AEGIS

AEGIS is a highly selective, fast-track cohort program leading to the Ed.D. in Adult Education (Guided Intensive Study); it is intended for mid-career professionals who work full time, and who choose to pursue a doctorate in a concentrated format. The program emphasizes leadership for adult and organizational learning. Scholar practitioners are assisted with examining and critiquing theory as well as professional experience. The program is designed for experienced, self-directed professionals capable of completing a rigorous program emphasizing guided independent study. Coursework is completed over a two-year period of seven semesters. AEGIS courses are not open to students from other programs.

The next AEGIS cohort, XXX, will begin in June 2026. Participants will attend a concentrated two-week session at Teachers College for three summers. During the academic year, they will meet for Friday evening and Saturday seminars four times each semester. Due to state requirements, attendance in all class sessions is mandatory. Absence will result in having to withdraw from the AEGIS program with some possibility of reenrolling with a subsequent cohort (at the same stage of progress through the sequence). Should a student leave the program, tuition refund, if any, will be handled on a case by case basis. 

Tuition in AEGIS involves a flat fee for each semester that remains the same throughout the seven semesters of the program based on a total cost of 45 credits of coursework plus many extras. No additional registration fees are charged. For the current cohort, the fee is $13,767 per semester (inclusive of 45 graduate credits earned during AEGIS two-year coursework and College fees). Upon the completion of the seven-semester curriculum, students will be required to register independently for either ORLD 7900 or ORLD 8900 for dissertation advisement (with the tuition fee equivalent of 3 points) until they are ready to defend. The dissertation process takes at least another year and a half to two years following completion of course work.

For more information, please email Dr. Pierre Faller, the Director of AEGIS, at pf2175@tc.columbia.edu.

AEGIS XXX Full Schedule* 2026 to 2028

NOTE: Unless Teachers College determines otherwise, IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY for all of the following scheduled.