https://tal.edu.miami.edu/graduate/doctoral/tal-phd/index.html
Overview
The Ph.D. Program in the Department of Teaching and Learning prepares individuals to serve as educational leaders, researchers, designers and teacher educators who work in a variety of contexts, including colleges and universities, public school systems, and nonprofit organizations. The program focuses on developing doctoral students’ understanding of (a) the cultural contexts and policy settings that impact learning; (b) the theoretical foundations and practice of rigorous empirical research; (c) and how to design, implement and test transformative learning environments that promote deep learning. Areas of active research among TAL faculty and students include instructional interventions, innovative use of technology, artificial intelligence, multilingualism, teacher preparation, family engagement, disability and special education, early childhood education, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning. A focus on diversity and equity runs through foundational courses, area seminars, research practica, and opportunities for community engagement.
Incoming students are assigned a Supervisory Committee, consisting of three TAL faculty members plus a faculty member from another Department, to advise them in developing their Program of Study. With the approval of their Supervisory Committee, doctoral students may apply up to 30 credits from an earned Master’s degree towards the 60 required credits of coursework for the PhD. Students must also complete 12 dissertation credits.
Application Requirements
Admission to all graduate-degree concentrations in the School of Education and Human Development is based on the recommendation of the faculty. Admissions decisions are based on faculty review of the following general requirements that apply to all Graduate Programs in the School as well as specific documents listed under each concentration.
Applicants must:
- provide scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) taken within the past five years. International applicants whose native language is not English or applicants whose degrees are from a non-U.S. University must pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS) and the GRE;
- provide official transcripts showing completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA. Official transcripts from every institution attended, whether or not the applicant completed a degree program at the institution, are required;
- provide three letters of recommendation that address the issues and meet the criteria established by the program being applied to;
- provide a personal statement that addresses the mission and purpose of the program being applied to;
- provide a resume;
- take part in an admissions interview (required by some programs); and
- exhibit personal and professional experiences and characteristics that are relevant to the profession and/or field and/or degree program for which the application is being submitted.
- International Applications
- All international applications must provide additional information and meet additional requirements as required by the UM Graduate School and the Office of International Student and Scholar Services. For an appropriate link to these requirements, please visit the Graduate School website.
Admission Decision
Once an applicant has been admitted to graduate study, that individual should meet with the faculty advisor who was appointed to serve in that capacity and whose name appears in the admissions letter. This advisor will help the student enroll in courses that are appropriate to the program; to develop and to refine a Program of Study that must be on file in the Office of Graduate Studies by the end of the first academic year of enrollment.
Honor Code/Handbook of Policies and Procedures
The School of Education and Human Development follows the Graduate School’s Honor Code. All students are required to review the Graduate Student Honor Code and the School of Education and Human Development’s Handbook of Policies and Procedures for Graduate Students and submit the signed Acknowledgement of Receipt located on page 3 by the end of their first semester of enrollment.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations of Teaching and Learning | ||
| TAL 703 | Issues and Trends in Multicultural Education | 3 |
| TAL 753 | Introduction to Science of Learning | 3 |
| TAL 773 | Teaching and Teacher Education | 3 |
| Area of Specialization | 9 | |
| Select 9 credits within chosen specialization | ||
LLLMS Specialization | ||
| Language Policy and Planning (K-12) | ||
| Theories and Research in Languaging and Language Development | ||
| Theories and Research in Literacies and Literacy Development | ||
| Special Topics in Language and Literacies | ||
Other courses by approval | ||
Special Education Specialization | ||
| Seminar in Reading/Learning Disabilities | ||
| Disability and Diversity: Critical Views | ||
| Current Issues in Special Education | ||
| Research in Special Education | ||
Other courses by approval | ||
STEM Specialization | ||
| Instructional Design and Technology in STEM Education | ||
| STEM Learning | ||
| STEM Curriculum and Policy | ||
| Assessment in STEM Education | ||
| STEM-Education Research Practicum | ||
| Diversity and Equity in STEM Education | ||
Other courses by approval | ||
| Research Methods | ||
| TAL 710 | Introduction to Research | 3 |
| Select 12 additional credit hours of coursework in research methods. | 12 | |
| Diversity | ||
| Select 6 credit hours of coursework focusing on dimensions of diversity. | 6 | |
| Electives | 18 | |
| These credits may be taken within or outside the Department of Teaching and Learning. | ||
| Professional Seminar | ||
| TAL 700 | Professional Seminar | 3 |
| Dissertation | 12 | |
| Specific courses to be selected in consultation with the student’s Supervisory Committee. | ||
| Pre-Candidacy Dissertation Research. | ||
| Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research. | ||
| Research in Residence | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 72 | |
Note: At least 30 credits of coursework must be at the 700 level.
Sample Plan of Study
Students Entering with a Master's Degree*
*Assuming 9 credit hours can be applied to the doctoral coursework
This is a sample Plan of Study, based on a student whose Supervisory Committee approved the application of 9 credits from their Master’s program. Your actual course sequence may vary depending on your previous academic experience as well as current course offerings. Students should meet with their Supervisory Committee each semester to determine appropriate course selection.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| TAL 700 | Professional Seminar | 3 |
| TAL 710 | Introduction to Research | 3 |
| EPS 700 | Quantitative Methods I | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| TAL 703 | Issues and Trends in Multicultural Education | 3 |
| EPS 702 | Quantitative Methods II | 3 |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| TAL 753 | Introduction to Science of Learning | 3 |
| TAL 714 | Introduction to Qualitative Methods (EPS 714) | 3 |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| TAL 773 | Teaching and Teacher Education | 3 |
| EPS 715 | Qualitative Methods II: Case Studies and Grounded Theory | 3 |
| TAL 754 | Disability and Diversity: Critical Views | 3 |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOC 693 | Special Topics and Current Issues in Race/Ethnic Relations | 3 |
| TAL 830 | Pre-Candidacy Dissertation Research. | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| TAL 840 | Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research. | 9 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 63 | |
Sample Plan of Study
Students Entering with Only a Bachelor's Degree
This is a sample Plan of Study, your actual course sequence may vary depending on your previous academic experience as well as current course offerings. Students should meet with their Supervisory Committee each semester to determine appropriate course selection.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| EPS 700 | Quantitative Methods I | 3 |
| TAL 700 | Professional Seminar | 3 |
| TAL 710 | Introduction to Research | 3 |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| EPS 702 | Quantitative Methods II | 3 |
| TAL 703 | Issues and Trends in Multicultural Education | 3 |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| TAL 753 | Introduction to Science of Learning | 3 |
| TAL 714 | Introduction to Qualitative Methods (EPS 714) | 3 |
| Specialization Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| EPS 715 | Qualitative Methods II: Case Studies and Grounded Theory | 3 |
| TAL 773 | Teaching and Teacher Education | 3 |
| TAL 754 | Disability and Diversity: Critical Views | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| SOC 693 | Special Topics and Current Issues in Race/Ethnic Relations | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| TAL 830 | Pre-Candidacy Dissertation Research. | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| TAL 830 | Pre-Candidacy Dissertation Research. | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Year Five | ||
| Fall | ||
| TAL 840 | Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research. | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| TAL 840 | Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research. | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 72 | |
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Mission
The mission of the School of Education and Human Development is to produce knowledge and prepare the next generation of leaders, researchers, and agents of change and well-being in education and the community.
Goals
The goal of the doctoral program in Teaching and Learning (TAL) is to provide professional preparation for careers in research and teacher education in one of the following three specialty areas: Language, Literacy, and Learning in Multilingual Settings (LLLMS); Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education; and Special Education (SPED).
All students are expected to develop and demonstrate a high level of competency in their area of specialization, in their knowledge of research methods, and in their knowledge of diversity as it applies to their area of research and practice. We expect that our graduates will go on to work as faculty in Institutions of Higher Education or as educational leaders in school systems, educational foundations, research organizations, and other settings.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate in-depth knowledge of their area of specialization, i.e., LLLMS, STEM, or Special Education.
- Students will demonstrate their knowledge of research methods appropriate to their area of specialization.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of the literature on diversity in education, with particular attention to racial, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity.
