Graduate program offered by the UNT College of Education

About

The Curriculum and Instruction doctoral program at the University of North Texas is a research-intensive program that enables you to:

  • Gain an integrative perspective on education
  • Receive a firm grounding in educational theory, pedagogical practice and research methodology
  • Develop research agendas to pursue your professional career
  • Prepare to be a leader in research and pedagogy

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Curriculum and Instruction prepares graduates for careers as scholars, researchers or teacher educators in higher education or to hold research-oriented leadership positions.

Concentrations are available in Curriculum Studies, Early Childhood Studies or Language and Literacy Studies.

Our faculty members have a wide range of interests in their specialization areas. Their research interests span from curriculum integration to technology to language and literacy issues, all across a range of grade levels and populations.

Outstanding student support

UNT provides a wide variety of services exclusively to graduate students. The Graduate Student Writing Support office can help you with writing, and the Center for Interdisciplinary Research offers assistance with statistical research.

The Toulouse Graduate School offers several professional development workshops, including a Dissertation Boot Camp. Many of the workshops are available online for your convenience.

Concentration Areas

Curriculum Studies focuses on the dynamic, historical and cultural aspects of the educational experience. Special attention goes to the connections between theory and practice, the role of policies relevant to school curriculum, contrasting approaches to curriculum evaluation and reconceptualization, and critical analysis of curricular paradigms. The program emphasizes understanding curriculum, learning and teaching in various facets.

Early Childhood Studies develops critical educational leaders, researchers, and facilitators of social change for children, their families and their teachers and caregivers. Graduates prepare for teaching, research and administrative responsibilities.

Language and Literacy Studies focuses on theories, practices and policies associated with language and literacy in preparing scholars, researchers and educational leaders. The program improves educational practice through generating new knowledge and service to education institutions, governmental agencies and practitioners at all levels of education. Committed to theory-driven research that informs effective practice, faculty members acknowledge the complex role of language and culture in literacy as they mentor literacy leaders.

Courses

Curriculum and instruction core courses, 12 hours

Required of all students.

Research courses, 15 hours

The required research courses (9 hours) provide a foundation in research approaches that are considered quantitative and those considered qualitative.

 

or

Two additional courses

Within the research area, the student experiences some flexibility and has some choice for the additional two courses (6 hours) that are most relevant to the research that he or she intends to do.

Concentration courses, 18 hours

In each concentration area there are four mandatory courses (12 hours) in that concentration plus two courses (6 hours) relevant to the student’s interests and goals that will be selected by the student and advisor.

Curriculum studies

Early childhood studies

Language and literacy studies

Note

Additional course work may be required of students who do not have a master’s degree in the relevant concentration.

Elective, 6 hours

For the electives included in the course plan, students are encouraged to take courses that complement their program. Electives may come from other departments and colleges outside teacher education and administration.

Dissertation, 9 hours

 After advancing to candidacy, students are required to take a total of 9 semester credit hours for the dissertation, EDUC 6950.

Transfer courses

With consent of the advisor, relevant transfer courses can be included in the degree plan in accordance with the policy of the UNT Graduate School.

Admission Requirements

Application Deadline

  • Domestic and International students: January 7 for a program in the Fall semester of the same calendar year.

GRE Requirement

  • The GRE is NOT required.

TOEFL Requirement

  • International applicants whose native language is not English must have a score of at least 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

GPA Requirement

  • Graduate Applicants are evaluated holistically, based on specific departmental and program requirements. In the past, successful candidates usually have met this GPA requirement: 
    • 3.50 GPA in master’s-level studies for admission to the doctoral program.
    • The program will still review applications with GPAs lower that 3.5.

Required Degree

  • Applicants need to have a bachelor's degree in education or a closely related field.

Prerequisites

  • Evidence of three years of successful teaching experience. In the event the applicant does not meet this requirement, the faculty in C&I may recommend the student participates in extensive practicum or internship experiences as part of the doctoral degree requirements.
Apply

How to Apply

For step-by-step instructions on the application process, please visit the Graduate Admissions website. This will include details on how to submit materials including transcripts, letters of recommendation and other items. Start your application here.

Supplemental Documents

Letters of Recommendation

  • Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can address your ability to pursue doctoral-level studies and potential for contributing to a field of study related to the degree.

Personal Statement

  • Personal statement that includes the concentration area to which you are applying (Curriculum Studies, Language and Literacy Studies, or Early Childhood Studies). Prompt for personal statement:

A doctoral program is a personal, professional, and intellectual endeavor. Describe how the doctoral program in Curriculum and Instruction would serve those purposes for you. Also, address the following questions:

  • What is the change you hope to see in education? Why is this important?
  • What are the inquiries that you would pursue in a doctoral program that would enable you to be part of that change? We are not asking for you to settle on a dissertation topic at all; we simply want to know what curiosities and interests you have currently. Your dissertation topic will emerge through your studies.
  • Basic requirements for the personal statement:
    • Page limit: 2 single-spaced pages
    • Any of the commonly used fonts, size 12.
    • One-inch margins

Curriculum Vitae

  • A curriculum vitae demonstrating prior educational and professional experience. 

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships in this program are competitive. For information on how to apply for one, contact the department.

Description of the Concentrations

Students select a concentration area from the three that are offered: Curriculum Studies, Early Childhood Studies, and Language and Literacy Studies.

Curriculum Studies

Curriculum Studies refers to advanced graduate level coursework grounded in the basic areas of Curriculum and Instruction. Specifically, curriculum as an area of study is distributed over the following five categories: theory, research, history, planning and implementation, and evaluation. Instruction is distributed over the following five categories: theory, research, teaching, planning, and evaluation. Curriculum Studies is an integrated area of study that combines curriculum and instruction and intellectually and practically considers questions of the aptness of fit and the effectiveness of selected educational experiences, which are usually intentional as the field of curriculum is built on work in schools. Whereas Curriculum Studies generally refers to broad general questions that are universal in nature, at times Curriculum Studies also includes more focused specific problems or issues including levels of schooling, social policy, and content areas of the curriculum.

Early Childhood Studies

The doctoral emphasis in Early Childhood Studies focuses on developing professionals who are critical educational leaders, researchers, and facilitators of social change for children, their families, and their teachers and caregivers. Research and various forms of scholarship are created for purposes of increased equity, social justice, and life/education opportunities for those who are younger. Graduates are prepared to assume diverse teaching, research, and administrative responsibilities.

Language & Literacy Studies

The doctoral concentration in Language and Literacy Studies (LLS) focuses on theories, practices, and policies associated with language and literacy in the preparation of scholars, researchers, and educational leaders. The LLS program strives to improve educational practice through the generation of new knowledge and through service to education institutions, government agencies, and practitioners at all levels of education. Committed to theory-driven research that informs effective practice, the LLS faculty acknowledge the complex role of language and culture in literacy as they mentor literacy leaders who will contribute to the profession in substantive ways.