Educational Theory, Research and Practice (EdD)

The Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership at Binghamton University offers an EdD program that integrates theory, research and practice to increase understanding of and improve teaching and learning within the broader institutional, social, organizational and political context of early childhood, elementary, secondary and postsecondary educational settings and related fields.

The program emphasizes a broadening experience, where students gain breadth and depth through the required core and research courses, careful planning of electives and learning alongside a cohort of students with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The intent is to foster constructive and insightful discourse across professional areas and research interests.

The doctoral program is designed with both collective and individualized elements. All students will take core courses that emphasize theories and research methods used in addressing meaningful educational and social issues. These courses have both applied and theoretical contributions for addressing complex and multilayered problems. In these classes, students will be encouraged to refine their own research questions through the integration of theories and methods across disciplines and professional fields.

The doctoral program has three core learning areas:

1. Educational Theory and Practice
2. Ethics, Diversity, and Social Justice in Education
3. Research and Scholarship in Education

Detailed information about the doctoral program can be found in the EdD Doctoral Student Handbook.

Program requirements

The requirements for the EdD in Educational Theory, Research and Practice include:

Coursework

Students will work closely with their program advisors to develop an individualized plan of study that includes required core courses in education, core research courses, and elective courses for a minimum of 36 post-masters credits. Students are required to maintain a GPA of 3.0.

Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination is a major milestone in doctoral education; it marks the shift from doctoral student to doctoral candidate, demonstrating that students have acquired specialized knowledge in educational theory, research and practice, and have developed the expertise necessary to undertake advanced-level dissertation work. The comprehensive examination will take place only after students complete all of their coursework. Upon successfully passing the comprehensive examination, students are officially advanced to doctoral candidacy.  

Dissertation

Once advanced to candidacy, students demonstrate their skill and ability as scholars through successfully completing the requirements for the dissertation. In consultation with the dissertation chair and committee, doctoral candidates will determine the dissertation format (i.e., Traditional or Multiple Article) that best aligns with their research and career goals.

Required courses

In addition to the following required courses, students are required to complete a minimum of five elective courses. One of the elective courses must be an advanced research course. Students work with their advisors to determine their elective courses and develop programs of study.  

Education Core Courses

• EDUC 600 - Intro Seminar in Doc Studies

  This course is a required core course for new students in the doctoral program. It is designed to provide students with a foundation for their future studies through exposure to theoretical and empirical literature, familiarity with academia, as well as the research interests and expertise of the faculty. The course also serves as an opportunity to build and participate in an intellectual community with others in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership. Offered: fall. 3 credits. Levels: Graduate

• EDUC 601 - Educ Theory & Phil

  Examination of various philosophical perspectives that inform educational practice and policy. Exploration of important relations and tensions among educational theory, research, policy, and practice. Students will analyze current educational issues through the writings of educational philosophers and theorists and apply their own developing perspectives/frameworks. Offered: spring. 3 credits. Levels: Graduate

• EDUC 603 - TheoryResearchTeachLearnSchool

  In this course, students explore theory and research central to understanding and studying teaching and learning. The course is framed around three guiding questions: (a) What is teaching, (b) What is learning, and (c) What is the relationship between teaching and learning in the context in which it occurs (e.g., schooling)? Through course readings, discussions, and independent exploration, students will examine a wide range of both classic and contemporary learning theories, explore the various ways in which the practice of teaching is conceptualized, synthesize research and scholarship on teaching and learning in their area of interest, and integrate information through the juxtaposition of learning theory, pedagogical practices, and the social context of schooling. Offered: spring. 3 credits. Levels: Graduate

• EDUC 605 - Race, Class and SJ in EDUC

  Students will investigate the historical origins and the institutional, political, social, and cultural forces that shape the social contexts . The course will examine the changing nature of family and community, as well as the dynamics of race, class, and gender in contributing to or alleviating inequality in education. Offered: fall. 3 credits. Levels: Graduate

Research Courses

• EDUC 620 - Research Process In Educ

  This course is intended to enhance students’ abilities to become both consumers and producers of educational research. In this course, students will examine the philosophical underpinnings of educational research, differentiate the methodological foundations of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research approaches, and identify the ethical and legal considerations involved in conducting and reporting educational research. Based on a topic of interest, students will locate, read, and synthesize a corpus of research across a broad range of methodological approaches. Students will produce a written review of the literature to advance their understanding of how their topics are situated in a broader field of study and to begin developing a rationale for their future research. Offered: varies. 3 credits. Levels: Graduate

• EDUC 621 - Seminar in Quantitative Resch

  This course is intended to develop students' understanding of quantitative research. Students will examine diverse methods and designs used in quantitative research. Students will develop the skills necessary to design quantitative studies, develop research questions, and apply the techniques used in statistical analysis. Other topics include the application of techniques to current educational issues; understanding the role of research and policy-making, and an emphasis on real-world data and student projects. Offered: fall. 3 credits. Pre-requisite: EDUC 620 Levels: Graduate

• EDUC 622 - Seminar In Qualitative Resch

  This course is intended to develop students’ understanding of qualitative research. Students will explore a range of theoretical frameworks, the important assumptions embedded within them, and the implications of these assumptions for conducting and evaluating qualitative research. Students will learn about the variety of approaches/methodologies, methods for data collection, and techniques for data analysis used in qualitative research. Students will design and carry out qualitative research and communicate the results of their research. Offered: spring. 3 credits. Pre-requisite: EDUC 620 Levels: Graduate

Inquiries

For questions about Binghamton University's Doctorate in Education - Educational Theory, Research and Practice, email tlel@binghamton.edu. 

Apply

To apply to this program, visit our Admissions page.