Teaching and Teacher Education - PhD Specialization

The Teaching and Teacher Education PhD specialization focuses on research, development, and evaluation of teacher education for both pre-service teachers and the continuing professional development of practicing teachers.

The Teaching and Teacher Education 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.

Program Information

Students who study in this specialization will be prepared to assume leadership, teaching and research roles in:

Preservice teacher education, in either university or alternate route programs;
School district offices of continuing teacher professional development; and
School-based teacher education.

The program 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 program focuses on research, development, and evaluation of teacher education for both preservice teachers and the continuing professional development of practicing teachers.

Program Length

The PhD in Education program requires a minimum of 85 credits of study beyond the baccalaureate degree or a minimum of 55 credits beyond the master's degree. Students have five years to complete all course work and the portfolio, and five additional years are allowed to complete the dissertation.

Program Structure

The program requires a minimum of 85 credits of study beyond the baccalaureate degree or a minimum of 55 credits beyond the master's degree. However, an individual's program typically requires 10 more credits depending on the person's goals, program requirements, and previous preparation. Students have five years to complete all course work and the portfolio reviews. Five additional years are allowed to complete the dissertation. Most students complete the entire program in five or six years.

Course Work

General Culture (3 credits)

EDUC 800: Ways of Knowing (3 credit hours) ( OR EFHP860. EFHP 860 is for Kinesiology concentration students only. Other students should select EDUC 800. Course should be taken 1st semester.)

Research Methods (15 credits)

EDRS 810: Problems and Methods in Education Research (3 credit hours) (2nd semester)
EDRS 811: Quantitative Methods in Educational Research (3 credit hours)
EDRS 812: Qualitative Methods in Educational Research (3 credit hours)

Choose two from below:
- EDRS 818: Critical Discourse Analysis in Education Research (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 820: Evaluation Methods for Educational Programs and Curricula (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 821: Advanced Applications of Quantitative Methods (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 822: Advanced Applications of Qualitative Methods (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 823: Advanced Research Methods in Single Subject/Case Design (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 824: Mixed Methods Research: Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 825: Advanced Research Methods in Self-Study of Professional Practice (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 826: Qualitative Case Study Methods (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 827: Introduction to Measurement and Survey Development (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 828: Item Response Theory (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 830: Hierarchical Linear Modeling (3 credit hours) *
- EDRS 831: Structural Equation Modeling (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 832: Document Analysis and Archival Research (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 833: Participatory Action Research (3 credit hours)
- EDRS 897: Special Topics in Research Methods (3 credit hours)

Professional Specialization (24 credits)

These courses differ according to a student's major specialization but always include three hours of internship credit.

Required Courses

EDUC 850: The Study of Teaching (3 credit hours)

EDUC 851: Research on Teacher Education (3 credit hours)

Electives

Select 18 credits from courses listed below.

EDUC 852: Technology and Teacher Development (3 credit hours)

EDUC 853: World Perspectives of Teacher Education (3 credit hours)

EDUC 854: Working in Schools: Spanning Boundaries/Expanding Roles (3 credit hours)

EDUC 874: The Achievement Gap (3 credit hours)

EDUC 876: Teacher Development and Education Policy (3 credit hours)

EDUC 994: Advanced Internship in Education (3 credit hours)

ECED 803: Teacher Preparation and Professional Development (3 credit hours)

Teaching and Teacher Education as a Secondary Specialization

Teaching and Teacher Education as a secondary specialization: This program can serve as the secondary specialization for students who choose a specialization in another program area, but who desire to move toward a career educating teachers, either in a university or a school division. In consultation with the student's program committee, twelve credits selected from those above would satisfy the College's secondary specialization.

Secondary specialization for students whose Specialization is Teaching and Teacher Education: There is no recommended minor for students in this specialization. The identification of the minor the students will create will be the result of consultation among the student and the members of her/his program committee.

Secondary Emphasis (12 credits)

Students have a number of options for secondary concentrations including concentrations within the Graduate School of Education, within other George Mason University departments, interdisciplinary concentrations, or using the master's degree as part of the secondary concentration requirements.

Dissertation (12 credits)

EDUC 998: Doctoral Dissertation Proposal (3 credits)
EDUC 999: Doctoral Dissertation Research (9 credits)

Portfolio

Students complete an educational portfolio as part of the requirement of the Ph.D. program. The portfolio is an organized, selective collection of documents designed to facilitate a student's academic and professional development, and to provide a basis for evaluation of degree progress. The portfolio represents the scope and depth of a student's goals, plans, and accomplishments in coursework, independent study, research, internships, and other advanced learning activities. The portfolio thus provides both a vehicle for self-reflection and a comprehensive record of a doctoral student's experiences and ongoing progress toward academic and professional goals.