Doctor of Philosophy in Education
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program at the Dreeben School of Education readies students to be scholarly researchers, educators, and leaders that are fully prepared to affect positive change in global, organizational and community settings.
Our education doctoral programs emphasize developing leaders through a multidisciplinary program that provides opportunities for international experience, guided practicum and collaborative learning experiences, both locally and globally.
The Doctor of Philosophy in Education degree:
— a 66 credit hour Doctor of Philosophy in Education program that includes
57 hours of coursework and
a minimum of 9 dissertation hours;
the PhD in Education degree will be awarded after successful completion of the program.
Three concentrations:
— Adult Education, Social Innovation, and Entrepreneurship
— Organizational Leadership and Evaluation
— Student Services and Higher Education Administration
Each subject area in these doctoral programs reflects the institution’s mission to combine education with service. Many students have opportunities for local and international internships and research. The curriculum for each subject area has been designed to meet the needs of the communities served by the university.
Students benefit from a clear grounding in their chosen subject area, which balances the educational component of the degrees and thus better prepares students to draw from and apply critical theory, transformative learning, experiential learning, and self-directed learning in their research. This will complement and provide a better basis for the degree plan's focus on research and methodological innovation.
Combined Degree Pathway option: Education — Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy
Degree Requirements
The Doctoral Program of Study requires 57 semester hours of coursework—27 of which are in the common core, plus 30 hours of a selected concentration—a Qualifying Examination, reaching candidacy status, and a minimum of 9 semester hours of Dissertation Writing.
In addition to the curriculum, there are unique opportunities for domestic and international internships. The doctoral degree is granted after all requirements are met and the Dissertation Clearance form is signed.
The program is built on the following common core and combines scholarly research with application, fostering the integration of theory and practice.
Core Research Courses (18 hours)
| INDR 8350 | Introduction to Inquiry | 3 |
| INDR 8351 | Quantitative Research Methods and Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| INDR 8355 | Qualitative Research Methods and Analysis | 3 |
| EDUC 7333/EDUC 6333 | Action Research | 3 |
| INDR 8390 | Advanced Research Methods and Instrumentation | 3 |
| INDR 8353 | Advanced Quantitative Design and Analysis | 3 |
| | Or | |
| INDR 8357 | Advanced Qualitative Design and Analysis | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Core Theory Courses (9 hours)
Adult Education, Social Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Concentration (30 hours—includes 6 elective course hours)
The Adult Education, Social Innovation, and Entrepreneurship concentration draws from entrepreneurial ideas, values, world-views, and practices and applies them in education, business, and other fields. It does so by providing students with a clear grounding in action research and adult education principles, practices, and methods which underpin social innovation and entrepreneurial strategies. This will better prepare students to draw from and apply critical theory, transformative learning, experiential learning, self-directed learning, and andragogy in their applied and/or participatory, action-oriented research.
Electives
6 hours of approved electives are also required.
Organization Leadership and Program Evaluation Concentration (30 hours—includes 6 elective course hours)
The Organizational Leadership and Program Evaluation concentration offers students a clear grounding in program evaluation and organizational leadership theories, practices, and methods. It does so by preparing students to apply program evaluation and leadership theories in their research and practice. The concentration expands beyond traditional research and evaluation practices to include action-oriented approaches and methodological innovation.
Electives
6 hours of approved electives are also required.
Student Services and Higher Education Administration Concentration (30 hours—includes 3 elective course hours)
The Student Services and Higher Education Administration concentration provides students with a clear grounding in higher education and student services principles, practices, and methods. This prepares students to draw from and apply critical theory, transformative learning, experiential learning, self-directed learning, and andragogy in their research. This complements and provides a strong basis for Student Services and Higher Education’s focus on action research and methodological innovation. With an emphasis on collaborative learning, the concentration incorporates collegiality among and between students and faculty. Opportunities are available for learning through teaching, a practicum, and directed consultation and research.
Elective
3 hours of approved electives are also required.
Dissertation Phase
Students who successfully complete all coursework, pass the qualifying exam, and satisfy all requirements for candidacy are eligible to take the INDR 9300 dissertation writing course. INDR 9300 must be taken a minimum of three (3) times (9 credit hours) before their public defense. If students do not defend after nine (9) credit hours, they may repeat the INDR 9300 dissertation writing course until they have successfully completed their public defense.
| INDR 9300 | Dissertation Writing | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
Students must enroll in a minimum of 9 dissertation hours to meet program requirements. If the dissertation is not completed after 9 credit hours, additional enrollments in INDR 9300 are required.
Dissertation Candidacy Requirements
To qualify for candidacy and enrollment in dissertation writing courses, students must:
-
Complete the residency requirement of 45 hours of PhD coursework at UIW;
-
Successfully complete all required coursework as verified by the degree audit;
-
Successfully pass the qualifying exam;
-
Comply with the UIW continuous enrollment policy;
-
Complete any additional requirements as stipulated in the Doctoral Student Handbook in place at the time of candidacy.
NOTE: As stated in the PhD in Education degree plan, candidates are required to complete a minimum of nine dissertation writing hours, enrolling in INDR 9300 for three aggregate semesters. Continuous enrollment policy requires registration for fall and spring semesters, unless candidates have applied and been approved for a leave of absence. Summer enrollment in INDR 9300 is optional and requires approval from the dissertation chair.