Ph.D. Program Planning
Overview
Upon acceptance to the program, students are assigned an adviser. During the first year of study, students identify, either in consultation with their adviser or with the director of doctoral studies, faculty members to serve as their guidance committee. Programs for the doctoral degree in education are planned individually by students and their guidance committees. The program of study consists of four major elements: common core courses, specialization specific to the student’s scholarly interests, a number of selected electives from across areas of specialization, and research preparation, including specific advanced research modules. At least five common core courses are required of all students: Proseminar in Doctoral Studies, Critical Inquiry in Education, Normative Inquiry in Education, Qualitative Inquiry in Education, Introduction to Statistics: Inquiry, Analysis, and Decision Making; Applied Regression Analysis for Educational Research, and Quantitative Inquiry: Methods and Techniques of Educational Research. Typically students complete 52 to 64 hours in graduate coursework following their matriculation. These hours do not include doctoral research (EDUC 999).
Qualifying Examination
To be advanced to Ph.D. candidacy, students must satisfactorily complete qualifying examinations as well as other program requirements. After completing at least two-thirds of their coursework, students may take the qualifying examination. The examination is a written exam to be developed, supervised, and evaluated by the student’s guidance committee. The qualifying examination is used to evaluate the student’s general knowledge in relevant areas of inquiry, and his or her fitness for engaging in research, particularly in the subject proposed for the dissertation.
Dissertation
Dissertation
To complete the degree, the student must present and defend a dissertation of original research and publishable quality.
Areas of Specialization
Students typically complete a minimum of five courses (20 credits) within their chosen area of specialization. The number may vary at the discretion of the Guidance Committee. The descriptions and lists below are intended as an aid for both the student and the Guidance Committee. The Guidance Committee is charged with the development and approval of the course of study. Consequently, doctoral students must work closely with their Guidance Committee to ensure that the courses they take will be considered part of their course of study.
* Leadership and Policy Studies
* Experiential/Outdoor Education
Degree Requirements and Sequence
Our doctoral program has three related components that all students must pass in order to receive the Ph.D. in Education degree at the University of New Hampshire. The three components are:
* Course of Study
* Comprehensive/Qualifying Examination
* Dissertation
The following sequence is followed to complete requirements within the above components:
* Meet admission requirements
* Advisor assigned upon acceptance to Program
* Establish Guidance Committee (within first two semesters of course work)
* Develop and complete an approved Course of Study in consultation with one’s Guidance Committee
* Complete Required Coursework
* Undergo an Annual Assessment Review by the Doctoral Advisory Committee (for first- and second-year students)
* Pass a Comprehensive/Qualifying Examination to advance to candidacy
* Establish a Dissertation Committee
* Develop an approved Dissertation Proposal
* Write and present the Dissertation
* Pass the Oral Examination/Dissertation Defense
Course of Study
Upon acceptance to the program, students are assigned an advisor. During the first year of study, students identify (either in consultation with their advisor or with the Director of Doctoral Studies) three faculty members, including their advisor, to serve as their Guidance Committee. Doctoral students work with their Advisors and Guidance Committees to develop their course of study.
The Course of Study consists of three major elements:
* Core courses
* Courses appropriate to an individual’s area of inquiry
* Two integrative courses from outside one’s own area of inquiry and/or from Advanced Inquiry Courses.
The Course of Study typically consists of 56 credits, but may require more courses.
Core courses required of all students:
EDUC 902 Proseminar in Doctoral Studies
EDUC 905 Critical Inquiry in Education
EDUC 903 Normative Inquiry in Education
EDUC 904 Qualitative Inquiry in Education
EDUC 981 Quantitative Inquiry, Methods and Techniques of Educational Research
Note: Prerequisites to EDUC 981 include:
EDUC 881 Introduction to Statistics: Inquiry, Analysis, and Decision Making
EDUC 897A & 897B Applied Regression Analysis for Educational Research.
Advanced Inquiry Courses
EDUC 982 Issues and Methods in Ethnographic Research in Education
EDUC 993 Epistemology and Education