Education at CGU provides students with the flexibility to design individual programs that will best support the achievement of personal goals. In consultation with faculty, students tailor programs of study to individual background, interests, and future goals. In addition to combinations with other CGU disciplines, the program offers opportunities for emphasizing study in the following areas:  

• Higher Education/Student Affairs 
• K12 Education and Equity
• Urban Leadership (cohort program)

Students may also design a more-customized program of study that crosses concentrations and thematic areas within education.

*Please see below for more detailed information about these areas of study.

University Policies

Policies detailed in the current Policies and General Information Bulletin apply.

Admissions Requirements

Admission requirements are detailed in the Admissions section of the current Policies and General Information Bulletin.

Degree Requirements 

The requirements listed below are for Education PhD students. Requirements for students in the Joint PhD program with San Diego State University may be found here.

Coursework.  Students in the doctoral program must complete 72 units of coursework, including transfer credit from prior graduate work. A minimum of 32 units must come from courses offered in the School of Educational Studies. For students without transfer credit, at least 52 units must come from courses offered in the SES.

Required Courses.  Students in the doctoral program are required to enroll in the following courses.

• EDUC 520 – Introduction to the Field of Educational Research, must be completed during the student’s first year of coursework. This 4-unit course is typically offered in the Fall semester only.
• Transdisciplinary (TNDY) Studies course(s). Students must complete 4 units from among courses offered by the Transdisciplinary Studies program. Students may select from among several 2-unit and 4-unit courses that are available each term.

Transfer Credit.  The University’s policy on transfer credit applies, with the following exceptions: 

• The Education program permits the transfer of up to 20 semester units from prior graduate work completed outside of CGU, with advisor approval. 
• Students with a completed degree from CGU may apply previous relevant CGU units toward the PhD, with advisor approval, and subject to the following limits:
  • Up to 32 units for students with a completed CGU Master’s degree in Education (non-Teacher Education MA/Credential).
  • Up to 24 units for students with a completed CGU Master’s degree in Teacher Education (MA/Credential) or another field.

Program Outline.  During the student’s first three semesters or by completion of 20 units of coursework, the student must develop a program outline. In consultation with the student’s advisor, the outline should include all the following elements.

• Coursework to be taken at CGU
• Specification of three research tools (two for students admitted prior to Fall 2019)
• Topic for first qualifying examination with at least one proposed faculty supervisor

Upon receipt of advisor approval, the outline is filed with the program office. Changes to the program outline must be made in consultation with the advisor. Completion of the program outline is recorded on the student’s transcript.

Transdisciplinary Studies Coursework. See the Academic Policies - Doctoral Degree Regulations section of the Bulletin for details.

Research Tools.  Three research tools (two for students admitted prior to Fall 2019) are required to ensure proficiency in the research methodologies most likely to be used in the student’s dissertation. Tools must be completed with a grade of B+ or better, and must be submitted to the Program Office using the form provided by Student Records. Accomplishment of each milestone is recorded on the student’s transcript. Additional policies on research tools may be found in the School of Educational Studies PhD Student Handbook.

Written Qualifying Examinations.  The purpose of this requirement is to demonstrate the student’s proficiency in the area selected and documented in the student’s program outline. Each written qualifying exam should be supervised by a different SES faculty member. Evidence may be submitted in a variety of ways, including examinations, published articles, research studies, copies of public lectures planned in cooperation with the program committee, and the like.

• For students admitted Fall 2020 or later: Three qualifying exams (also known as quals) are required.
  • One qual is typically a pilot study, paper of publishable quality, “great books” exam, or other faculty-approved project that goes above and beyond work done for a class.
  • One qual is typically the literature review for the dissertation and is overseen by the faculty member you plan to serve as your dissertation chair.
  • The third qual may be satisfied either by completing another independent project or by taking EDUC 580B – Capstone for Doctoral Research. Students who take EDUC 580B must complete a mock dissertation proposal and receive a grade of Pass to receive credit for the third qualifying exam.
• For students admitted prior to Fall 2020: Two qualifying exams are required.
  • The first written examination may be undertaken after completion of 20 CGU units and with faculty supervisor approval of the proposed qualifying exam.
  • The second qualifying examination may be satisfied by completing a mock dissertation proposal in EDUC 580B. Successful completion of the mock dissertation proposal and a grade of Pass for EDUC 580B are required to receive credit for the second qualifying exam. 
  • With approval from their advisor and the dean, students admitted prior to Fall 2020 may petition to waive EDUC 580B and, instead, to complete three qualifying examinations. This option does not reduce the number of units required for the degree.

Qualifying examinations and related evaluation evidence approved by the faculty must be completed and submitted to the Program Office using the form provided by Student Records.

Oral Qualifying Examination.  The oral qualifying examination is administered by the student’s dissertation committee provided the following requirements are met beforehand.

• All required written qualifying examinations have been passed (two for students admitted prior to Fall 2020; three for students admitted Fall 2020 or later) and recorded as milestones on the student’s transcript.
• All required research tools have been completed (two for students admitted prior to Fall 2019; three for students admitted Fall 2019 or later) and recorded as milestones on the student’s transcript.
• All required coursework has been completed with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, with no incomplete (I), unsatisfactory (U), or non-passing (F/NP) grades.

Dissertation Process.  University policies and procedures regarding dissertations, detailed in the Academic Policies - Doctoral Degree Regulations section of the Bulletin, apply. The program’s Student Handbook includes additional guidelines to ensure adequate reviews of the dissertation draft and provisions for constructive feedback during the process. Missing the program’s submission deadlines may delay the scheduling of the student’s dissertation defense and eligibility for conferral of the degree in a particular semester. Refer to the registrar’s website for guidelines.

Advising

Doctoral students in Education are provided with several advising resources to facilitate progress toward the degree.

Faculty Advisor.  Upon admission, students are assigned a faculty advisor based upon interests expressed in the individual’s application for admission. Advisors assist students in selecting courses and planning a program of study. As student interests change and develop during coursework, a different faculty member may be identified as the advisor. In such an event, the program office should be notified with a Change of Advisor form.

Advisors supervise one qualifying exam and may serve as chair of the student’s dissertation committee. Students are expected to schedule a meeting with their faculty advisor each semester during the advising period prior to registration.

Dissertation Committee.  Policies and procedures are detailed in the Academic Policies - Doctoral Degree Regulations section of the Bulletin.

Institutional Review Board. The University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) works closely with students and dissertation committee chairs throughout the development of the dissertation proposal. The responsibility of the IRB is to ensure that correct procedures for review of research methodology are followed. The IRB seeks to protect the rights and welfare of individuals recruited for, or participating in, research conducted by faculty or students under the auspices of CGU. Regardless of funding support, all research with human subjects must be reviewed by the IRB for the protection of human subjects in compliance with federal guidelines.

Joint Doctoral Program

CGU offers students the opportunity to earn the doctorate in Education through a joint program with San Diego State University (SDSU). For information, refer to the program section for the joint doctoral program with SDSU.

Master’s Degree Along the Way to the PhD

CGU offers students the option to earn a Master’s degree along the way to the doctoral degree. Education students qualify by meeting all the following criteria.

• Enrollment in the doctoral program with the intention of completing 72 units of coursework at CGU
• Completion of 32 units of study with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Completion of one approved PhD qualifying exam in lieu of the thesis or critique

• Completion of the Intent to Receive a Degree/Certificate form in the semester in which the degree is requested to be conferred