Doctoral Specialization in Teacher Education

The Interdepartmental Doctoral Specialization in Teacher Education offers doctoral students from across the College the opportunity to prepare themselves to be critical agents in the transformation of teacher education. The education of future teachers committed to and capable of teaching for inquiry, democracy, and equity is a pressing need in the United States and elsewhere—yet rarely is the education of future teacher educators the priority it deserves to be. 

The Doctoral Specialization in Teacher Education makes the journey of becoming a teacher educator visible and deliberate, flexible, and intentional. Students in the Specialization study the history, purposes, and theories of teacher education; they practice teacher education and study common and innovative pedagogies of teacher education; and they explore core problems and challenges of the field. Throughout the specialization, students conduct inquiries into teacher education through the design of small and large-scale studies. Students critically examine the accomplishments and shortcomings of research in the field with particular attention to the questions that are asked and those that are seldom or never asked. There is a central focus on perspectives and voices that dominate and those that are too often absent. 

The Doctoral Specialization comprises five courses that students choose among a menu of curated courses. Just as important in the selection of these courses is the development of an inter-disciplinary professional community of students and faculty intrigued by and committed to the practice and scholarship of teacher education.

Contact Information for Doctoral Specialization

Program Director: Professor Felicia Moore Mensah (fm2140@tc.columbia.edu)

Contact Person: Mark Owen