Doctoral Specialization in Curriculum and Instruction
Overview
The doctoral specialization in Curriculum and Instruction prepares candidates for careers requiring curriculum, instruction, and research expertise within public, private, college, and university educational settings. Depending on students’ professional goals and their ability or inability to attend graduate school full time during the academic year, students will either be accepted into the Doctor of Education (EdD) program or the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program.
Distinctions Between EdD and PhD Programs
Full-Time Student (Residency) Definition for PhD
Coursework
Doctoral Students in Curriculum and Instruction take 60 credits of coursework beyond their Masters degree. These courses must be totally completed within an eight-year period. Students in both the PhD and EdD take a set of core courses in theory, foundations, and research (24 credits); design an emphasis area with their advisory committee (18 to 24 credits); and complete 12 credits of dissertation research. Available emphasis areas are: Early Childhood Education; Engineering and Technology Education; Instructional Leadership; Reading/Writing; and Schooling, Culture, and Society. Students in the EdD also complete 6 credits of internship. Emphasis area coursework tends to be more structured for the EdD. For courses for the various program options and emphasis areas see links below.
Coursework Recommendations for EdD Emphasis Areas
Early Childhood Education
Engineering and Technology Education
Instructional Leadership
Reading/Writing
Schooling, Culture, and Society
Internship Information
Timelines for Degree Completion
Prospective doctoral students often want to know how long it will take to complete a doctorate. Below are some sample plans. Please realize that course schedules change every semester so these plans are only to give you a sense of what type of load you would need to carry to finish your doctoral program in a given length of time. Your advisory committee will assist you in preparing an individualized Program of Study.
2.5 year PhD sample plan
3-year EdD sample plan
4-year EdD sample plan
Departments and Faculty
Five academic departments in three different colleges are involved in offering the Curriculum and Instruction (C & I) Doctoral Program. This is why we are referred to as an “Interdepartmental Doctoral Program.” The departments involved in the C & I specialization are: Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Agricultural Systems and Technology Education, Engineering and Technology Education, and Instructional Technology. Additional support faculty come from a range of disciplines in a variety of colleges. For a listing of specific C & I faculty members go to “Faculty List. Look for names followed by the letters C & I.
Admittance to the Program
Applications to the USU School of Graduate Studies
are available at: http://www.usu.edu/gradsch/ On the School of Graduate Studies site go to "Prospective
Students" and then to "Admissions and Applications"
to get information on admission requirements. Once your general
USU Graduate School application is complete you will be asked
to send in additional information to the College of Education
and Human Services. To preview this request see Additional
C & I Application Information.
Admission Dates for Curriculum and Instruction Specialization
The admissions committee for the C & I doctoral program meets several times a semester to consider complete applications. Meetings are generally held in September, October, November, February, March, and April. Doctoral applicants interested in having the best opportunity to be awarded a graduate assistantship for the following year should have their doctoral applications completed no later than the end of February. Decisions regarding assistantships for full-time doctoral students are generally made in March.
Distance Doctoral Program
Every two years, 40 students are admitted to the Curriculum and Instruction Distance Doctoral Program. The Distance Doctorate is a cohort program with a highly structured and sequenced program of studies. Currently this cohort program is available to students who reside in selected non-Wasatch Front communities within the state of Utah. For specific information on this program see: U.S.U. Distance Education
Semester Planning Guidebook
For applicants and current students wanting details about policies and procedures relevant to all interdepartmental doctoral program in the College of Education and Human Services see: http://www.idp.usu.edu. This handbook provides information on items such as: financial assistance, steps for completing your doctorate, comprehensive examination guidelines, and dissertation research procedures.
For Further Information Contact:
Deborah A. Byrnes, PhD
Director, C & I Doctoral Program
College of Education and Human Services
Utah State University
Logan, Utah 84322-2805
Deborah.byrnes@usu.edu
(435)797-0396