Education (Ph.D.)
https://cola.unh.edu/education/program/phd/education
The program of Education offers a Ph.D. in education with specialization in fields related to the areas of:
- children and youth in communities;
- curriculum and instruction/teacher education;
- leadership and policy studies
The doctoral program is designed to engender a broad understanding of the field of education by encouraging focused scholarly inquiry grounded in the reality of educational practice across varied formal and informal settings. Professors and students work to place educational issues in philosophical, socio-cultural, and policy-related contexts. The program enrolls full- and part-time students.
An individual program of study is planned by the student and her or his guidance committee. Each student's program includes a set of common core courses, specialized study, a number of selected electives from across areas of inquiry, and required research preparation. Students must meet specific University, department, and program requirements. Within this framework, individual programs can vary widely from student to student depending upon the student's own interests and goals.
The Ph.D. in education provides students with preparation for research, teaching, and leadership in a variety of settings. Graduates hold positions at all levels of schooling, from colleges and universities to K-12 schools. Former students are also involved in work as policy makers, community agency directors, consultants, and research analysts.
Program information: Contact the Education Department by phone: (603) 862-2310 or email: education.department@unh.edu.
Admission
Students admitted to the program must have completed a master's degree in education or a related field. Entering students are generally expected to have some experience working in areas related to education, broadly conceptualized. To apply, candidates must submit a Graduate School application and transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework.
In addition to the personal statement required on the Graduate School application, candidates must submit an essay on an educational issue. This essay should discuss one issue in the field of education that is of interest to the candidate. It should explore the opportunities and challenges this issue poses and explain why the applicant finds it personally compelling (1,000 to 1,500 words in length).
Prior to completing and submitting the application, it is highly recommended that the candidate contact the Director of the Division of Educational Studies, who directs the Ph.D. in Education program, to arrange a phone, skype, or on-campus appointment to discuss their interests and fit with current research of faculty in the Education Department. Contact the EducationDepartment by phone: (603) 862-2310 or email: education.department@unh.edu.
Degree Requirements
Candidates for the degree must meet admission requirements, develop and complete an approved program of study in consultation with their guidance committee, complete required coursework, undergo an annual assessment review by the Doctoral Advisory Committee, develop and submit a passing qualifying paper, establish a dissertation committee, develop an approved dissertation proposal to advance to candidacy, write and present the dissertation, and pass the final oral examination.
Students typically complete 52 to 64 hours in graduate coursework following their matriculation. These hours do not include EDUC 999 Doctoral Research.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required Common Core Courses | ||
EDUC 902 | Doctoral Pro-seminar | 4 |
EDUC 904 | Qualitative Inquiry in Research | 4 |
EDUC 905 | Critical Inquiry in Education | 4 |
EDUC 906 | The Literature Review in Educational Research: Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 4 |
EDUC 981 | Quantitative Inquiry: Methods and Techniques of Educational Research (Prerequisites: EDUC 881, EDUC 978) | 4 |
Specialization Areas and Requirements | ||
Five courses required in specialization areas | 20 | |
Children and Youth in Communities | ||
Childhood Focus required courses: 1 | ||
Child Development in Context | ||
Understanding Culture in Research on Learning and Development | ||
Teaching Practicum | ||
Adolescent Focus required courses: 1 | ||
Understanding Culture in Research on Learning and Development | ||
Teaching Practicum | ||
Curriculum and Instruction/Teacher Education | ||
Select five courses from the following: | ||
Understanding Culture in Research on Learning and Development | ||
Analysis of Teaching and Learning | ||
Issues in Education | ||
Curriculum Development | ||
Philosophy of Education | ||
Curriculum Theory I | ||
Leadership and Policy Studies | ||
Human Resources in Education | ||
P-12 Focus required courses: | ||
Policy, Politics, and Planning in Education | ||
Leadership: The District Level Administrator | ||
Higher Education Focus required courses: | ||
Foundations for Leadership in Higher Education | ||
Policy and Governance in Higher Education | ||
Electives | ||
Select a minimum of eight credits of elective coursework from the following: | 8 | |
Special Topics in Education (Topics: Students, the Law & Higher Education, and Faculty & Higher Education Law) | ||
Issues in Education | ||
Educational Finance and Business Management | ||
School Law | ||
Collective Bargaining in Public Education | ||
Independent Study (School Facilities) |
- 1
Additional required electives chosen in consultation with student's Guidance Committee. Students complete a minimum of five courses (20 credits) within, or directly related to, their chosen area of inquiry.
Integrative Coursework
Select two advanced inquiry education courses (e.g., EDUC 979 Applied Multilevel Modeling), courses in a different specialization, or courses taken in another department (e.g., psychology, sociology, economics, family studies).
Qualifying Paper
As a step toward Ph.D. candidacy, students must satisfactorily complete a qualifying paper as well as all other program requirements. After completing most of their coursework, and under advice of the student’s guidance committee, students may formally undertake the qualifying paper. The student formally proposes a qualifying paper concept to the guidance committee and undertakes writing the paper once the proposal is approved. The paper is evaluated by the student's guidance committee. The qualifying paper is used to evaluate the student's general knowledge in relevant areas of inquiry, and their fitness for engaging in research, particularly in the subject proposed for the dissertation.
Dissertation
To complete the degree, the student must present and defend a dissertation of original research and publishable quality.
- Students will demonstrate general knowledge of the field of educational research, including types of research questions and methods of inquiry used in the field.
- Students will learn to critique and design qualitative and quantitative educational research, and they will be able to identify and craft good argumentation in educational scholarship.
- Students will demonstrate expertise in at least one form of data analysis or a non-empirical form of inquiry (e.g., historical, philosophical, literary).
- Students will gain expertise in one or more substantive areas of inquiry in educational research.