Policy Studies in Urban Education
Mailing Address:
College of Education (MC 147)
1040 West Harrison Street
Chicago, IL 60607-7133
Campus Location: 3252 EPASW
Telephone: (312) 413-2414
Program Code: 20FS1592PHD
E-mail: psphd@uic.edu
Fax: (312) 996-8134
Web Site: http://education.uic.edu/ps-phd/
Dean of the College of Education: Victoria Chou
Department Chairperson: David Mayrowetz
Director of Graduate Studies: Mark Smylie
The College of Education offers course work which leads to the Doctor of Philosophy in Policy Studies in Urban Education with concentrations in (1) Educational Organization and Leadership and (2) Social Foundations of Education.
Interdepartmental concentrations in Gender and Women's Studies and Violence Studies are available to students in this program.
Admission Requirements
Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Applicants must submit transcripts from the last 60 hours of undergraduate work and from all postbaccalaureate work. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:
Doctor of Philosophy
- Baccalaureate Field No restrictions.
- Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study and for all postbaccalaureate course work.
- Tests Required GRE General.
- Minimum English Competency Test Score
- TOEFL 550 (paper-based); 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Internet-based). Note: Total score is higher than the sum of the subscores. OR
- IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores.
- Letters of Recommendation Three letters from faculty members or others familiar with the applicant’s previous academic training, academic and research ability, and experience.
- Personal Statement This required statement must address the applicant’s professional and scholarly goals.
- Other Requirements A College of Education application form and a set of transcripts must be submitted.
- Deadlines The application deadline for this program is January 1 for admission in the summer or fall terms.
Degree Requirements
In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:
Doctor of Philosophy
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Minimum Semester Hours Required
- Educational Organization and Leadership Concentration: 100 semester hours from the baccalaureate degree, 68 from the master’s degree.
- Social Foundations of Education Concentration: 100 semester hours from the baccalaureate degree, 68 from the master’s degree.
- Course Work
- Required Course Hours:
- Educational Organization and Leadership Concentration—Minimum beyond the master's: 32 semester hours in required courses, 12 in required concentration-specific courses, 12 in elective courses.
- Social Foundations of Education Concentration—Minimum beyond the master's: 32 semester hours in required courses, 16 in required and selective concentration-specific courses, 8 in elective courses.
- Required Courses:
- College Doctoral Core (12 semester hours): Required: ED 504, 505, and 506.
- Research Methodology (12 semester hours): Required: ED 502 and ED 503, plus one additional 4 semester hour course in qualitative or quantitative research methodology that must be approved by the faculty advisor.
- Educational Policy Studies Program Core (8 semester hours): Required: EDPS 510, EDPS 511 (Introduction to Academic Writing, 2 hours), EDPS 592 (2 hours). EDPS 510 and EDPS 511 should be taken within the first year of the program. EDPS 592 is to be developed with the student’s faculty advisor and is to be completed before admission to candidacy for the degree.
- Required Concentration-Specific Courses for Educational Organization and Leadership (12 semester hours): Required: EDPS 571, 579, 589.
- Required Concentration-Specific Courses for Social Foundations of Education (16 semester hours): Required: EDPS 505. Plus three courses (12 hours) taken from the following: EDPS 500, 502, 503, 555, 563, 565, 566, 567, 570, 571, 572, 582, 583, 588, 594.
- Electives for Educational Organization and Leadership: Each student will support the concentration-specific courses with 12 semester hours of elective courses, selected with the faculty advisor. Elective courses should be chosen to meet one or more of three criteria: (1) expand breadth of study; (2) deepen depth of study; (3) enrich study of research methodology.
- Electives for Social Foundations of Education: Each student will support the concentration-specific courses with 8 semester hours of elective courses, selected with the faculty advisor. Elective courses should be chosen to meet one or more of three criteria: (1) expand breadth of study; (2) deepen depth of study; (3) enrich study of research methodology.
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Examinations Comprehensive Written Qualifying Examination: Required. Successful completion of the comprehensive exam qualifies students to enter the dissertation proposal stage of the program. The examination focuses on program curriculum, the student’s area of concentration, and research methods. No student with a cumulative GPA below 3.00/4.00 will be permitted to take the qualifying examination. Students who fail to pass all components after the second attempt will be recommended by the program faculty to the Graduate College for dismissal from the program.
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Preliminary Examination: Required. The preliminary examination is taken at the completion of all course work. The examination is primarily oral but may contain a written component. The primary purpose of the preliminary examination is review and approval of the dissertation proposal and admission of the student to degree candidacy.
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Dissertation Required. Students must earn at least 12 semester hours in EDPS 599.
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Other Requirements All students must complete a training course sponsored by the Office for the Vice Chancellor for Research on the ethics of conducting research with human subjects. Students are required to submit an annual report of their academic and professional progress.
Interdepartmental Concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies
Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling for a concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies after consulting with their graduate advisor. See Gender and Women’s Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section of the catalog for more information.
Interdepartmental Graduate Concentration in Violence Studies
Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling for a concentration in Violence Studies after consulting with their graduate advisor. See Violence Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section or the Jane Addams College of Social Work section for more information.
