Nov 23, 2024

2009-2011 Graduate Catalog

2009-2011 Graduate Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: CONTENT MAY NOT BE CURRENT. USE THE DROP DOWN ABOVE TO ACCESS THE CURRENT CATALOG.

Learning & Technology Ph.D.

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The Ph.D. in Learning and Technology 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).

The doctoral program is interdisciplinary in that it involves faculty from two distinct fields and departments: Educational Psychology and the Educational Computing and Technology Area in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. This unique collaboration results in a doctoral program built on diverse areas of expertise. Students will graduate with a specialization in educational psychology with an emphasis on using research as a tool for promoting effective learning in electronic learning environments.

Admission Requirements

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

An undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 or above.
If graduate course work has been completed, a graduate grade point average of 3.00 or above.
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).
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.
Three letters of reference from university faculty or other individuals qualified to judge the applicant’s academic potential.
The applicant’s statement of professional interests and goals.
Graduate College application is available online

Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. in Learning and Technology will consist of 67 credits beyond the master’s degree. Of the 67 credits, 37 will be required courses in learning theory, technology, and research methods, 18 will be electives, and 12 will be directed toward dissertation completion. Individual programs of study may exceed the minimum requirements and specific course work will vary depending on particular areas of interest. Student must maintain a GPA of 3.00 or higher for all course work taken at the doctoral level. Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.00 or better in the program and a grade of B or better in core course work.

Publication Requirement

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 acknowledgement, and (c) a completed Review I form from the supervising faculty member.

Preliminary Examination

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.

Dissertation Proposals and Defenses

After successfully completing the publication 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.

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Learning & Technology Ph.D.

Admission Requirements

Degree Requirements