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Doctorate of Education in Curriculum Studies and Learning Sciences Courses

45 Total Credit Hours

EdD Common Course Requirements

  • EDU 817 – Academic Writing 3 credits. This intensive seminar empowers doctoral students to build a strong dissertation proposal. Through workshops, students dissect key proposal components, build an annotated bibliography and craft a concise literature review. They formulate a preproposal, explore ethical considerations, and gain clarity on program expectations for research and writing. This prepares them to present research plans and confidently launch their doctoral research journey.
  • EDU 820 – Quantitative Foundations 3 credits. This advanced seminar strengthens researchers’ quantitative skillset in education. It explores sophisticated statistical techniques like multivariate analysis to uncover complex relationships in educational data. Students delve into longitudinal analysis for tracking student development, explore psychometrics and educational measurement tools, and gain expertise in designing rigorous experimental and quasi-experimental research to evaluate educational interventions. 
  • EDU 823 – Qualitative Foundations 3 credits. This advanced qualitative research course explores diverse methodologies for in-depth educational inquiry. Students engage with grounded theory and case study approaches, delve into ethnographic methods for understanding educational cultures, and explore narrative inquiry and phenomenological methods for capturing lived experiences. Additionally, the course examines critical discourse analysis for analyzing social power in education and equips researchers with action research strategies for fostering positive change.
  • EDU 826 – Curriculum Planning and Learning Design 3 credits. This course equips educators with a comprehensive framework for effective teaching and learning. It explores contemporary theories of learning and instruction, delving into cognitive development and sociocultural perspectives on learning. Participants will master curriculum design and evaluation, classify learning outcomes using Bloom’s Taxonomy and other tools, and assess diverse learners. The course compares pedagogy and andragogy, and helps navigate the ever-present impact of technology on achieving learning outcomes. Through real-world case studies, educators will gain practical strategies and techniques to foster success in today’s dynamic learning environments. 
  • EDU 829 – Inclusive Leadership in Education 3 credits. This course fosters inclusive educational practices across three key perspectives:
    • Instruction: Participants learn strategies to design inclusive learning environments, lessons, and topics that cater to diverse learners.
    • Administration: The course explores methods to promote inclusion throughout the learner’s journey, from admissions to alumni relations, ensuring accessibility in facilities, lectures, exams, and program completion.
    • Technology: It addresses the digital divide and unequal access to education, exploring strategies to bridge this gap and ensure equitable access to educational resources.
  • EDU 832 – Strategic Decision-Making and Market Forces in Education 3 credits. This course explores demand and decision-making within the educational sphere. Focusing on the K-12 landscape, learners delve into the mechanisms shaping school choices, including vouchers, charter schools, and budget private schools. Discussions extend to accountability frameworks and the dynamics of the teacher labor market. Additionally, the course scrutinizes the collegiate education market, analyzing determinants of tuition and the efficiency of student-college matching. With an emphasis on organizational supply intricacies, participants gain a nuanced understanding of features, pricing, and costing within educational institutions.
  • EDU 835 – Evaluating Education Programs 3 credits. This course focuses on metrics for evaluating educational programs. Participants learn to identify key evaluation questions, establish criteria, and collect and analyze data to assess programs against predefined metrics and standards. Emphasis is placed on effective communication of findings. By mastering these skills, educators gain the ability to critically evaluate educational initiatives and communicate their assessments accurately and persuasively.

Applied Doctoral Research Course Requirements

  • EDU 900 – Action Research 3 credits.This course uses the action research assignments completed in the content courses to develop and implement an action research project. Students gain valuable insights into scholarly research and academic writing. Students may use this course as a pilot study for their dissertation.
  • EDU 901 – Doctoral Research Proposal – I 3 credits. Students edit Ch. 1-3 of their dissertation, complete CITI training, and submit IRB forms. 
  • EDU 902 – Doctoral Research Proposal – II 3 credits. Following IRB approval, students complete their oral proposal and collect data.
  • EDU 903 – Doctoral Research: Defense I 3 credits. Students complete their data analysis and write Ch. 4 Findings/Results.
  • EDU 905 – Doctoral Research: Defense II 3 credits. Students write Ch. 5: Conclusions and Recommendations. Students complete an oral defense and publish their dissertation.  

Curriculum Studies and Learning Sciences Concentration

  • EDU 851 – Leveraging Learning Environments Effectively 3 credits. This course delves into conceptualizing, analyzing, and enhancing learning by researching and designing innovative learning environments, technologies, tools, and experiences. Core perspectives encompass cognitive, sociocultural, developmental, and critical approaches to understanding how individuals learn in authentic settings. Topics include defining and categorizing digital learning tools (DLTs) and exploring learning theories supporting their design. Participants evaluate effective DLTs, equipping themselves with essential knowledge for advancing educational practices.
  • EDU 855 – Designing Robust and Inclusive Assessments 3 credits. This course delves into advancing knowledge of theory, design, and research issues concerning the assessment of student learning outcomes (LOs). Participants critically explore assessment topics in both online and in-person settings. The aim is to equip educators with the skills needed to develop and evaluate assessments that are reliable, valid, and fair for diverse populations. By the end of the course, students will be better-informed assessment developers and evaluators, capable of fostering equitable learning environments.
  • EDU 859 – Digital Learning and Instructional Design 3 credits. This course contrasts pedagogy and andragogy while exploring constructivist and transformative perspectives, including various pedagogical approaches such as design-based, inquiry-based, and game-based learning. Participants also delve into instructional design frameworks like ADDIE, Merrill’s Principles of Learning, Levels of Instructional Strategy, and Gagne’s Events of Instruction, gaining insights into effective instructional strategies for diverse learning contexts.