This program is designed to lead to both an educational doctorate (Ed.D.) and the Georgia Curriculum and Instruction service certificate; students may choose to pursue the doctorate only, or both the doctorate and the service certificate PSC S7.
To be eligible for the certificate individuals must meet the following requirements:
- Valid Clear Renewable, Level 4 or higher Georgia Teaching (T), Service (S), Technical Specialist (TS), or Leadership (L or PL) certificate at time of admission in their field of study.
- Completion of a minimum of 9 hours of coursework within a concentration area that aligns with a previously held certification or endorsement field.
- Passage of the GACE content exam in curriculum and instruction.
Students enrolled in this program are expected to be working professional educators and as such, their position in the school community will serve as an internship/field experience. Coursework in EDCI 8900 Inquiry and Assessment in Educational Contexts (for 6 hours across two semesters) will focus on using their individual schooling situations as a context for their study and supervise obtaining appropriate IRB and other approvals. Students who are not employed while enrolled will arrange with the Program Coordinator to work in a local setting. Residency requirements are embedded within cohort coursework.
All courses consist of three (3) hours credit each, unless otherwise indicated. See course descriptions.
Research Core (15 hours)
- EPRS 8500 Qualitative/Interpretive Research in Education I (3)
- EPRS 8530 Quantitative Methods and Analysis in Education I (3)
- EPRS 9900 Research Design (3)
- EDCI 9900 Critique of Educational Research (3)
Choose one:
- EPRS 8510 Qualitative Research in Education II (3)
- EPRS 8540 Quantitative Methods and Analysis in Education II (3)
- ECE/EPRS 9380 Discourse Analysis (3)
Major in Curriculum and Instruction (30 hours)
Required (18 hours):
- EDCI 8400 Complexities of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Design (3)
- EDCI 8650 Curriculum and Instruction in Contemporary Urban Settings (3)
- EDCI 8970 Seminar in Teaching and Learning (3)
- EDCI 8980 Seminar in Professional Learning and Development (3)
- EDCI 8900 Educational Inquiry and Assessment in Educational Contexts (3)
- EDCI 9850 Research Seminar (3)
Concentrations (12 hours):
Students choose advanced content electives from 8000-9000 level courses in one of the following concentration areas:
Art Education (12 hours)
Choose from the following courses*:
Select (12 hours):
- AE 8000 Introduction to Research in Art Education (3)
- AE 8010 Philosophy & Curriculum (3)
- AE 8020 Learning Theory (3)
- AE 8030 Leader Supervision In Art Education (30
- AE 8050 Computer Imaging & Instructional Technology (3)
- AE 8060 Project in Art Education (3)
- AE 8100 Seminar in Art Education (3)
- AE 8200 History, Culture, & Communicaiton In Art Education (3)
- AE 8300 Research in Art Education (30
- AE 8400 Aesthetics and Critical Theory (3)
- AE 8500 Directed Study (3)
- AE 8980 Special Problems (3)
*Additional courses may be selected with the consent of the advisor.
World Languages Education (12 hours)
Choose from the following courses*:
Required (6 hours):
- FORL 8223 Modern Foreign Language Pedagogy: Theory and Practice (3)
- FORL 8227 Teaching Culture in the Foreign Language Classroom (30
Select (6 hours):
- FORL 8226 Teaching Literature in the Foreign Language Classroom (3)
- FORL 8250 Topics in Pedagogy (3)
- FORL 8800 Research in Foreign / Second Language Education (3)
*Additional courses may be selected with the consent of the advisor.
Language and Literacy Education (12 hours)
Choose from the following courses*:
Required (6 hours):
- EDRD 8310 Theoretical Models and Processes of Literacy Learning (6) (repeatable)
Select (6 hours):
- ECE 9420 Early Literacy Learning (3)
- EDLA 8330 Language Variation and Learning (3)
- EDRD 8550 Trends and Issues in Language and Literacy Education (3)
- EDRD 8610 Supervision of School Reading Programs (3)
*Additional courses may be selected with the consent of the advisor.
Mathematics Education (12 hours)**
Choose from the following courses*:
Required (3 hours):
- EDMT 8430 Sociocultural and Sociohistorical Issues of Mathematics Education (3)
Select three (9 hours):
- ECE 9393 Number and Operation in the Elementary Classroom (3)
- ECE 9394 Geometry and Measurement in the Elementary Classroom (3)
- ECE 9395 Algebra in the Elementary Classroom (3)
- ECE 9396 Data Analysis and Probability in the Elementary Classroom (3)
- EDMT 8290 Study of Learning and Instruction in Mathematics (3)
- EDMT 8420 Topics in the School Mathematics Curriculum (3)
- EDMT 8550 Trends and Issues of Teaching Mathematics (3)
- EDMT 9870 Advanced Research Seminar in Mathematics Education (3)
*Additional courses may be selected with the consent of the advisor.
Middle Level Education (12 hours)
Choose from the following courses*:
Required (3 hours):
- EDCI 8550 Trends and Issues in Middle Level Education (3)
Select three (9 hours):
Each student selects an area of advanced study of three courses (9 semester hours) in the content areas of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, or Social Studies:
- Middle Level Language Arts (9 hours)
- EDRD 8310 Theoretical Models and Processes of Literacy Learning (6) (repeatable)
- EDLA 8330 Language Variation and Learning (3)
- Middle Level Mathematics (9 hours)
Required (3 hours):
- EDMT 8430 Sociocultural and Sociohistorical Issues of Mathematics Education (3)
Select 2 courses for six (6 hours):
- EDMT 8290 Study of Learning and Instruction in Mathematics (3)
- EDMT 8420 Topics in the School Mathematics Curriculum (3)
- EDMT 8550 Trends and Issues of Teaching Mathematics (3)
- EDMT 9870 Advanced Research Seminar in Mathematics Education (3)
- Middle Level Science (9 hours)
- EDSC 8430 Nature of Science (3)
- EDSC 9870 Advanced Research Seminar in Science Education (3) (repeatable)
- Middle Level Social Studies (9 hours)
- EDSS 8290 Learning, Curriculum, and Instruction in Social Studies (3) (repeatable)
- EDSS 8420 Topics in the School Social Studies Curriculum (3) (repeatable)
- EDSS 8550 Trends and Issues of Teaching Social Studies (3) (repeatable)
*Additional courses may be selected with the consent of the advisor.
Music Education (12 hours)
Choose from the following courses*:
- MUS 8260: Curriculum & Assessment in Music Education (3)
- MUS 8900 Non-Thesis Research in Music Education (3)
- MUS 8960 Proseminar in Music Education (3) (repeatable)
*Additional courses may be selected with the consent of the advisor.
Science Education (12 hours)
Choose from the following courses*:
- EDSC 8430 Nature of Science (3)
- EDSC 9870 Advanced Research Seminar in Science Education (3) (repeatable)
*Additional courses may be selected with the consent of the advisor.
Social Studies Education (12 hours)
Choose from the following repeatable courses*:
- EDSS 8290 Learning, Curriculum, and Instruction in Social Studies (3) (repeatable)
- EDSS 8420 Topics in the School Social Studies Curriculum (3) (repeatable)
- EDSS 8550 Trends and Issues of Teaching Social Studies (3) (repeatable)
*Additional courses may be selected with the consent of the advisor.
Dissertation (9 hours)
- EDCI 9990 Dissertation (9 hours)
Total: 54 semester hours
**Optional K-5 Mathematics Endorsement:
As part of the coursework leading to the Doctor of Education degree, students who hold a current teaching certification from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission may satisfy part of the K-5 Mathematics Endorsement requirements by completing four 9000-level courses (ECE 9393, ECE 9394, ECE 9395, and ECE 9396). To apply for the K-5 Mathematics Endorsement, students must also complete ECE 7740 Internship in Early Childhood Education I (3) while enrolled in one of the four specified 9000-level endorsement courses. ECE 7740 does not satisfy the 8000-9000 level-course requirements for the College of Education courses applicable to the Doctor of Education degree.
Residency Requirements
Residency requirements are a means of participating in one’s scholarly and academic community. Knowledge and the development thereof is meant to be shared within and across communities, and as Scholar Educators, our Doctoral Students and graduates will engage in our academic community to improve, strengthen, and innovate teaching and learning for P-12 students and educators.
Residency requirements will be designed and reviewed in a collaborative effort between the student, their dissertation advisor, dissertation committee members and other faculty members. The Dissertation Chair and the Ed.D. in C&I Program Committee will review the progress of residency requirements throughout the student’s program.
- Experience participating in a writing group throughout the Ed.D. program.
- Attendance at Saturday Research Seminars.
- Participate in and/or lead professional learning experiences to promote effective, equity-based, social justice oriented educational practices.
- Advocate for the education profession by modeling collaboration, leadership, and professionalism.
- Membership in a national professional organization and attendance at a local, state, national, or international conference.
- Presentation experience (i.e. at a local, state, national, international conference; local school, or county entity).
- Experience teaching preservice/inservice teachers or college students through graduate coursework or extended professional development activities.
- Experience writing and submitting manuscript(s) for consideration for publication (i.e. research or practitioner journal, blog, professional writing series, documents for curriculum leaders).
- Demonstrate service experience through involvement in the unit, department, university, and/or local, state, or national professional organization.
- Technology: Demonstrate use of technology as a transformative teaching tool as outlined in ISTE Standards for Education Leaders, ISTE standards as they design, implement, and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning; enrich professional practice; and provide positive models for students, colleagues, and the community. All teacher leaders should meet the following standards and performance indicators:
- Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
- Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
- Model Digital Age Work and Learning
- Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
- Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership