PhD Teaching and Teacher Education Specialization

The Teaching and Teacher Education Specialization focuses on research, development, and evaluation of teacher education for both pre-service teachers and the continuing professional development of practicing teachers. This specialization has a specific focus that ties the study of teachers, teaching practices, teacher education, education reform, and education policy together into a coherent whole for understanding and generating new knowledge on the educators of educators who will lead the efforts of an equal education for all children.

The specialization focuses on the research on teaching from a generalist perspective as well as providing opportunities to study teaching in a chosen subject matter area (e.g., English, history, special education, etc.). In addition, the specialization focuses on research, development, and evaluation of teacher education for both preservice teachers and the continuing professional development of practicing teachers.

What Will You Learn?

TATE faculty are experts in teaching and teacher education scholarship and practice and are deeply engaged in significant research in their fields. TATE focuses on:

• Teaching, research, program development, and evaluation in teacher education for both preservice teachers and the continuing professional development of practicing teachers
• Bringing together the study of teachers, teaching practices, teacher education, education reform, and education policy to generate new knowledge informed by critical and global perspectives

The specialization features coursework and applied internships that enable you to learn:

• Theory and research in teaching and teacher education
• Foundational knowledge about teaching and teacher education
• Research methodologies to address a variety of topics related to teaching and teacher education
• Specialized knowledge in teaching and teacher education related to your area of interest

How Will You Learn?

TATE courses are taught through multiple modalities (face-to-face, synchronous online, and/or hybrid). TATE is highly responsive through differentiated learning approaches across whole group, small group and independent activities. Coursework is supplemented with professional experiences such as:

• Shared research with faculty
• Attending and/or presenting at professional conferences
• Independent studies
• Teaching and/or co-teaching
• Supervising preservice teachers
• Writing, editing, and reviewing for scholarly journals

Where Can This Specialization Take You?

The TATE specialization prepares you to become a strong, equity-centered teacher educator and researcher. Key features include:?

• Faculty whose consequential scholarship spans disciplines?
• Coursework and applied internships to build foundational and expanded expertise ?
• Research methodologies to address the pressing issues and topics related to teaching and teacher education

Students who study in this specialization prepare for a range of careers, including:?

• Academic, university researcher and scholar?
• Pre-service and/or in-service teacher educator ?
• University research faculty?
• School-based teacher educator?
• Community-based roles?
• Informal education positions 

Each student prepares an individual program of study in consultation with their Program Advisory Committee. The following courses can be taken as part of a student’s primary or secondary specialization coursework:

• EDUC 850: The Study of Teaching (3 credits)
• EDUC 851: Research on Teacher Education (3 credits)
• EDUC 855: Critical Perspectives in Education (3 credits)
• EDUC 865: Curriculum Theory and Practice (3 credits)
• EDUC 803: Teacher Preparation and Professional Development (3 credits)
• EDUC 854: Working in Schools: Spanning Boundaries/Expanding Roles (3 credits)
• EDUC 801: Seminar for Teaching in Teacher Education (1 credit)
• EDUC 804: Seminar for Supervision in Teacher Education (1 credit)
• EDUC 885: History of Education in the United States (3 credits)
• EDUC 853: Global Perspectives of Teacher Education (3 credits)
• EDUC 852: Technology and Teacher Development (3 credits)
• EDUC 897: Independent Study for the Doctor of Philosophy in Education (1-6 credits)
• EDUC 994: Advanced Internship in Education (3 credits)

See additional coursework required as part of the PhD in Education degree.

Greer P. Mancuso, PhD 2021

• Dissertation Title: Teachers Who Work with English Learners Who Have Had Interrupted Schooling: A Collaborative Action Research Study
• Dissertation Chair: Dr. Rebecca Fox

Holly Glaser, PhD 2020

• Dissertation Title: How Teachers Create Talent Development Contexts for Students from Historically Underrepresented Populations in Gifted Programs: A Multiple-Case Study
• Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nancy Hollincheck

Alicia Leggett, PhD 2020

• Dissertation Title: Black Teacher Preparation: Experiences at a PWI and HBCU
• Dissertation Chair: Dr. Seth Parsons

Emily Christopher, PhD 2019

• Dissertation Title: White Female Teachers and Their Students: An Exploration of the Beliefs of Preservice Teachers and Interns Regarding Intersectionalities of Today's Students
• Dissertation Chair: Dr. Gary Galluzzo & Dr. Nancy Hollincheck

Leila Nuland, PhD 2019

• Dissertation Title: One Size Does Not Fit All: A National Survey of Teachers’ Perceptions of Online Teacher Professional Development
• Dissertation Chair: Dr. Seth Parsons
• Employment on Graduation: Senior Managing Director, K12 Research and Professional Services at Hanover Research

Nisreen Daoud, PhD 2018

• Dissertation Title: Examining Elementary Teacher Preparation: What Works in Today's Programs
• Dissertation Chair: Dr. Seth Parsons

Cynthia Hall, PhD 2018

• Dissertation Title: Milwaukee Teachers' Perceptions of Union Benefits and Job Security in the Wake of Wisconsin Act 10
• Dissertation Chair: Dr. Anastasia Samaras

Ronald Shultz, PhD 2018

• Dissertation Title: The (Trans)formation of Teacher Candidates' Dispositions Toward English Language Learners in the Mainstream Elementary Classroom
• Dissertation Chair: Dr. Seth Parsons