Presentation

The Graduate Program in Education (PPGEd) at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (PUC Minas), recognized by CAPES, has established itself as an academic environment of excellence, committed to the production of knowledge and to the education of researchers, teachers, and educational managers capable of engaging critically with the educational, cultural, and political contexts of contemporary society.

The Program offers Master's and Doctoral degrees (stricto sensu), both dedicated to the education of professionals who understand education as a transformative social practice guided by ethics, justice, and a commitment to the common good.

The Master's Degree in Education aims to educate critical, creative, and socially engaged professionals committed to the right to education and to the strengthening of public schooling. The course integrates research, educational practice, and theoretical reflection, fostering the construction of knowledge that deepens the understanding of pedagogical processes, educational policies, and cultural dynamics that shape the field of education. Graduates are prepared to act competently in teaching, management, and policy-making contexts.

The Doctoral Degree in Education is intended for researchers and academics capable of producing knowledge of high academic and social relevance, combining theoretical and methodological rigor with innovative perspectives. Its purpose is to consolidate the role of educators who, through advanced research, critically examine schools, universities, and public policies, thereby contributing to the advancement of educational science and the defense of education as a fundamental right.

In alignment with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the PPGEd directs its actions toward:

• SDG 4 – Quality Education: ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all;
• SDG 5 – Gender Equality: achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls;
• SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth: promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all;
• SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities: reduce inequality within and among countries.

Through these commitments, the Program reaffirms its mission to contribute to a socially referenced education of quality, one that recognizes diversity, combats inequality, and promotes human development in all its dimensions.

The education of Master's and Doctoral students at PPGEd goes far beyond academic certification: it constitutes an integral formative experience that connects research, teaching, and community engagement in dialogue with the contemporary challenges of education. Graduates are expected to analyze educational phenomena critically, propose innovative alternatives, and act ethically, collaboratively, and with a firm commitment to social transformation.

In this way, the PPGEd at PUC Minas reasserts its role as a space for reflection, dialogue, and scientific production, contributing to the strengthening of public education and to the construction of a more just, inclusive, and democratic society.