Doctor of Philosophy - Curriculum & Instruction

Plan Description

This course of study is for professional educators who desire to extend and advance knowledge in the theory and practice of education as university researchers or leaders in an array of other education-related settings, both in the United States and abroad.  The completion of this degree will particularly enable individuals to become skilled researchers as members of university faculties.

Upon completion of the program, graduates will:

1. Have an understanding of the theoretical and historical foundations of education.
2. Demonstrate knowledge and synthesis of major research in teaching and schooling.
3. Demonstrate knowledge and research application in the area of emphasis: career & technical and post-secondary education (CTPE), cultural studies, international, and multicultural education (CSIEME), interaction and media sciences, literacy, mathematics education, and science education.
4. Demonstrate college-level teaching experience.
5. Understand and apply the major tenets of research design and analysis spanning quantitative and qualitative methods. Begin to disseminate findings in refereed journals.
6. Demonstrate the ability to successfully design, defend, and complete an extended educational study resulting in a defensible dissertation.

Areas of research emphasis include:

Career & Technical and Postsecondary Education (CTPE)
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) - Curriculum and Instruction with a Concentration in Career & Technical and Postsecondary Education (CTPE) is a research and professional leadership degree. It is designed to develop future leaders/educators who will make well-informed, theory-based, research supported, and data driven decisions related to planning, organizing, delivering and evaluating the many components and systems connecting education, work, and economic development. Program graduates typically seek research and teaching faculty positions in universities; administrative and policy positions in local, state and national education and other governmental agencies; instructional/curricular leadership positions within school districts; leadership and teaching positions in secondary, community and technical colleges, and training positions in a variety of adult education and training environments. Graduates will be prepared to assume leadership positions in Southern Nevada and throughout Nevada and the Nation.

Cultural Studies, International Education, and Multicultural Education (CSIEME)
Cultural Studies is a highly interdisciplinary field, drawing on philosophy, literature, the arts, sociology, psychology, political science, technology, and media. Cultural Studies connects those scholars interested in examining and challenging relationships of power, culture, and knowledge. International Education is an umbrella term encompassing comparative education, transnational education, and pan-global indigenous studies. Included in these studies are a series of large-scale, cross-national comparisons in student achievement, teaching practice, curriculum, and educational policy. Multicultural Education is an instructional and pedagogical paradigm that integrates the history, cultural traditions, social norms, life experiences, and learned contributions that members of non-dominant groups have made to all aspects of local and global society, especially those aspects that are typically codified in PK-12 and higher education courses of study in the United States.

Interaction and Media Sciences
The goal of our program is to enable students to become university faculty, researchers, instructional designers, and leaders in the growing field of educational technology. The focus of the program is on content, pedagogy, technology, and a wide range of associated issues. Students will develop expertise in critical analysis, deconstruction, and research on educational technology. The program will prepare students for a variety of professional careers related to teaching and learning in both academic and non-academic settings, such as K-12 schools, community colleges, universities, state and federal agencies, and private organizations.

Literacy Education
Doctoral students in Literacy Education will be engaged in exploring relationships among language, literacy, culture and social justice. They will develop expertise in critical analysis and methodological approaches for conducting research on literacy teaching and learning (e.g., curriculum design; assessment; policy; new literacies; issues related to gender, race, and class; and attention to comparative, international, and cross-cultural studies in education). Students will have opportunities for clinical and field-based work in conjunction with our teacher education program, the Gayle A. Zeiter Literacy Development Center, the Southern Nevada Writing Project, and other community organizations. Through an emphasis on the integration of theory, research and practice, students will demonstrate a well-grounded understanding of the literacy content, pedagogy, technology, and issues associated with teaching and learning in literacy education.

Mathematics Education
The purpose of the Ph.D. Program in Mathematics Education is to prepare individuals for research and teacher education careers in higher education and for leadership positions in educational settings. The program is designed to develop expertise in conceptualizing, conducting and reporting research in mathematics education and to improve student knowledge about the field of mathematics education. Students choosing this area of study will find themselves challenged with the latest ideas and theories in the field. The program is consistent with other top graduate programs and is aligned with UNLV’s goals to advance the research functions of UNLV while maintaining high quality teaching.

Science Education
Doctoral students electing this Ph.D./Ed.D. area of study will be engaged in developing expertise in critical analysis, deconstruction, and research on teaching and learning science including, but not limited to: curriculum design, assessment, scientific literacy, policy, media, popular culture, issues related to race, gender, class, and attention to comparative, international, and cross-cultural studies in education. In essence, the development and offering of this Ph.D./Ed.D. emphasis is consistent with offerings at other top graduate schools of education. Indeed, this goal is consistent with UNLV planning documents designed to advance the research functions of UNLV while maintaining high quality teaching.

For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Directory.

Plan Admission Requirements

Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

Specific admission criteria for the PhD - Curriculum and Instruction include:

1. All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements. 
2. Hold a master’s degree from an accredited program in an area closely related to the chosen field of specialization. Normally, 18 semester hours in education are required.
3. Have a grade point average of 3.0 of higher in all graduate level coursework. *Please note that one third of the total program hours may be transferred from another accredited doctoral program.
4. Have completed a minimum of 2 years of successful professional educational experience upon entrance to the program.
5. Obtain three letters of recommendation from individuals who can specifically address the applicant’s potential for success in the doctoral program. These letters of recommendation will be requested and submitted through the Graduate College online application system. One of the letters must be from a university faculty member addressing your past academic success and future potential in a doctoral program.
6. Submit one set of official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities as requested in the Graduate College online application. You may upload unofficial transcripts via the online application as a supplement if you have the documents in a digital computer file (e.g., PDF). Unofficial transcripts do NOT substitute for the official documents.
7. Submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores for the General Exam. The scores should be sent directly to the Doctoral Studies Office in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Applicants are encouraged to provide self-reported scores for the GRE in the Standardized Tests section of the Graduate College online application.
8. Submit a Personal Statement via the Graduate College online application that addresses in detail:
   1. Emphasis area of study
   2. Reasons for pursuing a doctorate in education
   3. Expectations concerning the doctoral program
   4. Potential areas of study
   5. The name of a faculty member in the department with whom you would like to work [optional]
9. Submit a written statement regarding when the residency requirement will be met (see the Doctoral Handbook. This statement should be uploaded via the Graduate College online application in the Supplementary Information section as an “Other Required Document.”
10. Demonstrate oral communication skills through an interview conducted by members of the C&I graduate faculty. Out-of-state applicants must contact the Coordinator of Doctoral Studies directly to make alternate arrangements to the on-campus interview.

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

See Subplan Requirements below.

Subplan 1: Career & Technical and Postsecondary Education Track
Subplan 2: Cultural Studies, International Education, and Multicultural Education Track
Subplan 3: Interaction and Media Sciences Track
Subplan 4: Literacy Education Track
Subplan 5: Mathematics Education Track
Subplan 6: Science Education Track

Subplan 1 Requirements: Career & Technical and Postsecondary Education Track

Total Credits Required: 60

Subplan 2 Requirements: Cultural Studies, International Education, and Multicultural Education Track

Total Credits Required: 60

Subplan 3 Requirements: Interaction and Media Sciences Track

Total Credits Required: 60

Subplan 4 Requirements: Literacy Education Track

Total Credits Required: 60

Subplan 5 Requirements: Mathematics Education Track

Total Credits Required: 60

Subplan 6 Requirements: Science Education Track

Total Credits Required: 60

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. After the dissertation defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their dissertation to the Graduate College for format check. Once the dissertation format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for dissertation defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here. 
4. The student must also file a copy of the dissertation with the Teaching and Learning Department.