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 60 credit hour Doctor of Philosophy in Education program that includes
51 hours of coursework and
a minimum of 9 dissertation hours;
the PhD in Education degree will be awarded after successful completion of the program.
One concentration: Organizational Leadership
Five Professional Studies Focus Areas (choose one): Program Evaluation Certificate, Advanced Interprofessional AI Applications Certificate, Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) Certificate, Business Executive Leadership Certificate or Professional Focus Area.
Each focus area in this doctoral program reflects the institution’s mission to combine education with service. The curriculum for each focus area has been designed to meet the needs of the communities served by the university. Students benefit from a clear grounding in their chosen focus 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.
Admission Requirements
Admission to doctoral study is restricted to applicants whose backgrounds show promise of scholarship in their field of study. For admission to the doctoral program, an applicant must submit:
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Evidence of an earned master’s degree from an accredited college or university (or international equivalent) with a minimum GPA of 3.0
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Official transcripts of all college or university work
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Two letters of recommendation, one from a professional colleague or former professor
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Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
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Writing sample or Capstone project
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Quantitative assessment
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Assessment interview
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Other specific criteria may be required by concentrations within the PhD program.
Degree Requirements
The Doctoral Program of Study requires the following degree requirements:
Doctoral Seminar (INDR 8010) taken at the beginning of the program.
51 semester hours of coursework: 15 of core research courses, 15 hours of core leadership courses, 18 - 21 hours of professional studies courses, three hours of elective coursework, a Qualifying Examination (INDR 8191 Prep for QE) reaching candidacy status, and a minimum of 9 semester hours of Dissertation Writing.
The doctoral degree is granted after all requirements are met and the Dissertation Clearance form is signed.
The program combines coursework and scholarly research with application, fostering the integration of theory and practice.
Core Courses
Doctoral Seminar
| INDR 8110 | Doctoral Research Seminar | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 1 |
Core Leadership Courses
Professional Studies Courses
Students will choose one certificate or focus area: Community-Based Participatory Action Research Certificate, Program Evaluation Certificate, Advanced Interprofessional AI Applications Certificate, or Professional Focus Area. Reference the Dreeben School of Education Professional Studies Certificate - Focus Area course listing for specific requirements.
| EVAL 6310 | Program Evaluation Theory | 3 |
| EVAL 8310 | Program Evaluation Theory | 3 |
| EVAL 6320 | Program Evaluation Methods | 3 |
| EVAL 8320 | Program Evaluation Methods | 3 |
| EVAL 6330/ EVAL 6330 | Program Development for Organizations | 3 |
| EVAL 6350 | Artificial Intelligence Augmented Program Evaluation Design and Methods | 3 |
| EVAL 6340 | Contemporary Topics in Program Evaluation | 3 |
| EVAL 6360 | Project-Based Experience in Program Evaluation | 3 |
| IPED 6300 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 3 |
| IPED 7300 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 3 |
| IPED 6310 | Ethics and Responsibilities in Artificial Intelligence | 3 |
| IPED 7310 | Ethics and Responsibilities in Artificial Intelligence | 3 |
| IPED 6320 | Interdisciplinary Artificial Intelligence Applications: | 3 |
| IPED 7320 | Interdisciplinary Artificial Intelligence Applications: | 3 |
| IPED 6330 | Entrepreneurial Innovations with Artificial Intelligence: | 3 |
| IPED 7330 | Entrepreneurial Innovations with Artificial Intelligence: | 3 |
| IPED 6340 | Artificial Intelligence for Data-Driven Assessment & Leadership Decision Science | 3 |
| IPED 7340 | Artificial Intelligence for Data-Driven Assessment & Leadership Decision Science | 3 |
| IPED 6350 | Contemporary Topics in Interprofessional Artificial Intelligence Applications | 3 |
| IPED 7350 | Contemporary Topics in Interprofessional Artificial Intelligence Applications | 3 |
| IPED 6360/ IPED 7360 | Project-Based Experience in Advanced Interprofessional AI Applications | 3 |
| IPED 7360/ IPED 6360 | Project-Based Experience in Advanced Interprofessional AI Applications | 3 |
| EDUC 6352/ EDUC 8352 | Applied Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) | 3 |
| EDUC 8352/ EDUC 6352 | Applied Community Based Participatory Research | 3 |
| EDUC 6358/ EDUC 8358 | Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Expanding the Boundaries of Change | 3 |
| EDUC 6382/ EDUC 7382 | Designing and Facilitating Processes for Community and Social Change | 3 |
| EDUC 7382/ EDUC 6382 | Designing and Facilitating Processes for Community and Social Change | 3 |
| EDUC 6381/ EDUC 7381 | Project-Based Experience in CBPAR | 3 |
| EDUC 6368 | Contemporary Topics in Action Research | 3 |
| EDUC 7381/ EDUC 6381 | Project-Based Experience in CBPAR | 3 |
| DBA 8320 | Corporate Financial Decision-Making and Value Creation | 3 |
| DBA 8345 | Marketing Research and Analysis | 3 |
| DBA 8355 | Practical Econometrics and Decision-Making | 3 |
| DBA 8365 | Business Strategy, Simulation, and Integration | 3 |
| ORGL 7355/ ORGL 6355 | Contemporary Topics in Organizational Leadership | |
| ORGL 7350/ ORGL 6350 | Project-Based Experience in Organizational Leadership | 3 |
| ORGL 6355/ ORGL 7355 | Contemporary Topics in Organizational Leadership | 3 |
| ORGL 6350/ ORGL 7350 | Project-Based Experience in Organizational Leadership | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18-21 |
Elective
An elective course may come from any certificate area, or any course approved by the advisor.
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.
Total Credit Hours: 60
Dissertation Candidacy Requirements
To qualify for candidacy and enrollment in dissertation writing courses, students must:
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Complete the residency requirement of 45 hours of PhD coursework at UIW;
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Successfully complete all required coursework as verified by the degree audit;
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Successfully pass the qualifying exam;
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Comply with the UIW continuous enrollment policy;
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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.