Academic Program
The PhD in Education is offered in various program plans:
(1) an individualized plan of study that allows students to select courses and research topics to maximize the opportunity for individualized and interdisciplinary studies.
(2) a cohort-based program with an emphasis in urban leadership.
(3) a special education program that integrates requirements for the Level II Education Specialist Credential.
(4) a joint program with San Diego State University.
Individualized PhD. The School of Educational Studies’ faculty believes that it may best help students pursue their goals by helping them design their own PhD programs. In consultation with faculty, students develop custom programs tailored to the individual student’s background, interests, and future goals. Students are allowed to combine education courses with disciplines outside of SES. Students may also emphasize one or more of the following areas:
Degree Requirements
The following are components of the PhD program in the School of Educational Studies:
(1) Minimum of 72 semester units of coursework (Up to 24 semester units from prior graduate work done outside of CGU may be transferred, with advisor approval, via the Transfer of Credits form. Up to 24 units taken at CGU can be counted toward the PhD, with advisor approval, via the Authorization to Apply Previous CGU Coursework Credit form).
(2) The Proseminar for Doctoral Study course (ED 580) must be taken within the first year of study (not required for students in the Joint Doctoral Program with SDSU).
(3) A transdisciplinary (TNDY) course (not required for students in the Joint Doctoral Program with SDSU).
(4) Three written, approved qualifying examinations.
(5) Two research tools.
(6) An oral qualifying examination.
(7) An approved dissertation proposal (and Internal Review Board approval for human subjects research, if applicable).
(8) A written dissertation.
(9) A final oral dissertation defense.
Transdisciplinary Course Requirement. For details on the requirement, see the Doctor of Philosophy Degree section in this Bulletin.
Proseminar for Doctoral Study. All students (except those in the Joint Doctoral Program with SDSU) who enter the doctoral program in the fall 2009 semester or later are required to complete Proseminar for Doctoral Study (ED 580) within the first year of their program.
Faculty Advisor. When students are admitted, they are assigned a faculty advisor based on interests expressed in their application. The advisor assists the student in selecting courses and planning her/his program of study. As student interests change and develop during coursework, the student may identify a different faculty member as the advisor with whom they wish to work. If the new faculty member is willing to serve as the advisor, the change may be made by submitting a Change of Advisor form to the SES Office. The faculty advisor who guides the student in developing a program of study and supervises one qualifying exam serves as chair of the Program Committee. This professor may also serve as the dissertation committee chair unless a different professor is selected by the student and agrees to accept this role.
Program Committee. During the first three terms, or upon completion of 16-20 units of coursework, the student identifies general topics for three different written qualifying exams. The student then approaches the faculty member they wish to have supervise each qual. The faculty members who agree to work on a qual with the student become members of the program committee. The chair must be a member of the education faculty and is typically the student’s advisor. One member of the committee may be drawn from the wider CGU graduate faculty, which includes professors from other CGU fields, as well as professors from the other Claremont Colleges.
Program Outline. During the first three terms, or after completion of approximately 16-20 units of coursework, a program outline is developed in consultation with the student’s advisor/chair of the program committee. The program outline includes a list of CGU coursework taken and proposed, three qualifying examination areas and corresponding faculty supervisors (who form the program committee), and two research tools. The student then obtains individual signatures or e-mail approvals from each of the program committee members and files the completed, signed program outline in the SES Office. Students who wish to change elements in their doctoral program should consult with the advisor/program committee chair. Program committee members may be changed with signature approval of the new faculty member and student’s advisor. See specific direction in the SES PhD Handbook (www.cgu.edu/pages/347.asp).
Research Tools. Two research tools are required. Their purpose is to assure proficiency in research methodologies most likely to be used in the dissertation and in the graduate’s career. After research tools are completed with a grade of B+ or better, and prior to the oral qualifying examination, approved Research Tool forms (
) must be submitted to the SES Office for transmission to the Office of Admissions and Records for posting to the student’s academic record.
Written Qualifying Examinations. Written material is required which, in the judgment of faculty, demonstrates proficiency in the three areas selected in the program outline. Such material can take a variety of forms: examinations, published articles, essays, research studies, films, copies of public lectures planned in cooperation with members of the committee, etc. The written qualifying examinations may be submitted over the course of study, once the program outline has been approved. The written qualifying material and any other evaluation evidence approved by faculty is filed in the SES Office.
Oral Qualifying Examination. The student takes the oral qualifying examination with their program committee after (1) all written qualifying examinations have been passed, (2) all coursework is completed or the last course is in progress, and (3) completion of two research tools.
Dissertation Committee. See the Doctor of Philosophy degree section of this Bulletin.
Advancement to Candidacy. Formal advancement to candidacy for the PhD is obtained after approval of the dissertation proposal by the dissertation committee, which signs the Advancement to Candidacy Form. ()
Institutional Review Board. Students work closely with the dissertation committee chair during dissertation proposal development to ensure that they follow correct procedures for review of research methodology by the CGU Institutional Review Board (IRB). In the interest of protecting the rights and welfare of individuals recruited for, or participating in, research conducted by faculty or students under the auspices of CGU, the University maintains the IRB CGU policy requires that research with human subjects, regardless of funding support, be reviewed by the IRB for the protection of human subjects in compliance with federal guidelines. Further details can be found in the CGU handbook www.cgu.edu/handbook.
Dissertation and Final Oral Dissertation Defense. SES adheres to University policy regarding dissertations and final oral defenses found in this Bulletin. Submission guidelines for dissertation drafts are specified in the SES PhD Handbook (on-line at www.cgu.edu/pages/347.asp) so that dissertation committee members have adequate time to review the draft and provide constructive feedback to the student. Missing submission deadlines will delay the final oral defense to the next semester.
When the members of the dissertation committee have approved the dissertation for oral defense and an abstract is received, the final oral defense is scheduled upon the request of the chair of the dissertation committee to the SES Office. Upon successful completion of the final oral examination and dissertation committee approval of the final draft, the dissertation is submitted electronically to the Office of Admission and Records. Requirements for the manuscript preparation may be found on the Student Records/Registrar website under ‘Completing Your Degree.’
Master’s Degree Along the Way to the PhD
Upon completion of 32 units of study (including up to six semester units transferred from other graduate work completed in the last five years) and one approved qualifying exam (in lieu of the thesis or critique), SES students taking the full 72 units of coursework at CGU to earn the PhD may apply for and receive a Master’s of Arts degree. All related institutional rules apply.
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