Ph.D. Curriculum & Instruction

Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Curriculum and Instruction is a research degree designed to prepare the student to become a scholar who can discover, integrate, and apply knowledge, as well as communicate and disseminate it. The intent of the program is to prepare the student to make a significant original contribution to knowledge in a specialized field. The program prepares students in one of the following specialty concentrations: elementary education, English education, mathematics education, science education, social studies education, reading education, or special education. These areas provide a general structure of course work selections and research emphases. However, students are encouraged to work with faculty to design programs uniquely fitted to their areas of interest.

The program of study for the degree is determined by the student's advisory committee. Every doctoral student must satisfy all requirements of the Graduate School as well as requirements in course work, internships, the comprehensive exam, the dissertation proposal, and oral defense of the dissertation as directed by the student's advisory committee. Doctoral students in Curriculum and Instruction must maintain a B average in all graduate work. The degree usually requires a minimum of 70 semester hours beyond the master's degree selected from the areas prescribed by the requirements of the Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction.

Listed below are the guidelines or normal expectations for a student receiving the PhD degree. However, the final determination of the course of study is made by the advisory committee.

Graduate courses designated for professional development are not eligible to be used toward a graduate degree. A minimum of 3-6 hours of internship is required as part of each specialty area. An internship of sufficient time and quality of experiences to warrant 3-6 semester hours of graduate credit must be planned and executed to the satisfaction of the student's advisory committee.

Specialty areas require from 6 to 18 semester hours in courses outside the School of Education. Approved course work outside the School is intended to provide an area of concentration within the specialty area and/or exposure to disciplines outside the School of Education.

Goals of the Program

• The student will be able to critically analyze social, historical, psychological, personal, and policy factors in the development and current practices of curriculum and instruction.
• The student will acquire an understanding of the research processes within the field of Curriculum and Instruction including practical design, analysis, and reporting.
• The student will understand how to use historical, correlational, descriptive and experimental methods within research in curriculum and Instruction.
• The students will be able to analyze critically and evaluate research reports within the field of Curriculum and Instruction.
• The student will be able to prepare scholarly, research-based reports and presentations related to the field of Curriculum and Instruction.

Admission Requirements

• Master's degree with a GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale
• A minimum of two years teaching experience or the equivalent prior to admission
• Relevant Professional Experiences
• Interview (a current vita and a writing sample describing in approximately 2 pages the applicant's professional philosophy and goals as well as the purpose for seeking the doctorate must be submitted in advance to the coordinator)
• Students whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Preference is given to those applicants who score a minimum of 575.
• Admission to the Clemson Graduate School
  
  • Meet all requirements of the Graduate School
  • Competitive GRE scores

Doctoral Seminar (2 credit hours)

Students will take this seminar beginning with their first fall semester and continuing into the following spring semester.

Core (Minimum 21 credit hours)

Core knowledge consists of constructs in educational foundations and curriculum and instruction. Core knowledge should be demonstrated in the following areas:

• Curriculum:  Students will successfully complete at least 1 course and/or demonstrate competency in the theoretical understanding of curriculum as it relates to design and policy.
• Instruction: Students will successfully complete at least 1 course and/or demonstrate competency in the theoretical understanding of instruction as it relates to teaching and learning.
• Assessment: Students will successfully complete at least 1 course and/or demonstrate competency in the theoretical understanding of assessment as it relates to measurement and evaluation.
• Research: Students will successfully complete at least 4 courses that prepare students to understand and use both quantitative and qualitative research methods and procedures.

Area of Specialization – (Minimum 24 credit hours)

Students study in a focused area of Curriculum and Instruction, chosen from: Early Childhood, Elementary, Reading, Special Education, or Secondary Education including English, Mathematics, Science, or Social Studies. Specific courses and minimum requirements to be determined by the particular Faculty Area.

• Courses and/or equivalent experiences to demonstrate competency in teaching and research practice (e.g., ED 894 and ED 980) 
• 8 hours of specialized focus.

Dissertation Credits – (Minimum 18 credit hours)

Total minimum program credit hours – 65

Contact Information

David S. Fleming, Ph.D.
Graduate Coordinator
G-01 Tillman Hall
dflemin@clemson.edu