The Doctoral Program in Curriculum and Instruction is designed to prepare individuals with expertise to formulate and lead educational programs and organizations in higher education and corresponding entities. In addition, the program will enable candidates to teach in colleges and universities. Graduates will be able to:
Students may specialize in one of the following areas: bilingual studies, early childhood, educational technology, higher education teaching, literacy, mathematics education or science education.
To be admitted to the doctoral program in curriculum and instruction, prospective candidates must first meet all requirements for graduate admission to UT Rio Grande Valley, as well as the other requirements listed below:
Application for admission must be submitted prior to the published deadline. The application is available at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply.
Final admission to the doctoral program will be made by a selection committee comprised of Curriculum and Instruction faculty members.
Program Requirements
Bilingual Studies Specialization:
Required Research Courses - 9 Hours
Designated Research Elective - 3 Hours
Choose one from the following:
Curriculum and Instruction Core - 21 Hours
| EDCI 8300 | Traditions of Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8320 | Curriculum Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8321 | Adult Learning Strategies | 3 |
| EDCI 8323 | Contemporary Research in Teaching and Teacher Education | 3 |
| EDCI 8325 | Mentoring and Professional Development | 3 |
| EDFR 8322 | Advanced Historical and Sociocultural Inquiry in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 8318 | Advanced Human Development and Cognition | 3 |
Specialization - 15 Hours
| BILC 8340 | History, Politics, and Models of Bilingual Education | 3 |
| BILC 8341 | Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| BILC 8342 | Content Area Instruction in Bilingual Programs | 3 |
| BILC 8343 | Literacy and Biliteracy Development | 3 |
| BILC 8344 | Language Use in Bilingual Classrooms | 3 |
Designated Elective - 9 Hours
| BILC 8345 | Seminar in Bilingual Studies | 3 |
| BILC 8346 | Issues and Assessment in Bilingual/ESL Programs | 3 |
| BILC 7362 | Principles of Curriculum Development in Dual Language and ESL Classrooms | 3 |
Capstone Requirement Dissertation - 9 Hours
EDCI 8380 and EDCI 8690: Students will continuously enroll in either EDCI 8380 or EDCI 8690 until they complete their Dissertation.
Note: EDCI 8191 may only be taken subsequent to dissertation defense with approval from advisor and may not be repeated.
Required
Written Comprehensive Exam
Dissertation Defense
Early Childhood Specialization:
Required Research Courses - 9 Hours
Designated Research Elective - 3 Hours
Choose one from the following:
Curriculum and Instruction Core - 21 Hours
| EDCI 8300 | Traditions of Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8320 | Curriculum Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8321 | Adult Learning Strategies | 3 |
| EDCI 8323 | Contemporary Research in Teaching and Teacher Education | 3 |
| EDCI 8325 | Mentoring and Professional Development | 3 |
| EDFR 8322 | Advanced Historical and Sociocultural Inquiry in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 8318 | Advanced Human Development and Cognition | 3 |
Specialization - 15 Hours
| ECED 8350 | Advanced Theories in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| ECED 8351 | Research in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| ECED 8352 | Advanced Curriculum in Early ChildhoodEducation | 3 |
| ECED 8353 | Families, Schools and Community Partnerships | 3 |
| ECED 8354 | Leadership in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
Free Electives - 9 Hours
Choose three from the following:
| EDCI 6325 | ESL for International and Intercultural Settings | 3 |
| EDCI 6336 | Problems in Education (Topics) | 3 |
| ECED 6301 | Major Theories in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| ECED 6302 | Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Planning, and Curriculum | 3 |
| ECED 6306 | Literacy in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| ECED 6311 | Problems in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| EDTC 8376 | Special Topics in Educational Technology | 3 |
Capstone Requirement Dissertation - 9 Hours
EDCI 8380 and EDCI 8690: Students will continuously enroll in either EDCI 8380 or EDCI 8690 until they complete their Dissertation.
Note: EDCI 8191 may only be taken subsequent to dissertation defense with approval from advisor and may not be repeated.
Required
Written Comprehensive Exam
Dissertation Defense
Educational Technology Specialization:
Required Research Courses - 9 Hours
Designated Research Elective - 3 Hours
Choose one from the following:
Curriculum and Instruction Core - 21 Hours
| EDCI 8300 | Traditions of Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8320 | Curriculum Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8321 | Adult Learning Strategies | 3 |
| EDCI 8323 | Contemporary Research in Teaching and Teacher Education | 3 |
| EDCI 8325 | Mentoring and Professional Development | 3 |
| EDFR 8322 | Advanced Historical and Sociocultural Inquiry in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 8318 | Advanced Human Development and Cognition | 3 |
Specialization - 15 Hours
| EDTC 8371 | Theories and Practices in Effective On-line Pedagogy | 3 |
| EDTC 8372 | Advanced Instructional Design | 3 |
| EDTC 8373 | Evaluation and Assessment in Instructional Technology | 3 |
| EDTC 8374 | Course Management and Instructional Systems in K-16 | 3 |
| EDTC 8375 | Trends in Educational Technology K-16 | 3 |
Designated Electives - 9 Hours
Choose three from the following:
Capstone Requirement Dissertation - 9 Hours
EDCI 8380 and EDCI 8690: Students will continuously enroll in either EDCI 8380 or EDCI 8690 until they complete their Dissertation.
Note: EDCI 8191 may only be taken subsequent to dissertation defense with approval from advisor and may not be repeated.
Required
Written Comprehensive Exam
Dissertation Defense
General Specialization:
Required Research Courses - 9 Hours
Designated Research Elective - 3 Hours
Choose one from the following:
Curriculum and Instruction Core - 21 Hours
| EDCI 8300 | Traditions of Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8320 | Curriculum Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8321 | Adult Learning Strategies | 3 |
| EDCI 8323 | Contemporary Research in Teaching and Teacher Education | 3 |
| EDCI 8325 | Mentoring and Professional Development | 3 |
| EDFR 8322 | Advanced Historical and Sociocultural Inquiry in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 8318 | Advanced Human Development and Cognition | 3 |
Specialization - 15 Hours
| EDCI 8370 | Critical Approaches to Curriculum Sciences | 3 |
| EDCI 8371 | Curriculum Design, Development & Transformation | 3 |
Any combination of three 8000 level BILC, EDCI, ECED, EDTC, EDUL, RLIT, HIED, SPED
Designated Electives - 9 Hours
Select three of any 8000 level courses:
*6000 and 7000 level courses only by special approval
Capstone Requirement Dissertation - 9 Hours
EDCI 8380 and EDCI 8690: Students will continuously enroll in either EDCI 8380 or EDCI 8690 until they complete their Dissertation.
Note: EDCI 8191 may only be taken subsequent to dissertation defense with approval from advisor and may not be repeated.
Higher Education Teaching Specialization:
Required Research Courses - 9 Hours
Designated Research Elective - 3 Hours
Choose one from the following:
Curriculum and Instruction Core - 21 Hours
| EDCI 8300 | Traditions of Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8320 | Curriculum Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8321 | Adult Learning Strategies | 3 |
| EDCI 8323 | Contemporary Research in Teaching and Teacher Education | 3 |
| EDCI 8325 | Mentoring and Professional Development | 3 |
| EDFR 8322 | Advanced Historical and Sociocultural Inquiry in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 8318 | Advanced Human Development and Cognition | 3 |
Specialization - 15 Hours
| EDFR 8380 | Comparative Higher Education | 3 |
| EDFR 8382 | History and Philosophy of Higher Education | 3 |
| HIED 8381 | Advanced Human Learning and Motivational Development | 3 |
| HIED 8383 | Higher Education Equity, Inclusion and Diversity | 3 |
| HIED 8384 | Current Issues in Higher Education | 3 |
Free Electives - 9 Hours
Choose three from the following:
Capstone Requirement Dissertation - 9 Hours
EDCI 8380 and EDCI 8690: Students will continuously enroll in either EDCI 8380 or EDCI 8690 until they complete their Dissertation.
Note: EDCI 8191 may only be taken subsequent to dissertation defense with approval from advisor and may not be repeated.
Required
Written Comprehensive Exam
Dissertation Defense
Literacy Specialization:
Required Research Courses - 9 Hours
Designated Research Electives - 6 Hours
Choose two from the following:
Curriculum and Instruction Core - 21 Hours
| EDCI 8300 | Traditions of Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8320 | Curriculum Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8321 | Adult Learning Strategies | 3 |
| EDCI 8323 | Contemporary Research in Teaching and Teacher Education | 3 |
| EDCI 8325 | Mentoring and Professional Development | 3 |
| EDFR 8322 | Advanced Historical and Sociocultural Inquiry in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 8318 | Advanced Human Development and Cognition | 3 |
Specialization - 15 Hours
Free Electives - 6 Hours
Choose two from the following:
| RLIT 6300 | Foundations of Reading and Digital Literacy | 3 |
| RLIT 6301 | Digital Literacies and Young Children | 3 |
| RLIT 6302 | Adolescent Digital Literacy and Reading | 3 |
| RLIT 6303 | Digital Literacies and the Diverse Learner | 3 |
| RLIT 6305 | Conducting Literacy Research | 3 |
| RLIT 6306 | Assessment Practices in Digital Literacies and Readingÿ | 3 |
| RLIT 6307 | Sociocultural Foundations of Literacy | 3 |
| RLIT 6308 | Digital Literacies and Leadership | 3 |
| RLIT 6310 | Children's and Adolescent Literature | 3 |
| RLIT 6311 | Crossing Borders with Literature for Young People | 3 |
| RLIT 6313 | Literacy Development and Language Study | 3 |
| RLIT 6320 | Writing in the Reading Classroom | 3 |
| RLIT 6330 | Teaching Marginalized Readers | 3 |
| EDTC 8376 | Special Topics in Educational Technology | 3 |
Capstone Requirement Dissertation - 9 Hours
EDCI 8380 and EDCI 8690: Students will continuously enroll in either EDCI 8380 or EDCI 8690 until they complete their Dissertation.
Note: EDCI 8191 may only be taken subsequent to dissertation defense with approval from advisor and may not be repeated.
Required
Written Comprehensive Exam
Dissertation Defense
Mathematics Education Specialization:
Required Research Courses - 9 Hours
Designated Research Elective - 3 Hours
Choose one from the following:
Curriculum and Instruction Core - 21 Hours
| EDCI 8300 | Traditions of Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8320 | Curriculum Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8321 | Adult Learning Strategies | 3 |
| EDCI 8323 | Contemporary Research in Teaching and Teacher Education | 3 |
| EDCI 8325 | Mentoring and Professional Development | 3 |
| EDFR 8322 | Advanced Historical and Sociocultural Inquiry in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 8318 | Advanced Human Development and Cognition | 3 |
Specialization - 15 Hours
| EDCI 7360 | Teaching and Learning Space, Dimension and Measurement Concepts. | 3 |
| EDCI 7353 | Teaching and Learning Algebraic Concepts | 3 |
| EDCI 8361 | Theories of Learning and Teaching Mathematics. | 3 |
| EDCI 8362 | Assessing Cognitive, Conceptual and Fluency Structures Related to Learning and Teach Mathematics. | 3 |
| EDCI 8364 | Teaching and Learning Data Analysis and Probability | 3 |
Designated Electives - 9 Hours
| EDCI 6336 | Problems in Education (Topics) | 3 |
| EDCI 8350 | Selected Topics in Science Education | 3 |
| EDCI 8363 | Teaching and Learning Mathematics with Diverse Learners. | 3 |
Capstone Requirement Dissertation - 9 Hours
EDCI 8380 and EDCI 8690: Students will continuously enroll in either EDCI 8380 or EDCI 8690 until they complete their Dissertation.
Note: EDCI 8191 may only be taken subsequent to dissertation defense with approval from advisor and may not be repeated.
Required
Written Comprehensive Exam
Dissertation Defense
Science Education Specialization:
Required Research Courses - 9 Hours
Designated Research Elective - 3 Hours
Choose one from the following:
Curriculum and Instruction Core - 21 Hours
| EDCI 8300 | Traditions of Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8320 | Curriculum Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8321 | Adult Learning Strategies | 3 |
| EDCI 8323 | Contemporary Research in Teaching and Teacher Education | 3 |
| EDCI 8325 | Mentoring and Professional Development | 3 |
| EDFR 8322 | Advanced Historical and Sociocultural Inquiry in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 8318 | Advanced Human Development and Cognition | 3 |
Specialization - 15 Hours
| EDCI 8340 | Technology in the Science Classroom | 3 |
| EDCI 8342 | Addressing the Needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the Science Classroom | 3 |
| EDCI 8344 | Diversity Issues in Science Education | 3 |
| EDCI 8346 | Instructional Change and Reform for Science Education Leaders | 3 |
| EDCI 8348 | The Historical Context of Science and Science Learning | 3 |
Designated Electives - 9 Hours
| EDCI 6336 | Problems in Education (Topics) | 3 |
| EDCI 8350 | Selected Topics in Science Education | 3 |
| EDCI 7360 | Teaching and Learning Space, Dimension and Measurement Concepts. | 3 |
| EDTC 8376 | Special Topics in Educational Technology | 3 |
Capstone Requirement Dissertation - 9 Hours
Required
Written Comprehensive Exam
Dissertation Defense
EDCI 8380 and EDCI 8690: Students will continuously enroll in either EDCI 8380 or EDCI 8690 until they complete their Dissertation.
Note: EDCI 8191 may only be taken subsequent to dissertation defense with approval from advisor and may not be repeated.
Special Education Specialization
Required Research Courses - 9 Hours
Designated Research Elective - 3 Hours
Choose one from the following
Curriculum and Instruction Core - 21 Hours
| EDCI 8300 | Traditions of Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8320 | Curriculum Inquiry | 3 |
| EDCI 8321 | Adult Learning Strategies | 3 |
| EDCI 8323 | Contemporary Research in Teaching and Teacher Education | 3 |
| EDCI 8325 | Mentoring and Professional Development | 3 |
| EDFR 8322 | Advanced Historical and Sociocultural Inquiry in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 8318 | Advanced Human Development and Cognition | 3 |
Specialization - 15 Hours
| EPSY 8350 | Historical and Theoretical Foundations of Special Education | 3 |
| EPSY 8351 | Special Education Inquiry | 3 |
| EPSY 8352 | Special Education Law & Practice | 3 |
| EPSY 8353 | Special Education Literature & Readings | 3 |
| EPSY 8354 | Social & Emotional Interventions in Special Education | 3 |
Designated Electives - 9 Hours
| | Select three of any 8000 level course | 3-9 |
*6000 and 7000 level courses only by special approval
Capstone Requirement Dissertation - 9 Hours
EDCI 8380 and EDCI 8690: Students will continuously enroll in either EDCI 8380 or EDCI 8690 until they complete their Dissertation.
Note: EDCI 8191 may only be taken subsequent to dissertation defense with approval from advisor and may not be repeated.
Required
Written Comprehensive Exam
Dissertation Defense
In addition to all coursework requirements, students must successfully pass the comprehensive exam before beginning dissertation hours. Once this exam is passed, students will write and defend their dissertation proposal before beginning dissertation research. At the conclusion of the dissertation process, students must successfully complete an oral dissertation defense.