Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies – Ph.D.
Kent State University’s online Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies Ph.D. prepares educators, researchers, and academic leaders to advance curriculum theory, instructional practice, and original educational research. The 72-credit doctoral program offers focus areas in STEM education, teacher education, curriculum and instruction, and language, literacy and society — with the flexibility to tailor your studies to your goals. Offered in fully online and mostly online formats, it’s designed for those ready to make a meaningful contribution to the scholarship and practice of education.
Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies Ph.D. Program Overview
The Ph.D. degree in Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies prepares scholars and educational leaders to advance research, theory and practice in diverse learning environments. The program is designed for individuals interested in exploring critical issues related to teaching, learning and curriculum design across educational contexts.
Through rigorous coursework, collaborative inquiry, and mentored research experiences, students develop the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute meaningfully to academic scholarship and educational innovation. Graduates of the program are well prepared for careers in higher education, research, curriculum development and leadership within schools and educational organizations.
Students may choose to focus broadly in their studies or specialize in one of the program’s focus areas: STEM education; teacher education; curriculum and instruction; or language, literacy and society. Within these areas, students can pursue specific interests, such as social studies within teacher education. Focus area courses are intentionally designed to be flexible and responsive to individual student goals and interests.
The program is offered in two formats: mostly online and fully online. The mostly online format allows students to engage online while also providing opportunities for in-person meetings at multiple points throughout the semester. The fully online format will include some mandatory synchronous online meetings (set times and days) in courses and other graduation requirements (e.g., oral comprehensive exam, dissertation proposal defense).
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Demonstrate deep understanding and critical analysis of key theories, debates and research in teaching, learning and curriculum studies, including historical, social and contemporary contexts.
- Design, conduct and communicate research using appropriate methodology (qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods) that contribute knowledge or insights to the field.
- Empirically study factors related to curriculum, instruction and/or learning through application of educational principles (e.g., equity and inclusion; collaboration and interaction; critical thinking and lifelong learning; growth and development).
- Lead and communicate scholarly, innovative and professional ideas through writing, speaking and/or advocacy across academic, practitioner and community audiences.
This program and its learning outcomes meet the requirements for “Intellectual Diversity” as outlined in Section 3345.0217 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies Ph.D. Program Admissions Requirements
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.
- Master’s degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum 3.000 graduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale (minimum 3.500 graduate GPA is recommended)
- Official transcript(s)
- Résumé or curriculum vitae
- Application essay
- Two letters of recommendation
- Interview
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:1
- Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
- Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
- Minimum 58 PTE score
- Minimum 110 DET score
1International applicants who do not meet the above test scores may be considered for conditional admission.
Program Courses
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | ||
| RMS 85515 | QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN AND ANALYSIS | 3 |
| RMS 85516 | QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN | 3 |
| RMS 85517 | ADVANCED QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH | 3 |
| RMS 85518 | ADVANCED QUALITATIVE RESEARCH | |
| TLCS 80001 | PROSEMINAR I: INTRODUCTION TO DOCTORAL STUDIES IN EDUCATION | 3 |
| TLCS 80002 | PROSEMINAR II: THEORY AND RESEARCH IN EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE | 3 |
| TLCS 80003 | TEACHING AND LEARNING I: THEORY, RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE | 3 |
| TLCS 80004 | TEACHING AND LEARNING II: THEORY, RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE | 3 |
| TLCS 80005 | CURRICULUM THEORIES: RESEARCH, DESIGN AND EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE | 3 |
| TLCS 80006 | EMERGING ISSUES AND TRENDS IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH | 3 |
| TLCS 80007 | SEMINAR IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH | 3 |
| Research, Measurement and Statistics (RMS) Graduate Course (50000 level or higher) | 3 | |
| Focus Area or Major Electives, choose from the following 1 | 9 | |
| STEM Education | ||
| TLCS 80191 | VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR IN STEM EDUCATION | |
| Language, Literacy and Society | ||
| TLCS 80391 | VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR IN LANGUAGE, LITERACY AND SOCIETY | |
| Teacher Education | ||
| TLCS 80291 | VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR IN TEACHER EDUCATION | |
| Curriculum and Instruction | ||
| TLCS 80491 | VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR IN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION | |
| Electives | ||
| TLCS 80169 | UNDERSTANDING EMERGENT BILINGUAL AND IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES | |
| TLCS 80171 | TEACHING EMERGENT BILINGUAL AND IMMIGRANT STUDENTS | |
| TLCS 81130 | MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION | |
| TLCS 87002 | CURRICULUM LEADERSHIP | |
| TLCS 87003 | FORMS OF INQUIRY IN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION | |
| TLCS 87004 | PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN EDUCATION | |
| TLCS 87005 | INTERCULTURAL DIMENSIONS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING | |
| TLCS 87010 | CURRICULUM EVALUATION | |
| TLCS 87352 | INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING | |
| Culminating Requirement | ||
| TLCS 80199 | DISSERTATION I 2 | 30 |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 72 | |
1Students are recommended to courses in consultation with their faculty advisor. Focus area courses may be taken up to three times. With approval from their advisor and the program coordinator, students may choose courses outside of the program to fulfill these requirements.
2Upon admission to candidacy, each doctoral candidate must register for TLCS 80199. It is expected that a doctoral candidate will continuously register for Dissertation I for a total of 30 credit hours, and thereafter TLCS 80299, each semester until all requirements for the degree have been met.
Graduation Requirements
The course phase of study culminates with a written and oral comprehensive examination that is created and evaluated by each doctoral student’s prospectus committee. Students choose one of the following options for the written component:
- Eight-hour in-class written examination
- Take-home written examination
- Written examination and portfolio (this option must be selected when submitting the plan of study)
Once doctoral students have passed the comprehensive examination, they organize a dissertation committee, which supervises their dissertation research project.
Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies Ph.D. Program Tuition and Fees
Ohio Residents
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
| $612.62 | $1,837.86 | $18,400 part-time1 $18,400 full-time2 |
Non-Ohio Residents
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
| $622.62 | $1,867.86 | $18,600 part-time3 $13,700 full-time4 |
1The $612.62 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time Ohio resident graduate students taking fewer than 11 credit hours per semester.
2The flat-rate semester fee of $6,724.36 applies to full-time Ohio resident graduate students taking between 11-18 credit hours per semester. This amount is calculated at student completing the program in 2 semesters.
3The $622.62 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time non-Ohio resident graduate students enrolled in a fully online degree program and taking fewer than 11 credit hours per semester, PLUS a surcharge of $10 per credit hour.
4The flat-rate semester fee of $6,724.36 applies to full-time non-Ohio resident graduate students enrolled in a fully online degree program and taking between 11-18 credit hours, PLUS a surcharge of $10 per credit hour of actual credits taken each semester (between 11-18 semester credits or $110-$180). This amount is calculated at students completing the program in 2 semesters plus the surcharge of $370.
- An additional Distance Learning fee for all students enrolled in a distance learning course is $15 per credit hour. Program tuition and costs are estimated and subject to change.
- Actual tuition costs will vary based on a student’s chosen academic plan. The full cost of attendance consists of tuition and fees, and when applicable, food, housing, books, course materials, supplies and equipment, transportation and personal expenses for the enrolled terms. Other expenses not included in tuition and fees totals can be found on the Kent State University cost of attendance web page.
- For a complete listing of tuition rates for approved online programs, please contact Kent State’s Financial, Billing & Enrollment Center at 330-672-6000 or via our website Contact Us link.
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* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
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