Education, Ph.D.

I. Contact Information

MaryAnn Demchak, Ph.D., BCBA D
Professor, Special Education
(775) 682-7852
mad@unr.edu

II. Brief Introduction

The College of Education offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Ph.D.) degree with several areas of emphasis:

• Counselor Education and Supervision
• Educational Leadership
• English Language Learners/Emergent Bilinguals
• Equity and Diversity in Education
• Information Technology in Education
• Literacy Studies
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education
• Special Education and Disability Studies

The Ph.D. program in Education prepares graduates for careers in advanced professional practice, research or scholarly inquiry, and teaching at the college level. The Ph.D. program leads to both a broad and a deep scholarly knowledge, with an emphasis on the production of new knowledge within the profession.

In addition, the college offers a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree geared to the advanced practicing professional. The emphasis of the Ed.D. is limited to educational leadership with a focus on the challenges of school and higher education reform.

III. Program Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes

 The Ph.D. program in Education prepares you at an advanced level to work in the professorial ranks of higher education or assume positions of leadership in schools and agencies. The degree provides rich preparation by exposing you to a wide variety of courses and experiences related to fundamental theories and concepts associated with education, as well as current issues and trends in diversity, technology, and counseling. Strengths of the program lie in the opportunity for you to be exposed to a variety of courses and to faculty members in the College of Education and the University, while having a defined area of emphasis for your study. the Ph.D. program leads to both a broad and a deep scholarly knowledge, with an emphasis on the production of new knowledge within the profession.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will complete a research proposal that includes a complete methods section tailored to the design chosen.
• Students will conduct and explain an original research study that demonstrates their understanding of research methods and the appropriate data analysis.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to read and critically analyze research studies and trends in their emphasis area as demonstrated by successful completion of the dissertation.
• Counselor Education and Supervision doctoral students have additional student learning outcomes described in the Counselor Education and Supervision Doctoral Student Handbook.

IV. Admission Requirements

Applicants for the doctoral degrees must meet general university requirements for admission, Graduate School requirements, College of Education requirements and program requirements.
Each applicant must satisfy the regular graduate admission requirements listed for doctoral programs and the following special requirements:

1. The COE recommends, but does not require, that you have at least three years of relevant professional field experience by the time you finish your degree. This may be three years of work experience related to the area of emphasis prior to admission, three years of related work experience while in the doctoral program, or some combination thereof.
2. Preference for applicants who hold a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in an area appropriately related to the chosen emphasis area. Emphasis of prior degree area(s) should be appropriately related to the chosen emphasis area.
3. All applicants must complete the GRE.  Scores for Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing are each considered by the review committees.  Although high scores are expected in all three areas, particular emphasis is placed on the Analytical Writing subtest.
4. Gain recommendation by the graduate faculty of the area of emphasis and gain approval of the doctoral admissions committee.
5. At least one faculty member in the area of emphasis must be willing to serve as temporary chair of the applicant’s committee.
6. Counselor Education and Supervision doctoral students have additional admission requirements, explained in the Counselor Education Doctoral Student Handbook.

NOTE: Additional requirements may be required for each emphasis. Please contact the Program Director for more information.

V. Program Requirements

The standard doctorate graduate regulations apply with the following modifications:

Full-Time Study: Doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) students must complete a two-semester residency consisting of successive semesters, excluding summer, of at least nine credits each semester. The same residency requirement holds for the doctor of education (Ed.D.); however, Ed.D. students have the option of satisfying the residency requirement by completing at least two full-time summer or regular semesters with a minimum of 12 graduate credits for each semester. For the Ed.D., a maximum of three credits of dissertation, independent study or workshop credits may be applied per full-time term. Residency requirements must be satisfied after admission to the doctoral program.

Program: The Ed.D. requires a minimum of 90 semester credits beyond the baccalaureate degree, including 12 credits of dissertation. The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of 96 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree, including 24 credits of dissertation. An Ed.D. program may include up to 30 credits earned for the master’s degree, and a Ph.D. program may include up to 24 credits earned as part of the master’s degree. In addition to these credits earned at the master’s degree level which may be included in doctoral programs of study, a maximum of 16 relevant credits in an accredited post-master’s degree program or licensure program beyond the master’s degree may be applied to approved Ed.D. or Ph.D. program.
A maximum of six graduate credits of S/U grades may apply toward the doctor of education or the doctor of philosophy degree. In preparation for the dissertation, all doctoral students must complete a required sequence of core, research, and statistics courses, including 15-18 hours for the Ed.D. and 24 hours for the Ph.D.

Dissertation: The dissertation must involve scholarly and practical consideration of a professional problem. The research should contribute to an improvement in educational practices or to the body of educational theory.

Foreign Language : There is no foreign language requirement.

Fees: All course credits are assessed at the regular fee schedule in effect at the time of registration.

VI. Total Units

The doctor of philosophy degree program (Ph.D.) includes a minimum of 96 units beyond the baccalaureate degree, including 24 units of dissertation.

The doctor of education degree program (Ed.D.) includes a minimum of 90 units beyond the baccalaureate degree, including 12 units of dissertation. The Ed.D. is available only for Educational Leadership emphasis area.

VII. Notes

Degree candidates should consult the college website for more information.