Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction

Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Curriculum and Instruction is a research degree designed to prepare the student to become a scholar who can discover, integrate, and apply knowledge, as well as communicate and disseminate it. The intent of the program is to prepare the student to make a significant original contribution to knowledge in a specialized field. The program prepares students in one of the following specialty concentrations: elementary education, English education, mathematics education, science education, social studies education, reading education, or special education. These areas provide a general structure of course work selections and research emphases. However, students are encouraged to work with faculty to design programs uniquely fitted to their areas of interest.

The program of study for the degree is determined by the student's advisory committee. Every doctoral student must satisfy all requirements of the Graduate School as well as requirements in course work, internships, the comprehensive exam, the dissertation proposal, and oral defense of the dissertation as directed by the student's advisory committee. Doctoral students in Curriculum and Instruction must maintain a B average in all graduate work. The degree usually requires a minimum of 70 semester hours beyond the master's degree selected from the areas prescribed by the requirements of the Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction. Listed below are the guidelines or normal expectations for a student receiving the PhD degree. However, the final determination of the course of study is made by the advisory committee.

Graduate courses designated for professional development are not eligible to be used toward a graduate degree. A minimum of 3-6 hours of internship is required as part of each specialty area. An internship of sufficient time and quality of experiences to warrant 3-6 semester hours of graduate credit must be planned and executed to the satisfaction of the student's advisory committee.

Specialty areas require from 6 to 18 semester hours in courses outside the School of Education. Approved course work outside the School is intended to provide an area of concentration within the specialty area and/or exposure to disciplines outside the School of Education.

Admission Requirements

Complete application package (Graduate School) - $65.00 application fee for US/Permanent Resident Applications; $75.00 application fee for International Applications; $55.00 application fee for Non-degree Applications
Master's degree • GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale
Competitive GRE scores
Two recommendations that address the applicant's professional experience and scholarly potential.
- Recommendation forms may be sent to recommenders electronically from online application or you may download a PDF recommendation form to send to your recommenders to complete and return to the Graduate School
Relevant Professional Experiences
Interview (a current vita and a writing sample describing in approximately 2 pages the applicant's professional philosophy and goals as well as the purpose for seeking the doctorate must be submitted in advance to the coordinator)
Students whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Preference is given to those applicants who score a minimum of 575.

Goals of Program

The student will be able to critically analyze social, historical, psychological, personal, and policy factors in the development and current practices of curriculum and instruction.
The student will acquire an understanding of the research processes within the field of Curriculum and Instruction including practical design, analysis, and reporting.
The student will understand how to use historical, correlational, descriptive and experimental methods within research in curriculum and Instruction.
The students will be able to analyze critically and evaluate research reports within the field of Curriculum and Instruction.
The student will be able to prepare scholarly, research-based reports and presentations related to the field of Curriculum and Instruction.

Program of Study

I. Core Requirements (31 hours)

A. 12 hours required:

ED F 875 Human Growth and Development

ED F 908 Advanced Educational Tests and Measurement

ED 954 Curriculum Theory

ED 955 Theoretical Bases of Instruction

B. 6 hours chosen from the following:

ED F 870 Schooling as a Cultural Process

ED F 872 History of American Education

ED L 950 Educational Policy Studies

ED SP 853 Legal and Policy Issues in Special Education

ED F 800 Philosophy, Schooling and Educational Policy

C. Research and Assessment Methodology (13 required hours)

EX ST 801, Experimental Statistics

ED 878, Experimental/Non-experimental Research Methods

ED F 879, Qualitative Research in Education - prerequisite required - SOC 603 pending Curriculum Committee review)

ED 894, Directed Research

II. Specialty Area: (27-30 hours)

Specialty area courses vary according to the area

III. Dissertation: (18 hours)

ED 991, Doctoral Dissertation Research (credit to be arranged)

Elementary Education Goals

Students completing the Ph.D. program in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Elementary Education will demonstrate:

1. A research knowledge base of one or more of the academic areas taught in the elementary school with an understanding of how the different areas relate to the learning and instructional needs of all students including:

design, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum

effective instructional methods

current issues and trends affecting teaching and/or learning.

2. Competency in basic and applied research and evaluation related to the elementary school such as curriculum, instruction, and ancillary programs.

Elementary Specialty Area: (30 hours)

1. Required Courses (9 hours)

ED 937-Designing and Documenting Elementary Curriculum-3 hours

ED 938-Teacher as Researcher-3 hours (followed by ED 894-Directed Research)

ED 980-Internship-3 hours

2. Selected Courses: 21 hours of course work approved by the doctoral committee, with at least six hours outside the School of Education.

Reading Education Goals

Students completing the PhD program in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Reading will demonstrate:

1. Research knowledge base in the field of reading with an understanding of the relationship to the learning and instructional needs of all students including:

design, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum;

effective instructional methods; and

current issues and trends affecting teaching and/or learning.

2. Competency in basic and applied research and evaluation related to the field of reading such as curriculum, instruction, assessment, and ancillary programs.

Reading Education Specialty Area (30 hours)

6 hours from the following:

READ 939 Psychology of Reading

READ 944 Reading Research: Review and Critique of the Literature

12 hours from the following:

READ 884* Reading Recovery Clinical I

READ 885* Reading Recovery Clinical II

READ 886* Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Practicum I

READ 887* Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Practicum II

READ 937 Reading Recovery Theory I

READ 938 Reading Recovery Theory II

READ 945 Special Problems in Reading Education

READ 940 Advanced Diagnosis and Remediation

READ 941 Advanced Practicum in Reading

READ 942 Teaching Reading Through a Literature Emphasis

READ 943 The Reading-Writing Connection: An Integrated Approach

6 hours from the following:

PSYCH 833 Cognitive Psychology (3)

ENGL 700 Children's Literature for Teachers (3)
or

ENGL 701 Literature for Teachers (3)

Internship- 6 required hours

*Prerequisite: Admission to the Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Program

English Education Goals

Students completing the Ph.D. program in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Secondary Education-English will demonstrate a research knowledge base that includes current research in the areas of teaching composition, literary response, language development, developments in English language, multimedia applications for the English classroom, within a literary canon that celebrates diversity, and competency in basic and applied research and evaluation related to English education.

Mathematics Education Goals

The Ph.D. program in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis area in Mathematics Education will provide students with instruction and understanding in the mathematics curriculum - what is taught, the process of instruction - how mathematics is taught and assessed, the mathematical knowledge of teacher - so that students may fulfill a variety of professional responsibilities. In addition, students will acquire the skills necessary to read, interpret, utilize and conduct research in mathematics education in order to expand the research knowledge base and allow students to apply knowledge to specific professional responsibilities.

Science Education Goals

Students completing the Ph.D. program in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Science Education will demonstrate an understanding of the research knowledge base in science education of how science process and content are most effectively learned, the components of state-of-the art curriculum models which are most conducive, and the utilization of the most effective research methodologies designed to expand the theory base.

Social Studies Education Goals

Goals Students completing the Ph.D. program in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Social Studies Education will develop a knowledge base in current social studies issues, research, and classroom applications and be able to select and pursue appropriate research topics in social studies.

Secondary Education Specialty Area: 30 hours

A. Concentration: Advanced course work in a discipline or related areas: 18 hours

B. Internship: 3-6 hours

C. Advanced Studies in the Teaching of English, Mathematics, Science, or Social Studies.

3 hours from the appropriate area:

ED 841 English

ED 842 Mathematics

ED 843 Science

ED 844 Social Studies

D. Current Literature in Education-3 hours from the appropriate area:

ED 846 English

ED 847 Mathematics

ED 848 Science

ED 849 Social Studies

Special Education Goals

Students completing the Ph.D. program in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Special Education will demonstrate:

1. A research knowledge base of handicapping and at-risk characteristics integrated with an understanding of how these characteristics related to the learning and instructional needs of individuals in the:

delivery of effective curricular and instructional, functional interventions

philosophical and social contexts of special and regular education

legal and organizational context of special and regular education.

2. Competency in basic and applied research and evaluation, emphasizing special methodological concerns and evaluation of services with individuals with disabilities and at-risk characteristics.

Special Education Specialty Area: 27 hours

A. Special Education Courses: 15 hours as follows

ED SP 930 Advanced Studies in Foundations of Special Education

ED SP 931 Advanced Methods and Curriculum Development in Learning Disabilities

ED SP 932 Advanced Methods and Curriculum Development in Emotionally Handicapped

ED SP 933 Advanced Methods and Curriculum Development in Mentally Handicapped

ED SP 934 Program Models and Critical Issues in Special Education

B. Courses outside the School of Education: 6 hours

C. Internship: 6 hours Courses ED 754

D. Dissertation: 18 hours

Contact Information

David S. Fleming, Ph.D.

Graduate Coordinator

G-01 Tillman Hall

dflemin@clemson.edu