Course Descriptions

Foundation

EDUC 8008 Foundations for Doctoral Study (6 cr.)
All beginning Ph.D. in Education students are required to complete this course successfully, and are automatically enrolled in it during their first quarter. In this course, students develop a Professional Development Plan and a Plan of Study to guide the rest of their program.

Core Research Sequence

The three courses in the Core Research Sequence are conducted online, requiring weekly participation in discussions and assignments. Faculty instructors guide discussions, require specific readings, and evaluate assignments.

RSCH 8100 Research Theory, Design, and Methods (4 cr.)
This research course provides students with core knowledge and skills for understanding, analyzing, and designing research at the doctoral level. Students explore the philosophy of science, the importance of theory in research, and research processes. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method research designs and methods are introduced. Ethical and social change implications of conducting research, producing knowledge, and engaging in scholarship are emphasized. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing elements of simple research plans. (Prerequisite a Foundations course or first course in a program)

RSCH 8200 Quantitative Reasoning (4 cr.)
This research course provides students with core knowledge and skills for designing quantitative research at the doctoral level, including understanding data analysis and applying statistical concepts. Students explore classical quantitative research designs and common statistical tests, the importance of quality assurance, and ethical and social change implications of conducting quantitative research and producing knowledge. This course approaches statistics from a problem-solving perspective with emphasis on selecting appropriate statistical tests for a research design. Students use statistical software to calculate statistics and interpret and present results. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a quantitative research plan. (Prerequisite: RSCH 810.0)

RSCH 8300 Qualitative Reasoning (4 cr.)
This research course provides students with core knowledge and skills for designing qualitative research at the doctoral level, including understanding data analysis. Students explore the nature of qualitative inquiry; fieldwork strategies and the nature of observation; theoretical approaches to qualitative research; the importance of quality assurance; and the ethical, legal, and social change implications of conducting qualitative research and producing knowledge. Students use software to code data and interpret and present results. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a qualitative research plan. (Prerequisite: RSCH 8100.)

Advanced Research Sequence

After students have completed the Core Research Sequence and have filed an approved dissertation prospectus, they take one (1) Advanced Research Course that aligns with the methodology and supports their capstone research project. Like the core research sequence, these courses are conducted online and require weekly participation in discussions and assignments. Faculty instructors guide discussions, require specific readings, and evaluate assignments.

RSCH 8250 Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis (4 cr.)
This research course builds upon knowledge and skills acquired in RSCH 8200: Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis and provides experience applying them. It provides students with more specialized knowledge and skills for designing quantitative research at the doctoral level, including understanding multivariate data analysis and applying more advanced statistical concepts. Students explore comprehensive quantitative research designs and suitable statistical tests, the importance of quality assurance, and ethical considerations and social change implications of conducting quantitative research and producing knowledge. This course approaches statistics from a problem-solving perspective with emphasis on selecting the appropriate research design and statistical tests for more complex research questions or problems. Students use statistical software to perform analyses and interpret and present results. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a quantitative research plan.(Prerequisite RSCH 8200)

RSCH 8350 Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis (4 cr.)
This research course builds upon knowledge and skills acquired in RSCH 8300: Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis and provides experience applying them. It provides students with more specialized knowledge and skills within each of the common qualitative traditions for designing qualitative research at the doctoral level. Students explore more complex qualitative research designs and analyses; multiple approaches to coding and organizing data; core components of a qualitative write up; the importance of quality assurance; and the ethical considerations and social change implications of conducting qualitative research and producing knowledge. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a qualitative research plan. (Prerequisite RSCH 8300)

RSCH 8450 Advanced Mixed Methods Reasoning and Analysis (4 cr.)
This research course builds upon knowledge and skills acquired in RSCH 8200: Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis and 8300: Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis. It provides students with more specialized knowledge and skills for designing mixed methods research at the doctoral level. Students gain an understanding of the types of mixed methods designs and how to select the most appropriate approach for the research question. The course emphasizes integrating quantitative and qualitative elements into true mixed-methods studies, practice in data analysis, and integration of qualitative and quantitative data within a research write-up. Reliability and validity in mixed methods approaches will be highlighted. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a truly mixed methods research plan that appropriately incorporates qualitative and quantitative elements.(Prerequisites RSCH 8200 and RSCH 8300)

Knowledge Area Modules

Most specializations in the Ph.D. in Education program require completion of Knowledge Area Modules (KAMs).The KAM allows you to focus directly on your area of interest, from initial inquiry to the final dissertation. Six KAMs set the framework for your faculty-guided study, each comprising three components:

Breadth: You investigate a range of theories and concepts from available scholarly literature.
Depth: You thoroughly research a specific concept or issue that is important to you.
Application: You draw on theories and research emerging from the breadth and depth components and apply this knowledge to a real-world situation.

A KAM is complete when all three components are integrated into a final paper called a KAM demonstration, which exhibits academic mastery of the entire subject area. Through this exercise, you develop a comprehensive understanding of the range and complexity of the body of knowledge in your discipline. A rigorous but flexible curriculum encourages you to apply your knowledge to your professional field.

KAM I: Principles of Social Change (14 cr.)
As individuals and as professionals facing contemporary challenges, students must understand the contexts within which change takes place in society, the variety of forces that operate to bring about change, the consequences of change, and their role as change agents. Students examine the complex nature of societal change from the perspective of a variety of disciplines, including philosophy, ethics, sociology, psychology, economics, political science, anthropology, history, and futuristics, and then apply that knowledge through practical demonstration.

KAM II: Principles of Human Development (14 cr.)
In KAM II, students explore human development from a variety of perspectives, including those defined by biology, anthropology, and psychology. They examine how culture (e.g., race, nationality, ethnicity, social class, sex, sexual orientation, and disability) influences human development, and they come to know the individual as part of a larger context in a multicultural society.

KAM III: Principles of Organizational and Social Systems (14 cr.)
In KAM III, students apply social systems theory to examine how different parts of a system interact, in order to better analyze and understand education in the context of the larger society. The primary models of structured system theories are presented as a background and theoretical framework for other knowledge areas.

SPECIALIZED KAMs are also required for particular specializations. For a detailed list of requirements, see each specialization.