For our doctoral program we invite applicants from all fields. A master's degree is required but it does not have to be in adult education.

People have many reasons for pursuing a doctoral degree—career advancement, career change, and personal development are the most common reasons we hear—but why choose Adult Education as a field of study? We believe there are at least three compelling reasons:

• Adult Education is a field that is highly interdisciplinary; it draws on many other disciplines, among them psychology, sociology, communications, English, history, race and gender studies, and cultural studies. The breadth of this field makes it an intellectually exciting place to be, and it is a place where a wide range of interests can be pursued.
• Adult learning occurs across all contexts. Having a doctorate in Adult Education is beneficial in all domains where adults are learning: colleges and universities, professional organizations, the corporate world, health care institutions, community organizations, adult and family literacy programs, the military services, all levels of government, religious organizations, continuing education programs, and nonprofit organizations. 
• Adult Education is focused on addressing the learning needs of individual adults while at the same time seeking to advance the public good. It is a field committed to issues of social justice both nationally and globally.

Adult Education is a field that is inviting, inclusive, exciting, and highly relevant.