GSE has taken the lead to run a doctoral program in educational economics and administration designed to train educational practitioners and to improve the quality of educational administrators in China. This practice-oriented doctoral program started from 2003 by drawing upon relevant experiences in other countries. In 2009, the Ed.D. program at GSE was recognized as the earliest Ed.D. program in China.
    The Ed.D. program recruits 25 students every year. To qualify for the program, prospective students should have M.A. degrees (or equivalent certificates) and at least five-year working experience in higher education administration. The normal length of study is four years with variations based on students' needs. Since the program targets at part-time students who come from different regions of the country, the instruction is structured into modules and delivered in a few intensive training sessions over two years. The major characteristic of the program is the integration of theory with practice. Each Ed.D. student has one advisor from GSE and one external supervisor. Many educational experts and scholars in China and abroad have been appointed program faculty.
    To get an Ed.D. degree, students need to pass all the required examinations of doctoral courses, a qualifying examination, and a dissertation defense. The Certificate of Graduation and the Certificate for the Degree of Doctor will be granted after a review by the Academic Degree Committee of Peking University.