Program Overview

PhD in Curriculum and Instruction

The PhD in Curriculum and Instruction offers four concentrations: Critical Pedagogies and Urban Teacher Education, Curriculum Studies, Literacy, Language, and Culture, and Mathematics and Science Education.

Concentrations

• Critical Pedagogies and Urban Teacher Education Concentration
• Curriculum Studies Concentration
• Literacy, Language, and Culture Concentration
• Mathematics and Science Education Concentration

Critical Pedagogies and Urban Teacher Education Concentration

Admission Requirements

• Baccalaureate Field: No restrictions.
• Grade Point Average: At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study and for all postbaccalaureate coursework.
• Tests Required: None.
• English Proficiency:
  • Minimum English Competency Test Scores:
    • TOEFL iBT: 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21.
    • IELTS Academic: 6.5, with 6.0 in each of the four subscores.
    • PTE Academic: 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
• Letters of Recommendation: Three required from faculty members or others familiar with the applicant’s previous academic training, academic and research ability, and experience.
• Personal Statement: Required. The statement must address the applicant’s professional and scholarly goals.
• Deadlines: Application deadlines for this program are listed on the Graduate College website.

Degree Requirements

• Minimum Semester Hours Required: 96 from the baccalaureate or 64 hours beyond the master’s degree.
• Coursework:
  • College Core (12 semester hours):
    • ED 504: Urban Contexts and Educational Research
    • ED 505: Introduction to Educational Research: Paradigms and Processes
    • ED 506: Introduction to Educational Research: Designs and Analyses
  • Methodology Requirement (12 semester hours):
    • ED 502: Essentials of Qualitative Inquiry in Education (or equivalent based on faculty advisor approval)
    • ED 503: Essentials of Quantitative Inquiry in Education (or equivalent based on faculty advisor approval)
    • One additional course to be selected in consultation with faculty advisor.
  • Critical Pedagogies and Urban Teacher Education Concentration Program Core (24 semester hours):
    • CI 574: Foundations of Critical Teaching and Learning: Paradigms, Perspectives, and Domains
    • CI 552: Curriculum and Cultural Context
    • Area of Emphasis Electives:
      • In consultation with and approval of advisor, select 16 hours in one of the following areas:
        • Critical Pedagogies
        • Urban Teacher Education
        • Health Professions Education
• Preliminary Examination: Required; written and oral. The written examination is based on the student’s program of study. The oral portion of the examination is based on both the written examination and the student’s dissertation proposal.
• Dissertation: Required: CI 599. Students must register for doctoral thesis research for at least 12 semester hours.
• Other Requirements:
  • Students must complete a training course sponsored by the Office for the Vice Chancellor for Research on the ethics of conducting research with human subjects.
  • Students are required to submit an annual report of their academic and professional progress to their department.
  • CI 592, CI 593, or CI 596 4 hours (credit increments negotiated with advisor).

Curriculum Studies Concentration

Admission Requirements

• Baccalaureate Field: No restrictions.
• Grade Point Average: At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study and for all postbaccalaureate coursework.
• Tests Required: None.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score:
  • TOEFL iBT: 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21.
  • IELTS Academic: 6.5, with 6.0 in each of the four subscores.
  • PTE Academic: 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
• Letters of Recommendation: Three required from faculty members or others familiar with the applicant’s previous academic training, academic and research ability, and experience.
• Personal Statement: Required. The statement must address the applicant’s professional and scholarly goals.
• Deadlines: Application deadlines for this program are listed on the Graduate College website.

Degree Requirements

• Minimum Semester Hours Required: 96 from the baccalaureate or 64 hours beyond the master’s degree.
• Coursework:
  • College Core (12 semester hours):
    • ED 504: Urban Contexts and Educational Research
    • ED 505: Introduction to Educational Research: Paradigms and Processes
    • ED 506: Introduction to Educational Research: Designs and Analyses
  • Methodology Requirement (12 semester hours):
    • ED 502: Essentials of Qualitative Inquiry in Education (or equivalent based on faculty advisor approval)
    • ED 503: Essentials of Quantitative Inquiry in Education (or equivalent based on faculty advisor approval)
    • One additional course to be selected in consultation with faculty advisor.
  • Curriculum Studies Concentration Program Core (24 semester hours):
    • CI 500: Proseminar in Curriculum and Instruction
    • CI 574: Foundations of Critical Teaching and Learning: Paradigms, Perspectives, and Domains
    • One 4-hour course that fulfills a writing requirement.
    • Additional coursework selected in consultation with advisor.

Literacy, Language, and Culture Concentration

Admission Requirements

• Baccalaureate Field: No restrictions.
• Grade Point Average: At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study and for all postbaccalaureate coursework.
• Tests Required: None.
• English Proficiency:
  • Minimum English Competency Test Scores:
    • TOEFL iBT: 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21.
    • IELTS Academic: 6.5, with 6.0 in each of the four subscores.
    • PTE Academic: 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
• Letters of Recommendation: Three required from faculty members or others familiar with the applicant’s previous academic training, academic and research ability, and experience.
• Personal Statement: Required. The statement must address the applicant’s professional and scholarly goals.
• Deadlines: Application deadlines for this program are listed on the Graduate College website.

Degree Requirements

• Minimum Semester Hours Required: 96 from the baccalaureate or 64 hours beyond the master’s degree.
• Coursework:
  • College Core (12 semester hours):
    • ED 504: Urban Contexts and Educational Research
    • ED 505: Introduction to Educational Research: Paradigms and Processes
    • ED 506: Introduction to Educational Research: Designs and Analyses
  • Methodology Requirement (12 semester hours):
    • ED 502: Essentials of Qualitative Inquiry in Education (or equivalent based on faculty advisor approval)
    • ED 503: Essentials of Quantitative Inquiry in Education (or equivalent based on faculty advisor approval)
    • One additional course to be selected in consultation with faculty advisor.
  • Literacy, Language, and Culture Concentration Program Core (20 semester hours):
    • CI 556: Proseminar in Literacy, Language and Culture
    • CI 557: Proseminar in Literacy, Language, and Culture
    • Selectives:
      • 12 hours of selectives with content directly related to literacy, language, and/or culture.
• Qualifying Examination: Required. The Qualifying Examination serves as the first step in determining a student’s readiness to undertake dissertation research.
• Preliminary Examination: Required; The written exam consists of the student’s dissertation proposal. The oral portion of the examination is based on the student’s oral defense of the dissertation proposal.
• Dissertation: Required. Students must register for doctoral thesis research for at least 16 semester hours.
• Other Requirements:
  • Students participate in a research project in collaboration with a faculty member or a team of faculty members and students.
  • Students must complete a training course sponsored by the Office for the Vice Chancellor for Research on the ethics of conducting research with human subjects.
  • Students are required to submit an annual report of their academic and professional progress.

Mathematics and Science Education Concentration

Admission Requirements

• Baccalaureate Field: No restrictions.
• Grade Point Average: At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study and for all postbaccalaureate coursework.
• Tests Required: None.
• English Proficiency:
  • Minimum English Competency Test Scores:
    • TOEFL iBT: 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21.
    • IELTS Academic: 6.5, with 6.0 in each of the four subscores.
    • PTE Academic: 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
• Letters of Recommendation: Three letters from faculty members or others familiar with the applicant’s previous academic training, academic and research ability, and experience are required.
• Personal Statement: This required statement must address the applicant’s professional and scholarly goals.
• Deadlines: Application deadlines for this program are listed on the Graduate College website.

Degree Requirements

• Minimum Semester Hours Required: 98 from the baccalaureate or 66 hours beyond the master’s degree.
• Coursework:
  • Required Courses:
    • College Core (12 semester hours):
      • ED 504: Urban Contexts and Educational Research
      • ED 505: Introduction to Educational Research: Paradigms and Processes
      • ED 506: Introduction to Educational Research: Designs and Analyses
    • Methodology Requirement (12 semester hours):
      • ED 502: Essentials of Qualitative Inquiry in Education (or equivalent based on faculty advisor approval)
      • ED 503: Essentials of Quantitative Inquiry in Education (or equivalent based on faculty advisor approval)
      • One additional course to be selected in consultation with faculty advisor.
    • Math and Science Concentration Program Core (12 semester hours):
      • CI 517: The Sociopolitical Context of Mathematics and Science Education
      • CI 518: Race, Identity, and Agency in Mathematics and Science Education
      • CI 573: Multimodality, Multiliteracies, and Science and Mathematics Education
    • Proseminar in Curriculum and Instruction (2 semester hours):
      • CI 500: Proseminar in Curriculum and Instruction
    • Math or Science Specialization (12 semester hours):
      • Select three of the following in consultation with a faculty advisor:
        • CI 516: Research on Mathematics Teachers and Teaching
        • CI 519: Research on the Learning of Mathematics
        • CI 520: The K-12 Mathematics Curriculum: Theory, Politics and Reform
        • CI 566: Research on Science Curriculum
        • CI 567: Research on Science Teaching and Teacher Education
        • CI 570: Research on Science Learning
• Preliminary Examination: Required; written and oral. The written examination is based on the student’s program of study. The oral portion of the examination is based on both the written examination and the student’s dissertation proposal.
• Dissertation: Required. Students must register for doctoral thesis research for at least 12 semester hours.
• Other Requirements:
  • Students must complete a training course sponsored by the Office for the Vice Chancellor for Research on the ethics of conducting research with human subjects.
  • Students are required to submit an annual report of their academic and professional progress to their department.
  • CI 593 or CI 596 or CI 592 (Credit Increments negotiated with the advisor).

Interdepartmental Concentrations

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in select concentrations after consulting with their graduate advisor. Interdepartmental concentrations available for this degree include:

• Black
• Gender and Women's Studies