Doctor of Education in the Field of Curriculum and Instruction
The doctoral program in curriculum and instruction examines research and reflective practice related to curriculum, teaching and learning, teacher education, and broader educational policies.
The program applies curriculum and instruction research and practice in the context of educational reform for diverse student populations. Students become part of a community that links scholars with practicing professionals, policymakers, and educational organizations.
Doctoral students conduct research and critically examine curriculum, teaching, and learning processes. They gain knowledge about assessment and the characteristics and politics of learning environments. Students can also gain understanding through linkages with arts and sciences, opportunities for additional learning in the disciplines, or internships in local schools and agencies.
Visit the program website for additional information.
| Admission deadlines: | Fall – Rolling admissions (January 15 to be considered for merit-based tuition support) |
| Spring – Rolling admissions | |
| Summer – Rolling admissions | |
| Standardized tests: | Either the GRE general test (institutional code 5246) or the Miller Analogies Test (institutional code 1047) is required. This requirement is waived for applicants pursuing a second doctoral degree, provided the first doctoral degree was conferred by an accredited institution of higher learning. |
| Recommendations required: | Two (2) recommendations (preferably one from a faculty member and the other from a professional supervisor) |
| Prior academic records: | Transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended, whether or not credit was earned, the program was completed, or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript. Unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended should be uploaded to your online application. Official transcripts are required only of applicants who are offered admission. |
| Transcripts from institutions outside the United States must be accompanied by an official transcript evaluation from an accredited independent evaluating agency. Please be sure you request a detailed evaluation that includes all course titles, credit hours, grade-point average (GPA), United States degree equivalency, and date of degree conferral. A list of acceptable foreign credential evaluation services are available online. | |
| Statement of purpose: | Statement of Purpose should be 750 - 1,000 words and tied to Research Practice Team or individual faculty member's research. |
| Additional requirements: | Applicants must hold a master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. A resumé is required. |
| International applicants only: | Please follow this link - https://graduate.admissions.gwu.edu/international-student-application-requirements - to review the International Applicant Information carefully for details on required documents, earlier deadlines for applicants requiring an I-20 or DS-2019 from GW. |
Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:
Office of Graduate Admissions
Graduate School of Education and Human Development
The George Washington University
2136 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20052
Contact for questions:
gsehdadm@gwu.edu ~ 202-994-9283 (phone) ~ 202.994.7207 (fax)
9:30 am – 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday
The following requirements must be fulfilled:
The requirements for the Doctor of Education programs.
A minimum of 48 credits, successful completion of a master's comprehensive examination, and an approved dissertation proposal.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| CPED 8325 | Curriculum Theory | |
| CPED 8330 | Foundations of Education Research in Curriculum and Instruction | |
| CPED 8331 | Seminar in Teaching | |
| CPED 8334 | Seminar in Learning | |
| Doctoral Internship | ||
| CPED 8354 | Doctoral Internship: Teacher Education (taken for 6 to 9 credits) | |
| Electives | ||
| 3 to 6 credits in elective courses selected in consultation with advisor. | ||
| Research Methods | ||
| EDUC 8120 | Group Comparison Designs and Analyses * | |
| EDUC 8122 | Qualitative Research Methods | |
| 3 credits from the following: | ||
| EDUC 8100 | Experimental Courses | |
| EDUC 8130 | Survey Research Methods | |
| EDUC 8131 | Case Study Research Methods | |
| EDUC 8140 | Ethnographic Research Methods | |
| EDUC 8142 | Phenomenological Research Methods | |
| EDUC 8144 | Discourse Analysis | |
| EDUC 8170 | Educational Measurement | |
| EDUC 8171 | Predictive Designs and Analyses | |
| EDUC 8172 | Multivariate Analysis | |
| EDUC 8173 | Structural Equation Modeling | |
| EDUC 8174 | Hierarchical Linear Modeling | |
| EDUC 8175 | Item Response Theory | |
| EDUC 8177 | Assessment Engineering | |
| Dissertation | ||
| CPED 8998 | Doctoral Seminar in Curriculum and Instruction (taken for 3 credits) | |
| CPED 8999 | Dissertation Research (taken for a minimum of 12 credits to meet program requirements) | |
| An approved dissertation proposal is required. | ||
| Comprehensive Examination | ||
| Successful completion of a comprehensive examination is required. | ||
*Prerequisite statistics courses must be taken during the master's degree program or must be completed prior to taking required advanced courses. For students who have not had an introductory statistics course or do not feel confident in their understanding and application of basic statistical techniques (i.e., through one way analysis of variance), EDUC 6116 should be completed prior to enrolling in EDUC 8120.