The Teaching, Learning, and Development (TLD) track in the Education Ph.D. is designed to prepare highly competent doctoral-level professionals pursuing careers in teacher education or related areas. The TLD track is a cutting-edge, research-oriented program of study.
This interdisciplinary program focuses on developing the qualifications of professionals who wish to pursue careers in the professoriate or serve in academic leadership positions in higher education, national, state, and local educational agencies, or other settings requiring robust research preparation. Doctoral students engage with interdisciplinary societal and educational contexts, hone their disciplinary skills in various situations, become experts in their discipline of choice, competent in research, and acquire knowledge and skills to conduct research and add to their profession. Programs of study typically align with the student's long-term career goal.
The Teaching, Learning, and Development track in the Education Ph.D. program requires a minimum of 63 credit hours beyond the master's degree. Students must complete 24 credit hours of Ph.D. in Education core courses, 12 credit hours of TLD track core courses, and 12 credit hours of specialization courses in one of the following: Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Reading Education, Science Education/STEM, and Social Sciences Education, Interdisciplinary Education focus or related area and 15 credit hours of dissertation. All students must also complete the candidacy examination.
Total Credit Hours Required: 63 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Master's degree
Track Prerequisites
A master's degree in education or a related field of study
Master's level competency in educational research and statistics
A minimum of 21 credit hours of graduate content-specific education courses
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
36 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
PhD Core- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
- IDS7500 - Seminar in Educational Research (1 - 99)
- Complete the following:
- IDS7501 - Issues and Research in Education (3)
- EDF7475 - Qualitative Research in Education (3)
- EDF7403 - Quantitative Foundations of Educational Research (3)
- EDF7463 - Analysis of Survey, Record, and Other Qualitative Data (3)
- IDS7502 - Case Studies in Research Design (3)
- EDF7406 - Multivariate Statistics in Education (3)
- IDS 7502 - Case Studies in Research Design may be substituted with one of the approved research electives in Group A listed under Track Details EDF 7406 - Multivariate Statistics in Education may be substituted with one of the approved research electives in Group B listed under Track Details
Teaching, Learning, and Development Core - Complete the following:
- EDG7921 - Critical Issues in Teaching, Learning, and Development (3)
- EDG7948 - Internship in Teaching, Learning, and Development (3)
- EDG7951 - Professional Scholarship and Grant Writing in Teaching, Learning, and Development (3)
- EDG7981 - Research in Teaching, Learning and Development (3)
Area of Specialization
12 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Early Childhood Education - Complete all of the following
Specialization Courses- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 9 credits from the following:
- EEC7058 - Theoretical Foundations of Early Childhood (3)
- EEC7409 - Current Trends in Child, Family, and Community Sciences (3)
- EEC7676 - Critical Analysis of Early Childhood Research (3)
- • Faculty Approved Elective (3)
Research Elective Courses- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: Earn at least 3 credit hours from the following types of research, faculty approved courses: • Research Seminar • Group A or B
Elementary Education - Complete all of the following
Specialization Courses- Earn at least 9 credits from the following types of courses: • Theoretical or Philosophical Foundations (3) • Interdisciplinary doctoral coursework faculty approved (3-9)
Research Elective Courses- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: Earn at least 3 credit hours from the following types of research, faculty approved courses: • Research Seminar • Group A or B
Reading Education- Complete all of the following
Specialization Courses- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 9 credits from the following:
- RED7797 - Theoretical Processes of Reading Comprehension (3)
- RED7743 - Reading and Writing Processes (3)
- RED7648 - Analysis and Evaluation of Trends and Issues in Literacy Education (3)
- RED7745 - Research in Reading Education Seminar (3)
- RED7697 - Literacy for the Twenty-First Century (3)
- • Faculty Approved Elective (3)
Research Elective Courses- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: Earn at least 3 credit hours from the following types of research, faculty approved courses: • Research Seminar • Group A or B
Science/STEM Education- Complete all of the following
Specialization Courses- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 9 credits from the following:
- SCE7746 - Teaching Theory and Research in Science Education (3)
- SCE7145 - Design of Post Secondary Science Curriculum (3)
- SCE7242 - Assessment in Science Teaching, Learning and Research (3)
- SCE7864 - Science Technology and Society (3)
- SCE7146 - Professional Issues in Science Education (3)
- • Faculty Approved Elective (3)
Research Elective Courses- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: Earn at least 3 credit hours from the following types of research, faculty approved courses: • Research Seminar • Group A or B
Social Science Education- Complete all of the following
Specialization Courses- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 9 credits from the following:
- SSE7740 - History of Social Studies Education (3)
- SSE7796 - Research in Social Science Education Seminar (3)
- SSE7797 - Content and Program Analysis in Social Science Education (3)
- • Faculty Approved Elective (3)
Research Elective Courses- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: Earn at least 3 credit hours from the following types of research, faculty approved courses: • Research Seminar • Group A or B
Dissertation
15 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 15 credits from the following types of courses: EEC 7980 Dissertation Research (3) EDE 7980 Dissertation Research (3) RED 7980 Dissertation Research (3) SCE 7980 Dissertation Research (3) SSE 7980 Dissertation Research (3)
- Doctoral students must present a prospectus for the dissertation to the doctoral adviser, prepare a proposal and present it to the dissertation committee, and defend the final research submission with the dissertation committee.
Candidacy
0 Total Credits
- To enter candidacy for the PhD, students must have an overall 3.0 GPA on all graduate work included in the planned program and pass all required examinations. The student and major adviser will schedule examinations. The associate dean for graduate studies and research must be notified of the date and location of the exam 30 days in advance. Students must be enrolled in the university during the semester an examination is taken. The following are required to be admitted to candidacy and enroll in dissertation hours: - Completion of all course work, except for dissertation hours. - Successful completion of the candidacy examination. - Successful defense of the written dissertation proposal. - The dissertation advisory committee is formed, consisting of approved graduate faculty and graduate faculty scholars. - Submission of an approved program of study.
Candidacy Examinations
0 Total Credits
- Candidacy (comprehensive) exams are determined by the faculty advisor. Please note that there may be variations in the length of exam time and content based upon the respective requirements of each area of specialization.
Independent Learning
0 Total Credits
- The dissertation fulfills the independent learning requirement.
Grand Total Credits: 63
Application Requirements
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
https://ccie.ucf.edu/academics/graduate-assistantships/
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions from the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
