Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
History, Philosophy, and Sociological Studies
Quick Links
Have questions? Reach out
Specialization Overview
This specialization offers advanced disciplinary study of the history, philosophy, and/or sociology of education to understand and construct interdisciplinary frameworks for understanding contemporary issues of K-16 educational policy & practice, research methodology, and culminates in a dissertation.
Credit Hours
48
Cohort Size
15-20
Completion Time
18-24 Months
Student Name
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat."
Curriculum
Stage One: Admissions, Coursework, and First Year Review
Students are assigned a faculty advisor upon admission to guide them through Stage One, including coursework and the First-Year Review after at least 18 credit hours. The Director of Graduate Studies provides additional support. Stage One ends with successful completion of the review and most coursework.
Coursework
Students complete 48 credits of coursework, typically taking 6–12 credits per semester based on enrollment status. Full-time students enroll in 9–12 credits in fall and spring, while part-time students take 3–9 credits year-round. All students should complete at least 18 credits in their first year.
Students are also responsible for tracking their Program of Study and developing a CV, with guidance from their advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies.
First-Year Review
The First-Year Review takes place after 18 credits and helps students reflect on progress, receive faculty feedback, and prepare for the next stage of the Ph.D.
Students submit required materials (e.g., statement, paper, program of study, CV), which are reviewed by faculty. Feedback is shared in a formal letter, followed by a meeting with the advisor to plan next steps, such as a second-year review or the preliminary exam.
Stage Two: Preliminary Exam
After completing the first- or second-year review, students form a three-member preliminary exam committee aligned with their research interests. With guidance, they develop two exam questions and reading lists (20–25 sources each).
Students complete written responses (20–25 pages each) over 10 weeks, followed by an oral defense. The committee evaluates both components, assigns a grade, and, upon passing, the student meets with their chair to prepare for the next stage of the Ph.D.
Stage Three: Dissertation Qualifying Exam
After passing the preliminary exam, students select a dissertation chair and form a committee of ECS and external faculty aligned with their research. External members outside the university require Graduate School approval. The qualifying exam includes two parts: the dissertation proposal and the dissertation.
Part I: Dissertation Proposal
In consultation with their chair, students develop a dissertation proposal (introduction, literature review, and methodology). After a pre-defense and revisions based on committee feedback, students complete a final proposal defense.
Successful defense advances the student to ABD status and completes Part I of the qualifying exam.
Part II: Dissertation
Students research and write a five-chapter dissertation in consultation with their chair and committee. After a pre-defense and revisions based on feedback, they complete a public final defense.
Upon successful defense, students finalize revisions and submit the dissertation to the Thesis Office and ProQuest. Submission and graduation mark completion of the doctoral program.
Sample Course Sequences
The sample timeline below is an example of the possible course load for a graduate student over the course of their program.
| Semester | Part Time | Full Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option A | Option B | Option A | Option B | |
| Fall | Enroll in 6 Credits (2 courses) | Enroll in 6 Credits (2 courses) | Enroll in 9 Credits (3 courses) | Enroll in 9 Credits (3 courses) |
| Spring | Enroll in 6 Credits (2 courses) | Enroll in 6 Credits (3 courses) | Enroll in 12 Credits (3 courses) | Enroll in 9 Credits (3 courses) |
| Summer | Enroll in 6 Credits (2 courses) | Enroll in 6 Credits (3 courses) | Enroll in 0 Credits (0 courses) | Enroll in 0 Credits (3 courses) |
| Year 1 Total | 18 credits | 18 credits | 21 credits | 18 credits |
| Semester | Part Time | Full Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option A | Option B | Option A | Option B | |
| Fall | Enroll in 6 Credits (2 courses) | Enroll in 6 Credits (2 courses) | Enroll in 9 Credits (3 courses) | Enroll in 9 Credits (3 courses) |
| Spring | Enroll in 3 Credits (or 3 credit exam) + 3 credit Exam (2 courses) | Enroll in 3 credit Exam (1 course) | Enroll in 9 credits (3 courses) | Enroll in 9 Credits (3 courses) |
| Summer | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) | Enroll in 6 Credits (2 courses) | Enroll in 0 Credits (0 course) | Enroll in 0 Credits (0 course) |
| Year 2 Total | 15 credits | 15 Credits | 18 credits | 18 credits |
| Semester | Part Time | Full Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option A | Option B | Option A | Option B | |
| Fall | Enroll in 6 Credits (2 courses) | Enroll in 3 credit Exam (1 course) | Enroll in 9 Credits (4 courses) | Enroll in 9 Credits (3 courses) |
| Spring | Enroll in 6 Credits (2 courses) | Enroll in 6 Credits (2 courses) | Enroll in 9 Credits (4 courses) | Enroll in 9 Credits (3 courses) |
| Summer | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) | Enroll in 0 Credits (0 course) | Enroll in 0 Credits (0 course) |
| Year 3 Total | 15 credits | 12 Credits | 18 credits | 18 credits |
Note 1: Dissertation proposals are typically written and defended by Year 3 or the beginning
of Year 4. Students who are part-time typically take the summer to complete additional
reading and draft the first version of their Dissertation Proposal. The goal is to
have a defended Dissertation Proposal by no later than the Fall of Year 4.
Note 2: Allied and research courses
| Semester | Part Time | Full Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option A | Option B | Option A | Option B | |
| Fall | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) | Enroll in 6 Credits (2 courses) | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) |
| Spring | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) | Enroll in 3 credits (1 course) | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) + Graduate* | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) |
| Summer | Enroll in 0 Credits (0 course) | Enroll in 0 Credits (0 courses) | N/A | Enroll in 0 Credits (0 course) |
| Year 4 Total | 6 credits | 9 Credits | 6 credits | 6 credits |
* Year 5 required milestones are completed in Year 4 for graduation.
| Semester | Part Time | Full Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option A | Option B | Option A | Option B | |
| Fall | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) | N/A | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) |
| Spring | Enroll in 3Credits (1 course) + Graduate | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) + Graduate | N/A | Enroll in 3 Credits (1 course) + Graduate |
| Summer | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Year 5 Total | 18 credits | 18 Credits | 21 credits | 18 credits |
| Year 1-5 total | 60 credits | 60 credits | 63 credits** | 66 credits** |
** Additional credits reflected are to meet requirement for minimum of 3 thesis credit hour registration during semesters of meeting with dissertation Chair and committee.