Doctoral study in Education

Why study with us?

The University of Auckland is ranked first in New Zealand for the subject of Education and is the only New Zealand university to feature in the world's top 50 universities for Education.¹
We are the top university in New Zealand for graduate employability, which means we are the leading provider of employable, high-quality graduates in New Zealand.²
The majority of our research is undertaken in partnership with practice communities.
Doctoral candidates receive annual Postgraduate Research Student Support (PReSS) funding for research expenses.

¹2023 QS World University Rankings by Subject.
²2023 QS World University Rankings.

Research opportunities

When you join us for your doctoral study in Education, you will be able to help improve the educational and social wellbeing of communities. Our research harnesses the vast potential that diversity brings to address education and social justice issues – nationally, regionally and globally.

Faculty researchers explore educational and social science research from a wide range of perspectives, many of which are aligned to the central theme of superdiversity and the following key sub-themes:

Leading learning
Advancing equity for all sectors of society
Enhancing indigenous opportunities
Promoting lifelong wellbeing
Supporting intercultural inclusiveness
Pasifika research

We welcome research proposals on a wide range of topics, some of which contribute to projects being undertaken in our research centres/units and schools:

The development of education and schooling success for diverse communities (Woolf Fisher Research Centre)
Educational leadership
Māori and indigenous language revitalisation (Te Puna Wānanga School of Māori and Indigenous Education)
Pasifika education
Enabling staff and postgraduate students to succeed in their academic careers (Centre for Learning and Research in Higher Education)
Promoting leadership, equity, achievement and diversity in early literacy (The Marie Clay Research Centre)
Increasing research and evaluation capacity through targeted support and networking in collaboration with the social services sector (Centre for Community Research and Evaluation)
Health, education and welfare (Centre for Child and Family Research)
Applied theatre with an international focus (Critical Research Unit in Applied Theatre)
Knowledge in education (Knowledge and Education Research Unit)
Parenting and family intervention aimed at preventing behavioural and emotional problems in children and adolescents (Parenting Research Group)
Critical studies in Health Education, Physical Education, and Sports Studies (The Richard Tinning Research Unit)
Higher education (Higher Education Research Network)
Statistical data analysis in research (Quant-DARE - Quantitative Data Analysis and Research)

Find out more about out available supervisors and research projects you could join by clicking the link below.

Find a supervisor

Past and current research topics

"Being the change: Disabled medical students navigating stigma through action" | Supervised by Professor Janet Gaffney and Associate Professor Jay Marlowe
"Disruptive and decolonising? Subordinate youth practices in health education" | Supervised by Dr Katie Fitzpatrick and Dr Darren Powell
"Collective leadership in the context of infant-toddler education and care" | Supervised by Dr Deidre Le Fevre and Professor Helen Hedges
"Refining and enriching children’s working theories: A trialogical approach" | Supervised by Dr Rena Heap and Professor Helen Hedges
"An exploration of attitudes towards success and their relation to subjective well-being among Korean high school and university students in New Zealand and the Republic of Korea" | Supervised by Professor Gavin Brown and Associate Professor Jason Stephens