Professor Elaine M. Jarchow, Dean

Programs are available through the College of Education leading to the following graduate degrees: Master of Education and Doctor of Education. Students may select from a number of majors or support areas while working toward these degrees. The Office of Graduate Education and Research in the College of Education should be consulted for general information and referral to appropriate program advisors.

The Doctor of Education degree is offered in these areas: Counselor education, curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, educational psychology, higher education, instructional technology, and special education. Master of Education degrees are offered in bilingual education, counselor education, curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, educational psychology, elementary education, higher education, instructional technology, language literacy education, secondary education, special education, and supervision.

Initial and Professional Certification (Public Schools). Post baccalaureate programs designed to meet initial certification requirements for teaching in elementary and secondary schools are available. Although the professional certification programs require work at the graduate level, it should be noted that these programs are not coincidental with degree programs. The state-mandated ExCET test is required for persons who complete certification programs. For guidance concerning professional certification, the student should consult with an advisor or the university certification officer and the chairpersons of the various programs. Professional certification programs are offered in these areas: principal, superintendent, counselor, educational diagnostician, reading specialist, supervisor, special education counselor, and special education supervisor. Professional teacher's certificates are awarded in approved fields in elementary and secondary education. Graduate program endorsements are available for bilingual education, driver education, early childhood, English as a second language, gifted and talented, information processing technologies, learning resources, generic special education, and visually impaired.

The Doctor of Education Degree. Doctoral study consists of the mastery of a field of knowledge and successful pursuit of research. Consequently, doctoral programs are more flexible and varied than those leading to other graduate degrees. The Graduate School does not specify a course of study for the Doctor of Education degree. The general requirement is that the program should be unified in relation to a clear objective, that it should have the considered approval of the student's advisory committee, and that it should have a strong research component. The Doctor of Education degree is not granted for a program of miscellaneous study. The program as a whole must be rationally unified, and all courses must contribute to an organized program of study and research. The major field must be from one of the following doctoral programs in the College of Education: (1) counselor education, (2) curriculum and instruction, (3) educational leadership, (4) educational psychology, (5) higher education, (6) instructional technology, or (7) special education. If a minor is taken, it must include at least 15 graduate hours in a program outside the student's major.

Students majoring in curriculum and instruction may select a support area, such as bilingual, elementary, language literacy, or secondary education.

In addition to the major, every Doctor of Education degree program must include a foundations core (9 semester-hours minimum) and a research core (18 semester-hours minimum). The doctoral degree is never conferred solely as a result of any prescribed period of study. It is granted on evidence of general proficiency and distinctive attainment in a special field. The distinguishing feature of the degree is its focus on the student's mastery of independent investigation as demonstrated in a dissertation presenting original research or creative scholarship with a high degree of literary skill.

A period of residency is required for doctoral candidates to ensure that each has a time of concentrated study as a full-time student with minimal outside distractions. Such a period of course work, reading, reflection, study, research, and interaction with peers and faculty without the distractions of major outside responsibilities is necessary and no one should contemplate doctoral candidacy who is unable or unwilling to spend a substantial portion of time as a full-time student. During the residency, the student should be free of other employment responsibilities, except as specified below.

A candidate may satisfy the residency requirement in one of the following patterns:

·Two consecutive semesters of at least 12 semester hours each;

·Three consecutive full summer sessions of at least nine weeks each while earning at least 9 hours of graduate credit during each session;

·A full summer session of twelve weeks, earning 12 hours of graduate credit plus the completion of at least 12 hours of graduate credit during the adjacent spring or fall semester; or

·For students holding half-time graduate assistantships, or students involved for no more than half-time in other work closely related to doctoral study, 9 semester hours in each of the regular semesters and at least 6 hours in the preceding or subsequent summer.

The proposal for doctoral study, including the plan for meeting the residency requirements, should be submitted to the Graduate School well in advance of the proposed residency period.