Degree Requirements

EdD in Educational Theory, Research and Practice

The requirements for the EdD in Educational Theory, Research and Practice include four core education courses, three research courses and five elective courses. Students are encouraged to work closely with their advisors to select electives that will support their research programs and career trajectories. In addition to maintaining a 3.0 grade point average in all courses that count toward credit for the EDUC doctoral degree, students are required to:

• Pass a comprehensive examination (portfolio) that occurs when all coursework is completed and before the dissertation proposal. Students must successfully pass the comprehensive examination in order to proceed to dissertation. See portfolio process description.

• Complete a traditional or three-paper dissertation that establishes students as independent scholars in their area of expertise. In addition to the traditional format, alternatively, the dissertation may include chapters that are a series of publishable papers or published journal articles. Details about the dissertation options are provided in the dissertation section.

Education core courses

• 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

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

Elective courses

Students are required to complete a minimum of 20 credits of elective courses. In consultation with the student’s advisor, these requirements may be fulfilled by any combination of doctoral courses in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Educational Leadership (i.e., courses numbered 600 and above) and/or graduate-level courses in other departments (i.e., courses numbered 500 and above).