The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction is a research‑oriented degree designed for individuals seeking advanced scholarly preparation for careers as university faculty, researchers, curriculum specialists, or educational leaders. The program emphasizes deep content knowledge, broad methodological expertise, and the development of independent, original research.

Students pursue the Ph.D. in one of several areas of concentration, including:

• Bilingual and Multicultural Education
• Elementary Education
• English Education
• Mathematics Education
• Reading Education
• Science Education
• Social Studies/History Education
• World Language Education

Location

• Storrs Campus

Modality

• In Person

Requirements

The Curriculum and Instruction Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program offers nine concentrations: Bilingual and Multicultural Education, Elementary Education, English Education, Mathematics Education, Reading Education, Science Education, Secondary Education, Social Studies/History Education, World Language Education. The Plan of Study for a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction is designed to cultivate beginning expertise in five areas central to scholarly work: Disciplinary Knowledge, Curriculum and Instruction, Professional Skill, Research Methods, and Research Performance. Each area is outlined below. While minimum credit levels are set for each area, the development of emerging expertise in these areas will likely necessitate additional courses or other experiences determined by the student and advisor in consultation. A suggested list of possible courses from which to choose for each area is provided. The doctorate requires satisfactory completion of at least 24 credit hours maintaining at least a “B” average, as well as all other requirements of the Graduate School (e.g., 15 credit hours GRAD 6950 Doctoral Dissertation Research). In addition to required coursework, candidates complete a comprehensive doctoral exam, prepare and present a proposal for their dissertation study, prepare and defend their dissertation.

Disciplinary Knowledge

A minimum of six credits of the EDCI 6094 Seminar, doctoral seminar (or equivalent doctoral seminar) designed to provide in-depth exploration and discussion of current topics, issues, and research in a disciplinary area. Options include: three credit hours of EDCI 6094 Seminar for a specific topic; three credit hours of EDCI 6094 Seminar when repeated with a new topic; three credit hours of an equivalent course, seminar, or independent study; additional credit hours of EDCI courses.

Curriculum and Instruction

A minimum of six credits must be taken through a departmental Proseminar across two semesters that focuses on the history, models, theory, and issues in teacher education. These six credits are typically taken during the first year of doctoral study. Options for earning the minimum six credits include: three to six credits of EDCI 6094; three credits of an equivalent course, seminar, or independent study; additional credit hours of EDCI courses.

Professional Skill

A minimum of six credits must be taken toward initial mastery of professional skills for grant writing, writing for research and professional publication, and teaching courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Course options include: EDCI 6010 Writing for Educational Publications, EDCI 6094 Seminar; three credits of an equivalent course, seminar, or independent study.

Research Methods

A minimum of 12 credits in research methodology must be taken. The distribution of coursework is established by the Advisory Committee with the doctoral student’s professional goals in mind but is ordinarily a combination of quantitative and qualitative courses to ensure breadth of knowledge for evaluating and conducting rigorous research. Course Options include:

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
EDCI 6000	Qualitative Methods of Educational Research	3
EDCI 6860	Educational Inequities Research Methods	3
EPSY 5602	Educational Tests and Measurements	3
EPSY 5605	Quantitative Methods in Research I	3
EPSY 5607	Quantitative Methods in Research II	3
EPSY 5613	Multivariate Analysis in Educational Research	3
EPSY 5621	Construction of Evaluation Instruments	3
EPSY 6601	Methods and Techniques of Educational Research	3
EPSY 6611	Hierarchical Linear Modeling	3
EPSY 6621	Program Evaluation	3
EPSY 6636	Measurement Theory and Application	3
EPSY 6637	Item Response Theory	3

Research Performance

A minimum of 15 credits of GRAD 6950 Doctoral Dissertation Research or GRAD 6960 Full-Time Doctoral Research, Doctoral Dissertation, is required while completing the dissertation research study.

Electives

Identified by the student in consultation with their advisor.

Culminating Requirements

Candidates must complete a General Examination with a written and oral component; a dissertation proposal with a written proposal and oral defense of the proposal; a final examination with an oral defense of the written dissertation.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify issues of social justice and equity related to the fields of curriculum, instruction, and/or educator preparation, articulate their implications for educational research and scholarship, and conduct themselves in accordance with the highest ethical and professional standards.\\n
2. Identify, apply, and communicate theory, content, and procedures of research design, applying one or more specific research methodologies (e.g., quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods) to their own research in curriculum, instruction, and educator preparation, with a focus on their area(s) of interest.
3. Demonstrated knowledge and competency to be a successful scholar, teacher, and educational leader within a variety of contexts, such as universities, nonprofit or for-profit research organizations, or K-12 settings