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 education.
3. Demonstrate knowledge and research application in an area of emphasis: Career & Technical and Post-Secondary Education (CTPE), Cultural Studies, International, and Multicultural Education (CSIEME), Interaction and Media Sciences (IMS), Literacy Education, Mathematics Education, or Science Education.
4. Understand and apply the major tenets of research design and analysis spanning methodological approaches, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches.
5. 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 Career & Technical and Postsecondary Education (CTPE) emphasis area has a research and professional leadership degree. CTPE 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)

The Cultural Studies, International Education, and Multicultural Education (CSIEME) emphasis area is comprised of three related disciplinary strands that promote interdisciplinary and decolonizing approaches to research and teaching. Multicultural Education is the emphasis’ core strand. Multicultural Education engages critical pedagogy as the basis for social change through promotion of the democratic principles of social justice. Through enactment of critical pedagogy focused on knowledge, reflection, and action (praxis), Multicultural Education accepts and affirms—through radical transformation of interpersonal interactions, curricula, and instructional strategies—the pluralism that students, their families and communities, and educators represent. Through the core Multicultural Education strand, CSIEME students critically re/consider the Eurocentric canon in re/claiming educational processes that challenge and reject white supremacy, predatory capitalism, racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination in PK-12 and higher education and society. Through the International Education strand CSIEME students engage critical views of comparative, international, global, inter-nation, and related diaspora educational constructs, in particular challenging the global north-south binary that perpetuates the belief that Westernization and Western approaches to education/educational systems are superior and, thus, should continue to drive education around the world. Through the Cultural Studies strand, CSIEME students critically examine factors fostering the emergence and proliferation of critical consciousness about social structures and systems that oppress, marginalize, minoritize, and/or discriminate, as well as of critical action leading to emancipation, solidarity, liberation, and freedom from these structures and systems.


Interaction and Media Sciences

The Interaction and Media Sciences emphasis area enables 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 develop expertise in critical analysis, deconstruction, and research on educational technology. The program prepares 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

The Literacy Education emphasis area explores relationships among language, literacy, culture and social justice. Students 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 literacy equity, writing). Students 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 Mathematics Education emphasis area prepares 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

The Science Education emphasis area engages students in developing expertise in critical analysis of scientific phenomena in relation to teaching and learning. Further, science education will support students to do research on teaching and learning, science including, but not limited to: curriculum design, assessment, scientific literacy, policy, media, popular culture, and issues related to race, gender, and class, consistent with offerings at other top graduate schools of education.

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, including students currently matriculated in graduate programs at UNLV outside of the Department of Teaching and Learning, must meet the minimum Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements, as well as the specific policies outlined below.

2. Prior to the admission start date, a master degree from an accredited program in an area closely related to the chosen field of specialization is required.

3. Submit a complete Graduate College online application, by the stated application date, including the following:

• Three letters of recommendation from professionals who can specifically address the applicant’s potential for success in the doctoral program. One letter, minimally, must be from a university faculty member addressing past academic success and future potential in a doctoral program. These letters of recommendation will be requested by and must be submitted through the Graduate College online application system.
• Submit one set of transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities as requested in the Graduate College online application. Unofficial transcripts should be uploaded via the online application for any degrees or coursework in progress at the time of application. Unofficial transcripts will NOT substitute for the official documents required prior to enrollment, with the exception of coursework taken at UNLV.
• Submit official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores for the General Exam, which must be received prior to the application deadline.
• Answering any questions required in the application portal.

4. After initial screening, applicants moving forward in the process will be invited to an interview. Interviews are conducted by members of the Department of Teaching and Learning graduate faculty. Interviews are not guaranteed simply by means of applying to the program. The Doctoral Studies Office and program faculty members will work to plan interviews with selected applicants.

5. Students with less than a 145 Verbal, or a 145 Quantitative, or a 3.5 Analytical Writing, or any combination thereof on the GRE can only be admitted on a conditional basis; if admitted a student must earn a 3.30 (B+) GPA in the Departmental Core (CIG 761 & 790) and two Required Research Courses (EPY 718 & 721) in order remove the conditional status.

6. Students enrolled or matriculated in a graduate program at UNLV outside of the Department of Teaching and Learning currently are not guaranteed to have program coursework from the previous program accepted for transfer or substitution to the Department of Teaching and Learning degree.

7. The aforementioned requirements are the minimum requirements; meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

8. Recommendations to the Graduate College for admission are based 1) on applicants meeting the minimum requirements along with 2) a comprehensive review of the application materials by program and/or subplan area faculty.

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding subdisciplines 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 Degree Requirements

1. Complete a minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the master’s degree.
2. All coursework must be approved by the doctoral student’s advisor.
3. CIG 761, CIG 790, EPY 718, and EPY 721 are not eligible for substitution.
4. Maintain an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher for all course work taken at the doctoral level;
5. In consultation with his/her advisor, a student must organize a dissertation committee of at least three departmental Members, including a chair from the students subplan area. 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.
6. Pass, and defend orally, a written qualifying examination prior to commencing work on the dissertation proposal.
7. Pass, and defend orally, a written proposal as well as complete all coursework before Advancing to Candidacy and taking dissertation hours.
8. Comply with all requirements for and successfully defend the dissertation as well as any specific graduation requirements and processes (see Graduation Requirements below).
9. Follow all UNLV, Graduate College, and Teaching and Learning Policies and adhere to any subplan processes outline in the Doctoral Handbook or doctoral website.

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.