Sociocultural Contexts
Examining the social, organizational and cultural dynamics of learning and teaching situations, including classrooms, schools, school districts, museums, corporations and homes.
Doctorate in Learning Sciences
About the Program
Northwestern University's Learning Sciences program was the first of its kind in the nation. The program was developed with the understanding that design, cognition and sociocultural contexts are core areas for approaching learning and teaching in formal and informal settings. The curriculum and research projects in the Learning Sciences program exemplify continued focus in these areas.
The Learning Sciences doctoral degree program prepares graduates to advance the understanding and practice of teaching and learning. Research and course work emphasize instructional, technological, and social policy innovations and the design of effective learning and teaching environments. This program is intended for people with a wide variety of interests, including:
- Research
- Teaching and training
- Software development
- School administration
- The study and reform of learning environments
Cognition
Constructing scientific models of the structures and processes of learning and teaching by which organized knowledge, skills and understanding are acquired.
Design
Building environments for learning and teaching, incorporating multimedia, artificial intelligence, computer networks and innovative curriculum and classroom activity structures.
Curriculum Overview
Course work in the Learning Sciences doctoral program includes a core curriculum and electives.
units of required coursework
core faculty members
Our Students
Students prepare to be researchers, developers, and practitioners in schools, workplaces, and other settings.
“The Learning Sciences program at Northwestern is one of the few programs that treat the science of learning as a field in and of itself; understanding the cognitive and sociocultural foundations of learning and designing learning environments that take advantage of these insights are the cornerstones of what it means to be at Northwestern.”
—Erica Rosenfeld Halverson
Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Learning Sciences PhD program, class of 2005
Average number of enrolled students
Average number of years to complete the program
Learning Sciences at Northwestern.
Explore the breadth of academic courses offered in the curriculum.
Contact Learning Sciences
Phone Number
847-491-4329
Email
sesp-ls@northwestern.edu
Physical Address
Walter Annenberg Hall
2120 Campus Drive
Evanston, IL 60208