Doctor of Education - Curriculum & Instruction

Plan Description

This program aims to cultivate educational leaders through providing innovative solutions to complex problems of practice. 

The completion of this degree will enable individuals to become members of university faculties but particularly suited for positions as leaders in school districts and community agencies.

Students must focus in one or more of the following disciplinary areas: Career & Technical and Postsecondary Education (CTPE), Cultural Studies, International Education, and Multicultural Education (CSIEME), Interaction and Media Sciences, Literacy Education, Mathematics Education, Science Education, and Teacher Education

Upon completion of the program, graduates will:

• Have an understanding of the theoretical and historical foundations of education.
• Demonstrate knowledge and synthesis of major research in teaching and schooling.
• Demonstrate knowledge and research application in solving a complex problem of practice.
• Understand and apply the major tenets of research design and analysis spanning quantitative, qualitative, and evaluation research methods.
• Demonstrate the ability to successfully design, defend, and complete an extended educational study addressing a complex problem of practice resulting in a defensible traditional dissertation or a multiple article dissertation.

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.
Application for the Curriculum and Instruction Ed.D. in the Department of Teaching and Learning is accomplished through the UNLV Graduate College online application process.
Specific admission criteria for the Ed.D. – 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 sub-disciplines and subplans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Plan Requirements

Degree Requirements

1. Complete a minimum of 60 credits 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 their 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 credits.
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

The student must submit and successfully defend their dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.

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.

Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.