Student Guide for the Ph.D. Degree Program in Educational Administration and Policy Studies

Transcription

1 Department of Educational Administration and Policy Studies State University of New York at Albany Student Guide for the Ph.D. Degree Program in Educational Administration and Policy Studies April 2001

2 Policies and Procedures for the Ph.D. Degree in Educational Administration and Policy Studies Introduction This document is a guide for students in the Ph.D. degree program. Certain requirements must be met as the student proceeds through the program. They are as follows: Pre-Core Requirements Core Requirement Concentration Support Disciplines Statistics Requirement Research Sequence Electives Fulltime Study in Residence Internship Advanced Standing and Transfer Credit Comprehensive Examination Admission to Candidacy Dissertation Continuos Registration Statue of Limitations Pre-Core Requirements The pre-core requirements consist of three courses which may be satisfied by transfer credit when appropriate. (Course description may be found in the University's current Graduate Bulletin or are available from the Department. See section on transfer credit if appropriate.) EAPS600 Introduction to Organizational Analysis EAPS601 Introduction to Social Analysis EAPS660 Introduction to Educational Management Core Requirements The core requirements consist of three courses which must be taken at SUNY/Albany by all doctoral students. The courses are: EAPS700 Advanced Organizational Studies EAPS701 Advanced Social Analysis EAPS760 Advanced Study in Educational Management Concentration The student s concentration should be selected in consultation with his/her advisor and should reflect the student s career goals and interests. At lest 18 credits of the course work in the doctoral program must be applicable to the concentration area. The Department offers three concentrations of study; they are: School Administration This concentration is designed to prepare students for (1) administrative positions in preschool programs and elementary and secondary schools, public or private and for (2) faculty positions in School Administration at the university level. The K-12 positions include (a) district-wide positions such as superintendent, assistant superintendent, and school business management, and (b) building-level positions such as principal, assistant principal, and department chair.

3 Higher Education Administration This concentration is designed to prepare students for administrative, policy and faculty positions in post-secondary and related institutions. In addition, it may be used to prepare for administrative and staff positions in adult and continuing education programs in other educational, business, industrial, and labor organizations. Educational Policy Studies This concentration is designed to provide students with a working knowledge of the social science and philosophical approaches to policy formulations and implementation. It is suitable for students preparing for administrative roles in state and national government, for leadership positions in other state and national positions, and for university faculty positions. Support Discipline The study of educational administration and policy requires the use of many concepts drawn from the social and behavioral sciences. To insure that students are exposed to these disciplines, the Department requires a minimum of 12 credits in appropriate course work. The following departmental courses may be sued to satisfy this requirement: Social Science Support EAPS602 Economics of Education EAPS604 Macro-Sociology of Education and Administration EAPS605 Micro-Sociology of Education and Administration EAPS606 Ethics and Education EAPS608 Politics of Education EAPS656 Sociology of Higher Education EAPS657 History of Education EAPS658 Politics of Higher Education EAPS727 Politics of Private and Independent School and College Administration EAPS745 Advanced Seminar in the Politics of Education Applied Support EAPS603 EAPS607 EAPS610 EAPS631 EAPS674 EAPS694 EAPS716 EAPS724 EAPS729 EAPS730 EAPS753 EAPS764 EAPS771 Political Economy of Educational Planning Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining Organizational Development Public School Finance Educational Administration in Federal and State Governments Management Skills Practicum Leadership and Administration Administrative Planning in Higher Education Seminar on Labor Management Relations in Education Advanced School Business Management Seminar on College Student Persistence Computer Applications in Educational Administration and Policy Studies Educational Policy and Law Appropriate courses from other departments, such as EPHL, ESOC, etc., may also be sued to satisfy the support disciplines requirement. These courses should support the student s concentration and are not unrestricted choices. They are subject to the approval of the student s advisor and the Department s Curriculum Committee. Statistics Requirement Before enrolling in the Research Sequence courses, all doctoral students must satisfy the department s statistics requirement by passing EAPS614 with a grade of "b" or better, or by completing an approved equivalent quantitative research methods

4 course with a grade of "b" or better, or by passing a research methods qualifying examination based upon the cumulative final examination of EAPS 614. The necessary competencies are described in a department document on the subject. Research Sequence Satisfactory completion of the Department's research sequence for the doctoral program consists of a passing score on the Department's Qualifying Examination in Statistics and satisfactory completion of the following three courses: EAPS714 Introduction to Research Methods in EAPS EAPS715 Research Practicum in EAPS EAPS891 Seminar in Administrative Research Introduction to Research Methods, EAPS714, familiarizes students with the broad range of approaches to doing research on topics in educational administration and policy studies. The final product of EAPS715 will be a page research prospectus (including research question, significance of the study, review of related research, methods, and limitations). The prospectus may be provide background and justification for the student's dissertation proposal. Before taking EAPS891, students must have passed the Comprehensive Examination (see below) and completed EAPS715. The end product of EAPS891 will be a full dissertation proposal. During this course the instructor and the student's dissertation committee chair will work with the student on his/her proposal. Competence in techniques of research and investigation is determined by the student's dissertation committee and two other department faculty at the student's dissertation hearing. Electives Elective courses should support the student s concentration; they are not unrestricted choices, should be selected upon consultation with the academic advisor. The student must complete a minimum of 21 credits in this category. Full-time Study in Residence The Department recognizes that full-time study beyond the master's degree or equivalent at the University for at least one academic year after admission to the doctoral program is designed to ensure for the student a sustained period of intensive intellectual growth. To meet this expectation, effective with the Fall 200 semester, all doctoral student in the EAPS program must satisfy the departmental requirement by fulfilling either of the following two options: 1. Demonstrating, with the approval of their faculty adviser and the Curriculum Committee of the department, that they are engaging in work or other experience of at least one year in duration which is relevant to their doctoral studies and contributes to intensive intellectual growth. The requirement for continuing registration in the program must be met during this period, in accordance with the University at Albany's Regulations and requirements Governing the Doctoral Degree. 2. Earning a minimum of 24 course credits in two regular sessions, not necessarily consecutive, expect as indicated here: a. Students authorized to register for work on a dissertation may fulfill the residency requirement with satisfactory completion of the 16 registered credits minimum plus formal registration for the work and on the dissertation. b. Graduate assistants holding a full assistantship may fulfill the residency requirement with one academic year in such a position, including the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 15 registered credits during the year plus satisfactory completion of assigned duties. c. Students may fulfill the residency requirement by registering for 9 credit hours during a summer session and 15 credit hours during an adjacent fall or spring session. Internship

5 The administrative internship (EAPS 895) is an option for students seeking New York State certification as either a School Administrator and Supervisor (SAS), School District Administrator (SDA) or School Business Administrator (SBA). The Management Skills Practicum (EAPS 694) is a prerequisite for the internship and must be taken prior to or concurrently with the internship unless waived as a requirement by the department. The administrative internship provides work experience in an administrative capacity under the joint concerning the internship are as follows: The student, his or her advisor, and the Department Coordinator of Field Experiences determine the specific job experiences that would be most beneficial for the student. The student then produces an internship plan which is submitted to the Department Coordinator of Field Experiences for approval or reviewed by the Department s Curriculum Committee. The plan must clearly specify the roles and responsibilities of the intern, the dates and hours to be devoted to the internship, and any independent projects to be completed by the intern. The plan must show a minimum of 300 hours although interns are encouraged to devote as much time as possible to the internship experience. The intern must work a minimum of 20 hours per week at the school site. Normally, the student applies to the Department Coordinator of Field Experiences at least two months before the opening of the semester during which the internship experience is desired. The two required application forms may be obtained from the Department office. The student must submit an Application for Internship Experience signed by his or her academic advisor, an Agreement for Internship Experience signed by the person agreeing to serve as the on-site supervising administrator, and the proposed internship plan to the Department Coordinator of Field Experiences. The Department Coordinator of Field Experiences works with the school system, higher education institution or other agency to finalize an appropriate internship experience which will satisfy the university and, if appropriate, state education department s requirements. The internship normally is arranged after the student has completed at lease 27 credits of his or her program, of which a minimum of 15 credits must have been taken at SUNY/Albany in the Department of EAPS. Students should realize that typically the internship and management skills practicum are included within the Electives section of the academic program plan. Students who are working toward Education Department certification may be required to take Management Skills Practicum and the Internship. EAPS 694 and EAPS 895 would be most appropriately counted in the "elective" section. Advanced Standing and Transfer Credit Of the 78 credits of graduate study beyond the baccalaureate and antecedent to the regular semester (minimum) devoted to final dissertation research and writing established for the doctoral program, at least 39 (one-half of those required) must be completed in residence graduate study at the University. Applicants who have completed graduate courses or programs elsewhere, therefore, may apply for admission with advanced standing and be allowed a maximum of 39 credits applicable to the doctorate. Students who have been admitted with the maximum advanced study permitted in their programs must complete remaining coursework, seminars, and research in residency at the University, including at least one year in full-0time study as described in the section of this document entitled "Full-Time Study in Residence." The basic policy of the Department regarding advanced standing or transfer credit is to keep the courses accepted as close as possible in scope and content to the offerings of the respective program in which the credit is sought. Courses taken outside the Department in which the student receives a grade of B or above and which are directly comparable to Department graduate courses in level, content, requirements and credit may be accepted for transfer upon recommendation of the student's advisor and the concurrence of the Department's Curriculum Committee. However, courses completed more than 10 years prior to the semester in which the student is admitted to the doctoral program will undergo special scrutiny by the student's advisor and the Curriculum Committee. Students who wish to transfer credit for courses taken prior to the EAPS doctoral program must submit a completed Advanced Standing form to their advisor and to the Curriculum Committee for approval. For purposes of comparison,

6 students requesting transfer credit shall provide transcripts, titles, and catalogue descriptions for all course may be consideration. Courses that do not have a one-for-one correspondence with Department courses may be considered for transfer credit only if supporting rationale and documentation are provided. Transfer credit will not be given for courses which would exempt students from the Departmental doctoral core courses. Comprehensive Examination The comprehensive examination is designed to assess the student's mastery of the basic knowledge of educational administration and policy studies and related theoretical concepts as well as appropriate analytical methods of social, behavioral, organizational and managerial sciences. The examination is divided into four sections: I II III IV Organizational Theory Management Social Analysis Concentration Area All four sections are to be taken together unless a student is retaking one or more sections of the examination. The student must pass each of the four sections to be considered a candidate for the doctoral degree. The comprehensive examination should be taken at a time in the program when the student has sufficient background to deal with it successfully. The decision when to take the examination should be made by the student in consultation with his/her advisor. When that decision is made, it is the student's obligation to file a Comprehensive Examination Request form with the Department secretary at least 1 month prior to the semester in which the examination will be held. The examination date is set by the Curriculum Committee. The examination is given once each semester, usually during October and February. In order to take the comprehensive examination, the student must have a record of continuos registration in the doctoral program. If not, the student must reapply for admission to the program and cannot take the examination until he/she has been readmitted. In addition, the student must be registered for a course in the semester in which the examination is taken. Each section of the examination is scheduled for three hours. All examinees will be expected to honor the conventions of honesty at all times during the examination, whether in or out of the examination area. Each section of the examination will be evaluated by three regular faculty members of the Department. To be considered a candidate for the doctoral degree, the student must pass all four sections of the examination. Student will receive a grade of 0, 1, and 2 from each of the three faculty evaluators for each section of the examination and will require a total score of 4 to pass the section. A student who receives either a total of 23 points for the examination and a vote for "distinction" from a minimum of 8 faculty or 24 points and a vote of distinction from at least 6 faculty, has passed the examination with distinction. A student who fails one or more parts of the examination must retake that part or parts at the next regularly scheduled examination session. A student who twice fails any part will have failed the comprehensive examination. After two failures, a student may retake a part of the examination for a third time only in very special circumstances. This student's request should be presented in consultation with his/her advisor and have the approval of the Curriculum Committee. Results of the comprehensive examination are not announced until the department as a whole has reviewed and approved the recommendations of the Curriculum Committee. Action of the Department is final. Admission to Candidacy A Ph.D. student is considered for admission to candidacy upon: 1. Satisfying the residency requirements; 2. Achieving a satisfactory record in courses and seminars; 3. Passing the comprehensive examination;

7 4. Completing the Research Sequence; 5. Achieving approval of a dissertation proposal and submission to SOE Academic Council; 6. Completing any other University requirements. Admission to candidacy is not automatic; the student becomes a candidate only with the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies acting on the recommendation of the Graduate Academic Council and the Dean of the School of Education. The student must be admitted to candidacy at least one session, exclusive of summer session, before the acceptance of his/her dissertation and the completion of all requirements for the doctorate. Dissertation The dissertation is the culmination of the Ph.D. program. As such, it must attest to a high degree of scholarly competence. The dissertation must report, in a accepted scholarly style, an original investigation of a problem of significance in the student's area of concentration. It must demonstrate that the candidate is capable of conducting an reporting research and analysis in an area relating to educational administration and policy studies. The student, through broad reading, coursework, and consultation with faculty, identifies a tentative dissertation topic and prepares a statement of general ideas on a proposed dissertation problem. This statement should be at a level of specificity that allows department faculty to judge its merit as a document from which a proposal might be developed. EAPS 715 and EAPS 891 provide the student the opportunity to develop the major components of the dissertation proposal (see course descriptions). The students selects a dissertation committee chair. The chair must be a full-time faculty member in the Department. In consultation with the chair, the student selects two or more additional members of the dissertation committee. At least one of the additional committee members must be a regular or adjunct faculty member of the Department. Exceptions to these requirements must be approved by the Department faculty and conform to any other School of Education and University requirements. A completed form, Appointment of Dissertation committee, must be filed with the School of Education Academic Council. The student works with his/her committee to develop a dissertation proposal. The committee will assist the student in defining the problem and in designing the student with attention to underlying concepts, theoretical constructs and analytic frameworks, and appropriate research methods. When the dissertation committee and the student decide the proposal is ready for review, the dissertation chair makes a request in writing to the Curriculum Committee for a departmental review. The student provides three copies of the proposal to the Curriculum committee chair who assigns two faculty members as readers. The readers may not be members of the student's dissertation committee. The dissertation committee chair may suggest readers to the Curriculum Committee chair. The and the two readers review the dissertation proposal in an open hearing at which he student will respond to questions and comments of the readers and committee members. Following the hearing, the dissertation committee will discuss changes or modifications suggested at the hearing. Upon approval of the proposal by the committee, one copy of the proposal, a one-page abstract, and a completed form, approval of the Dissertation Proposal, will be filed with the EAPS Department Chair and the SOE Academic Council. Prior to collecting data involving human subjects, the proposal must be approved by the University's Institutional Review Board for research concerning human subject. Federal and sate regulations, as well as University policy, require prior review of all research related to human subjects. Any investigation including theses, dissertations, or class projects should comply with the regulations. ALL research involving human subjects must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to conducting the research. Further information regarding this policy is available from the Department of Educational Administration and Policy Studies and from the Office of Research ( When study is completed, the dissertation committee will conduct a final public oral examination and dissertation defense. Notice of the final oral shall be posted by the Department at least one week prior to the examination. Approval of the

8 dissertation is defined as unanimity (100%) of the dissertation committee. This approval will be obtained by a formal discussion and vote of the committee. Final copies of the dissertations, acceptable both in scholarship and literary quality along with standard transmittal forms, must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions and Policy in the format and number prescribed by the Office of Graduate Studies. (Detailed instruction are available from that office.) Continuous Registration All students enrolled in the doctoral program must maintain continuous registration for each fall and spring session (except for periods of official leaves of absence) until they have completed all program requirements. Minimum registration consists of 3 credits of approved coursework. Summer session registrations cannot be accepted in lieu of registrations for fall and spring sessions. A student who neither registers for each fall and spring session nor has received an official leave of absence may be dismissed from the program unless good cause not to do so is shown by the student after notification of such pending action. Statute of Limitations The required residence should be completed within four calendar years from the date of initial registration in the program in the fall, or three and one-half years from the date of initial registration in the spring. All requirements for a Ph.D. program must be completed within eight calendar years from the date of initial registration in the program. These statutes apply equally to students who enter with or without advanced standing and to stdue3tns who formally change their areas of specialization after admission and study in one advanced program.