The School of Education offers a Ph.D. degree program in Counseling Psychology that is accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1985. The School also participates, through the School of Graduate Studies, in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program. Two disciplines, curriculum & instruction and educational leadership, policy and foundations are offered through the School of Education. Students may select one or both of those disciplines in addition to disciplines offered through other academic units across campus.

All but a select few Ph.D. programs at UMKC are interdisciplinary. Students desiring to study at the doctoral level in curriculum & instruction and/or educational leadership, policy and foundations in education (which includes the foundation areas of educational theory and educational administration) must apply to the School of Graduate Studies. Detailed information on the general and discipline-specific admission requirements may be found in the School of Graduate Studies section of the catalog.