Curriculum and Instruction - Ph.D.

Program Description

The Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction focuses on curricular issues as a field of inquiry and develops strengths in the areas of understanding and addressing the complex and multiple questions that influence curriculum theory, design, development, delivery, assessment, and evaluation. The primary goal of this program is to prepare curriculum leaders, researchers, and professors with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to analyze, construct, and evaluate curricula in ways that create optimal learning conditions for all learners. This comprehensive preparation will enable graduates to examine unconscious assumptions and identify complex challenges associated with working in schools and other institutions in a multicultural democracy. Consequently, particular attention is devoted to the philosophical, theoretical, historical, cultural, ethical, and political constructs and assumptions that affect curricula, including courses and programs.

C&I Ph.D. Program Handbook

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Degrees Offered

Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction

Tracks in:

• General Education
• Curriculum Studies and Teacher Education (CSTE)
• Language, Diversity & Literacy Studies
• STEM Education

Offered: face-to-face or online

Online / Synchronous Expectations of the Ph.D. in C&I program

The Ph.D. in C&I program can be completed completely online, but there are courses and degree milestones that require mandatory synchronous meetings via virtual meetings and video conferencing software.

• Coursework: Most C&I doctoral online classes have synchronous meetings via Zoom to maximize the effectiveness of teaching and learning; those classes may or may not require attendance at synchronous sessions as a part of the course grade. If such courses have mandatory synchronous meetings, they are noted at the time of registration (so you will know before signing up).
• Degree Milestones: Applicants should be aware that live, synchronous interaction is not only part of the coursework but also required to complete their qualifying exam (oral), proposal defense, and final dissertation defense. These milestones may be completed remotely and online, but not asynchronously.

Career Opportunities With This Degree

Graduates of the Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction will find the following career opportunities in various fields. They include but are not limited to:

• Becoming a faculty member in a College of Education
• Educational program officers and policy analysts in government agencies
• Instructional specialists and leaders in school districts or schools
• Educational researchers and consultants in private or non-profit organizations

Application Requirements

• Doctoral applications for Fall 2024 are currently closed as of January 8th. The doctoral application portal will open again October 1st for Fall 2025.

The Ph.D. program in Curriculum and Instruction requires a completed master's degree in the field of education or cognate areas of study from an accredited higher education institution in the United States or equivalent higher education institution in another country.

Required Supplemental Application Materials

Curriculum Vitae (CV), Research Statement, Three Letters of Recommendation, Writing Sample (CSTE Only). Download the list of required supplemental application materials.

Application Process

Visit the Graduate Application Process page for more information.

Coupon Code Request

• Current applicants may request a coupon code to help defer the costs of the application fee.
  1. To make a coupon code request, an in-progress application is needed.
  2. The coupon code request must be sent, via email, to Mr. Chance Webb.
• You may only request one coupon code (to only one track) per application cycle.
• Coupon code requests are on a first-come, first-served basis; not all requests can be accommodated.

Financial Aid

Scholarships and assistantships for doctoral students are available through the office of graduate education and research in the College of Education.

Tuition & Fees

Use the Student Business Services Tuition Estimator to estimate your costs.

Ph.D. Admissions Process

• Ph.D. applications are in fall only. Application portals open in October and close in December.
• Applicants may only apply to one track for consideration of admission; please refer to track website for information on each track. 
• All application materials considered for review MUST be submitted to the portal; any materials sent outside of the application portal (via email) cannot be considered.
• Applications are only reviewed when complete; required application materials are provided on the website for each track. 
• Applications are reviewed in a holistic manner; GRE scores are not mandatory but may be optionally supplied; then they are included in the holistic review of applications. GRE scores may play an important role should there be deficiencies and/or gaps in other areas of the application. However, applicants will not be penalized if they do not submit GRE scores.
• The department informs the Graduate School of admission decisions in January. 
• The Graduate School issues letters of admission in February; the C&I department does NOT communicate to applicants about admission status until AFTER the official letter is issued.
• The C&I department does NOT provide applicants reasons for non-admission; refer queries to the Graduate School graduate.admissions@ttu.edu.
• If an applicant is denied admission to the track, that is a denial of admission to the entire program. You may reapply the following year with revised application materials to the same or a different track. 

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