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, research, and evaluate STEM education in ways that create optimal learning conditions for all learners.

The Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction program with a concentration in STEM education is designed to immerse student scholars in STEM education research by exploring and critically evaluating foundational and current issues in STEM education, examining methodological approaches, analyzing and interpreting research data and information, and applying research competences to produce scholarly work. STEM education graduates’ research conducted in this program may transform formal and informal P-20 STEM education communities.

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Tuition Cost Estimate

For the most accurate estimates of tuition please see the Cost Estimator located on the Student Business Services page. Below estimates do not account for potential scholarships, assistantships, or program-specific fees added to your bill. Please also remember that this not a tuition guarantee as the Texas Tech Board of Regents reviews tuition and fees annually.

Get a detailed tuition estimate ❯ - all fully online graduate students should select "TTU Online."

Degrees Offered

Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a track in STEM.

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

A Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction opens a wide array of opportunities within the education field and our students have a variety of educational interests. The STEM concentration can qualify you for university STEM education positions and for some STEM specialist positions in K-12.

Application Materials

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.

College Transcripts – Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded to the Graduate School application. Information on submitting official transcripts will be provided to you by the Graduate School. Grade reports or unofficial transcripts from university web portals will not be accepted. Please redact the Social Security Number anywhere it appears on your transcript. If documents are written in a language other than English, a copy of a complete and official English translation must be provided with the original language records.

Required Supplemental Application Materials

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

Applicants must have a master's degree from an accredited institution in STEM education or closely related field such as curriculum and instruction, elementary, middle or secondary education, or a STEM field. Applicants must have had at least three years of successful K-12 STEM teaching in a public or private school and/or an informal STEM setting by the start of their first course in the program.

Application Process

Please visit the Graduate Application Process for more information on how to apply.

Semester in which the program can be started

Fall enrollment only.

• Doctoral applications for Fall 2025 open October 1st. The application deadline is January 15th, 2025.

Estimated Hours to Completion

63 hours of coursework.

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.

Contacts

Student Spotlight

Student Spotlight: Miranda M. Allen

We are excited to feature Miranda, as she has achieved remarkable success in her research endeavors, showcasing her dedication and passion for advancing knowledge in STEM education.

Recently, Miranda accomplished the following milestones:

Journal Article Publication: Miranda published an insightful article in School Science and Mathematics.

Allen, M. M. (2023). High school Black girls' experiences in a STEM after-school program: A qualitative case study. School Science and Mathematics, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssm.12624

AERA Presentation: Miranda's research excellence extends to conference presentations. She has had a paper accepted for presentation at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia.

Allen, M. M. (2024, April 11-14). High School Black Girls' experiences in a STEM after-school program: A qualitative case study. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia.

Admission into CADRE:

Miranda has also been admitted into CADRE (Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education), an NSF project supporting researchers in establishing valuable networks to enhance their research methods and findings. This opportunity not only fosters collaboration but also provides visibility for researchers' work among external audiences.

Miranda's achievements exemplify her commitment to advancing STEM education research. We look forward to witnessing her continued success in her academic journey. Congratulations, Miranda!

Faculty