Ph.D in Instructional Leadership for Changing Populations
Overview
Program of Study
Curriculum
Comprehensive Examinations
Dissertation
Course Descriptions
The Ph.D. in Instructional Leadership for Changing Populations is designed to prepare graduates who will be equipped to provide instructional leadership in various areas whose research will contribute to knowledge in the field. The driving purpose of the program is to bring the best of relevant contemporary scholarship to bear on creating learning environments that improve the academic performance of all students and to meet the particular needs of these new learners. The program requires a knowledge core, a research core, comprehensive examinations and a formal dissertation.
Program of Study
The program requires elements common to all doctoral studies: research methods, comprehensive examinations, research seminar and dissertation. The course content includes study of language, learning and instruction; historical, global and philosophical perspectives; change theory; and educational policy and legal issues.
Courses in the areas of language, learning and philosophical perspectives provide necessary understandings and approaches fundamental to all aspects of the program. Because they establish the foundation and focus for all other studies, these courses should be taken at the beginning of the doctoral program.
Curriculum
Depending on the prior graduate work of the student, 45 to 60 credits will be required to complete the degree. Students receiving a grade less than a B in the Ph.D. program must repeat the class. If they do not receive a grade of B or better the second time they take the class, they will be withdrawn from the PhD program.
Courses
Introductory Research Course (3 Credits)
EDU-543 Reading, Analyzing and Interpreting Educational Research (3)
Language and Learning (12 credits)
EDU-647 Learning, Language and the Brain (3)
EDU-676 Educational Applications of Multimedia (3) or
EDU-665 Digital Game Based Learning and Design (3)
EDU-697 Language and Intercultural Communication for Changing Populations (3)
EDU-698 Linguistic and Cultural Diversity (3)
Philosophical Perspectives (12 credits)
EDU-672 Changing School Populations in Historical Perspectives (3)
EDU-674 Global and International Perspectives in Education (3)
EDU-675 Democracy and Education: Philosophical Perspectives (3)
IDS-500 The Human Spirit and the Liberal Arts (3)
Changing Populations (9 credits)
EDU-615 Educator as a Change Leader (3)
EDU-622 Education and Policy Analysis for Changing Schools (3)
EDU-660 Legislative and Legal Decisions Affecting Changing School Populations (3)
Research Core (9 credits)
EDU-695 Research Design (3)
EDU-701 Methods of Quantitative Research (3)
EDU-703 Methods of Qualitative Research (3)
Special Interest Area (6 credits)
Students select two courses related to an area of special interest within the broad domain of instructional leadership and improving learning for changing student populations.
Comprehensive Examinations
Prior to undertaking the dissertation, candidates must pass oral and written comprehensive examinations demonstrating knowledge both of the broad conceptual and procedural aspects of instruction for changing populations and in-depth knowledge in the area of specialization in which the candidate proposes to undertake the investigations that will result in the doctoral dissertation. Students must complete the comprehensive exam requirement within two years of completing course work.
The comprehensive exam experience requires students to write essay answers demonstrating proficiency in writing, critical thinking, and holistic perspectives, and to demonstrate their ability to articulate their perceived roles as agents of change in education.
Written and oral examinations must be passed in the following areas:
- Language and learning
- Philosophical perspectives
- Changing populations
Written comprehensive examinations are administered in September and January. If a degree candidate fails any section of the examination, that student will have one opportunity to rewrite that failed section. The written examinations are read by the candidate's comprehensive committee, consisting of two faculty specialists. In the event of divided scoring, a third faculty expert will be asked to review the examination. After two failures of any section, the candidate may not continue in the Ph.D. program. Written examinations are not returned to students.
The candidate may not sit for the oral examination until all sections of the written comprehensives have been passed. Oral examinations are scheduled within three weeks after the successful completion of the written tests. Two or three faculty reviewers conduct the session. In the oral examination, the candidate should be prepared to respond to questions that pursue issues raised in the written examinations, to discuss any other topic related to the program of study, or to explore how he/she plans to proceed with the dissertation. As a result of the oral examination, a candidate may be required to take additional course work in a specific area.
Grades assigned to comprehensive examinations are:
- Pass with distinction (PH indicating honors)
- Pass (P)
- Fail (F)
Students are officially notified of the results by the dean of education.
Dissertation
The dissertation is the culmination of the candidate's doctoral studies. In this extended work of original and independent research, the candidate addresses a problem or issue relevant to education, conducts research that is quantitative, qualitative, or historical/philosophical (depending on the chosen subject), and develops a dissertation that adds to knowledge in the field. After identifying the research topic and receiving approval from the Dissertation Committee, the candidate works closely with a dissertation advisor to complete each stage of the dissertation process.
To be eligible to register for the Dissertation Seminar, the candidate must have completed successfully all required courses in the program, have passed the written and oral comprehensive examinations, and be a student in good standing at the University.
The following courses are required:
- EDU-705 Dissertation Seminar (3 credits)
- EDU-706 Dissertation Seminar: Methodology (3 credits) OR EDU-707 Dissertation Seminar: Historical Methods (3 credits)
After completing their coursework, comprehensive exams and Dissertation Seminars, students must register for EDU 800-Dissertation Continuation (1 credit) for each academic semester (Fall, Spring and Summer) until they graduate.
Students writing a qualitative/quantitative dissertation must accumulate a minimum of 3 credits of EDU-800 before graduation; students writing a historical dissertation, who have not taken EDU-707, must accumulate a minimum of 6 credits of EDU 800 before graduation.
Submission of the Dissertation
The candidate submits the completed dissertation manuscript to the dissertation adviser and to the second readers.
After the adviser and readers review the manuscript, the candidate makes the required revisions and submits five copies to the dean of education. Due dates for submission of dissertations to the dean are December 1 (for May graduation) and May 1 (for December graduation). If the dissertation is then found to be satisfactory, the dean of education schedules the dissertation defense. Manuscripts that do not follow the format expectations set forth in the Dissertation Handbook will not be accepted.
Dissertation Defense
The candidate defends the dissertation before a committee formed by the dean of education in consultation with the advisor and the candidate. The committee includes faculty from the School of Education. Where relevant to the student's research topic, the committee may also include a faculty member from a complementary discipline.
The dissertation defense must be successfully completed by these dates:
- April 1 for May graduation
- November 1 for December graduation
These are firm deadlines.
Dissertations are graded as follows:
- Pass with distinction
- Pass
- Fail