Doctoral Studies in Education

Transcription

1 Doctoral Studies in Education General Information Doctoral studies in Education at the University of New Brunswick culminates in a Doctor of Philosophy degree. The program is administered by the Graduate Studies Coordinating Committee of the Faculty of Education. Associate Dean, Graduate Programs Faculty of Education University of New Brunswick P.O. Box 4400 Fredericton, N.B. E3B 5A3 Fax: Telephone: edgrad@unb.ca Online Application can be found at the following link: The School of Graduate Studies University of New Brunswick P. 0. Box 4400 Fredericton, NB E313 5A3 Fax: Telephone: gradschl@unb.ca For more information: Applicants should review the regulations governing the general organization and supervision of doctoral programs at the University of New Brunswick, as outlined in the Calendar of the School of Graduate Studies. These regulations, unless noted otherwise, will serve as the basic regulations for the Doctor of Philosophy in Education program. In the ensuing description an "applicant" is an individual who has applied or who plans to apply to the program of doctoral studies in the Faculty of Education; and a "candidate" is an individual who has already been accepted into the program.

2 A Complete Application Package Your online application must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies no later than January 31st for admission in the next academic year. A completed application must include: 1. Three academic and professional references. 2. Official copies of transcripts of previous academic degrees submitted by the relevant institution directly to the School of Graduate Studies. 3. Evidence supporting academic background in education studies. 4. Official copies of GRE results if applicable. 5. Official copies of scores from tests for written or oral English for applicants from countries where the language of education is not English. 6. One-page statement of research goals 7. Evidence supporting work/teaching experience and general competence in education-related areas such as teaching, counselling, administration, program development, program evaluation, and the like. 8. Evidence supporting ability to do independent research and to write in English. These materials will be returned if requested. 9. Application fee. Additional details about the items listed above are provided in this application package. 2

3 Admission Procedures Decisions about whether or not an applicant will be offered a place in the doctoral program in Education will be made during February and March according to the following procedures:! The Graduate Studies Coordinating Committee of the Faculty of Education will determine first whether the applicant is admissible based on items 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the list of Admission Requirements (pages 4 & 5).! On the basis of evidence submitted by the applicant in support of items 1 through 6 on the list of Admission Requirements, the Graduate Studies Coordinating Committee will rank order all admissible applicants on a competitive basis.! Top ranked applicants may be interviewed as indicated in Item 7 on the list of Admission Requirements.! The Graduate Studies Coordinating Committee will determine whether supervisory support is available, for each top ranked applicant, among active and eligible Faculty of Education members. This determination will be based on the applicant's stated research goals and the availability of faculty resources.! Applicants for whom faculty supervisory support is available will be rank ordered on a final list of acceptable applicants.! The Graduate Studies Coordinating Committee will then determine how many applicants can be admitted based on available faculty resources. A short list of acceptable applicants will be created. This list will be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies for final acceptance into the program. All admissions are on a competitive basis. Applicants should note that admissibility does not mean that an individual automatically will be offered a place within the program. Applicants will be notified by March 31st whether or not they have been accepted into the program. 3

4 Admission Requirements Unless otherwise stated, the admission requirements for the doctoral program are those of the School of Graduate Studies at the University of New Brunswick with the modifications and additions outlined below 1. The applicant must have completed a previous degree at the graduate level from a recognized institution. The applicant must submit original transcripts of previously completed undergraduate and graduate degrees. Facsimiles and reproduced copies of transcripts will not be acceptable. Such transcripts must be sent from the relevant university or educational institution directly to UNB's School of Graduate Studies. Applicants will be considered to be admissible if their academic standing in their previous graduate degree indicates a high academic standing (e.g., a cumulative grade point average of 3.7 or higher, an average of A- or higher, or its equivalent). To assist the Graduate Studies Coordinating Committee in determining the applicant's admissibility, some candidates may wish to submit results from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as additional evidence of academic competence. GRE scores may be required of some candidates. GRE test results must be mailed directly to UNB's School of Graduate Studies. 2. The applicant must submit evidence of having completed academic studies in the field of education. A full degree is not required. Such studies should include credit courses in Education and be shown on an academic transcript. 3. The applicant must demonstrate personal competence in conducting independent research and in writing in English. Such evidence should be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies and should include a substantial piece of writing in the English language. Evidence of such competence could include: a master's thesis, a qualifying research paper, a report of a program or curriculum design and evaluation, or an equivalent document. Course assignments and co-authored papers are not considered to be acceptable evidence of such competence. International applicants whose first language is not English must also submit TOEFL and TWE scores, or scores from equivalent tests, with their application. Minimum acceptable scores are 650 on TOEFL and 5.5 on TWE (e.g., IELTS, MELAB, CanTest). Test scores should be mailed by the testing agency directly to the School of Graduate Studies. 4

5 4. The applicant must submit evidence of having a minimum of two years working/teaching experience, or its equivalent and of competence in education related areas such as teaching, counselling, administration, program development, program evaluation, and the like. Evidence of such experience and competence should be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies and could include: a resume or curriculum vitae listing the names of two persons who could provide suitable references; original letters of reference, or an abbreviated personal portfolio (no more than 20 pages). Portfolios will not be returned. 5. The applicant must submit three reference letters in support of their application for graduate studies which attest to their professional and academic suitability to study at the doctoral level. 6. The applicant must submit an outline of the area of study and/or research to be pursued. This outline should be approximately one-page or 500 words in length. 7. Top ranked applicants may be invited to participate in an interview with members of the Graduate Studies Coordinating Committee or their designates (face-to-face or by audio-conference). This interview will assist the Graduate Studies Coordinating Committee in rank ordering admissible applicants and in determining if the Faculty of Education can provide adequate supervisory resources during the applicant's proposed period of study. Application Deadlines Completed applications must be received by the School of Graduate Studies no later than January 31st to be considered for admission in the next academic year. Applications which are incomplete on this date will not be considered but will be held over for the next admissions period. 5

6 Program Goal and Objectives The general goal of the Doctor of Philosophy program in Education Studies at the University of New Brunswick is to assist individuals to study at an advanced level, to develop the competence and expertise needed to assume positions of educational leadership, to work collaboratively With colleagues in educational endeavours, and to continue their professional development. The program provides learning opportunities in which the candidate, in supervisory and collegial relationships with one or more faculty members:! will develop a critical and comprehensive understanding of significant trends and major concerns in the field of education and will formulate and express, both orally and in writing, personal and professional positions in relation to how these trends and concerns are manifested in their area of interest;! develop in-depth knowledge and understanding of a specific area or several related areas within the field of education;! develop an understanding of, and ability to use and evaluate research methodologies which typify educational research;! design and present a proposal for an approved research project of significance in the field of education;! complete the proposed research under faculty supervision, then write and orally defend a dissertation; and participate in other activities designed to: develop competencies in disseminating knowledge to others, develop competencies in planning and conducting research and/or development activities, and develop competencies in leadership roles within formal and/or informal educational institutions, agencies or communities. The candidate's program of studies will include activities designed to meet these objectives. All activities will be planned in collaboration with the candidate's supervisor and/or supervisory committee and will be reviewed by the Coordinator of Doctoral Studies of the Faculty of Education. 6

7 Program Requirements Doctoral candidates are expected to attend and complete ED6901 at UNB s Fredericton Campus; and therefore, to be in residence for a minimum of two terms. The term in residence means that the student is expected to be physically present at the University of New Brunswick (Fredericton) for at least three days per week and to be registered as a full-time student. Admitted candidates will participate fully in planning a program of studies to enhance their individual growth and address their professional needs, and to meet the requirements of the degree. Specific activities will be determined through collaboration initially between the Candidate and his or her Supervisor and subsequently with the candidates Supervising Committee. This plan normally will be determined during the first term of the Candidate s enrolment in the program. The plan can be re-negotiated at any time at the request of either the Candidate or the Supervisor. Candidates and supervisors should be familiar with the regulations of the UNB s School of Graduate Studies, the Faculty of Education Guide for Students Writing a Thesis, Report or Dissertation. The candidate will: 1. Participate in ED6911 Doctoral Seminar I & ED 6912 Doctoral Seminar II ED 6911 Doctoral Seminar I (Fall term) This section of the Doctoral Seminar will focus on major educational ideas and their impact on contemporary education. Students will explore major debates in contemporary theories of education and human development, and reflect on the connections between epistemology and various forms of educational research. ED 6912 Doctoral Seminar II (Winter term) This section of the Doctoral Seminar has three interwoven purposes. It is intended to: help students explore the science, craft, and politics of educational research; prepare students to become informed, questioning, self-critical, independent/collaborative researchers; and enhance students sense of belonging and commitment to a larger scholarly and professional research community. 7

8 2. Develop theoretical expertise in a specific content area or several related areas within the field of Education. The candidate, in consultation with his/her supervisor, will outline specific activities in a learning contract through which such expertise will be developed. A copy of the contract will be filed with the Coordinator of Doctoral Studies. The candidate will be expected to engage in regular discussions with the supervisor over the duration of these activities. Relevant activities could include: Completing specific courses Participating in selected workshops, conferences, institutes, etc. Completing independent reading and library/database research. 3. Write a comprehensive examination Each student is required to complete a comprehensive examination comprised of three questions. The purpose of this examination is to demonstrate that the student has the broad substantive and methodological background necessary for completing a dissertation in their field and to establish his or her areas of scholarly expertise. The specific fields for examination will be established by the supervisory committee in consultation with the student and will normally consist of two questions or activities on scholarly fields related to the student s area of study and one on the research methodology to be used in the dissertation. Normally the comprehensive examination will be completed before the candidate formally presents his/her proposal and begins extensive work on the dissertation. For more information, please see website 4. Present the dissertation proposal to the Faculty of Education When the candidates supervisory committee has been established, and the members have agreed, in principle, to accept the dissertation proposal, the candidate will make a formal presentation of the proposal. All faculty members and graduate students will be invited to attend and will have an opportunity to pose questions to the candidate. This will then be presented to the Faculty of Education Graduate Academic Unit for approval. 5. Submit the Proposal for Ethics Approval Once the research proposal has been presented publicly and approved by the Faculty of Education, the candidate will complete the required ethics forms and submit these to the Faculty Ethics Committee. Once approved by the Faculty Ethics Committee, the application will be forwarded to the University Research Ethics Board (REB) for approval. No research involving humans may proceed without approval of the REB. Ethics information and forms may be found at: 6. Complete the proposed research, write and then defend the dissertation These activities will be conducted under the regular supervision of the candidate s supervisor and supervisory committee. The written document and its examination and the oral defense of the dissertation will be managed according to the policies established by the School of Graduate Studies. 8

9 7. Participate in other activities The candidate s program of studies will include additional activities to be planned in collaboration with his/her supervisor and to be set out in a Learning Contract which will be filed with the Associate Dean, Graduate Programs, Faculty of Education. Normally, the candidate will participate in activities roughly equivalent in total time commitment to two graduate term courses (i.e., 10 hours per week over two terms or 260 hours). These activities should relate to at least two of the following three categories: i. The development of professional competence in disseminating knowledge to others (e.g., the teaching role of the professorate). Related activities could include: participating in and/or contributing to the UNB Certificate of University Teaching Institute teaching course(s) at the undergraduate level. Assisting faculty member in teaching course(s) at the graduate level Preparing information knowledge resource materials Publishing written work ii. iii. The development of professional competence in conducting research and/or development projects and activities (e.g., the research role of the professorate). Related activities could include: participating in research or development activities other than the candidate s own current research project. Writing up research reports Preparing development-related materials Preparing and submitting written work for peer review Publishing written work Making presentations at scholarly conferences The development of professional competence and leadership roles within the educational community (e.g., the service role of the professorate). Related activities could include: making presentations at professional conferences, workshops, institutes, etc., participating on committees actively engaged in professional activities, professional development, and the like. Participating in university or faculty committees Conducting in-service training activities for teachers and/or other educators Working (voluntarily) on the planning and implementation of conferences, institutes, and the like Working (voluntarily) with not-for-profit education associations and groups Time to Complete Program The regulations of the School of Graduate Studies state that the candidate will normally have a 9

10 maximum of seven (7) years to complete the degree from the date of first registration. Extensions beyond that date must be negotiated with the candidate s supervisor, the Coordinator of Doctoral Studies and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Financial Assistance The Faculty of Education endeavours to provide some financial support for some candidates. Please note that acceptance into the program does not guarantee an offer of financial support. Decisions related to financial support will be made at the time of admissions and will be communicated at that time. As a general principle, financial support will not be provided to candidates who are on a paid leave of absence from their regular work. Applicants are encouraged to seek their own sources of funding. Information about such sources can be obtained from the Chair of the Graduate Studies Coordinating Committee. Fees Program fees change regularly. Please consult the most recent Calendar of the School of Graduate Studies. 10