Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Vision:

The Ph.D. program in Educational Leadership Development and Learning Technologies is designed for those who aspire to be education researchers, university faculty or research analysts.  The program is designed so that students will have the skills, knowledge and experience to be leaders and stewards of the field.  Graduates from this program will develop research and critical thinking abilities directed toward the creation of new knowledge, integration and original application and/or teaching of existing knowledge and scholarly inquiry in their field of study.

Applicants to this program are expected to have high aptitude for research and inquiry in the field of education.  They will express career interest in topics into which the faculty of the School are actively inquiring and researching.  The assumption is that the most effective training for the Ph.D. stems from collaborative research and inquiry into topics of mutual interest by an able student and faculty scholars and researchers.  The major emphasis of the program consists of the individual students and faculty members(s) jointly researching and inquiring into an area of study to conduct scholarly research.

Mission:

The emphasis of the program is philosophical underpinning and theory-driven research.  In addition to study in educational leadership, policy and the foundation of education, the program requires extensive preparation in quantitative and qualitative research methods.  A small cohort of students will be admitted for full-time study.  Students will be immersed in an internship to scholarly life, learning to teach and conducting research with faculty while completing coursework and other program requirements.  These three areas will combine to: 

• convey deep scholarly knowledge of education and related areas outside of education,
• promote a broad understanding of various methods of inquiry in education and develop competency in several of those methods,
• impart broad knowledge of theory and practice, and
• promote excellence as a college teacher.

Admission Process:

The School of Education is committed to fostering the value of diversity of ideas.  We aim to cultivate a graduate student body that reflects the diversity of the nation and the world.  We want to develop a community of researchers who will investigate education from a variety of perspectives, and whole work will substantively contribute to the field.  Admission criteria are designed to recruit students with the academic preparation, capacity, commonality of research interests with the faculty and motivation to become effective scholars; who will demonstrate the ability to contribute to their field and publish in peer-reviewed journals, present research in a professional conference and demonstrate effective teaching skills.

A statement describing their future goals and how this program addresses their needs should be submitted. Early application is recommended; please refer to the current information available from the Office of Graduate Admissions for the application deadline.

Application Materials Required:

1.  Graduate school application.

2.  Student must have a minimum GPA of 3.25 to 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) a minimum Graduate Record Examination score of 600 on each of the sub-tests (Verbal and Quantitative) and 5.0 or above on the Analytical.  The GRE report must be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

3.  Resume or curriculum vitae.

4.  A statement of career goals, including specific research and scholarly interests.  If possible, students should indicate how their interests coincide with those of particular School of Education faculty members.  A list of current faculty research interests is available on the School of Education website.)

5.  Three letters of reference from people familiar with prior academic performance.

6.  Copies of students’ scholarly writing, including published papers and theses or term papers.

7.  The School of Education admissions committee will review each application and an interview will be required.  The School of Education admissions committee makes a recommendation to the School of Education Director.  This process generally takes between six and eight weeks.

Cohort and Delivery Format:

This program will be limited to a cohort of full-time students for whom full funding is available and who will be fully embraced as members of the School of Education.  The program will be delivered on-campus and will be situated in the framework of collaborative, transformational learning and knowledge generation.  Small seminars, independent projects and practicum opportunities are designed for an individualized program.

Curriculum:

Research/Inquiry:

Research preparation is the foundation of the Ph.D. program.  Students begin research activities during the first year of the program, and continue to develop their skills by conducting various research projects with School of Education faculty, presenting research findings at conferences and writing research papers, culminating with the dissertation work.  Thus, the program is designed to immerse the student in educational content, inquiry and methodology, so as to ask critical questions and design procedures to conduct research.

Course of Study:

The program of study is designed to provide a breadth and length of experience that will enable students to be immersed in a culture of scholarship and learning.  There is mutual enrichment and learning from internships with faculty as students engage in teaching and research under faculty supervision and are guided in coursework.  The total minimum credits for the degree is 60 graduate credits beyond a masters degree.

The curriculum has five components:

1.  Leadership Core (18 Credits)

2.  Research Core (17 Credits)

3.  Problem-based research (9 Credits)

4.  Technology Core (6 Credits)

5.  Dissertation research (10 Credits minimum)