Degree Requirements

Doctoral students enrolling in a program specialization concentration may specialize in adult and continuing education, anthropology of education, curriculum theory and development, economics of education, history of education, philosophy of education, or sociology of education. All specialization programs follow a common set of guidelines in specifying degree requirements.

Doctoral Coursework: Program Specialization Concentration (48 credit minimum)

Area of Specialization: Course work in area of specialization chosen in consultation with advisor (21 credits).

Research Methods: Credits of research methods courses appropriate to the student's scholarly and professional interests. Appropriate courses may be taken outside of the program area. Six of the nine credits will consist of courses in 2 of the following 3 areas: quantitative foundations, qualitative foundations, program evaluation. Applicable research courses within the Social and Philosophical Foundations program area would include the following:

• 15:233:640 Proseminar in Adult and Continuing Education
• 15:233:646 Research Seminar in Adult and Continuing Education
• 15:310:535 Problems in Secondary School Teaching
• 15:310:536 Methods of Educational Ethnography
• 15:310:601 Problems in History of Education
• 15:310:615 Seminar in Philosophy of Education
• 15:310:625 Advanced Seminar in Curriculum Theory & Development

Collateral Coursework: 9 credits of course work in social sciences of education for students specializing in history or philosophy of education; 9 credits of coursework in the humanities of education for students specializing in the social sciences of education. Curriculum theory students must complete a 9 credit coherent selection of courses in the humanities and social sciences of education. Students specializing in adult and continuing education must take 9 credits of coursework in the social sciences of education and 9 credits of coursework in the humanities of education.* Students in all program specializations must take at least one course focusing on contemporary issues in schooling and society. (*Adult Education students may count 233:641, Conceptual Foundations of Adult and Continuing Education toward the humanities requirement and 233:545, Adulthood and Learning toward the social science requirement.)

Residency: Doctoral students enroll for two consecutive terms in which at least 9 credits are completed in each term.

Ed.D. Qualifying Examination:Doctoral qualifying examinations normally are given to students at the completion of their course work to assess the breadth and depth of the knowledge that they have acquired during disciplined control study. These examinations are offered once each term. Program specialization students respond to four questions in all: two questions in the area of specialization, one question from a cognate area within the program, and one question concerning research and its applications. Educational theory students respond to four questions in all: one question from each of the their three areas of specialization and one question concerning research and its applications.

Doctoral Dissertation: The doctoral dissertation is the capstone of doctoral studies. With the advice of a duly constituted doctoral dissertation committee, Ed.D. candidates prepare and defend a dissertation proposal and a doctoral dissertation that demonstrates the ability to engage successfully in the scholarly and systematic study of educational problems.

Educational Theory Concentration

Doctoral students enrolled in the educational theory concentration develop a coherent plan of coursework focused on three areas of specialization. All educational theory programs follow a common set of guidelines in specifying degree requirements.

Doctoral Coursework: Educational Theory Concentration (48 credit minimum)

Required Program Courses: 9 credits in history and philosophy of education; 9 credits in anthropology, economics and sociology of education.

Research Methods Courses: 9 credits of research methods courses appropriate to the student's scholarly and professional interests. Appropriate courses may be taken outside of the program area. Six of the nine credits will consist of courses in 2 of the following 3 areas: quantitative foundations, qualitative foundations, program evaluation. Application research courses within the Social and Philosophical Foundations Program area would include the following:

• 15:310:535 Problems in Secondary School Teaching
• 15:310:536 Methods of Educational Ethnography
• 15:310:601 Problems in History of Education
• 15:310:615 Seminar in Philosophy of Education
• 15:310:625 Advanced Seminar in Curriculum Theory & Development

Core Requirements: 3 credits from each of the following 3 areas: Learning in a content area, Policy/Leadership, Psychological Foundations (Total: 9 credits)

Elective courses: 12 credits of collateral coursework in program specialization and related courses outside the program. Each student must include at least one course focusing on contemporary issues in schooling and society.

Residency: Doctoral students enroll for two consecutive terms in which at least 9 credits are completed in each term.

Ed.D. Qualifying Examination: Doctoral qualifying examinations normally are given to students at the completion of their course work to assess the breadth and depth of the knowledge they have acquired during disciplined control study. These examinations are offered once each term. Educational Theory students respond to four questions in all: one question from each of their three areas of specialization and one question concerning research and its application.

Doctoral Dissertation: The doctoral dissertation is the capstone of doctoral studies. With the advice of a duly constituted doctoral dissertation committee, Ed.D. candidates prepare and defend a dissertation proposal and a doctoral dissertation that demonstrates the ability to engage successfully in the scholarly and systematic study of educational problems.