We are currently not accepting new students for 2024-25. We will update this page when we are open again for new students. 


This groundbreaking program emphasis offers a rigorous pathway for those interested in becoming teacher educators who conduct research and support the practice of teaching and teacher education. We take this hybrid role of teacher educator as both researcher and practitioner, as well as the historical legacy of inequalities perpetuated by teacher education. This program prepares graduate students for careers as researchers and teachers in university settings with a particular emphasis on equity and justice, as educational leaders in schools and community organizations, and as researchers and developers in private and non-profit sectors. 

The program offers a welcoming and dynamic scholarly community. In addition to foundational coursework, the Teacher Learning, Research & Practice program consists of four advanced seminar courses:

  1. Critical Approaches for Teacher Educator/University Instructor Development
  2. History and Policy Issues in Teaching and Teacher Education
  3. Theories of Teacher Learning and Teacher Education, and
  4. Designing for Teacher Learning and Teacher Education.

Each month, students and faculty meet for a vibrant lunch seminar to work together to identify and collaboratively explore topics of interest and relevance in teaching and teacher education. Coursework emphasizes the complexities of teachers’ learning experiences and processes, as well as the broader contexts of teaching and teacher education.   

We are grounded in a commitment to the practice, study, and transformation of teacher education in ways that forward and honor humanizing thinking and action. Doctoral students enjoy opportunities to work in and with the school's multiple teacher education programs and to collaborate with faculty, doctoral students, and other stakeholders (e.g., school partners; community organizations) in the critical design and study of these programs. Conducting research with members of this community provides additional opportunities to deepen understandings from coursework and to pose and pursue questions using innovative research methodologies and methods.

Prospective students interested in the Teacher Learning, Research & Practice program emphasis are encouraged, but not required, to combine TLRP with one of the other doctoral program emphases in the School of Education to achieve a particular disciplinary training. Admission to all our graduate programs is competitive and based on multiple criteria, including undergraduate academic record, scores on exams, letters of recommendation, personal statement, evidence of special accomplishments, and relevant past experience. Criteria are considered in the aggregate. Candidates from historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

Financial Support

All of our doctoral students are awarded generous funding packages. Stipends and grants cover tuition costs and provide experiential graduate assistantships that further prepare you for your future as a researcher, educator, and leader in the field. Fellowship and assistantship packages are awarded on a competitive basis and vary for each student, but all funding packages cover five years of full-time study. 

A typical package will include a total of a 50% appointment (~20hr/week) through a Graduate Research Assistantship and/or Teaching Assistantship, full tuition remission and a fellowship to assist with student fees, the majority of the CU Student Health Gold Insurance Plan, and a stipend of approximately $21,400 per academic year. Please note that these figures are subject to change and summer funding is not guaranteed.

Our Miramontes Doctoral Scholars Program provides five years of funding for full-time doctoral study, including one year of support focused solely on the dissertation year. The program offers a dedicated, supportive community for doctoral students with research interests focused on educational equity and cultural diversity, and prospective students from underrepresented groups and those who are first-generation college graduates are encouraged to apply.

Admissions Requirements

Application requirements include:

  • A Personal Statement
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • Unofficial Transcripts (official transcripts are required after admission)
  • Optional GRE test score
  • TOEFL scores for international students
  • Application Fee ($60 domestic application/$80 international) along with the application

How to apply FAQ

Admission to all our graduate programs is competitive and based on multiple criteria, including undergraduate academic record, letters of recommendation, personal statement, evidence of special accomplishments, and relevant past experience. In an effort to safeguard educational equity and access, the CU Boulder School of Education has adopted a test-optional policy for the GRE requirement for prospective doctoral applicants seeking Fall 2022 admission. Students may still submit GRE scores for consideration, which will be reviewed as a part of a holistic process. However, not submitting GRE scores will in no way make your application less competitive for admission to the School of Education. Candidates from historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

Deadline

  • December 1, domestic
  • November 15, international 

For more information about courses and program requirements, visit the CU Boulder Course Catalog.