PhD Degree Program in Educational Foundations, Policy, and Practice
Description
The Concentration in Educational Foundations, Policy and Practice (EFPP) of the School of Education at the University of Colorado at Boulder offers an outstanding faculty and program devoted to the critical examination of the relationships between education, society, and government, with special emphasis on problems of race, gender, so cial class, and multiculturalism. The program stresses analysis and evaluation of educational theory, practice, and policy, by drawing on history, philosophy, law, and the social sciences. Its foundation is critical scholarship, which examines educational institutions within broad social, historical, political, cultural, legal and economic contexts in the United States. Program faculty offer courses on topics such as social, cultural, historical and philosophical foundations of education; policy analysis; evaluation; and curriculum theory. Additional related courses are available in other programs of the School of Education and in other departments of the University. The program is designed to train scholars, teachers, evaluators, and policy analysts for careers in academic institutions and agencies at the state and federal levels.
Requirements for Admission
Admission decisions are based on multiple criteria, including undergraduate academic record, scores on the Graduate Record Examination (Quantitative, Verbal, and Writing), letters of recommendation, evidence of special accomplishments (e.g., exemplary performance in school practice and educational reform or research and scholarly papers), and relevant past experience. The criteria are considered in the aggregate. Congruence between program, research interests, and student goals is also an important consideration. The program has affirmative action goals and funding; minority candidates are especially encouraged to apply.
Minimum requirements:
- Have a minimum 2.75 undergraduate grade point average (GPA), and a minimum of 3.00 in all previous course work in Education.
- Have a minimum 3.00 post-baccalaureate GPA.
- Submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores.
Course Work Requirements
The Ph.D. in Educational Foundations, Policy and Practice requires 56 semester hours of course work and a minimum of 30 semester hours of dissertation credit. Students with significant MA course work relevant to the Ph.D. emphasis may petition the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies for a reduction in the credit hour requirement of up to 12 hours. Ordinarily the course of study for this degree varies considerably among students depending on the area of specialization and background. However, all students in this program should consider the following guidelines when planning their doctoral work.
I. Core Courses (required of all students, regardless of program area or research interests)
First Year Requirements:
EDUC 6929 – Specialty Seminar (Fall and Spring, 2 hrs. credit)
EDUC 8210 – Perspectives on Classroom Teaching and Learning (Fall, 3 hrs. credit)
EDUC 8220 – Introduction to Education Research and Policy (Spring, 3 hrs. credit)
EDUC 8230 – Quantitative Methods I (Fall, 3 hrs. credit)
EDUC 8240 – Quantitative Methods II (Spring, 3 hrs. credit)
EDUC 8250 – Qualitative Methods I (Fall, 3 hrs. credit)
EDUC 8260 – Qualitative Methods II (Spring, 3 hrs. credit)
Second Year Requirements:
EDUC 8014 – Seminar in Multicultural Education (Fall, 3 hrs. credit)
EDUC 6929 – Specialty Seminar (Fall and Spring, no credit)
Cultural/Language Requirement
The culture/language requirement consists of two components: the Multiculturalism seminar (EDUC 8014) and a language component. The Multiculturalism seminar is scheduled every Fall semester, is a doctoral level course, and should be taken in the third semester of the student’s course sequence (second year-first semester). Introductory language courses (see item #1 below) are recorded on the Degree Plan form as having satisfied the language requirement but may not be listed as doctoral course work. To fulfill the language component one of three options is possible:
- Satisfactory completion of two semesters’ worth of college level conversational language courses taken at an accredited institution within the three years preceding admission with a grade of C- or better. The conversational language requirement also can be met by:
- Conversational courses offered through Continuing Education. If the courses are taken for no credit,
the instructor must provide written documentation of second semester oral proficiency. Students
should inform instructors before the start of the courses that such certification is sought.
- Introductory Boulder campus courses such as SPAN 1010, ITAL 1010, FREN 1010, GRMN 1010, etc.
These traditional courses meet the conversational requirement because instruction is conducted in
the language and substantial language labs are part of the course expectations. Courses taken at
another institution must be equivalent to the above courses to count towards this requirement.
- Satisfactory performance on an oral proficiency examination indicating sufficient mastery to complete
a second semester college course. (Given a specific request, arrangements can be made for such
exams to be available through language department faculty or from Continuing Education instructors
on a case-by-case basis.)
- The BUENO Puebla experience or a similar experience (alternative experience to be approved by an EECD faculty
member).
- Course on "Language Issues in Educational Research".
(Approved by School of Education Faculty March, 2008)
II. Courses Beyond the Core
18 Hours of Educational Foundations Courses:
Beyond the Core, EFPP doctoral students are required to take 18 hours of educational foundations courses such as African American and Latino Education in the United States, Culture and Ethnography, Curriculum Theories, Education Policy Theory, Education Policy Issues, Ethics in Education, Gender Issues in Education, History of American Education, Advanced History of Education, Law and Education, Philosophy of Education, Philosophical Issues in Educational Research, Research Ethics, and Sociology of Education.
9 Hours of Research Methods:
Beyond the Core, EFPP doctoral students are required to take 9 hours of advanced research methods courses; these courses may be in advanced qualitative methods (e.g., Advanced Ethnography, Narrative Research, Discourse Analysis) or advanced quantitative methods (e.g., Multivariate Methods, Advanced Multivariate Methods, Introduction to Measurement, Advanced Measurement) and may be taken in the School of Education or in other departments of the University. Students concentrating in History of Education or Philosophy of Education may choose to fulfill this requirement with courses in historiography or philosophical inquiry, respectively.
Concentration Requirement
By fulfilling these requirements in conjunction with elective courses and other scholarly activities, EFPP doctoral students are expected to develop a three‑part program of study consisting of a substantive focus, research proficiency, and practice in research and scholarship.
- Substantive focus
A substantive focus is to be developed from a selection of doctoral-level (ordinarily 5000 or above) courses in educational foundations, e.g., Culture and Ethnography, Curriculum Theories, Education Policy, History of Education, Philosophy of Education, Sociology of Education, or doctoral seminars taught by faculty within the Educational Foundations, Policy and Practice program. In addition, to develop a substantive focus, students usually concentrate in one of three ways:
- Disciplinary Concentration: Taking discipline-oriented courses in related fields outside the School of Education, e.g., courses (usually 4000 level or above) offered by the Departments of Anthropology, History, Philosophy, or Sociology. In choosing this concentration, students are advised to take significant coursework in the relevant outside department. Students may wish to pursue a concurrent Master’s degree in their concentration discipline. Note that this option requires careful coordination across departments.
- Policy Concentration: Taking policy-oriented courses in Education or other departments, e.g., the education policy sequence, consisting of Education Policy Theory and Education Policy Issues; Educational Evaluation; or Law and Education. In choosing this concentration, students are advised to take significant coursework in Research, Evaluation, and Methodology (REM) within the School of Education.
- Educational Foundations and Teacher Education Concentration: Takingcourses in Education that focus on curriculum and teaching practice as well as relevant social foundations courses, e.g., Bilingual Education, Curriculum Theories, Literacy, Radical Educational Theories, Research on Teacher Education, Science, or Special Education.
- Research Proficiency
Research proficiency is to be developed by adding appropriate advanced course work, leading to research expertise in quantitative, qualitative, philosophical, or historical modes of inquiry. (See section on Research Methods above.)
- Practice in Research and Scholarship
Practice in research and scholarship is to be developed through active participation in research and scholarship with Educational Foundations, Policy and Practice program faculty. Doctoral students should be immersed in ongoing research with the faculty as early in their program as possible. All doctoral students are required to complete a minimum of one publishable scholarly project prior to taking comprehensive examinations; other research endeavors prior to the dissertation are desirable.
Comprehensive Exams
A written comprehensive exam, followed by an oral defense, must be completed toward the end of the student’s coursework. The examination will cover information from all required coursework in the student’s degree program. Candidates transferring coursework from other institutions to this program will be responsible for the same knowledge as those whose work has been taken entirely at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Students must be registered for coursework (which includes enrollment in reading or independent study courses) or dissertation hours during the semester(s) in which they take the comprehensive exam. Please refer to the EFPP Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination Guidelines for more details on this requirement.
Application Materials
Persons interested in this program must seek admission to the Graduate School of the University of Colorado at Boulder. Application materials may be obtained online at www.Colorado.edu/Education or in the Office of Student Services, School of Education, Education 151, 249 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0249, telephone 303-492-6555.
Other Documents to Consult
Deadlines for Application
The deadline for submitting complete materials for admission to this program is January 1 for enrollment in the Fall semester. Materials received after the deadlines will be processed only if openings still exist at the university. Admissions to this program are for work beginning in the Fall semester only of each year.
Program Advisors
Rubén Donato,
Professor and Program Chair, (Ph.D. Stanford University) 303-492-7946; email: Ruben.Donato@Colorado.edu.
Specialist in history of American education. Publications include The Other Struggle for Equal Schools: Mexican Americans During the Civil Rights Era and Mexicans and Hispanos in Colorado Schools and Communities, 1920-1960, both with SUNY Press. He is also author of various articles that range from “Promoting the Success of Latino Language-Minority Students, Harvard Educational Review (with Tamara Lucus and Rosemary Henze) and “Unmasking the Rezoning Process” (with Bradley Bartels), Latino Studies. Professor Donato was a National Academy of Education Spencer Fellow, Division F Chair, History and Historiography for the American Educational Research Association, and recipient of the 2007 American Educational Studies “Critics Choice” award for his recent book.
Margaret A. Eisenhart,
University Distinguished Professor, (Ph.D. Anthropology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) 303-492-8583; email: Margaret.Eisenhart@Colorado.edu.
Specialist in educational anthropology, ethnographic research in education, and women’s studies. Major publications include: Educated in romance: Women, achievement and college culture (with Dorothy Holland, 1990, University of Chicago Press); Designing classroom research (with Hilda Borko, 1993, Allyn & Bacon Publications); and Women’s science: Learning and succeeding from the margins) with Liza Finkel, 1998, University of Chicago Press). She was the 2001 recipient of the Elizabeth Gee Lectureship Award for outstanding contributions to research, teaching, and service for women and the 2003-04 recipient of the University’s Distinguished Research Lectureship, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the field and to the University of Colorado. Dr. Eisenhart holds the Bob and Judy Charles Chair of Education.
Ernest R. House, Professor Emeritus (Ed.D. Education, University of Illinois).
Kenneth R. Howe,
Professor, (Ph.D. Philosophy, Michigan State University) 303-492-7229; e-mail: Ken.Howe@Colorado.edu.
Specialist in philosophy of education and educational ethics, research, and policy analysis. Professor Howe has conducted research and published articles on a variety of topics, ranging from the quantitative/qualitative debate to a philosophical examination of constructivism to a defense of multicultural education. His recent research has focused on education policy analysis, particularly school choice, and the controversies surrounding the nature of scientific research in education. His books include the Ethics of Special Education (with Ofelia Miramontes), Understanding Equal Educational Opportunity: Social Justice, Democracy and Schooling, Values in Evaluation and Social Research (with Ernest House), and Closing Methodological Divides: Toward Democratic Educational Research. Professor Howe teaches courses in the social foundations of education, the philosophy of education, and philosophical issues in educational research.
Margaret D. LeCompte, Professor Emerita, (Ph.D. Comparative and International Education, University of Chicago); email Margaret.LeCompte@Colorado.edu.
Daniel P. Liston,
Professor, (Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction, University of Wisconsin) 303-492-8934; email Dan.Liston@Colorado.edu.
Specialist in critical studies of education, curriculum theory, and teacher education. Current work focused on the role of reason and emotion in teaching and learning. Recent books include Teaching, Learning, and Loving (edited with Jim Garrison) and Love and Despair in Teaching (in progress). Appointed Director (Spring 2003) Colorado Courage to Teach; a professional development and revitalization program focused on renewing and sustaining teachers’ professional lives. Previous work includes Capitalist Schools: Explanation and Ethics in Radical Studies of Education, Teacher Education and the Social Context of Schooling) with K. Zeichner), Curriculum in Conflict: Social Visions, Educational Agendas, and Progressive School Reform) with L. Beyer, and other works and articles examining radical theories of education and programs of teacher education.
Linda Mizell, Assistant Professor, (Ed.D. Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education) 303-492-5785; email Linda.Mizell@Colorado.edu.
Specialist in history of U.S. education and multicultural, anti-racist education. Publications include Think About Racism, “Reflections of a ‘Deseg’ Baby,” Rethinking Schools, “Horace Had It Right: The Stakes Are Still High For Students of Color,” in Racial Profiling and Punishment in U.S. Public Schools: How Zero Tolerance Policies and High Stakes Testing Subvert Academic Excellence and Racial Equality, Tammy Johnson, Jennifer Emiko Boyden, and William J. Pittz (Eds.), and “Exploring Primary Sources: The Ideal of Liberty and the Reality of Slavery,” Social Education.
Michele S. Moses,
Professor, (Ph.D. Education, University of Colorado at Boulder) 303-492-8280; email Michele.Moses@Colorado.edu.
Specialist in education policy; philosophy of education; and issues of race, class, and gender. Publications include Embracing Race: Why We Need Race-Conscious Education Policy (Teachers College Press); Hijacking Education Policy Decisions: Ballot Initiatives and the Case of Affirmative Action (with Lauren Saenz, Harvard Educational Review); Toward a Deeper Understanding of the Diversity Rationale (with Mitchell J. Chang, Educational Researcher); Contested Ideals: Understanding Moral Disagreements over Education Policy (Journal of Social Philosophy); and Affirmative Action and the Creation of More Favorable Contexts of Choice (American Educational Research Journal).
Kevin G. Welner, Professor, (Ph.D. Education, UCLA; J.D. UCLA) 303-492-8370; email Kevin.Welner@Colorado.edu.
Specialist in policy, law and program evaluation with a focus on equity issues, and director of the Education and the Public Interest Center (EPIC). His books include Legal Rights, Local Wrongs: When Community Control Collides with Educational Equity (SUNY Press); NeoVouchers: The Emergence of Tuition Tax Credits for Private Schooling (Rowman & Littlefield); and Education Policy and Law: Current Issues (Information Age Publishing, with Wendy Chi).
For more information, contact
Dr. Rubén Donato, Program Chair, Education 340, 303-492-7946, Ruben.Donato@colorado.edu.
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