Antioch University

What you'll study

The curriculum integrates scholarship and practitioner inquiry and includes study of the theoretical foundations of Waldorf Education and anthroposophy. The Waldorf specialization may include seminars and individualized study; students may take courses from other Antioch programs or transfer prior graduate credits. Dissertation topics must fall within the chosen specialization.

• Study areas explicitly named: arts in education; children’s cognitive development; parental choice; play in education; technology; student performance; comparative Waldorf education; curricular issues in math, science, and other subjects.
• Program learning outcomes include analysis of historical and philosophical underpinnings of educational practice; comparison of adult learning and development theories; critique of engagement-maximizing educational methods; assessment of inquiry methods and data collection strategies.
• Skills outcomes emphasize practitioner inquiry and reflection, problem identification from practice, rigorous inquiry for social change, data interpretation, intervention design at individual/organizational/social levels, and producing clear scholarly writing situated in relevant literature.
• Dispositional outcomes include demonstrated leadership, commitment to social change, ongoing professional development through critical reflection and praxis, respect for tacit knowledge, dialogic skills, and professional ethics.

Entry requirements

Applicants must have a minimum of five years' professional experience (before or after a master’s degree) and be able to see themselves as education change agents in their settings. The President's Doctoral Fellowship requires a minimum 3.40 GPA for consideration; fellowship recipients must remain enrolled full time and complete each registered course to retain the award.

Career prospects

Graduates are positioned as scholar-practitioners prepared to lead change in schools, independent Waldorf settings, educational organizations, and community or policy contexts. The program emphasizes designing and evaluating educational interventions, leadership in curricular or pedagogical initiatives, and producing practitioner-focused scholarship that can inform practice and policy.

Scholarships & funding angle

Antioch awards President’s Doctoral Fellowships to incoming doctoral students: $12,000 paid equally over the first two registered years, based on academic performance (minimum 3.40 GPA) and work/life experience. Awards require full-time enrollment and satisfactory academic progress; continued receipt depends on completing each course in which the student is registered.