Doctor of Philosophy - Learning & Technology

Plan Description

The Learning and Technology Ph.D. is an academic program with an emphasis on the assessment and understanding of learning outcomes and processes in technology-rich learning environments and in modifying those environments in ways that promote more effective learning. Students take a common core of courses in three specialty areas: research methods and statistics, learning and cognition theory, and technology.

The overarching goal of the program is to prepare students to become independent scholars who will contribute to the advancement of the discipline of educational psychology and the field of educational technology. Graduates of the program will be prepared for a variety of professional positions (e.g., university and community college faculty positions, educational psychologists, learning and technology specialists, employee training specialists, program evaluators, educational technology coordinators, and instructional technology specialists).

Learning Outcomes  

www.unlv.edu/degree/phd-learning-technology

Plan Admission Requirements

Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

Admission will be limited to the most qualified applicants based on a combination of the following:

1. An undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 or above.
2. If graduate course work has been completed, a graduate grade point average of 3.00 or above.
3. Preference given to students whose scores relate to the 50th percentile or better on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
4. A score of 600 or above on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is also required for students who do not speak English as their first language.
5. Three letters of reference from university faculty or other individuals qualified to judge the applicant’s academic potential.
6. The applicant’s statement of professional interests and goals.
7. Graduate College application is available online.

All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Plan Requirements

Total Credits Required: 67

Course Requirements 

Required Courses – Credits: 4

EPY 701 - Proseminar in Educational Psychology 

CIT 778 - Instructional Design 

Core Research Courses – Credits: 12

EPY 718 - Qualitative Research Methodologies 

EPY 722 - Inferential Statistics and Experimental Design 

EPY 723 - Theory and Practice of Human Measurement I 

EPY 732 - Multiple Regression and Path Analysis 

Additional Research Course – Credits: 3

Complete one of the following courses:

EPY 716 - Evaluation Research Methods 

EPY 719 - Advanced Qualitative Research 

EPY 724 - Theory and Practice of Human Measurement II 

EPY 726 - Advanced Evaluation Research Methods 

EPY 729 - Qualitative Case Study Research 

EPY 733 - Multivariate Statistics 

EPY 738 - Interpretive Analysis of Text and Discourse 

EPY 745 - Categorical/Nonparametric Data Analysis 

EPY 746 - Multilevel Statistical Models: Theory and Application 

EPY 747 - Large Scale Secondary Data Analysis 

Learning Courses – Credits: 9

EPY 757 - Theory and Philosophy of Educational Psychology 

EPY 767 - Human Learning and Cognition 

EPY 777 - Cognitive Development 

Technology Course – Credits: 3

CIT 770 - Advanced Seminar in Educational Technology Research 

Multimedia Course – Credits: 6

CIT 780 - Multimedia Learning Studio 

Elective Courses – Credits: 18

Student must take a minimum of 18 credit hours of learning and/or technology elective courses from the following list of courses, or other advisor-approved courses.

Illustrative learning elective courses include but are not limited to:

EPY 768 - Problem Solving, Reasoning, and Expertise 

EPY 770 - Cognition and Instruction 

EPY 787 - Individual Research  (1-3 credits)

EPY 789 - Seminar in Learning and Cognition 

EPY 791 - Special Topics in Educational Psychology 

PSY 703 - Cognitive Psychology  (3 credits)

Illustrative technology elective courses include but are not limited to:

CIT 608 - Integrating Technology in Teaching and Learning 

CIT 643 - Designing Digital Materials for Education 

CIT 647 - Creating Online Learning Environments 

CIT 648 - Issues and Methods in Online Learning 

CIT 653 - Creating Digital Materials for Education 

CIT 667 - Technology and Educational Change 

CIT 669 - Advanced Web Design and Development for Educators 

CIT 772 - Technology in Teacher Education 

CIT 782 - Distance Education Issues and Trends 

Dissertation – Credits: 12

EPY 799 - Dissertation 

Degree Requirements 

1. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.00 or higher for all course work taken at the doctoral level.
2. Residence Credit Requirement: A minimum of 50 percent of the total credits required to complete the doctoral degree not including transferred and dissertation credits must be earned at UNLV after admission to the doctoral degree program.
3. Each student must satisfy a scholarly paper requirement by the time he or she has completed 36 credits (Review I). The student must be primarily responsible for carrying out and reporting a study under the supervision of a program faculty member. The requirement may be fulfilled in one of two ways. First, the study may involve the collection and analysis of some empirical data (for example, a pilot study) resulting in a scholarly paper that is submitted to either a professional journal or as a proposal to an annual conference of a national organization. Second, the paper may consist of a literature review that is submitted for publication in a quality, peer-reviewed journal or submitted for presentation at a national conference. Prior to beginning, projects must be approved by a supervising faculty member. Once completed, students must submit to the program coordinator(s): (a) a copy of the paper, (b) a submission acknowledgment, and (c) a completed Review I form from the supervising faculty member.
4. In consultation with his/her advisor, a student will organize a dissertation committee of at least three departmental members. In addition, a fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative, must be appointed. An additional committee member may be added at the student and department’s discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
5. Students must successfully complete a preliminary examination. This formal assessment will focus on areas of knowledge that are most relevant to the student’s dissertation topic. The student and his/her committee will determine the content of this examination. The student and his/her committee will determine the content of this examination format in that it will focus on in-depth reading and writing directly related to the student’s proposed dissertation topic as well as on the student’s mastery of previously learned core information.
6. After successfully completing the scholarly paper requirement and preliminary examination, students can submit a formal dissertation proposal to their doctoral committee and submit the accompanying “Prospectus Approval” form from the Graduate College. The doctoral committee will determine the acceptability of the prospectus. Upon completion of the dissertation, a defense will be scheduled and conducted in accordance with the Graduate College’s policies for thesis and dissertation completion.

Plan Graduation Requirements

1. The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.
2. The student must submit and successfully defend his/her dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
3. The student must submit his/her approved, properly formatted hard-copy dissertation to the Graduate College, and submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest by the posted deadline.