Graduate Degrees

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 

The Ph.D. program is research-oriented, culminating with a dissertation. The program typically requires a three-to-four year commitment beyond the master's degree for completion.  A minimum of 60 hours additional credit is required if the doctoral student already has a master's degree. Ultimately, a core knowledge base in literacy is required and coupled with coursework that is tailored to individual needs. The appropriateness and sufficiency of this core knowledge base is subject to approval by the student?s advisory committee and the Curriculum and Instruction Department's graduate committee.

Applicants with a minimum of three years teaching experience in public or private school classrooms (preferably with direct experience in the teaching of literacy) are favorably regarded.

Students entering the doctoral program in Literacy and Language must have an earned master's degree that fulfills the core requirements found in the courses listed in the Purdue master's program or complete these course  requirements as a PhD student in Literacy and Language at Purdue:

• Advanced Educational Psychology Human Development
• Foundations of Curriculum History & philosophy of education  
• Multicultural Education  
• Introduction to Educational Research  
• Foundations of Literacy 

The Ph.D. Program: Research Hours - minimum of 12 hours

Qualitative Research (3)

• EDCI 615 Qualitative Research Methods in Education
  This area provides a foundation for understanding the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings and procedures used in conducting qualitative research.

Quantitative Research (3)        

• Introduction Statics: STAT 501 or 511, PSY 600, or SOC 581
  This area provides a foundation for understanding and applying basic concepts of descriptive and inferential statistical research design and analysis.  You should consult with your major professor concerning the course that is most appropriate.                                      

Advanced Elective (3 hours)
Courses in the two areas listed above must be followed by an advanced course in either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research methods.

• Those who plan to use qualitative methods in their research should take one of the following courses in data analysis and interpretation:  EDCI 616, or COM 583, or ANTH 519, 565, or 605, orSOC 609
  
  
• Those who plan to use quantitative methods should consult with their major professor to select the most suitable course.  Some suggestions are: STAT 502 or 512,  PSY 601
  
  
• Those who plan to use a theoretical or mixed methods research model should consult with their major professor to select the most suitable substitute course(s).  Courses that may be used as substitutes for advanced research methodology, with the advice of the student?s major professor and committee, include EDCI 620, Seminar in Mathematics Education; EDCI 673, Issues and Methods in Educational Technology Research; ANTH 605, Seminar in Ethnographic Analysis; ENGL 618, Research Design; ENGL 624, Rhetorical History and Theory;  ENGL 625, Empirical Research on Writing; ENGL 632, Critical Theory; ENGL 680, Qualitative Research Methods; STAT 514, Design of Experiments
  

Research Seminar EDPS 630 (3 hours)
This area focuses on the design and presentation (written and oral) of educational research.  Seminars which focus on qualitative or quantitative studies are offered under the same course number.  Students should elect the option that is most suited to their research interests. 
The graduate program is currently developed around five content strands: Language Learning, Multiple Literacies, Literacy Processes, English Education, and Children's and Young Adults' Literature.   Students must select one content strand and include a minimum of 12 credit hours in their program from the selected strand.
   

Content Strands

Strand 1 - Second Language Learning