PhD Curriculum & Instruction: Math Education

The PhD program in Curriculum & Instruction requires (90) hours beyond the bachelor’s, at least twelve (12) of which are to be taken outside the School of Education. The departmental-level academic course plan for each student will be developed in consultation with and approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee. The committee will include the student's major advisor and at least two additional members of the graduate faculty such that the LSU Graduate School’s requirements for graduate committees are satisfied. The student must pass a General exam consisting of written questions and a comprehensive oral exam; write a dissertation proposal and pass an oral defense of the proposal; and write a dissertation, and pass an oral defense of the dissertation. 

Admission Requirements

Students applying for the PhD in Curriculum & Instruction must meet the following requirements:

  • a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • a combined verbal and quantitative GRE of 297 (verbal: 153; quantitative: 144)
  • three letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to your ability to complete doctoral work, including the dissertation are required. Letters must be written on official letterhead or emailed from a professional email account. 

Doctoral Coursework

These courses must be taken consecutively during the first year of enrollment:

ELRC 7299 Introduction to Scholarship in Education (fall)
EDCI 7910 Traditions of Inquiry in Education (spring)

 

These courses, except EDCI 7920, are offered on a two-year cycle:

EDCI 7109 Studies in the Teaching of Elementary School Mathematics (fall)
EDCI 7141 Studies in the Teaching of Mathematics in Secondary Schools (fall)
EDCI 7312 Diagnostic and Prescriptive Teaching in Mathematics (spring)
EDCI 7309 Topics in Mathematics Education (The Culture of Mathematical Problem Solving) (summer)
EDCI 7920 Analysis of Research in Curriculum and Instruction (Analysis of Research in Mathematics Education) (occasional)

Students entering the program with less than a master's degree in mathematics are expected to take a minimum of 2-3 mathematics courses as part of their major area of study.

A minimum of twenty-one (21) hours are to be taken, including:

Dissertation hours (EDCI 9000): normally fifteen (15) credit hours are to be taken within the 90-hour program. (Additional hours may be taken, but cannot be used to satisfy the research requirement.)

Three (3) research courses: ELRC 7006 or equivalent; ELRC 7241 or equivalent; ELRC 7243 or equivalent.

Minor Area of Study (Optional): Approximately twelve (12) to eighteen (18) hours, or as required by the minor field, are to be taken. At least one doctoral committee member must represent the minor field.

Electives: The remaining courses to complete the program of studies must be selected with the approval of the student’s graduate advisory committee.

Transfer Credits

A maximum of forty five (45) credit hours of prior graduate course work can be transferred to the program of studies for the PhD in Curriculum and Instruction, with approval of the student’s graduate advisory committee.

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David Kirshner PhD
103 Peabody Hall
225-578-2332

Email Dr. Kirshner