Degree Requirements

The doctoral program in early childhood/elementary education provides for (1) the study of the foundations of education; (2) training in research design and methodology (quantitative, qualitative, and program evaluation); and  (3) a concentration in one of two areas of interest (study of a content area taught in early childhood/elementary classrooms or study of early childhood education and applied child development)

Foundations of Education (9 credits, in at least 3 of the following 4 areas; the 9 credits must be outside your own program area)

• Psychological Foundations
• Sociological/Philosophical Foundations
• Policy and Leadership
• Learning in a Content Area

• Research and Practice in Elementary Classrooms
• Constructs of Early Childhood Education
• Research in Early Childhood/Elementary Education
• Independent Study in Early Childhood/Elementary Education (a supervised research experience that precedes the dissertation and culminates in a written product)

• Content Area Concentration (creative arts education, literacy, ESL and bilingual education, instructional technology, mathematics education, science education)
• Early Childhood Education and Applied Child Development (focus on settings for children birth through five; child care, family and parenting issues; developmentally appropriate practice; development of infants and toddlers, including those "at risk")

Electives (6 credits)Taken with advisor's approval.

Research Methodology (at least 9 credits in 2 of the following 3 areas) 

• Qualitative Foundations
• Quantitative Foundations
• Program Evaluation

Courses must be selected from the existing list of approved research courses as well as courses designed for the Ph.D. program.

Qualifying Examination: Doctoral students must successfully complete a three‑part qualifying examination, written at home and evaluated by a faculty committee consisting of two members, at least one of whom is in the student’s program. The first part of the exam involves general issues in early childhood/elementary education. The second part is in the area of specialization and typically involves an integrative literature review that can serve as the basis of a dissertation proposal. The third part focuses on research design and methodology. (See advisor for details.) Questions are developed jointly by the student and the chair of the qualifying examination committee (usually the student’s program or dissertation advisor). 

Doctoral Dissertation (24 credits): 250:701 Dissertation Study in Learning & Teaching (Note: No more than 12 credit hours of dissertation study may be taken before the successful completion of the Qualifying Examination.) The dissertation is a report of research construed broadly to include, but not be limited to, historical ethnographic, descriptive, evaluation, correlational, or experimental studies. The Dissertation Committee consists of at least three members approved by the program and department chair. The chairperson of the Dissertation Committee must be a member of the Graduate School of Education, and at least one Committee member must be a member of the student's program. At least two committee members must be Rutgers faculty members; at least one must be from outside the student's department.

Please note: Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 in the doctoral coursework and dissertation research courses. Students may petition the faculty to transfer up to 18 graduate credit hours of coursework taken elsewhere to partially meet these requirements. Transfer of credits is not guaranteed, and it must be demonstrated that the course meets the specific goals of the program. Transfer courses used to fulfill core program requirements should have content equivalent to these courses. The faculty will review each petition and decide if the coursework taken elsewhere meets the standards of courses sponsored by the Ed.D. program. Degree programs will be approved by both student's program advisor and by the chair of the department. Time Limits: Students have seven years from the time of admission to complete coursework and qualifying examinations, and they will have a total of 10 years to complete all requirements.