Introduction
The goal of the Ph.D. in education is to support graduate students in becoming creative scholars who engage in research focused on the educational needs of students from linguistic and cultural groups that have historically not fared well in our nation’s public schools. To achieve this goal, this program provides students with grounding in the varieties of interdisciplinary theorizing, research methods, and applications needed to advance the study of learning and teaching for diverse student populations. The courses and research experiences are closely related to practice in K-12 classrooms and informal settings. Students in this interdisciplinary program apply tools and perspectives from education, anthropology, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, sociology, cognitive science, and cultural historical activity theory. The program integrates theory and practice to examine learning and teaching within the multiple contexts of classroom, school, family, and community. Graduates of this program will be qualified to teach and to conduct the kinds of educational research demanded by tenure-track positions in research and regional universities. Graduates may also work in non-university based institutions that focus on teacher professional development, curriculum development, and related areas of educational research and development.
Together with his or her faculty adviser, each student develops an integrated program of study that includes advanced coursework, seminars, and electives. Students learn through an apprenticeship model in which they develop expertise through active participation in research. Courses may be taken in other departments, when appropriate.
Ph.D. Admissions Guidelines
The minimum GPA established by the University of California for admission to graduate school is 3.0. In general, the Ph.D. in education program looks for potential excellence in graduate students, whether this manifests itself in a high GPA, strong letters of recommendation, a high Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score, or a strong Statement of Purpose. Applicants will be evaluated on their individual merits and also with regard to how well their proposed doctoral research can be supported by the existing resources of the program.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor's degree, or its equivalent, from an accepted university prior to the quarter for which admission is sought
- 3.0 GPA or above
- Official GRE scores taken within the last five years
- Experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse students and/or communities
- Statement of Purpose
- Personal History Statement
- A writing sample, preferably in education or a related field. The sample can be a term paper, a field report, a research proposal, or an essay written especially for the application
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended after high school
- Three current recommendation letters specifying potential for academic or scholarly work
- Current résumé
- Application fee
- International applicants must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test. A minimum score of 550 on the TOEFL (paper), 220 on the TOEFL (computer), or 83 on the Internet-based test is required for admission. For those choosing to take the IELTS, a minimum overall score of 7 is required. The program follows Graduate Division guidelines when considering TOEFL waivers.
Prior to completing your application, we highly recommend a personal (in person or on the phone) interview with at least one of our faculty members. Please contact an education faculty member whose research interest is similar to your own (for descriptions of faculty research, please visit the Education Department website).
Financial Support
It is each student’s responsibility to secure funding for graduate studies. Over the course of students’ enrollment in the graduate program, students typically fund their education with some combination of the following: TAships, GSRships, UCSC graduate fellowships, scholarships or fellowships from outside sources, loans, personal savings, family income, and support from other individuals (e.g., extended family members). When possible, first-year students are supported with UCSC graduate fellowships that typically cover part of a student’s expenses for the first year only. Beginning in the student’s first year, he or she is strongly encouraged to apply for TAships in Education Department courses and in other departments on campus. Students are also encouraged to seek and apply for outside funding from government agencies, private foundations, and industry, and to plan alternative financing should none of these opportunities become available. After advancing to candidacy students can also apply for graduate student instructor positions (GSI-ships.)
Financial support for students includes a variety of fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships in the Education Department. Students may participate in research projects under the auspices of several interdisciplinary research centers and research projects. In the past, these have included the Chicano/Latino Research Center (CLRC), the Vocabulary Innovations in Education (VINE) project, The Teachers With Computers: Ward Annotations for Vocabulary Education (tecWAVE) project, English Language and Literacy Integration in Subject Areas (ELLISA), Effective Science Teaching for English Language Learners (ESTELL) project, The Center for Collaborative Research for an Equitable California (CCREC), and the Center for Educational Research in the Interest of Underserved Students (CERIUS). Recently, students have participated in research projects with the Center for Research on Equity and Collaborative Evaluation (CRECE) and the History & Civics Project (H&CP).
For Further Information
Contact the doctoral student adviser by sending an email to edphd@ucsc.edu or view the Education Department’s home pagewhere potential applicants can obtain full details about the programs.
Advancement to Candidacy
Course Requirements
During the first two years of study, all students are expected to enroll in a set of required courses, including foundational courses, methodology courses, and elective courses. The student and his/her faculty adviser will determine the overall program of study, depending on the student’s preparation, interests, and plans. The program encourages interdisciplinary study.
Course Requirements and Sequencing
The following courses constitute the minimum requirements: four foundational courses, five research methods courses, four elective courses, one additional course in any category, a second-year project independent study, and a research apprenticeship. Incoming students consult with their faculty advisers about the current course offerings to determine the order in which they will complete required courses. Students are encouraged to take courses beyond the minimum required; in consultation with their advisers, students will determine the full set of research methods and elective courses they will complete based on their intellectual interests and professional goals. All required courses must be completed prior to advancement to candidacy.
The department typically offers approximately eight doctoral courses during each year. The Education Department annually admits 7-10 Ph.D. students, leaving room for doctoral students from other departments to take courses in education.
Courses required before advancing to candidacy:
| EDUC235 | Introduction to Educational Inquiry | 5 |
| EDUC236 | Quantitative Research Methods | 5 |
| EDUC237 | Qualitative Research Methods | 5 |
| EDUC250 | Teachingand Teachers | 5 |
| EDUC255 | Intermediate Quantitative Methods | 5 |
| EDUC256 | Intermediate Qualitative Analysis | 5 |
| EDUC261 | Thinking and Learning | 5 |
| EDUC262 | Social and Cultural Context of Education | 5 |
| EDUC272 | Language in Education and Society | 5 |
And four electives, two of which must be from the list below:
Choose two of the following:
| EDUC263 | Educational Reform | 5 |
| EDUC264 | Research on Teacher Development and Teacher Education | 5 |
| EDUC268 | Schools, Communities, and Families | 5 |
| EDUC280 | Language and Literacy Across Disciplines | 5 |
| EDUC286 | Research in STEM Education | 5 |
| EDUC295 | Critical Perspectives on Education | 5 |
Plus one additional course from any category
Plus the following courses:
A combination of these courses to equal at least 5 credits:
The following may also be counted toward meeting elective requirements:
- M.A. course in Education with additional readings and assignments. (One maximum to count toward the four electives and/or the additional course.)
- Independent Study. (One maximum to count toward the four electives and/or the additional course.)
- Undergraduate upper-division course with additional readings and assignments. (One maximum to count toward the four electives and/or additional course.)
Other Requirements
Students are required to attend the Education Department’s colloquium series during their first and second years in the program.
Students are required to complete a second-year project paper (the same project to be approved for the en route M.A.). The final version must be approved by two faculty readers (by the end of year two or by the first day of fall quarter in year three).
Teaching Requirement
The education Ph.D. program emphasizes teaching experience, and all students are required to complete one TAship or teaching internship in education prior to advancement to candidacy.
Pre-Qualifying Requirements
Students are required to attend the Education Department’s colloquium series during their first and second years in the program.
Students are required to complete a second-year project paper (the same project to be approved for the en route M.A.). The final version must be approved by two faculty readers (by the end of year two or by the first day of fall quarter in year three).
Qualifying Examination
The qualifying examination is intended to assess a student’s depth and breadth of knowledge in their areas of concentration and his/her competence to do extended dissertation-level research. Normally taken near the end of the third year of enrollment, the examination consists of both written and oral components. For the written portion, the student prepares three papers, two of which advance a position based on a review of related research, theoretical framework, or research design/methods; the third is a dissertation prospectus. The student presents and defends their work at the oral examination.
Post-Qualifying Requirements
Advancement to Candidacy
To achieve Ph.D. candidacy, students are expected to pass an annual review of their written work, maintain satisfactory academic progress, complete all required courses, attend department colloquia, complete a second-year research project, complete a TAship or teaching internship, pass a qualifying examination (QE), and meet the specific requirements of the Division of Graduate Studies.
Advancement to Candidacy
To achieve Ph.D. candidacy, students are expected to pass an annual review of their written work, maintain satisfactory academic progress, complete all required courses, attend department colloquia, complete a second-year research project, complete a TAship or teaching internship, pass a qualifying examination, and meet the specific requirements of the Division of Graduate Studies.
Requirements for the M.A. Degree
Although applications for a master’s degree independent of the Ph.D. program are not accepted, students in the Ph.D. program may obtain a M.A. degree after successfully completing a minimum of six quarters residency, a total of 75 course credits (including four foundational courses, five research methods courses, at least four elective courses, a minimum of two from the Education Electives list, one more course from any category, a 5-credit course for the second-year research project), and an approved and completed second-year research project. Students seeking an M.A. degree must adhere to the guidelines set forth by the Graduate Division.