Doctor of Philosophy in Education, PhD

Doctor of Philosophy in Education

Curriculum and Teaching (CT) Specialization

The nature and purpose of the Curriculum and Teaching specialization within the PhD program is to provide teacher -learners the knowledge, skills, and professional competencies that will enhance their contributions to the theoretical knowledge of the field. You will have the opportunity to explore, examine, and evaluate contemporary teaching and instructional practices, including the evaluation of broader curriculum programs.

Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialization

In this specialization, you will build on the foundational principles of early childhood education as you focus on research and theory. This focus will include curriculum, assessment, and program administration that aligns with theories about the growth and development of young children. You will also investigate early childhood literacy and literature along with the roles of families, caregivers, schools, and communities. This specialization supports your future work as a researcher contributing to the broader body of knowledge around early childhood education.

English Language Learning (ELL) Specialization

The English Language Learning (ELL) specialization within the PhD program contributes to your preparation as a research scholar in the field. You will build on your existing knowledge and skills in preparation for continued research around teaching, assessing, and developing curriculum for English language learners. The final course offers you the opportunity to consider significant issues in ELL education, and one of these issues might inspire your dissertation topic and your future research agenda. Please note that, if you are seeking ELL/ESL certification, you should verify with appropriate state officials that this specialization meets applicable certification requirements.

General Education Specialization

The General Education specialization allows students to select courses from a broad range of electives to fit their personal and professional goals.

Students must complete a minimum of six specialization courses and one elective course. Students may take education courses at the 7000 or 9000 level including up to two courses from other fields (Psychology, Technology and/or Business) to fulfill their specialization requirements. Additional courses (i. e., more than two courses) from other disciplines may be considered to fill this requirement, with Dean approval.

Instructional Leadership (IL) Specialization

The program provides knowledge in educational leadership research, theory, and practices applicable to higher education. Research and analysis are conducted to identify future directions of national and global higher education focused on educational change through policy development and educational reform.

International Education and Globalization (IEG) Specialization

The International Education and Globalization specialization focuses on educational phenomena, practices, institutions, and organizations within different societies and cultures. This specialization includes an exploration of international organizations, policies, initiatives, and challenges faced by international and global practitioners. Further, this specialization prepares individuals to apply the concepts of organizational training, development, and ethical leadership to the design, management, and evaluation of programs, institutions, and organizations. Additionally, this specialization will examine issues, challenges, and opportunities related to culture and society; as well as conflict, mediation, and resolution. Finally, this specialization explores the concepts of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in international and global contexts. For the Ph.D. student, this includes an exploration of policy and related theories of leadership.

Leadership in Coaching and Sport Management Specialization

The specialization is designed to allow students to develop and enhance academic and practical skills for success in the academy and other career paths. The specialization reinforces principles in leadership, research, appreciation of literature, and data driven decision making, allowing graduates to create or enhance their own niche in the many disciplines of athletic coaching and sport management. Students will integrate professional and ethical essentials of leadership including DEI in athletic coaching and sport management and validate research principles to make data driven decisions in athletic coaching and sport management. Further, students will justify continual professional development in athletic coaching and sport management and cultivate effective communications with all audiences using a variety of delivery modalities. Finally, students will synthesize literature for research-based practice in athletic coaching and sport management and develop specialization content knowledge in the core and related courses. The specialization blends coursework, research, and practical experience to prepare the graduates for careers in interscholastic, intercollegiate, professional, and recreational sport settings.

Leadership in Higher Education (LHE) Specialization

This specialization prepares you to lead in a variety of higher education institutions. You will examine leadership across different functions, such as student services, strategic planning, and academic program and curriculum development, as well as different types of institutions, such as public, private, for profit, and non-profit. You will also explore the leader’s role in other institutional operations related to legal and financial considerations.

Online Teaching and Learning (OTL) Specialization

This specialization integrates curriculum development, instructional design and course delivery using technology and online learning management systems. The specialization focuses on providing a knowledge base of current research for the planning and implementation of teaching and delivery modalities using instructional design methodologies incorporating educational media.

Organizational Leadership (OL) Specialization

Designed for professionals aspiring towards leadership roles in education, corporate, government, or community organizations, this specialization equips students with the tools necessary to make things happen in any organization. This specialization concentrates on the strategies to forge alliances, build confidence, and inspire a shared vision. This curriculum is based in applied research, providing exploration of issues and resolutions in contemporary organizations and the opportunity to contribute new knowledge in the field.

School Safety, Security and Emergency Management (SEM) Specialization

The school safety, security, and emergency management specialization is designed to allow learners to focus on the three areas unique to the specialization title. Students who feel safe and secure at school are better able to learn by engaging with the curriculum, their teachers, and their peers. This specialization offers K-12 professionals and other related emergency management or district management personnel the opportunity to learn about diverse topics such as technologies to manage safety, security, and emergencies; threat assessments of people and facilities; restorative justice, and other alternatives to student discipline; and how to contribute, implement and improve school safety plans. Further, a theoretical underpinning of these issues and the needed response will be examined. Learners will demonstrate their proficiency through a capstone project in the final specialization course.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialization

The Social Emotional Learning (SEL) specialization is focused on mid-career or advanced classroom teachers, school counselors or psychologists, and school/district administrators who desire a more intensive examination of the five core competencies identified by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, and social awareness. From a practitioner’s perspective, you will examine how these competencies are applied across classrooms, schools, homes, and communities. While individuals outside of the K-12 school context would benefit from the specialization, the courses do use a K-12 lens.

Special Education (SE) Specialization

The program is designed for students who work with gifted and disabled students in a variety of settings. The course offerings in this specialization cover a wide spectrum of issues related to individuals with disabilities, including the development and characteristics of students, learning differences, and instructional strategies to address the needs of these students. Additionally, the specialization will provide the skills to plan, assess, and deliver instruction to students with mental, physical, behavioral, learning disabilities, and the gifted student, using analysis of contemporary research.

Trauma-Informed Educational Practices (TRA) Specialization

The PhD degree is a theoretically-driven degree, which asks students to explore and integrate components of theoretical, fundamental knowledge related to teaching and learning with a focus on specific trauma-informed educational practices. This exploration will extend across various educational settings and populations and will examine the theoretical fundamentals of a trauma-informed approach to education, how trauma manifests in different populations and communities, specific trauma-informed strategies for the classroom, and theory which supports strengthening resilience among both students and educators.