Program Overview

Bilingual/Bicultural Education Doctoral Program

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Bilingual/Bicultural Education is a research-oriented degree program designed for individuals who intend to work mainly in primary research in the fields of Bilingual/Bicultural Education, Language Policy and Education, or Biliteracy. This program prepares graduate students in research design and interpretation. Graduate student research contributes to knowledge of bilingual education theories, concepts, and practice.

Program Overview

• The program is offered by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
• The program prepares students for roles such as college or university faculty members, researchers in federal and state government, and research consultants and directors of private foundations and non-profit organizations.

Faculty

• Paty Abril-Gonzalez: Assistant Professor, studies long-term relationships with Latinx bilingual students and teachers using arts-based biliteracy approaches.
• Luz J Alvarez-Sims: Assistant Professor of Practice.
• Doris L Baker: Research Associate Professor, develops and evaluates interventions and assessments using technology to support the academic success of Latinx students.
• Sylvia Celedón-Pattichis: Professor, focuses on language and cultural influences on teaching and learning mathematics.
• Cody Fernandez: Assistant Professor of Practice, Teacher Language Ideologies and Writing Instruction.
• Maria E Franquiz: Professor Emeritus, examines ethnographic language and literacy practices in K-12 classrooms.
• Brittany Frieson: Assistant Professor, explores the language and literacy practices of young African American children in dual language bilingual program spaces.
• Elizet H Kneisler: Assistant Professor of Practice, Biliteracy practices in classroom and curriculum.
• Desiree Pallais-Downing: Assistant Professor of Instruction-CURR, examines the contributions of strengths-based approaches in literacy instruction.
• Sandra M Springer: Assistant Professor of Practice.

Application Requirements

• Applicants must provide a supplemental writing sample written in Spanish, describing cross-cultural and/or cross-linguistic experiences.
• The writing sample should demonstrate competency with the language and content of the essay and show efforts to cross borders by working, traveling, or living in situations that required a multiplicity of cultural competencies.

Program Requirements

General C&I Requirements (Minimum 21 hours)

• Foundation Requirements (9 hours required):
  • EDC 380F: Sociocultural Foundations
  • EDC 381F: Introduction to Teaching and Teacher Education
  • EDC 383F: Curriculum Theory
• Research Methodology Requirements (12 hours minimum):
  1. EDC 381R: Intro to Systems of Human Inquiry
  2. The following two courses (6 hours):
  • EDC 385R: Introduction To Quantitative Research
  • EDC 386R: Introduction To Qualitative Research
  3. One course (3 hours) from the following:
  • EDC 387R: Advanced Quantitative Research
  • EDC 388R: Advanced Qualitative Research

Directed Research (Minimum 12 hours)

• EDC 396T: Directed Research in Curriculum and Instruction (6 hours)

Specialization Requirements (Minimum 18 hours)

• Students with an emphasis on Bilingual/Bicultural Education will take additional related courses, selected with the assistance and approval of the area program adviser.
• A. Required (12 hours):
  • EDC 385G: Second Language Acquisition
  • EDC 385G: Biliteracy and New Literacy Studies
  • EDC 385G: Language Policy and Education: Global Perspectives and Local Implications
  • EDC 385G: Immigration Theory in Education
• B. Electives (6 hours):
  • Students select courses according to individual interests and needs and in consultation with their advisor.

Courses Outside the Department (Minimum 6 hours)

• Coursework from sections, General Requirements, Directed Research, and Special Requirements, may fulfill this requirement.
• Students are encouraged to seek out courses that relate to Bilingual/Bicultural Education and their own research interests.

Dissertation (Minimum 6 hours)

• Students are required to continuously register for at least three credits of dissertation once they have advanced to candidacy.
• Students receiving fellowships, assistantships, or other financial aid, may be required to take 9 hours of dissertation credit each semester.

Program Details

• Program Starts: Fall
• Deadline to Apply: December 31
• Credit Hours Required: 63
• Schedule: Flexible
• Program Location: On Campus
• GRE Required?: No
• Program Area Coordinator, Advisor: Sylvia Celedón-Pattichis
• Graduate Admissions Coordinator: Stephen Flynn

Additional Information

• For more information about the program, please refer to the program's website or contact the program coordinator.
• The program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in Bilingual/Bicultural Education, preparing them for careers in research, academia, and other fields.