Curriculum & Instruction
Degree: Doctor of Education
Division: COPS Graduate Office
Building 85, Room 122
(850) 474-3122
copsgrad@uwf.edu
College: Professional Studies

The doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction is designed to meet the educational needs of regional place-bound, full-time employed professionals who will be selected from a wide range of educational backgrounds. These backgrounds include, but are not limited to, public school personnel, community college and university personnel, social and health related personnel, and military personnel. The Ed.D. program will prepare professionals in the community to assume administrative and leadership positions and to conduct and evaluate applied research studies that emphasize local, regional, and state educational issues and problems. To accomplish this task the research and course work will be substantive and focused. Rigor of the program will be maintained by recruitment and admission policies and procedures, closely monitored curriculum development, and benchmarks of progress such as written and oral exams and successful completion of a dissertation.

The Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction offers specializations in Teacher Education, Administrative Studies, Sciences and Social Sciences, Curriculum and Diversity Studies, and Instructional Technology. The criteria listed below are the minimum Ed.D. program requirements. Each specialization area may have additional requirements. Contact should be made with the specialization areas to determine if additional requirements exist.

Course descriptions are listed alphabetically by prefix in the back of this catalog.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants to the Doctor of Education program must meet the minimum requirements:

  1. have a master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university;

  2. have an official GRE score;

  3. have met two of the following:

    1. a total quantitative and verbal GRE general test score of 1000 or higher,

    2. a master's degree GPA of at least 3.5,

    3. a GPA of at least 3.0 on the last 60 semester hours of the bachelor's degree;

  4. submit three letters of recommendation from persons in a position to comment about the applicant's academic capability and leadership potential;

  5. submit a one-page written goal statement to be reviewed by the faculty in the selected specialization area; and

  6. complete a COPS graduate application.

FOUNDATIONAL PROFICIENCIES
EDF 5404 Introduction to Applied Educational Research Statistics 3
EDF 6481 Educational Research  3

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for a Doctor of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction, a student must:

  1. be admitted to the program;

  2. submit an approved degree plan;

  3. complete 63-66 graduate semester hours beyond the master's degree, which include a professional core (27 semester hours), a specialization (18-21 semester hours), and a dissertation (18 semester hours minimum);

  4. complete degree requirements within seven years from the date of admission;

  5. successfully pass a written and oral preliminary examination and be advanced to candidacy;

  6. successfully complete and orally defend a dissertation;

  7. be recommended for graduation by the doctoral committee, departmental chairperson, and the College of Professional Studies graduate office.
Professional Core Requirements (27 sh)
EDF 6475 Qualitative Research Methods in Education 3
EDF 7191 Educational Foundations: A Psychological Analysis 3
EDF 7407 Educational Research Statistics 3
EDF 7685 Educational Foundations: A Philosophical & Multicultural Analysis 3
EDG 6344C Instructional Management & Technology 3
EDG 7346 Advanced Analysis of Curriculum and Instruction 3
Advanced Technology course 3
Critical Issues elective 3
Elective 3

Dissertation Requirement (18 sh)

Specialization Area (18-21 sh)

TEACHER EDUCATION SPECIALIZATION
The Teacher Education Specialization area offers two options: Alternative/Special Education or Teaching and Learning. The Alternative/Special Education option targets individuals who want to work with or intend to work with populations of at-risk children and youth enrolled in public school systems in this area. The Teaching and Learning option targets individuals who want to become a leader in teaching and learning and related content areas. This program facilitates a leadership role in teaching and learning, junior/community college, and educational agencies. These two options are housed in the Division of Teacher Education.

Alternative/Special Education Option (18 sh)
Students will select 18 semester hours of required coursework in this specialization. Students will also select an alternative/special education critical issues elective.

Teaching and Learning Option (18 sh)
Students will select 18 semester hours of required coursework in this specialization. Students will also select a teaching and learning critical issues elective.

ADMINISTRATIVE STUDIES SPECIALIZATION
The Administrative Studies Specialization offers three options: Educational Administration, Healthcare Administration, or Public Administration. The Educational Administration option targets individuals who want to specialize in theory and practice in the area of administration and leadership in public and/or private organizations. This program focuses on educational systems (public school and non-public school), change theory, and leadership theory. The Public Administration specialization option targets individuals who want to specialize in the theory and practice of administering public and non-profit organizations including human, social, and health services. This program focuses on governmental and non-profit organizations. All three specializations are housed in the Division of Administrative Studies.

Educational Administration Option (21 sh)
Students will select 21 semester hours of required coursework in this specialization. Students will also select an educational administration critical issues elective.

Healthcare Administration Option (21 sh)
Students will select 21 semester hours of required coursework in this specialization including HSC 6xx1 (Social Marketing in Health Education), HSC 6xx2 (Health Education & Interactive Technology), HSC 5135, HSC 5506, HSC 6206, HSA 6106, and EDA 7xxx (Dissertation Research Design Seminar).

Public Administration Option (21 sh)
Students will select 21 semester hours of required coursework in this specialization. Students will also select a public administration critical issues elective.

SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES SPECIALIZATION
 The Sciences and Social Sciences Specialization offers two options: Mathematics and Statistics/Science/Computer Science option or Social Science option. The Mathematics and Statistics/Science/Computer Science option targets individuals who want to become program specialists or teach at the junior/community college level in the program areas. The Social Science option targets individuals who want to specialize in specific academic discipline areas of social sciences to complement their academic training in the area of education. This specialization is housed in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Mathematics and Statistics/Science/Computer Science Option (18 sh)

Students will select 18 semester hours of coursework within Mathematics/Statistics, Science or Computer Science, or an advised combination of courses from the content area. Students will also select an educational critical issues elective.

Social Sciences Option (18 sh)
Students will select 18 semester hours of coursework within the Social Sciences. Students will also select an educational critical issues elective.

CURRICULUM AND DIVERSITY STUDIES SPECIALIZATION
The Curriculum and Diversity Studies Specialization offers two options: Curriculum Studies or Diversity Studies. The Curriculum Studies option targets individuals in public and private sectors who want to specialize in theory and practice of curriculum issues and development. This program is developed around general theory based curriculum issues coupled with various professional areas that meet each individual student need. The Diversity Studies option targets individuals in public and private sectors who want to specialize in theory and practice of curriculum and social issues in the area of diversity. This program prepares individuals to teach and develop training programs in diversity and multicultural studies. This specialization area is housed in the Division of Diversity Studies and Applied Research.

Curriculum Studies Option (21 sh)
Students will select 21 semester hours of required course work in this specialization. Students will also select an education critical issues elective.

Diversity Studies Option (21 sh)
Students will select 21 semester hours of required course work in this specialization. Students will also select an education critical issues elective.

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIZATION
The Instructional Technology Specialization offers two options: Performance Technology or Distance Learning. The Performance Technology option targets individuals who want to investigate how instructional technology can be used to improve performance and learning in various educational environments. Students explore a variety of delivery systems and the influence of technology on performance and learning as they develop a framework for improving performance. The Distance Learning option targets individuals who want to develop expertise in theoretical constructs for an application of distance educational systems including: design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Students choose from a variety of courses depending upon their future goals and examine distance learning environments, web-based instruction, interactive video, multimedia, and instructional design. This specialization is housed in the Division of Technology, Research, and Development.

Performance Technology Option (21 sh)
Students will select 21 semester hours of required coursework in this specialization. Students will also select an educational technology critical issues elective.

Distance Learning Option (21 sh)
Students will select 21 semester hours of required coursework in this specialization. Students will also select an educational technology critical issues elective. 
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