Doctor of philosophy degree

• Coursework

• Pre-thesis and thesis credits

• Filing the degree program

• Making changes to the approved program

• Preliminary written examination

• Preliminary oral examination

• Dissertation and the final oral examining committee

• Dissertation or thesis proposal

• Graduation and commencement

• Requirements for Ph.D. students admitted prior to spring 2001

• Checklist for Ph.D. requirements and procedures

The department offers a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in education, curriculum and instruction with ten tracks:

• art education
• culture and teaching
• elementary education 
• family, youth, and community (FYC)
• learning technologies 
• literacy education (with sub-areas in children's and adolescent literature, critical literacies, English education, language arts, and reading education) 
• mathematics education 
• science education 
• second languages and cultures education (with sub-areas in ESL, foreign language education, and immersion education)
• social studies education

On a student’s transcript both the name of the major and the designated track appear. For example: Education, Curriculum, and Instruction: mathematics education.

At the Ph.D. level, students may pursue up to two tracks or program areas simultaneously to create a double major. However, in such cases, students must be admitted to both tracks, have co-advisers, each representing one of the areas, and take enough coursework in each of the areas to constitute a double major. The transcript will reflect the double major, for example, Education, Curriculum, and Instruction: literacy education and second languages and cultures education.

Requirements and procedures for the Ph.D.

The information in this handbook describes how Graduate School requirements are manifested in Curriculum and Instruction—please refer to the Graduate School Web site at  www.grad.umn.edu for more detailed information on requirements and procedures.

A checklist for Ph.D. requirements and procedures is included at the end of this section for students' use in tracking their progress.

C&I graduate faculty recently made a number of changes to the Ph.D. requirements. These changes became effective for all students admitted Spring Semester 2001 and thereafter. Students admitted prior to spring 2001 are encouraged, but not required, to follow the new requirements. (Specific requirements pertaining to students admitted prior to spring 2001 are found at the end of this section.)

NOTE: All department forms and links to Graduate School forms are available online at cehd.umn.edu/ci/gradstudies/forms/ and are in hard copy in the graduate studies office (125 Peik).

Total number of credits required for the degree

A minimum of 78 semester credits is required for the Ph.D. program in Education, Curriculum, and Instruction, including the 24 thesis credits.

Coursework

Coursework is required in four areas: the major, research methodology, educational foundations, and a minor or supporting program. Students must work closely with adviser(s) in planning the program.

Major coursework
Major requirements include nine semester credits for the three core courses (CI 8131, CI 8132, CI 8133) and a minimum of 15 other semester credits in at least one emphasis area in the major. All students must take the three core courses in the department; no substitutions are allowable.

Each program area has specific course requirements related to that particular emphasis area. For example, all second languages and cultures education students must take a year-long research seminar (CI 8631 and CI 8632) prior to the preliminary examination. Students must work closely with advisers to determine the courses they must take based on their previous experience and background.

Research methodology
Research methodology requirements include a minimum of 12 semester credits, at least six in quantitative research and 6 in qualitative methods. For quantitative methods, students may take either EPSY 5261 Introductory Statistical Methods and EPSY 5262 Intermediate Statistical Methods OR EPSY 8261 Statistical Methods I and EPSY 8262 Statistical Methods II. Some emphasis areas may require one two-course sequence over the other, so students must choose the courses in consultation with adviser(s). A variety of qualitative research courses are offered, and students choose courses in consultation with their adviser(s). See www.cehd.umn.edu/ci/ for a list of appropriate research courses available University-wide.

Educational foundations
A minimum of six semester credits is required in the area of educational foundations. In consultation with the adviser(s), students choose courses in at least two of five areas: cultural, historical, philosophical, psychological, or sociological foundations. See www.cehd.umn.edu/ci/ for a list of appropriate educational foundations courses available University-wide.

Minor or supporting program

A minimum of 12 semester credits is required to constitute a minor or supporting program. According to the Graduate School, a traditional minor includes work in a single field related to the major, but taken outside the department that houses the major field. Competency in the selected minor is expected and may be assessed as part of the final examination. For an official minor you must meet minor requirements as outlined in the program of choice, and the DGS for the minor program must sign all Graduate School forms. Official minors appear on the diploma and transcript. Students in C&I have completed minors in, for example, psychology, mathematics, studio arts, or Hispanic linguistics. Students have also completed freestanding minors (those not housed in a particular academic department), such as the minor in literacy and rhetorical studies.

A supporting program is less formal and more flexible than a minor. It should be composed of a coherent pattern of courses, possibly embracing several disciplines. The final examination may include content from the supporting program, but students are not expected to have significant competency in the field like those who choose to include a traditional minor as part of their program. Because C&I is a department that encompasses a variety of academic disciplines, students may take courses within C&I to constitute or form a part of the supporting program. For example, a student emphasizing learning technologies may have a supporting program comprised of CI courses in English education and others in a related area, such as English or rhetoric.

Transfer credits

Master’s degree courses — Students may transfer courses taken as part of an M.A. or M.Ed. degree to the Ph.D. program, but several restrictions are in place regarding credit transfer.

Graduate courses taken for initial teaching licensure — A maximum of 6 credits taken during a graduate level initial licensure program may be proposed for a Ph.D. program, with the provision that a student may petition to count up to 3 more for a maximum of 9. Program areas within the Department of Curriculum and Instruction may choose to further limit the number of allowable credits from initial licensure programs.

• This policy applies to all students who completed a graduate-level initial licensure program at an accredited institution and who wish to count some of those credits toward the Ph.D.
• In the cover letter required with the degree program forms, students must identify courses taken during an initial licensure program and provide a strong justification for including them. During the program planning process, faculty and students are encouraged to think through carefully the justification for including those courses on the Ph.D. program.
• Courses taken beyond initial licensure to complete an M.Ed. may count toward the Ph.D. program.
• Courses taught by an individual who is not eligible to teach graduate-level courses for M.A. and Ph.D. programs (e.g., a TA) may not count toward the Ph.D.
• Educational foundations courses taken as part of an initial licensure program may not count toward the Ph.D.
• Courses related to practicum or student teaching experiences may not count toward the Ph.D.
• Courses that enroll initial licensure students only (and are closed to other graduate students) may not count toward the Ph.D.

Pre-thesis and thesis credits

EDUC 8666 Doctoral Pre-Thesis Credits — These credits are available for doctoral students who have not yet passed their preliminary oral examination but need to be registered in the Graduate School to meet requirements of agencies or departments outside the Graduate School (e.g., loan agencies). Doctoral pre-thesis credits are not graded. Registration for doctoral pre-thesis credits cannot be used to meet any Graduate School degree requirements other than to maintain active status.

All students complete the program with a minimum of 24 semester thesis credits (CI 8888). Students may not register for thesis credits until the semester after they have passed their preliminary oral examination. Thesis credits are not graded.

Filing the degree program

Ph.D. degree programs include a list of the coursework for the degree as well as the recommended faculty members who will constitute the Ph.D. preliminary examining committee. The Graduate School asks that Ph.D. programs be submitted or filed approximately two semesters prior to the preliminary examination. The Ph.D. program is first reviewed by the graduate studies committee and, if approved, is then forwarded to the Graduate School for final approval. At times the DGS returns the program to students with questions and/or a list of stipulated revisions and students need to re-submit the program for review. Students should submit the completed program forms to the graduate studies assistant at least three days prior to the scheduled graduate studies committee meeting at which they would like the program reviewed. Graduate studies committee meeting dates for the academic year are posted on the bulletin board outside Peik 150 and on the Web. The graduate studies committee does not meet during the summer; Ph.D. programs are only reviewed during the academic year. Students, therefore, need to plan accordingly.

While no official timeline is in place for Ph.D. coursework to be completed, the Graduate School discourages courses on the degree program that were taken ten years or more prior to submitting the program. If a student decides (upon adviser approval) to include coursework on the program taken ten or more years prior to the date the program is filed, s/he must explain in the required cover letter how s/he has kept current in the field and why the inclusion of such courses on the program is necessary.

To file the Ph.D. program, students must submit a cover letter and two forms to the Graduate Studies Committee for approval: (1) the C&I Departmental Ph.D. Program Planning Form, and (2) the Graduate School's Degree Program Transmittal Form.

"Major courses" are all CI (or MTHE) courses related to the designated program area or track."“Other program courses" are those taken outside of the department and/or to constitute the minor or supporting program. Therefore, CI courses taken to constitute a supporting program will also be marked as “other program” courses on this form. It is important that you prepare the form neatly and carefully so that all of the information provided is accurate and legible. The second page of this form requires the signature of your adviser, the director of graduate studies (DGS) in C&I, and the director of graduate studies of the minor program, if you are declaring an official minor. The adviser’s signature should be obtained prior to submitting the program forms to the graduate studies office for review. The DGS signature(s) are added once the graduate studies committee has approved the program. A sample of this form can be found in the back of this manual. The degree program form can also be downloaded from the Graduate School Web site at www.grad.umn.edu/forms/list.html#gssp.

Making changes to the approved program

Once approved by the Graduate School, the program must be fulfilled in every detail to meet graduation requirements. Changes that are found necessary or desirable must be requested by petition and require adviser and DGS signatures. Petitions may be found online at www.grad.umn.edu/forms/list.html#gssp or in hard copy in the C&I graduate studies office in 125 Peik.

Preliminary written examination

All doctoral students are required to pass a written examination in the major field. This examination covers all work completed in the major field; it may also include any work fundamental to this field and work related to the minor or supporting program. The specific requirements and procedures for the preliminary written examination vary depending upon the emphasis area within C&I. When the student is nearing completion of coursework, s/he needs to meet with the adviser(s) to discuss the preliminary written examination process for his/her particular program area. In some cases, students are assigned specific questions for a timed response that is written on campus. In other cases, students work closely with the adviser and committee members to construct questions that require in-depth reading and exploration and lead to written papers. In such cases, all written questions should be submitted to the adviser and kept on file. Students must work closely with the adviser(s) to understand and complete the preliminary written examination. In most cases, by the time students take the written preliminary examination they have a clear idea of the direction they will take for their dissertation research.

The student completes the examination as directed by the adviser(s), and submits the written responses to committee members. The committee members have approximately two weeks to read the response and communicate the results of the written exam to the student's adviser, who reports the results to the DGS. The results of the examination are then given to the Graduate School on the Preliminary Written Examination Report form, signed by the student's adviser and the DGS. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that the Graduate School (316 Johnston Hall) receives this form before scheduling the preliminary oral examination.

Preliminary oral examination

Students take the preliminary oral examination after completing a substantial part of the coursework and passing the preliminary written examination, but before writing the dissertation. The preliminary oral is a closed examination between the student and the four committee members.

Before the oral examination can be scheduled, the Graduate School must have:

• an approved degree program form on file 
• a written examination report form indicating that the student has passed the prelim written examination

If these documents are on file and the student has active status (see registration requirements), the Graduate School issues the preliminary oral examination report form and instructions for conducting the preliminary oral examination to the chair of the examining committee.

The student is responsible for scheduling the preliminary oral with the committee members and with the Graduate School (316 Johnston Hall) at least one week in advance. It is scheduled for two hours, and all committee members should receive copies of the student's written preliminary examination at least two weeks prior to the oral exam. (Preliminary oral examinations should not be scheduled during the summer unless the members of the assigned committee can be assembled without substitution.)

Immediately before the preliminary oral examination, the committee chair (usually the student's adviser) stipulates the objectives of the examination and, in consultation with other members of the examining committee, determines how the examination is to be conducted. In most cases, committee members begin the exam by focusing on the content of the written prelims and then branch out to pose other questions related to the major and minor. Questions related to the supporting program may also emerge during the preliminary oral examination, but students are not expected to have significant competency in the field like those who choose to include a traditional minor as part of their program.

Immediately after the examination, the candidate is excused from the room and a written secret ballot is taken before discussing the examination. Following the discussion, a final vote is taken, and the participants sign the report form, which is returned to the Graduate School (316 Johnston Hall) no later than the first workday after the examination. More detailed information about the examination and the possible outcomes can be found in the Graduate School Catalog at www.umn.edu/commpub/grad/gen/phd.html.

Once a student passes the preliminary oral examination, s/he becomes an official candidate for the doctoral degree and the five-year time limit for degree completion begins.

The preliminary examination committee officially dissolves after the written and oral examinations have been successfully completed. A new committee is proposed for the final oral examination (dissertation defense), though its members are often the same as those who served on the preliminary examination committee.

Dissertation and the final oral examining committee

The thesis must demonstrate the student's originality and ability for independent investigation, and the results of the research must constitute a contribution to knowledge. The thesis must exhibit the student's mastery of the literature of the subject and familiarity with the sources. The subject matter must be presented with a satisfactory degree of literary skill. The student works closely with the adviser(s) to develop a dissertation topic and design the research.

Final examining committee

The student works with the adviser(s) to name members of the final oral examining committee, which, like the preliminary examining committee, must include three faculty members from within the major and one from outside, representing the minor or supporting program. The thesis panel, a subgroup of the final examining committee, is comprised of the three readers on the committee — the adviser, the outside member, and one other committee member from within C&I who is also designated as a reader. The final member of the examining committee does not serve as a reader and is not included in the thesis panel.

Changes in the final oral examining committee

Substitutions on the examining committee may be necessitated by such circumstances as a faculty member's temporary absence or leave from the University. The adviser or the director of graduate studies must request the Graduate School's approval of such substitutions well in advance of the examination. Substitutions necessitated by emergency situations must also be approved in advance. In such cases, the committee chair should consult with the Graduate School staff by telephone before the start of the examination.

Dissertation or thesis proposal

The thesis proposal is submitted to the thesis panel for review once the adviser has approved the thesis title and preliminary proposal. Suggested contents of the thesis proposal include the following:

• Title—summarizes the main idea of the study in no more than 15 words.
• Introduction — includes a statement of the problem, background and rationale, and statement of specific research questions or hypotheses.
• Method — this section includes a description of the proposed subjects and site for the research, materials or instruments to be used, and the proposed procedures for data collection and analysis.
• Preparation and qualifications for conducting the research — this includes a description of your qualifications for dealing with both the content and methodology of the study. Include relevant coursework, independent reading, experiential background, and involvement with previous studies on the topic.
• References — lists the references for sources cited in the proposal, following a consistent style such as APA.

Proposing an alternative to the traditional dissertation

Although most students at the University complete traditional dissertations, that is, a single and extensive quantitative and/or qualitative study that is described in detail in a five or six-chapter dissertation, students have the option of proposing an alternative format to the traditional dissertation. This may include a series of studies completed during the Ph.D. program and possibly published previously by the student.

According to the Graduate School, the thesis may include materials that students have published while University of Minnesota graduate students, provided the research was carried out under the direction of the graduate faculty and approved by the adviser for incorporation into the thesis. Such publication is welcomed as the best demonstration of quality in a student's research, and the Graduate School encourages the practice. The adviser should notify the Graduate School in writing of the intention to publish part of the thesis material, but the Graduate School's approval is not required.

Should a student decide to propose an alternative to the traditional dissertation, s/he must develop a written proposal and present it to the C&I graduate studies committee for review. The committee will invite the student and his/her adviser(s) to a meeting to discuss the alternative format and determine that expectations are clear. In addition, the student should contact the Graduate School (316 Johnston Hall) for information on accommodating an alternative thesis to the required thesis format.

Thesis panel review

Once the student's adviser has approved the thesis title and preliminary proposal, the student distributes the proposal to the thesis panel members (the three readers on the final oral examining committee) and schedules a meeting with them to discuss the proposal. Together, the student and thesis panel agree on the final proposal, content, and scope of the dissertation. A revised proposal summarizing the results of the discussion may be required, and another thesis panel meeting may be held if revisions are substantial. At the time of this meeting, committee members sign the C&I Thesis Panel Review Form and a chair of the final oral examining committee is assigned. The chair must be a full member of the graduate faculty and cannot be the student's adviser.

Submitting the Thesis Proposal Form

No later than the first semester after passing the preliminary oral examination, students must file the official Thesis Proposal Form with the Graduate School, 316 Johnston Hall. The form must include the proposed thesis title and a summary of the thesis proposal, about 250 words in length, describing the research to be undertaken and the methods to be employed in carrying it out. The form must first be signed by the adviser(s) and then forwarded to the DGS for final approval and submission to the Graduate School. It must be accompanied by the C&I Thesis Panel Review Form, signed by all readers on the committee.

Human subjects approval

Most students in C&I complete dissertations that involve work with students, teachers or other school personnel, i.e., human subjects. Students must complete and submit an application to the University's Internal Review Board (IRB) prior to conducting the study. Human subjects approval should not be sought until the student’s thesis panel committee has met and approved the study. Depending upon the nature of the study, IRB approval may take several weeks or months, so students are advised to plan ahead and apply early in the research process. Detailed instructions and applications are available at www.research.umn.edu/subjects/.

Preparing the dissertation

The student works closely with the adviser(s) throughout the dissertation process, submitting drafts for review and feedback along the way. The other readers on the committee may also work with the student throughout the preparation of the thesis, though this depends upon each committee. Once the dissertation is complete, a draft is submitted to all readers on the committee, who certify that the thesis is ready for defense by signing the thesis reviewers report form. Students obtain this form the Graduate School, 316 Johnston, or by requesting a graduation packet online at www.grad.umn.edu/forms. The form will be released only if the student has on file a thesis proposal form approved by the Graduate School and has maintained active status.

To permit faculty sufficient time to read the thesis and decide whether it is ready for defense, students must notify their adviser and other members of the final oral committee at least two weeks in advance that the thesis will be delivered on a particular date. All members of the examining committee must then have at least two weeks to read the thesis after it has been delivered. The signed thesis reviewer's report form is then submitted to the Graduate School, and the final oral examination may be scheduled.

Scheduling the final oral examination

To be eligible for the final oral examination, a student must have:

• completed all work on the official Doctoral Degree Program Form, including the language requirement, if any;
• passed both the written and oral preliminary examinations; 
• filed an approved thesis proposal on file with the Graduate School; 
• maintained active status; 
• satisfied the thesis credit requirement 
• filed the signed Thesis Reviewer's Report Form on file with the Graduate School (certifying that the thesis is ready for defense)

The student must schedule the examination at least one week in advance with both the committee and the Graduate School (see Clearance for graduation).  Contact the graduate studies assistant in 125 Peik for help in scheduling a room for the defense and in informing other faculty and staff of the time and location of the defense. When the exam is scheduled, the student’s file is checked to determine if s/he can be cleared to take the exam. If so, the report form for the final oral examination will be forwarded to the chair of the examining committee. If difficulties are apparent, the Graduate School staff will contact the student immediately.

NOTE: a minimum of ten weeks must intervene between the preliminary oral and the final oral examinations. Also, the final oral should not be scheduled during the summer unless the committee members can be assembled without substitution.

Final oral examination

The final oral examination consists of a seminar in which the candidate presents the thesis and to which the scholarly community is invited. The seminar may take place only after the thesis has been judged ready for defense. The examination is limited to the candidate's thesis subject and relevant areas. It will not exceed three hours. A closed meeting between the candidate and the appointed examining committee immediately follows the thesis presentation. The candidate is then excused and the vote taken on whether the candidate passed the examination. Contact the graduate studies assistant in 125 Peik for help in scheduling a room for the defense and in informing other faculty and staff of the time and location of the defense.

Reporting the results of the final oral examination

Upon completion of the examination, a formal vote of the committee is taken. To be recommended for the award of the doctoral degree, candidates must receive a vote with no more than one dissenting member of the total examining committee. Refer to the Graduate School Catalog online for detailed information about possible outcomes (look for "Preliminary Oral Examination Content and Outcome").

If the student has clearly passed or clearly failed the examination and all members have signed the Final Examination Report Form, the report form must be returned to the Graduate School no later than the first workday following the examination.

The adviser should be responsible for ensuring the inclusion of appropriate modifications and required revisions, if any, in the final thesis. The final oral examination report form should not be signed and submitted to the Graduate School until all revisions have been made. The examination report needs to be submitted to the Graduate School in 316 Johnston Hall; a copy should be given to the C&I graduate studies assistant in 125 Peik, and students and advisers are encouraged to retain a copy for their records.

Preparation and submission of the copies of the thesis

A copy of the thesis must be submitted to the Graduate School. The student's adviser(s) must sign the thesis to confirm that it is complete and satisfactory in all respects and that all revisions required by the final examining committee have been made. Instructions for the preparation of the thesis, including format specifications and adviser's signature requirements, can be obtained from the Graduate School, 316 Johnston Hall, or online at www.grad.umn.edu/forms.

Graduation and commencement

Clearance for graduation

Degrees are awarded at the end of each month. To qualify for graduation for a particular month, a student must submit the Application for Degree Form on or before the first workday of that month and must complete the examination and all other requirements by the last workday of that month. Graduation instructions and necessary forms are found online at www.grad.umn.edu/gsss/forms.html.

Commencement ceremony

Two Graduate School commencement ceremonies are held each year—in late spring and late fall. Graduates are encouraged, but not required, to attend. To make sure their names appear in the commencement ceremony program, students must submit the commencement attendance form by the deadline specified in the Graduate School section of the Class Schedule. Commencement information can be found online at www.grad.umn.edu/current_students/forms/gs54.pdf [.pdf].

Requirements for Ph.D. students admitted prior to spring 2001

All requirements are the same as in the previous section with the exception of the following:

Total number of credits required for the degree
A minimum of 75 semester credits is required for the Ph.D. program in education: curriculum and instruction, including the 24 thesis credits.

Research methodology
Research methodology requirements include a minimum of nine semester credits, at least six in the area of quantitative research and at least three in the area of qualitative methods. Recommended courses for the quantitative methods are EPSY 8261 Statistical Methods I and EPSY 8262 Statistical Methods II; however, EPSY 5261 Introductory Statistical Methods and 5262 Intermediate Statistical Methods are also acceptable with adviser approval.

Educational foundations
A minimum of 6 semester credits is required in educational foundations. In consultation with the adviser, students must choose at least one course in psychological foundations and at least one in an additional foundations area (historical, philosophical, or sociological).

Converting quarter to semester credits
To convert quarter to semester credits multiply the number of quarter credits by .67.

Checklist for Ph.D. requirements and procedures>

All departmental forms are available in the Graduate Studies office in 125 Peik or on the web at cehd.umn.edu/ci/gradstudies/forms/. Graduate School forms are available outside of 316 Johnston Hall or on the Web at www.grad.umn.edu/forms/list.html#gssp, and most are also available in the C&I graduate studies office in 125 Peik.

Revised Fall 2002