PhD in Curriculum and Instruction at Pennsylvania State University

This program provides advanced professional preparation in the special areas of:

• Bilingual education
• Curriculum and supervision
• Early childhood education
• Elementary education
• Instructional leadership
• Language and literacy education
• Science education
• Social studies education
• Mathematics education

1. Demonstrate mastery of the student's specific program emphasis area, which includes knowledge of primary and secondary literature related to research methodologies, programmatic research priorities, and implications of that research for professional practice. Assessed through candidacy and comprehensive exams (rubric).
2. Students will design and carry out a research project that includes articulating an important and original question, analyzing appropriate literature, demonstrating conceptual and methodological creativity, and carrying out an original inquiry. Assessed through dissertation proposal and defense (rubric).
3. Demonstrate standards of field in written and oral communication by presenting the results of dissertation research in clear, concise oral presentations to an audience of peers. Assessed through dissertation defense.
4. Demonstrate critical thinking about selected recent research in the program emphasis area through the description of an emerging scholarly theme/area, identification of specific publications that reflect it, and assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. Assessed through written and oral candidacy assessment (rubric).
5. Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of research ethics issues including knowledge of ethical principles related to authorship, research reporting, data fabrication, plagiarism, conflicts of interest, peer review, data sharing and other areas of misconduct. Assessed through SARI examinations and participation in CI 590.