The Literacy, Language and Culture Program concentrates on issues related to learning about literacy and language in formal and informal settings such as schools, communities, and families. Some of the issues that can be explored within the Literacy, Language, and Culture program include PreK-12 language and literacy development, biliteracy and bilingualism, sociocultural and literacy theory, PreK-12 writing development and scholarly writing, family literacy, children's literature, and disciplinary literacy. This program provides rich experiences and expertise of faculty and fellow students to provide a student-centered environment in which both groups engage in research, exploration, and inquiry.
The literacy, language and culture Ph.D. program at Clemson University is grounded in research and inquiry, and built on the rich experiences and expertise of its faculty and students who acknowledge the centrality of culture on literacy and language practices. We seek strong applicants with potential and drive to serve as innovative leaders in the field of literacy. Applicants with unique personal and professional experiences and diverse perspectives are expected to engage with and be challenged by faculty and fellow doctoral students.
The program provides in-depth, advanced education to individuals who hold a master’s degree in education and are pursuing careers as researchers and teacher educators at the college and university levels. The Ph.D. in literacy, language and culture prepares knowledgeable and skilled educators who promote equitable and effective instruction to improve literacy and language for students of all ages in a myriad of educational and community contexts.
The program prepares educators and scholars with sophisticated understandings of the relationships among literacy, language and culture, and the ability to use this knowledge to improve learning in in- and out-of-school contexts.
Program graduates will be able to:
The priority application deadline is January 15. Applicants who wish to be considered for an assistantship should submit a complete application by January 15 in order to be included in the first round of reviews.
If the annual priority deadline is missed, applicants have until April 15 to submit complete applications, but assistantships may not be available during this second round of reviews.
This program only admits for fall terms.
Admission requirements include the following:
In addition to the requirements above, meritorious applicants will participate in an on-campus or Skype interview.
Participants are immersed in a culture of intellectual curiosity aimed at developing the next generation of scholars who will advance knowledge leading to innovative, adaptive and transformative practices in schools and communities. The program focuses on acquisition of deep and critical knowledge of various theoretical perspectives, current data and diverse research methodologies in an effort to further literacy as a means for enhancing personal and social wellbeing. Public, civic and social engagement is expected as a necessary and natural extension of academic scholarship within and beyond the program.
Literacy, Language and Culture Ph.D. (62 credit hours minimum):
In addition, students will:
Celeste C. (C.C.) Bates, Ph.D.
Bates’s research interests include use of technology in teacher training, classroom management and differentiated reading instruction in the primary grades. Bates is an assistant professor of literacy education, and is also the director of the Reading Recovery® and Early Literacy Training Center for South Carolina.
Cole's areas of interest include English language learners in K-12 settings, preparation of teachers to work with culturally and linguistically diverse students, and the intersection of language policy and practice in schools and classrooms. He is an assistant professor in literacy, language and culture.
Crindland-Hughes' areas of interest include adolescent literacy; morality-literacy studies, history of literacy, culture and literacy, and English education. She is an assistant professor in English education.
Dunston’s research focuses on struggling readers, digital literacy, and adolescent literacy and reading motivation. She is an associate professor of literacy education.
Fullerton’s research interests include strategic reading processes, comprehension instruction, literary response and discussion, struggling learners (including deaf/hard of hearing), and teacher expertise and decision making. She is an associate professor of literacy education.
Hall’s research interests include early childhood writing instruction and the writing attitudes of teachers and students. She is an assistant professor in early childhood education.
Headley’s research interests include adolescent literacy, writing and interdisciplinary specializations in comprehension and vocabulary. She is actively involved in policy development and implementation for literacy improvement. She is Senior Associate Dean for the Division of Collaborative Academic Services in the College of Education and the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. She is also a professor of literacy education in the College of Education.
Herro's areas of interest include game play and game design in the classroom, digital media and learning, and in-school practices with emerging technologies. She is an assistant professor in digital media and learning.
Malloy’s current research emphases include learner engagement, particularly as related to instructional design, and discussion as a tool for learning and developing communities of learners – particularly in the content areas. She is also investigating teacher visioning and transformative teaching practices with a focus on equity education. She is enthusiastic about the contribution of formative and design experiments in advancing transformative educational goals.
McNair specializes in literature intended for youth with an emphasis on books written by and about African-Americans. Her research interests include African-American children’s literature and politics of children’s literature. She is an associate professor of literacy education.
Wilder is an assistant professor in adolescent literacy. He received his Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2013. While at Illinois from 2007-2013, his work in a school-university partnership through the Center for Education in Small Urban Communities used collaborative practitioner inquiry to design responsive teaching practices, which expand notions of literacy and learning in secondary schools. Now at Clemson, his primary research involves partnering with schools to improve responsive teaching practices and the disciplinary literacies of adolescents.
For more information regarding the program or questions associated with applying to this program, please contact Julie Jones at jgambre@clemson.edu or 864-656-5096.
Information about the program can also be found in the Program Handbook.
