Curriculum and Instruction, PhD
Program Description
(Curriculum Studies, Instructional Design and Educational Technology, Kinesiology, Literacy Studies, and Special Education)
The doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction is a progressive and evidence-based program that offers students the choice of five emphases: Curriculum Studies, Instructional Design and Educational Technology, Kinesiology, Literacy Studies, and Special Education. The 60- semester credit-hour program prepares graduates to teach at colleges and universities as professors, have careers as researchers and scholars, and fill other major educational positions. Required are 18 semester credit hours of core curriculum and instruction courses, 18 semester credit hours in research courses, 18 semester credit hours in chosen emphasis, and 6 semester credit hours allocated for the completion of the dissertation.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will:
- Students will demonstrate mastery of the specific field of education they are specializing in as part of their program (i.e., Curriculum Studies, Information Design and Educational Technology, Kinesiology, Literacy Studies, and Special Education).
- Students will demonstrate mastery to conduct original research.
- Students will demonstrate mastery of Curriculum & Instruction.
-
Students will disseminate their original scholarship through appropriate state/national/international conferences and professional publications.
For Additional Information
Website:
https://gradcollege.tamucc.edu/degrees/education/curriculum_and_instruction_phd.html
Campus Address:
Early Childhood Development Center, Room 219J
Phone (361-825-2417)
Faye.Bruun@tamucc.edu
Mailing Address:
Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning Sciences
College of Education and Human Development
6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5834
Corpus Christi, Texas 78412-5384
Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet all conditions for graduate admission to the College of Education and Human Development, including a minimum grade point average of 3.00, as specified earlier in this catalog. Additional requirements for admission to the program are described below.
Admission requires approval by a Curriculum and Instruction admission committee. Criteria for admission include the following:
- a Graduate Record Examination score (GRE) taken within the last five years,
- a minimum of three years teaching experience or related experience.
- four professional or educational letters of recommendation submitted in Online Ph.D. Curriculum & Instruction Reference Form, and
- official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work indicating completion of a master's degree in a relevant field from a regionally accredited University.
After an applicant's required materials are received, an applicant will be invited for personal interviews and presentations. An admission committee will consider all qualifications, including professional and personal qualifications, in making admission decisions. The committee may admit persons with lower levels of the above indicators of academic history if professional and personal qualifications are unusually strong. For the Literacy Studies emphasis, individuals who do not have prior graduate work in Reading/Literacy will have course requirements in addition to the 60-hour requirement. If accepted into the program, these students will be required to take up to 15 additional hours besides those already required for the Literacy Studies emphasis in the doctoral program.
Program Requirements
The Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Curriculum and Instruction is awarded in recognition of the attainment of independent and comprehensive scholarship in the field. To qualify for the degree, the student must meet the following specific requirements.
- Residence: Three consecutive sessions (summer, fall, spring; fall, spring, summer; etc.) of 6 semester hours enrollment are required, to be completed during the course of the program. The ten year rule on recency of credit will apply.
- Coursework: Sixty semester hours of coursework are required, inclusive of dissertation courses. With departmental approval, up to 12 semester hours for the degree plan may be transferred from another regionally accredited University. The transfer credits must be post master's-level graduate coursework, must be less than ten years old at the time of conferral of the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi degree, and may not have been included on degree plans for any other degree. The student must have been enrolled as a terminal degree student when coursework was completed. Likewise, up to one-fourth of the credits for the degree plan may be transferred from post master's-level work taken at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The program faculty and the Graduate Dean must approve the transfer credits. The degree requires the following:
- 18 hours of core curriculum & instruction
- 18 hours in research tools
- Choose an emphasis (Minimum of 18 hours to be chosen with faculty advisor)
- Curriculum Studies
- Instructional Design and Educational Technology
- Kinesiology
- Literacy Studies
- Special Education
- A minimum of 6 hours of Dissertation in Progress (repeated as necessary)
- Candidacy/Comprehensive Examinations: Comprehensive examinations will be scheduled at such time as the student's advisor judges that the student is ready, but not before the student has completed all the required core curriculum and instruction emphases, and research tools courses. Admission to candidacy for the degree requires passing written comprehensive examination and when judged appropriate by program faculty, an oral examination.
- Dissertation and Final Examination: The dissertation is developed under the supervision of a dissertation advisor, who serves as chair of the dissertation committee. The committee is composed of at least four members including the chair. There will be a final oral examination that will focus on, but is not limited to, the dissertation work.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| EDCI 6302 | Curriculum & Instruction Seminar | 3 |
| EDCI 6303 | Issues in Curriculum and instruction | 3 |
| EDCI 6324 | Curriculum Theory ^ | 3 |
| EDCI 6336 | Culture, Language, and Cognition ^ | 3 |
| EDCI 6356 | Writing for Publications in Higher Education | 3 |
| EDCI 6392 | Critical Pedagogy | 3 |
| Research Tools | ||
| EDLD 6333 | Applied Statistics 1 | 3 |
| EDLD 6392 | Applied Statistics 2 | 3 |
| EDLD 6384 | Qualitative Research Methods | 3 |
| EDLD 6385 | Advanced Data Analysis in Qualitative Methods | 3 |
| EDCI 6335 | Curriculum Research Design | 3 |
| EDCI 6397 | Seminar On Dissertation Research | 3 |
| Emphasis | ||
| Select one of the following Emphasis: | 18 | |
| Curriculum Emphasis | ||
18 SCH - Required courses to be chosen in consultation with faculty advisor. | ||
| Instructional Design and Educational Technology Emphasis | ||
18 SCH - Required courses to be chosen in consultation with faculty advisor. | ||
| Kinesiology Emphasis | ||
18 SCH - Required courses to be chosen in consultation with faculty advisor. | ||
| Literacy Emphasis | ||
18 SCH - Required courses to be chosen in consultation with faculty advisor. | ||
| Special Education Emphasis | ||
18 SCH - Required courses to be chosen in consultation with faculty advisor. | ||
| Dissertation | ||
| EDCI 6398 | Dissertation in Progress | 6 |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
- ^
Blended offering
Courses
Educational Curriculum & Instruction Courses
STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL A course emphasizing practical and varied strategies for instructional planning and presentations. Instruction will build upon the following topics, which will have been introduced in previous courses: the teaching-learning process, curriculum organization, use of instructional technology, instructional planning, and instructional and student evaluation. Each student will participate in field experiences. Enrollment limited to graduate students seeking initial certification.
S A course emphasizing the teaching of mathematics in Grades 1-8 using manipulatives in a problem- solving format. Instruction will build upon the following topics which will have been introduced in previous courses: the teaching-learning process, curriculum organization, use of instructional technology, instructional planning, and instructional and student evaluation. Each student will participate in field experiences. Enrollment limited to graduate students seeking initial teacher certification.
METHODS OF TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES A course emphasizing practical applications for the teaching of social studies in Grades 1-8. Instruction will build upon the following topics, which will have been introduced in previous courses: the teaching-learning process, curriculum organization, use of instructional technology, instructional planning, and instructional and student evaluation. Each student will participate in field experiences.
This course is designed to provide pre-service teachers with an understanding of the teaching of science in the elementary school setting. Students¿ prior knowledge from previous courses will be essential to their performance in this course, namely: technology in the classroom, lesson planning, curriculum organization, and student assessment. Participation in field experiences is a requirement of this course.
A course for elementary and middle school teachers who are trying to improve mathematics teaching and understanding through the development of communication skills and their use in the mathematics classroom.
This is a course for teachers who wish to investigate the connection between children’s literature and mathematics for the purpose of improving mathematics instruction. Teachers will work through activities based upon children’s books, and develop and share similar activities based upon children’s books of their choosing.
This course is designed for elementary and middle school teachers who wish to investigate the connections between children’s literature and science for the purpose of improving their science instruction. Teachers will participate in activities based on children’s trade books that have scientific themes, and develop and share similar experiences.
This is a course for K-12 teachers who wish to investigate the use of motivational and reinforcement activities as a part of the instructional program within mathematics. Emphases will be placed on the purposes for using such activities in the mathematics program, the various types of such activities that are available to the mathematics teacher, the sources for such activities in mathematics, and the need for having a variety of such activities within the mathematics program.
This is a course for teachers of K-12 who teach mathematics within the levels of kindergarten through algebra and wish to investigate mathematical errors for the purpose of diagnosing the cause and planning instruction for the purpose of remediation. Participating teachers will work through activities representing common mathematical errors made by students, maintain portfolios of samples of student errors, diagnose student errors, and learn teaching strategies for remediation of the problems that students are having.
The emphasis in this course is on interdisciplinary connections among mathematics, science, and communication and also on the application of subject-area knowledge to the world of work. Attention goes to relevant research, particularly research addressing effective innovations in teaching and learning. Networks will be created to support continued learning.
STRATEGIES OF SUCCESS FOR THE BEGINNING TEACHER This course is a field-based course in which beginning teachers are provided with the application of learning principles, classroom management techniques, communication skills, and teaching strategies that will reinforce their existing teaching skills. Enrollment is limited to certified teachers currently in teaching positions. This course is taken concurrently with EDCI 5397. This course may not be taken for graduate credit if the student has taken EDCI 5393, EDCI 5394 or EDCI 5395.
In this course, emphasis will be placed on issues related to air, water and waste reduction, and how these issues relate to the elementary classroom. Students will visit state agencies and industrial sites as a part of this course. This course is only offered during the summer.
In this course, emphasis will be placed on issues related to air, water and waste reduction, and how these issues relate to the secondary classroom. Students will visit state agencies and industrial sites as a part of this course. This course is only offered during the summer.
A course designed to emphasize methods of teaching the essential elements in mathematics for Grades 1‑5. An emphasis will be placed on the use of concrete manipulatives so that learning is accomplished with understanding.
Emphasis will be placed on modeling with concrete manipulatives, teaching for understanding, integrating mathematics into other areas of the curriculum, problem solving, diagnosis, and evaluation.
Characteristics and methods of identification of the Gifted and Talented. Various programmatic models including campus and district will be examined. Testing instruments and the concepts of differentiated curriculum will be analyzed.
This course will emphasize research-based strategies for increasing student achievement, models of successful instruction to help teachers/ administrators plan, and techniques for implementation of effective instructional techniques.
An examination of current learning theories in relation to the gifted and talented child.
Prerequisite: EDCI 5339.
Learning experiences in scope and sequence development, development of unit plans and lesson plans, and material selection and evaluation.
Prerequisite: EDCI 5339.
This course acquaints learners with a blend of instructional design, development, and production competencies that will contribute to their visual literacy. Instructional materials' design and development skills learned will be based on theoretical and research issues related to visual literacy.
Current issues in education; recent research bearing on teaching and organization of instructional programs in schools.
This course will help educators to understand testing and performance assessment, and to effectively use assessment to support student learning ultimately building student success. The course prepares educators to use assessment as a tool to help develop all students in their classroom across the developmental span from Kindergarten through high school. Educators will learn how to prepare valid assessment instruments that contribute to effective instruction and student learning by developing proven, sound, high-quality assessments for use in the classroom.
Reviewing and designing instructional programs; specific techniques for planning in various areas of the curriculum; concentration in area of student’s curricular specialty; specification of instructional objectives.
This is designed as the culminating course in the interdisciplinary curriculum and instruction master’s degree. Covered in the class are: historical and current trends in research, the critical examination of selected research studies, and a self analysis of personal and professional interests and needs. This course calls for students to integrate and use information from previous graduate classes with information presented in this class to develop, implement, and defend an action-based research project.
This course addresses contemporary issues in education. It may repeated when topics vary.
This course is a supervised classroom teaching field experience and seminar designed to assist the non-certified teacher with the application of various aspects of planning for teaching. Enrollment is limited to graduate students seeking initial teacher certification.
This course is a supervised classroom teaching field experience and seminar designed to assist the non-certified teacher with the application of classroom management techniques, and enhance existing teaching skills. Enrollment is limited to graduate students seeking initial teacher certification.
This course is provided for beginning teachers during their second year on a “Probationary Certificate.” Students are provided with the application of learning principles, communication skills, and teaching strategies that will reinforce their existing teaching skills. Enrollment is limited to teachers on a TEA “Probationary Certificate,” but currently in teaching positions This course is taken during the second semester of the second year on a “Probationary Certificate.”.
PRACTICUM I FOR THE BEGINNING TEACHER This course is a supervised classroom teaching field experience designed to enhance the individual teacher¿s existing teaching skills. Enrollment is limited to certified teachers currently in teaching positions. This course is taken concurrently with EDCI 5327. This course may not be taken for graduate credit if the student has taken EDCI 5393, EDCI 5394 or EDCI 5395.
PRACTICUM II AND SEMINAR FOR THE BEGINNING TEACHER Beginning teachers are provided with additional skills to enrich their classroom teaching proficiency through seminars and supervised classroom teaching. Enrollment is limited to certified teachers currently in teaching positions.
May be repeated when topics vary.
This course involves a supervised experience with a variety of children classified as gifted. Students will plan and implement a program designed for gifted children.
Prerequisite: EDCI 5339.
Ontological and epistemological perspectives on leadership; historical conceptions of leadership as revealed in the works of Greek and Roman writers of the classical period and in the works of later European writers such as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Rousseau, Mill, and Weber.
This course orients curriculum and instruction doctoral students to the ways in which scholars situate themselves to become influential and productive members in academia and/or their respective disciplinary environments. Class sessions focus on the use of knowledge bases; high quality professional development experiences; the critical analysis of research in education and related disciplines; and the identification of researchable questions in the field of curriculum and instruction.
This course will prepare the doctoral student in curriculum and instruction to understand, appreciate, and evaluate a variety of curricular strategies with attention paid to a continuum of philosophies and strategies in the area of curriculum development and the impact of those on instruction.
An analysis of theoretical structures underlying curriculum development, implementation and evaluation.
This course focuses on the design of research studies, including experimental and quasi-experimental designs, other quantitatively-based designs, qualitatively-oriented designs, and mixed model designs.
The focus is on cultural, linguistic, and pedagogical rationales for adapting curricula and materials to meet the needs of diverse students. By adopting various theoretical, methodological, and cultural frames of reference, course participants recognize capabilities in all learners.
This course addresses topics in writing for publication in higher education including the writing process, composition, organization, collaboration, and the identification of forums for dissemination of research and scholarship.
This course addresses contemporary issues in education. Topics vary. It may be repeated when topics vary.
Taking a historical perspective on the purposes and practices of schooling, this course covers major patterns in curriculum through the years in a national and global context. Also addressed are historiography and the history of educational research.
Attention goes to a set of philosophical positions and educational practices known as “critical pedagogy” and also to critiques and inquiries associated with this line of scholarship that address issues of difference and disadvantage. The course considers historical patterns as well as current manifestations in such areas as race, gender, and politics.
This course is designed to assist students in writing a research proposal (introduction, review of literature, methods) that may become the basis for a doctoral dissertation.
Prerequisite: (EDCI 6335).
Doctoral candidates conduct an approved study under the supervision of a dissertation advisor and committee.
May be repeated when topics vary.
Educational Leadership Courses
Ontological and epistemological perspectives on leadership; historical conceptions of leadership as revealed in the works of Greek and Roman writers of the classical period and in the works of later European writers such as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Rousseau, Mill, Weber, and Lenin.
Current issues in educational leadership; national, state, and regional perspectives (taken during two consecutive semesters of academic year residency).
Educational functioning from a political systems perspective; internal and external political forces influencing organizational effectiveness; shaping of educational policy; functional means of attaining and utilizing political power.
The purpose of this course is to examine the history and development of American systems of higher education and to study the ways in which community colleges and universities complement each other on the educational scene. Organization, funding, remedial education, and relations with the wider community will also be discussed.
This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of the field of student affairs, its role and function in college student development, and its fit with the academic program. This course is also intended to provide students with an understanding of the purposes and historical development of student personnel programs, the administrative structure of student affairs division in two and four year colleges, and the institutional units that fulfill the student services function.
This course will examine contemporary issues in American society in the context of higher education. Students will study and debate in detail how two and four year colleges and universities respond to societal issues. The course will also examine the ways in which institutions of higher education are influenced by social issues and how they in turn influence society.
This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of higher education funding in Texas, not only at the State level but also at the institutional level. The material will also provide students with a background of the historical, philosophical, and political forces that have contributed to the current funding systems in Texas and throughout the United States. Course material will also include trends in higher education funding on a state, national, and international scope.
Study of basic legal issues as they relate to governance in higher education; including legal issues relating to trustees, administrators, staff, faculty and students; legal relationships with local, state and federal government. The course also addresses legal issues relating to accrediting, athletic and faculty associations. Legal relationships with the business/industrial community are also covered.
NCD.
The purpose of this course is to introduce adult education as both a field of practice and a field of study to professionals working in universities, community colleges, businesses, government, social service agencies, and other venues concerned with the education and training of adults. Exemplary practices in adult education and training reflect theoretic constructs undergirding the field; therefore, EDLD 6310 is a theory-into-practice class.
Assumptions of the major schools of thought regarding leadership; findings from research conducted pursuant to trait theory, behavioral theory, and situational/contingency models; conceptions of leadership effectiveness; implications for leadership in educational organizations.
Students will undergo assessment of personal leadership skills through assessment center methodologies. Abilities assessed will include decision-making, group participation, interpersonal communication, and presentation skills.
Study of policy conceptualization; development and implementation integrated with decision-making processes; ethical and moral responsibility of educational leadership.
The nature of professionalism in education; points of conflict between bureaucratic and professional norms; accommodations to conflict; integrating professional norms with organizational requirements; organizational leadership of professionals; the character of professional associations in education.
Study of multicultural relations in American society and an exploration of critical problems confronting educational systems in general and educational leaders in particular.
This seminar takes a workshop format that aims to build students' knowledge of the processes involved in how to create a quality literature review. At its most pragmatic level, this course is designed to allow the student to develop a deeper understanding of the literature review by paying particular attention to issues such as crafting a coherent argument, identifying gaps in the literature, and situating a research problem and research questions within the appropriate theoretical and empirical literature.
An examination of the basic elements of successful school renewal programs with emphasis on systematic approaches to educational innovation and the process of change; studies of successful innovative programs.
This is a course in univariate statistics, which includes the use of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) with exercises related to various descriptive and inferential statistical techniques.
The course is designed to provide the student with the knowledge and skills needed to read, analyze and synthesize educational research, and to give the student experience in the development and conduct of a research project. Course content includes instruction in preparation of a research proposal, identification of a research problem, sampling techniques, research design, instrumentation, data collection, and data analysis.
This course develops collaborative leadership skills related to initiating and implementing school and community partnerships. A special focus is the enhancement of critical literacy skills–the capacity to read and interpret events within the socio-political context of community-embedded educational leadership.
This course is based on reviews of the theoretical and methodological approaches to qualitative research. Students will situate qualitative inquiry/research in their philosophical, theoretical, and historical situations, learn methods of qualitative design, and develop a preliminary capacity to collect, analyze, and interpret qualitative empirical materials.
This course is designed for doctoral students who want to pursue their interests in qualitative methods and who want to use these methods in their dissertation. Students would need to have a qualitative research methods course completed in order to take this class. Students will learn to use various qualitative data analysis methods using multiple data sources.
Prerequisite: EDLD 6384.
Selected topics in an identified area of Educational Leadership; advanced investigations of selected topics and problems dealing with curriculum theory, program design, and experimental formulations. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
The course in advanced statistical procedures is a continuation of EDLD 6333. Special emphasis is placed on analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques such as one-way and factorial ANOVA, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), repeated measures ANOVA, and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), as well as multiple regression analysis, logistic regression analysis, and discriminant analysis. Also included are selected nonparametric statistical techniques. The course includes hands-on experiences in the use of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) with exercises related to the topics covered.
Prerequisite: EDLD 6333.
This course is designed for doctoral students who want to develop their data analysis skills for their research projects in order to report findings for publication purposes and dissertations. Students will learn how to select appropriate data analysis methods, analyze data, and learn how to academically report research findings.
NCD.
This course is designed to assist the student in writing a three-chapter (introduction, review of literature, methods) research proposal that may become the basis for a doctoral dissertation.
Completion of an approved field study under the supervision of a dissertation adviser.
This course will examine the functions and practices typically found in institutions of higher education. Students will examine these functions and practices in the context of a complex organization and develop an understanding of how they contribute to the mission of the institution. Students will also complete an internship experience in a University or community college office, not their own.
May be repeated when topics vary.