Educational Studies, Ph.D.

For information regarding deadlines and requirements for admission, please see https://grs.uncg.edu/programs/.

In addition to the application materials required by The Graduate School, applicants must submit a:

  • Personal Statement
  • Resume

GRE optional for the Higher Education concentration of the Ph.D. in Educational Studies.

Degree Program Requirements

Required: 60 credit hours

Teacher Education and Development Concentration

Required: 60-75 credit hours

All students must meet the requirements described below. Additional course requirements are determined on an individual basis through planning by the student and their doctoral advisory/dissertation committee.

Required Core Courses (18 credits)
TED 646Learning in Schools and Communities 13
TED 727Academic Discourse Communities in Graduate Studies3
or SES 755 Systematic Review of Special Education Literature
or HED 721 Seminar in Literature Review and Research
TED 746Seminar: Research on Teaching3
TED 747Doctoral Seminar in Learning and Cognition3
TED 749Introduction to Educational Studies3
SES 761Coaching and Supervision of Teaching and Learning3
Research Component Courses (18-21 credits)
TED 730Qualitative Methods in Curriculum and Instruction3
TED 738Mixed Methods Research Design in Curriculum and Instruction3
TED 775Directed Doctoral Research 23-6
or SES 775 Directed Research
ERM 781Design and Analysis of Educational Experiments 3
SES 759Grant Writing in Education 30 or 3
Select one quantitative or qualitative methods course (3 credits) 43
Concentration Courses (12-15 credits)
Select 12-15 credits of concentration courses 512-15
Dissertation (12-24 credits)
TED 799Dissertation12-24
or SES 799 Dissertation
Total Credit Hours60-75
1

Or approved substitute.

2

Students complete 3-6 credits depending on their research study requirements; most students will complete 6 credits.

3

Optional course; required depending on a student's area of concentration as advised by the program. If students do not take SES 759, they must complete 6 credits of TED 775.

4

With advice and approval of the student's doctoral committee. Can include ERM 780 Intermediate Statistical Methods in Education , prerequisite for ERM 781.

5

With the advice and approval of the doctoral committee.

Research Component Courses

The research component must include both qualitative and quantitative research courses, plus an applied research component. Students are expected to acquire a deep understanding of the concepts of research and inquiry as they relate to curriculum and instruction. The knowledge base should include understanding of various research paradigms, criticisms of these paradigms, and the ability to conduct scholarly research. The research component must include one doctoral-level qualitative methods course, one doctoral-level mixed methods research course, one doctoral-level statistics course, and at least 6 credits of applied research courses as listed above.

Concentration Courses

Students will decide on courses with the advice and approval of the doctoral committee. By carefully selecting courses, students may develop a focus in any of several areas including teacher education, elementary education, middle grades education, reading and literacy education, mathematics education, social studies education, science education, equity education, or an interdisciplinary focus.

Higher Education Concentration

Required: 60 credit hours

Core Course Requirements (15 credits)
HED 721Seminar in Literature Review and Research3
HED 745Higher Education: Equity, Inclusion and Learning3
HED 746Organizational Theory in Higher Education3
HED 749Professional Seminar in Higher Education Research3
HED 768Critical Theory in Higher Education3
Concentration Course Requirements (15 credits)
Select two courses (6 credits) of electives from 700-level HED courses *6
Select three courses (9 credits) of electives **9
Research Methods Course Requirements (18 credits)
HED 767Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis3
HED 769Scholarly Writing in a Gendered and Racialized Academy3
HED 775Directed Doctoral Research3
ERM 780Intermediate Statistical Methods in Education 3
ERM 781Design and Analysis of Educational Experiments 3
TED 738Mixed Methods Research Design in Curriculum and Instruction3
Dissertation (12 credits)
HED 799Dissertation12
Total Credit Hours60
*

In consultation with the advisor. See Concentration Course Requirements below for details.

**

In consultation with the advisor, students select three courses that focus on specific problems of theory, policy, or practice in higher education. See Concentration Course Requirements below for details.

Concentration Course Requirements

Students are required to select two 700-level HED elective courses and three additional elective courses. HED 728 Topics in Curriculum and Instruction is a recommended elective course in addition to the two required 700-level courses.

Elective courses will be selected based on the student's interests and, therefore, individually designed. In consultation with the advisor, the student will select a coherent set of two concentration courses focusing on specific problems of theory, policy, or practice in higher education and are appropriate for the student’s professional goals and interests.

Required Milestones*

  • Residency (Immersion)
  • Research Competency
  • Plan of Study
  • Comprehensive Exam (Written & Oral)
  • Dissertation Proposal
  • Admission to Candidacy
  • Dissertation Defense
  • Filing the Final Approved Dissertation
*

General information about milestones for doctoral programs is available in Section III of the Graduate Policies page in the University Catalog. For information about how milestones are accomplished for a specific program, please refer to the doctoral program's handbook.