunteers gain skills in administration, collaborative planning, and serving as a liaison to College of Education administration. The committee strives to include at least two representatives from each department within the College of Education with at least one member from i-fellows and other graduate student organizations.
Approved December 2015
These guidelines are designed to provide assistance for doctoral students and committees in creating dissertations that consist of multiple articles rather than the traditional format (with one large project). All dissertations should adhere to regulations and requirements from the University of Iowa Graduate College in addition to requirements from the College of Education. Moreover, programs can provide additional guidelines for this dissertation format. Students who are considering this format are strongly encouraged to confer with their dissertation chair as early as possible, since an article-style dissertation may not be the best approach for all students and dissertation topics.
- The dissertation should include at least two full-length articles that are of publishable quality within a peer-reviewed journal. At least one of these articles must be empirical in nature; that is, the student should conduct original data analyses of some kind (e.g., quantitative, qualitative, historical).
- Chapter 1 should provide an Introduction that discusses the need for these studies as well as the coherence among them, which may include an overarching conceptual or theoretical framework grounded within relevant literature. The end of the Introduction should provide at least one paragraph describing each of the articles. Each article then serves as an additional chapter. The last chapter should provide a Conclusion that discusses integrated findings, implications, and future directions that result from this collection of studies. The ideal length of the introduction and conclusion can vary at the discretion of the dissertation committee; for example, very closely related articles may require relatively less synthesis across studies (and therefore a shorter introduction and conclusion).
- The student must be the sole author or lead author on all articles. The student should be responsible for at least 85-90% of the conceptualization, data analysis, and writing of the articles.
- No more than one of the articles can be substantially complete before the dissertation proposal, but this study must have been conducted during the student’s current doctoral program. Moreover, if the student is only writing two articles, then neither of the articles can be substantially complete before the comprehensive examination. If applicable, students should secure appropriate copyright clearance to use a previously published article as part of their dissertation
- The intent of writing an article-style dissertation should be to publish the articles that appear in the dissertation. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that the student (with guidance from the committee) identify appropriate publication outlet(s) for each article, write the articles in a manner that adheres to the publication guidelines for the respective journals, and submit these articles soon after the completion of the dissertation
- The dissertation proposal for this format may differ from what is typically expected in a traditional format; the nature of the proposal may vary at the discretion of the dissertation committee. For instance, the proposal could consist of a longer version of Chapter 1 (introduction) that provides sufficient detail about each study so that the committee can provide feedback on the proposed articles.
community • • • camaraderie • • • commitment • • • career success
The College of Education offers PhD students unique opportunities
Iowa Education Fellows Program
- The i-fellows program helps new College of Education doctoral students start early, start together and start right. i-fellows provides professional development programs, peer and faculty mentorship, and community building opportunities. i-fellows— a 21st century idea, is a prototype for higher education. Inaugural class in 2009.
- Open to new College of Education doctoral students.
Graduate Certificate in College Teaching
- The Graduate Certificate in College Teaching provides coursework and supervised experiences (12 semester hours) to prepare graduate students for careers in post-secondary education. The coursework includes the PhD ePortfolio and Practicum in College Teaching.
- All UI PhD or other terminal degree students may enroll. This is a joint program between the UI Graduate College and the UI College of Education.
Life in Iowa City
With a legacy of literary excellence, a thriving arts and culture community, and a multitude of small businesses and local restaurants, it’s no wonder why Iowa City was ranked as one of the best college towns to live in.
Whether you are new in town, or have been here all of your life, Iowa City’s acclaimed hospital system, robust school districts, and vibrant downtown area, will make you feel at home.