LT Doctor of Philosophy Degree Program

 This comprehensive program provides knowledge and skills in areas such as instructional systems design, learning and instructional theories, instructional materials development and design of learning environments using various emerging technology-based systems and tools.  Graduates assume academic, administrative, and other leadership positions such as professors; technologists or directors at the school district level; designers, managers, and researchers at companies as well as instructional evaluators.

Minimum Coursework Total (excluding dissertation): 63 hours

Department Requirements (Minimum 21 hours)

Foundations Requirements (9 hours)

  • EDC 380F  Sociocultural Foundations
  • EDC 381F  Introduction to Teaching & Teacher Education
  • EDC 383F  Curriculum Theory

Research Methodology Requirements (12 hours)

To be taken in sequence:

  1. EDC 381R  Intro to Systems of Human Inquiry
  2. The following two courses (6 hours), in any order:
    • EDC 385R  Intro To Quantitative Research (or EDP 382K  4-Survey of Multivariate Methods)
      Note: EDC 382R  Fundamentals of Statistics is a prerequisite to EDC 385R  Intro To Quantitative Research. Other course choices for this prerequisite include EDP 371 Intro to Statistics, EDP 380E Fundamentals of Statistics, EDA 381P  Quantitative Research Design and Analyses or statistics courses brought in from another institution as approved through the appropriate GSC procedure.
    • EDC 386R  Intro To Qualitative Research
  3. One more advanced and specialized research methods course (either quantitative, qualitative or mixed) such as:
    • EDC 385G  Mixed Methods Design Based Research
    • EDC 387R  Survey Research
    • EDC 388R  Case Study EDC 388R Discourse Analysis
    • EDC 388R  Ethnographic and Qualitative Research methods
    • EDC 388R  Narrative and Oral Tradition
    • EDP 380P  1-Measurement and Evaluation
    • EDP 380P  4-Evaluation Models and Techniques
    • EDP 382K  2-Correlation and Regression Methods
    • EDP 382K 3-Factor Analysis
    • EDP 382K  6-Structural Equation Modeling
    • EDP 482K  1-Experimental Design and Statistical Inference
    • EDP 384  4-Introduction to Survey Research
    • EDP 384  16-Hierarchical Linear Modeling
    • SOC 380L  Social Statistics: Dynamic Models and Longitudinal Data Analyses
    • SOC 384J  Structural equation modeling
    • SOC 385K  Social Statistics: Discrete Multivariate Models
    • SOC 385L  Social Statistics: Linear Models and Structural Equation Systems

Directed Research Requirements (Minimum 12 hours)

All students in the doctoral program will take the following:

  • EDC 396  Doctoral Seminar: Learning Technologies (3 hours)
  • EDC 396T  Directed Research in Curriculum & Instruction* (9 hours)

 *EDC 396T can be taken more than once for credit.

Specialization Requirements (Minimum 30 hours)

Students who have already taken courses similar to the required ones listed below and need course substitution should discuss with their assigned coursework advisor and then seek approval from the LT Program Area Advisor. In general, course substitutions are discouraged.

Required Courses (12 hours)

To be taken in Fall semester:

  • To be proposed: Foundation of Learning Technologies
  • EDC 390T  Instructional Systems Design

To be taken in Spring semester:

  • EDC 385G  Interactive Multimedia Design and Production
  • EDC 385G  Teaching and Learning with the Internet

Elective Courses (12 hours)

  • EDC 385G  Analysis of Research in Learning Technologies
  • EDC 385G  Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning
  • EDC 385G  Current Issues in Learning Technologies
  • EDC 385G  Design and Development of Adventure Learning
  • EDC 385G  Designs and Strategies for New Media
  • EDC 385G  Learning Technology Planning and Management
  • EDC 385G  Online Learning and the Future of Education  
  • EDC 385G  Motivation and Design of Learning Technologies
  • EDC 385G  Technology & Preservice Teacher Education
  • EDC 385G  Technology, Teacher Learning & School Change
  • EDC 390T  Advanced Instructional Systems Design
  • EDC 390T  Issues and Strategies For Technology Leaders
  • EDC 397P  Graduate Internship

Please note: Not all courses are offered every year. Other courses may be added. Please check the course schedule.

Special Interest (6 hours)

Two courses, selected with the assistance and approval of your advisor, that address a disciplinary or interdisciplinary interest area that relates directly to your research agenda or professional goals in Learning Technologies. These courses can be in or outside the department.

Outside Department Requirements (Minimum 6 hours*)

Coursework taken outside of the department (must not begin with EDC) and listed under the research course section or special interest section can fulfill this requirement.

*This is not an additional two-course requirement.

Dissertation (Minimum two consecutive semesters of dissertation work)

Students in the Curriculum and Instruction department are required to register for at least 6 hours of dissertation credit during each fall and spring semester during the time that they are working on their dissertation research.

Dissertation credit is accrued while taking EDC 699R and EDC 699W.

EDC 699R should be scheduled first.  The dissertation proposal defense should take place during the semester in which EDC 699R is taken.

Special accommodations for fewer hours of dissertation credit per semester must be arranged with the departmental graduate advisor, typically occurring only while the student is working outside the university full-time.

Doctoral forms and related Information

Degree Plans

Download the LT Doctor of Philosophy degree plan (pdf)
(for students enrolled Fall 2013 and later)

Download the LT Doctor of Philoshophy degree plan (pdf)
(for students enrolled before Fall 2013)

Last updated on March 11, 2013