Program Overview

PhD in Policy Studies in Urban Education

Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Applicants must submit transcripts from the last 60 hours of undergraduate work and from all postbaccalaureate work. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program 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: Additional information on the English proficiency test requirement for international students can be found on the UIC Admissions website. Minimum test scores for this program are:
  • Minimum English Competency Test Scores
    • Exam | Score | Reading | Listening | Speaking | Writing
      ---|---|---|---|---|---
      TOEFL iBT | 80 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 21
      IELTS Academic | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0
      PTE Academic | 54 | 51 | 47 | 53 | 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.
• 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

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

• Minimum Semester Hours Required:
  • Educational Leadership and Policy: 100 semester hours from the baccalaureate degree, 68 from the master’s degree.
  • Social Foundations of Education Concentration: 100 semester hours from the baccalaureate degree, 68 from the master’s degree.
• Coursework:
  • Required Course Hours:
    • Educational Leadership and Policy Concentration—Minimum beyond the master's: 32 semester hours in required courses, 12 in required concentration-specific courses, 12 in elective courses.
    • Social Foundations of Education Concentration —Minimum beyond the master's: 32 semester hours in required courses, 16 in required and selective concentration-specific courses, 8 in elective courses.

Course List

Course List Code | Title | Hours
---|---|---
Required Courses|
College Doctoral 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|
Research Methodology (12 semester hours)|
ED 502| Essentials of Qualitative Inquiry in Education|
ED 503| Essentials of Quantitative Inquiry in Education|
One additional 4-semester-hour course in qualitative or quantitative research methodology (must be approved by the faculty advisor).|

Concentrations

• Educational Leadership and Policy (ELP) Concentration:
  • Required ELP Concentration-Specific Courses (8 hours):
    • EDPS 506| Leadership, Instruction, and Policy in Education|
    • EDPS 585| Research Practicum in Educational Leadership|
  • ELP Concentration Selective Courses (12 hours):
    • Select three courses from the following list of five courses in consultation with the advisor:
      • EDPS 550| Improving Education Organizations|
      • EDPS 568| Education and the Law|
      • EDPS 571| The Education Policy Process|
      • EDPS 579| Organization Theory in Education|
      • EDPS 589| Administrative and Leadership Theory in Education|
  • ELP Concentration Elective Courses (12 hours):
    • Each student will support the concentration-specific courses with 12 semester hours of elective courses, selected with the faculty advisor.
• Social Foundations of Education Concentration:
  • Required Concentration-Specific Courses (16 semester hours):
    • EDPS 505| Social Theory in Educational Foundations|
    • Select three of the following (12 hours) :
      • EDPS 500| City Schools: Education in the Urban Environment|
      • EDPS 502| Advanced Foundational Studies in Philosophy of Education|
      • EDPS 503| History and Historiography in Education|
      • EDPS 543| The Criminalization of Youth in Urban Schools|
      • EDPS 555| Political Economy of Urban Education|
      • EDPS 563| Politics of Gender, Sexuality, and Education|
      • EDPS 565| Globalization and Education|
      • EDPS 566| Cultural Studies in Education|
      • EDPS 567| Economics of Education|
      • EDPS 570| Historical and Philosophical Analysis of Education Policy|
      • EDPS 571| The Education Policy Process|
      • EDPS 572| Sociology of Education|
      • EDPS 582| Cultural Pluralism and Education Policy|
      • EDPS 583| Women in Education|
      • EDPS 588| Critical Race Theory: Race and Racism in Education|
      • EDPS 594| Special Topics in Educational Policy|
  • Electives:
    • Each student will support the concentration-specific courses with 8 semester hours of elective courses, selected with the faculty advisor.

Other Requirements

• Examinations:
  • Comprehensive Written Qualifying Examination: Required. Successful completion of the comprehensive exam qualifies students to enter the dissertation proposal stage of the program.
  • Preliminary Examination: Required. The preliminary examination is taken at the completion of all course work.
• Dissertation: Required. Students must earn at least 12 semester hours in EDPS 599.
• Other Requirements: All 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.

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 Studies
• Gender and Women's Studies
• Violence Studies