Degree Requirements
Candidates for the degree must meet admission requirements, develop and complete an approved program of study in consultation with their guidance committee, complete required coursework, undergo an annual assessment review by the Doctoral Advisory Committee (for first- and second-year students), pass a qualifying examination to advance to candidacy, establish a dissertation committee, develop an approved dissertation proposal, write and present the dissertation, and pass the final oral examination.
Program of Studies
Upon acceptance to the program, students are assigned an adviser. During the first year of study, students identify, either in consultation with their adviser or with the director of doctoral studies, faculty members to serve as their guidance committee. Programs for the doctoral degree in education are planned individually by students and their guidance committees. The program of study consists of four major elements: common core courses, specialization specific to the student's scholarly interests, a number of selected electives from across areas of inquiry, and research preparation, including specific advanced research modules.
Students typically complete 52 to 64 hours in graduate coursework following their matriculation. These hours do not include (EDUC 999 Doctoral Research).
At least five of the below common core courses are required of all students:
Course List
Code |
Title |
Credits |
EDUC 902 | Doctoral Pro-seminar | 4 |
EDUC 904 | Qualitative Inquiry in Research | 4 |
EDUC 905 | Critical Inquiry in Education | 4 |
EDUC 906 | The Literature Review in Educational Research: Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 4 |
EDUC 981 | Quantitative Inquiry: Methods and Techniques of Educational Research | 4 |
| |
EDUC 881 | Introduction to Statistics: Inquiry, Analysis, and Decision Making | 4 |
EDUC 978 | Applied Regression Analysis in Educational Research | 4 |
| |
EDUC #941 | Diversity and Child Development | |
or HDFS 930 | Child Development in Context |
EDUC 948 | Leadership and Advocacy in Early Childhood Education | |
EDUC 950 | Understanding Culture in Research on Learning and Development | |
RMP 970 | Teaching Practicum | |
| |
EDUC 950 | Understanding Culture in Research on Learning and Development | |
EDUC #985 | Contemporary Issues and Theories in Human Learning and Development | |
HDFS 950 | Contemporary Issues in Adolescent Development | |
RMP 970 | Teaching Practicum | |
| |
EDUC 950 | Understanding Culture in Research on Learning and Development | |
EDUC 958 | Analysis of Teaching and Learning | |
EDUC 959 | Issues in Education | |
EDUC 960 | Curriculum Development | |
EDUC #985 | Contemporary Issues and Theories in Human Learning and Development | |
EDUC 986 | Philosophy of Education | |
EDUC 991 | Curriculum Theory I | |
EDUC #992 | Curriculum Theory II | |
| |
EDUC 986 | Philosophy of Education | |
KIN 882 | Therapeutic Applications of Adventure Programming | |
KIN 883 | Psych Factors of Adventure Ed | |
KIN 884 | Historical Foundations of Outdoor Experiential Education | |
KIN 885 | Program Models and Evaluation in Outdoor Education | |
KIN 886 | Organization and Administration of Outdoor Education Programs | |
KIN 895 | Advanced Studies | |
KIN 897 | Advanced Topics in Outdoor Education | |
EDUC 964 | Human Resources in Education | |
| |
EDUC 973 | Policy, Politics, and Planning in Education | |
EDUC 977 | Leadership: The District Level Administrator | |
| |
EDUC 970 | Foundations for Leadership in Higher Education | |
EDUC 976 | Policy and Governance in Higher Education | |
EDUC 897 | Special Topics in Education (Topics: Students, the Law & Higher Education, and Faculty & Higher Education Law) | |
EDUC 959 | Issues in Education | |
EDUC 962 | Educational Finance and Business Management | |
EDUC 967 | School Law | |
EDUC 968 | Collective Bargaining in Public Education | |
EDUC 995 | Independent Study (School Facilities) | |
Integrative Coursework
Select two advanced inquiry education courses (e.g., EDUC 979 Applied Multilevel Modeling), courses in a different specialization, or courses taken in another department (e.g., psychology, sociology, economics, family studies).
Qualifying Examination
To be advanced to Ph.D. candidacy, students must satisfactorily complete qualifying examinations as well as other program requirements. After completing at least two-thirds of their coursework, students may take the qualifying examination. The examination is a written exam to be developed, supervised, and evaluated by the student's guidance committee. The qualifying examination is used to evaluate the student's general knowledge in relevant areas of inquiry, and his or her fitness for engaging in research, particularly in the subject proposed for the dissertation.
Dissertation
To complete the degree, the student must present and defend a dissertation of original research and publishable quality.