The Graduate School

Curriculum and Instruction, Ed.D.

The Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction program prepares professionals in the community to assume administrative and leadership positions and to conduct and evaluate applied research studies that emphasize local, regional, and state educational issues and problems.

To be eligible for a Ed.D. degree in Curriculum and Instruction, a student must complete a minimum of 62 semester hours including all requirements listed in the Graduation and General Degree Requirements section of the graduate catalog along with the Professional Core, Specialization, and Dissertation Requirements. The following specializations are available:

Specializations

Administrative Studies

The Administrative Studies Specialization focuses on educational systems (public school and non-public school), change theory, and leadership theory. Students will select 27 semester hours of required course work in this specialization, which includes an educational administration critical issues elective.

Curriculum/Diversity Studies

The Curriculum and Diversity Studies Specialization offers two options: Curriculum Studies and Diversity Studies. The Curriculum Studies option targets individuals in public and private sectors who want to specialize in theory and practice of curriculum issues and development. This program is developed around general theory-based curriculum issues coupled with various professional areas that meet each individual student need. The Diversity Studies option targets individuals in public and private sectors who want to specialize in theory and practice of curriculum and social issues in the area of diversity.

1. Curriculum Studies Option
   Students will select 27 semester hours of required course work in this specialization, which includes an education critical issues elective.
   

1. Diversity Studies Option
   Students will select 27 semester hours of required course work in this specialization, which includes an education critical issues elective.

Instructional Technology

The Instructional Technology Specialization offers two options: Performance Technology or Distance Learning. The Performance Technology option targets individuals who want to investigate how instructional technology can be used to improve performance and learning in various educational environments. Students explore a variety of delivery systems and the influence of technology on performance and learning as they develop a framework for improving performance. The Distance Learning option targets individuals who want to develop expertise in theoretical constructs for an application of distance educational systems including: design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Students choose from a variety of courses depending upon their future goals and examine distance learning environments, web-based instruction, delivery systems, and instructional design.

1. Performance Technology Option
   Students will select 27 semester hours of required course work in this specialization, which includes an instructional technology critical issues elective.
   

1. Distance Learning Option
   Students will select 27 semester hours of required course work in this specialization, which includes an instructional technology critical issues elective.

Physical Education

This 24-27 sh specialization is for professionals in the field of health and physical education directly responsible for addressing health and physical concerns of individual students, classroom students, school-wide groups of students, school district student populations, and children and adults in the community at large. The primary focus is on school-based health and physical education; however, the program is designed to prepare professionals to teach or administer programs at the university, college, K-12 schools, or in the community.

Science and Social Science

The Sciences and Social Sciences Specialization offers two options: Mathematics and Statistics/Science/Computer Science option or Social Science option. The Mathematics and Statistics/Science/Computer Science option targets individuals who want to become program specialists or teach at the junior/community college level in the program areas. The Social Science option targets individuals who want to specialize in specific academic discipline areas of social sciences to complement their academic training in the area of education.

1. Mathematics and Statistic, Science, or Computer Science Options
   Students will select 24 semester hours of course work within Mathematics/Statistics, Science or Computer Science, or an advised combination of courses from the content area. Coursework should include an educational critical issues elective.
   

1. Social Sciences Option
   Students will select 24 semester hours of course work within the Social Sciences, which includes an educational critical issues elective.

Teacher Education

The Teacher Education Specialization area offers two options: Alternative/Special Education or Teaching and Learning. The Alternative/Special Education option targets individuals who want to assume leadership roles in working with populations of at-risk children and youth. The Teaching and Learning option targets individuals who want to become leaders in teaching and learning and related content areas. This program facilitates a leadership role in teaching and learning, junior/community college, and educational agencies.

1. Alternative/Special Education Option
   Students will select 18 semester hours of required course work in this specialization, which includes an alternative/special education critical issues elective.
   

1. Teaching and Learning Option
   Students will select 18 semester hours of required course work in this specialization, which includes a teaching and learning critical issues elective.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the University graduate admission requirements described in the Graduate Admissions section of the catalog, the department bases decisions for regular admission on a holistic review of credentials in which the criteria listed in the admission checklist (see right-side column) are used to assess the potential success of each applicant.