Master's and Doctoral Degree Requirements

Presented below is information about degree requirements for the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Educational Studies.  For general information about requirements for graduate degrees at the University of Cincinnati, click the Graduate Handbook link located on http://www.grad.uc.edu/content/programs.cfm

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Academic Advisor and Program Committee.  Following admittance to the Master's degree program, students will be provided temporary advisement until they find a faculty advisor who will chair their Program Committee. By the time students complete 12 credit hours, they will submit a form indicating the selection of the Program Committee Chair and a second committee member. The Chair must be from Educational Studies and the second member may be from any relevant academic program.

Core Course Requirements: Students pursuing the Master of Arts in Educational Studies must complete a minimum of 45 quarter hours of course work. They take a total of 27 credit hours in the Interdisciplinary Core including 6 credit hours in areas addressing diversity and 18 credit hours of electives and project/thesis courses. To fulfill their diversity requirement, students may select courses from the Interdisciplinary Core or African American Studies, Women’s Studies, or another appropriate area outside of Educational Studies. A minimum of 36 credit hours must be completed at the 700 level or above.

Transfer Hours. Students may transfer up to 18 hours into their program. Up to 9 credit hours may be Educational Studies courses taken prior to admission into the program.  Students also may transfer up to 9 credit hours of graduate-level course work from either another institution or from a matriculated master’s degree program in the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services. No credits can be transferred if they were completed more than ten years prior to admission into the program.  Students must complete an Advanced Standing Form in order to make the transfer of hours official. 

Interdisciplinary Core. Students must complete 27 hours of course work divided into the areas of Cognitve Psychology and Human Development; Social and Cultural Foundations of Education; and Research Methodologies.  Six of these hours must fulfill the Diversity requirement. The remaining 18 hours are used for electives and the Culminating Experience.

Culminating Experience: Students at the end of their programs are required to complete a Culminating Experience. They must chose one of the following options:

1) Written Comprehensive Exam. The written comprehensive exam is intended to examine the student's degree and breadth of content knowledge and ability to critically understand previously learned concepts. Questions and the exam format are determined by students' Program Committee. No credit hours are given for this option.

2) Master's Project. The Master's Project is an investigation or developmental activity that is applicable to a specified setting such as a classroom, school or training program.  Students may take a maximum of 6 credit hours for this option.

3) Master's Thesis. The Master's Thesis is an original research investigation that is made available to the university community. Students may take a maximum of 9 hours of credit hours for this option.

Results Form.  Once the Culminating Experience has been approved by the Program Committee, students must turn in a completed Results Form that includes original signatures of Committee members. 

Graduation.  Students must formally apply for graduation in accordance with established University deadlines. They must contact the program secretary to initiate the graduation process.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Course Work Requirements: Students pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies must complete a minimum of 135 credit hours with a minimum of 90 credit hours of course work and additional dissertation credit hours.  Of the 90 course work hours, no more than 30 credit hours can consist of 500/600 level courses and no less than 30 credit hours can consist of 800/900 level course work.  Up to 30 graduate credit hours may be transferred if they were completed less than 10 years prior to admission.

The plan for course work includes completion of credit hours in the following areas:

• Professional Seminar Sequence: Year-long sequence of courses which introduces first-year students to the program and fields in educational foundations.
• Content areas: Selected courses in students' chosen area(s) of concentration as well as some interdisciplinary breadth in the form of one or more support areas (see Curriculum page).
• Basic Research Courses: Required courses in basic research include EDST 710 Introduction to Statistical Methods and EDST 800 Modes of Inquiry. Students must also choose one of the following courses: EDST 802 Introduction to Field Methods, EDST 850 Action Research I, or EDST 855 Quantitative Research Methods I. The chosen course must be different from the advanced research methodology sequence selected for specialization.
• Advanced Research Specialization: Selection of at least one three-quarter advanced research sequence in qualitative, quantitative, or action research.
• Research Induction Experience: A pre-dissertation research study conducted under the supervision of the student's Doctoral Committee or designee. During their doctoral study, and prior to the dissertation, students must successfully complete a research induction experience where they apply one or more advanced research methods.  The plan for this experience must be approved by the student’s committee and a record of the Committee’s approval must be included in the student’s file.
• Individual Dissertation Guidance: Credit hours designated for the design and completion of a dissertation.

Preliminary Hearing. After students have completed at least 9 and no more than 30 credit hours, they must schedule the Preliminary Hearing. They need to assemble a Preliminary Hearing Committee and present a program plan to members for approval.  The Committee must be chaired by a tenure-track faculty member in Educational Studies.  One other member must be from Educational Studies and one must be from another program or university.  The Committee should have at least 4 and no more than 6 members.  The Preliminary Hearing Proposal should include 1) general goals explaining students' long-range professional plans; 2) content areas of study students have chosen to emphasize within the program; and 3) outside support area(s) students may wish to pursue in programs outside of Educational Studies.

Comprehensive Examinations.  After students have successfully completed their course work, they must take Written and Oral Comprehensive Examinations before they can be admitted to candidacy.  They assemble a Doctoral Committee chaired by a tenure-track faculty member in Educational Studies.  One other member of the Committee must be from Educational Studies and one must be from another program or university. The Committee should have at least 4 and no more than 6 members.  It is the responsibility of the Committee to determine the nature and outcome of the Examinations.  Students complete the written examination in a predetermined amount of time and then meet with the Committee for an oral examination.  The purpose of the oral examination is to supplement the written examination in areas where the committee would like amplification of the student's written responses.

Admission to Candidacy. The student must be admitted into candidacy within 5 years of admission into the program.  Failure to do so will result in termination of graduate student status.  The student must then complete all requirements for the degree within four years after advancement to candidacy.  Failure to do so will result in the loss of candidacy status and termination of the student’s program.  Reinstatement is only possible through submission of the Graduate Student Petition for Extension/Reinstatement that must first be approved by the committee of the whole Educational Studies faculty.  The petition also requires the approval of the Graduate Program Coordinator, the student’s advisor, and the Graduate School.

Dissertation Proposal and Defense.  Students after they have been officially admitted to candidacy assemble a Dissertation Committee.  The Dissertation Committee must be chaired by a tenure-track faculty member in Educational Studies.  One other member must be from Educational Studies and one must be from another program or university. Outside members must have an earned doctorate or terminal degree.  The Committee should have at least 4 and no more than 6 members.  Each student will prepare a dissertation proposal to be approved by the Committee.  The student will then complete work on her/his dissertation.  When a draft of the dissertation has been judged acceptable by Committee members, an oral defense is scheduled for the purpose of posing questions to the student.  The degree is rewarded after final revisions on the dissertation are accepted by the Committee.

Graduation.  Students must formally apply for graduation in accordance with established University deadlines. They must contact the program secretary to initiate the graduation process.

Related resources

College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services

University of Cincinnati

University of Cincinnati Graduate School