Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Early Childhood Leadership
Or
Doctorate (Ed.D.) in K-12 Curriculum and Instruction Leadership
[Fully Online]
Concentration (1): Ed.D. in Early Childhood Education Leadership
The Ed.D. with a concentration in Early Childhood Education program is a fully online, 48-credit hour doctoral degree designed for individuals who wish to pursue the highest preparation available focused on pedagogical leadership for the care and education of young children in diverse early care and educational settings. It offers an in-depth exploration of advanced knowledge in the field, methods of applied research, and pragmatic applications for home-based, community-based and early elementary school classrooms. This program of study is ideal for education professionals seeking to take on instructional leadership roles and to apply evidence-based knowledge as scholar-practitioners to address practical issues in Early Childhood Education.
The Early Childhood Education concentration focuses on cross-disciplinary research and reflective practices related to teaching and learning, early childhood curriculum and instructional perspectives, and applied research methods with a specific emphasis on working with young children [Birth to Age 8]. Coursework centers on pedagogical leadership strategies that advance culturally- and linguistically- sustaining and asset-based educare to nurture whole child development. Through advanced graduate work designed to promote reflection, refine teaching and leadership focus, and build applied research knowledge and skills, this doctoral program prepares instructional leaders and Early Childhood advocates to discover innovative ways to effect positive change in the care and education of young children.
Concentration (2): Ed.D. in K-12 Curriculum and Instruction Leadership
The Ed.D. with a concentration in Curriculum and Instruction is a fully online, 48-credit hour doctoral degree designed for individuals who wish to pursue the highest preparation available focused on pedagogical leadership for the education of students in diverse PK-12 educational settings. It offers an in-depth exploration of advanced knowledge in the field of teaching and learning, methods of applied research, and pragmatic applications to foster instructional innovation. This doctoral program is ideal for education professionals seeking to take on instructional leadership roles and to apply evidence-based knowledge as scholar-practitioners to address issues of curriculum and instruction in PK-12 classrooms.
The Curriculum and Instruction concentration focuses on cross-disciplinary research and reflective practices related to teaching and learning, teacher education and mentorship, Artificial Intelligence-mediated curriculum development, and applied research methods across diverse PK-12 contexts. Coursework centers on pedagogical strategies that advance culturally- and linguistically- sustaining and asset-based teaching practices. Through graduate work designed to promote reflection, refine teaching and leadership focus, and build applied research knowledge and skills, this program prepares instructional leaders and educational advocates to discover new ways to effect positive change in education.
Admission Requirements and Program Admission:
Applicants must submit the following required documents to be considered for admission:
- Graduate School Admissions Application (Online application available at ) with the application fee
- Official transcripts showing completion of a master’s degree, an undergraduate degree, and other college or university coursework
- Applicants whose degrees are from non-English speaking institutions are required to demonstrate English proficiency. Please consult the Graduate School website for required scores.
- Curriculum vitae/resume
- Three letters of professional and/or academic reference
- Statement of Purpose, between 1200-1500 words, which highlights relevant academic and professional experiences and skills, explains how the program aligns with personal and/or career goals, and outlines your research inquiry interest related to a practical (real-world) problem/issue of educational practice.
Applicant Review Process: Qualified applicants will be invited to interview with program faculty. The purpose of the interview is to establish compatibility between applicants’ goals and the aims of the doctoral program.
Program Admission: Admission to the program is based on a variety of factors, including academic achievement, the probability of success in performing doctoral level work, and perceived contributions to the cohort experience.
Program Application Deadlines:
- To begin in Fall Semester, applications must be received by March 31st.
To apply for either Ed.D. concentration, go to Graduate School Application, select the program when prompted and follow the directions provided to submit your application.
Degree Requirements:
- Regardless of concentration, the minimum credit-hour requirement to receive the Ed.D. is 48 semester credit hours beyond a master’s degree.
- Students are required to complete a Dissertation in Practice as a requirement for graduation.
- 91国产app requires that students maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and complete all required coursework in eight years or less to earn this doctoral degree.
Credit Hour Requirements:
| Hours | |
| Doctoral Core Courses | 18 |
| The doctoral core for a concentration in Early Childhood Education or Curriculum and Instruction consists of six courses. | |
| Specialization Area Courses | 12 |
| Students concentrating in Early Childhood Education or Curriculum and Instruction—with guidance and approval from their faculty advisor and the doctoral program director-- will take four courses related to their specific concentration area. | |
| Research Design and Methodology Courses | 6 |
| Students will enroll in six hours of coursework in the areas of quantitative and qualitative research design and methodology. These courses help students develop the skills and knowledge needed to carry out effective independent research during the Dissertation in Practice phase of the doctoral program. | |
|
Doctoral Seminar |
3 |
|
The Qualifying Candidacy Seminar is the culminating course for students in the Educational Leadership doctoral program who concentrate in Early Childhood Education or Curriculum and Instruction. The Qualifying Candidacy Seminar serves as the Qualifying/ Comprehensive Examination for the doctoral degree in these concentrations. The course is aimed at ensuring that students are prepared with a range of Scholar-Practitioner inquiry skills and abilities for conducting a Dissertation in Practice study. |
|
|
Research Capstone- Dissertation in Practice |
9 |
|
Students in the Early Childhood Education or Curriculum and Instruction concentrations are required to complete a Dissertation in Practice as their program graduation requirement; a Dissertation in Practice is required for every candidate in these concentrations. Students cannot register for Dissertation in Practice courses until they have successfully completed the Qualifying Candidacy Seminar (TED 6380). Dissertations in Practice must address a topic of contextualized educational significance, derive from independent Scholar-Practitioner Inquiry, contribute to evidence-based applied practice in the concentration area, and be approved by the Dissertation in Practice chair and committee. |
|
| Total | 48 |
Degree Plan:
| Code | Title | Hours |
| Required Coursework | ||
| TED 6308 | Leadership Theory for the Scholar-Practitioner | 3 |
| TED 6310 | Learning Sciences | 3 |
| TED 6314 | Educational Myths & Pedagogical Practices | 3 |
| TED 6340 | Foundations of Educational Research | 3 |
| TED 6342 | Scholar-Practitioner Inquiry | 3 |
| TED 6348 | Action Research | 3 |
|
Specialization Required Select one specialization from below |
12 | |
| Research Design and Methodology Courses | 6 | |
| TED 6344 | Case Study Research | 3 |
| TED 6346 | Data-Driven Secondary Analysis | 3 |
| Doctoral Seminar | 3 | |
| TED 6380 | Qualifying Candidacy Seminar | 3 |
| Research Capstone | ||
| TED 6382 | ||
| TED 6684 | ||
| Total Hours | 48 | |
| Course List | ||
Specialization Area Courses for Early Childhood Education
| Code | Title | Hours |
|
ECED 6300 |
Theoretical Foundations of Early Childhood Education |
3 |
| ECED 6302 | Research in the Science of Teaching Reading & Early Literacy Development | 3 |
| ECED 6304 | Computational Thinking and Early Development | 3 |
|
BED 6300 OR STEM 6320 |
Borderlands Language Acquisition and Competing Ideologies Research in Play-based and Game-based Learning |
3 |
| Total | 30 |
Specialization Area Courses for Curriculum and Instruction
| Code | Title | Hours |
| Required Coursework | ||
|
TED 6300 |
Assessment/Teaching of Reading |
3 |
| TED 6316 | Managing the Student-centered Classroom | 3 |
| TED 6320 | Instructional Design/Methods | 3 |
| CHOOSE ONE COURSE: | 3 | |
| BED 6300 | Borderlands Language Acquisition and Competing Ideologies | |
| BED 6310 | Place, Practice and Identity | |
| RED 6318 | Literacies in the 21st Century | |
| SCFE 6310 | Language, Race and Culture | |
| STEM 6320 | Research in Play-based and Game-based Learning | |
| TED 6319 | Special Topics | |
Still have questions about the Ed.D. in Early Childhood Education Leadership or K-12 Curriculum and Instruction Leadership? Teacher Education Department staff are ready to answer your questions. Please contact us at ted-edd@utep.edu.
Ready to apply to the Ed.D. in Early Childhood Education Leadership or K-12 Curriculum and Instruction Leadership? Go to Graduate School Application