Jun 17, 2026

2026-2027 University Catalog

Curriculum and Instruction: Curriculum Studies Concentration, PHD

Location(s): West Lafayette

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About the Program

The College of Education’s Doctoral program in Curriculum Studies explores the cultural, political, and economic dimensions of education, with emphases on social justice, multiculturalism, and international concerns. The program focus on the theories and practices of teaching and learning: both traditional questions concerning curriculum design and evaluation and newer questions that have emerged in the field, including how curriculum is culturally, politically, and economically situated; contemporary analyses of curriculum and instruction discourses; and multicultural, global and international dimensions of teaching and learning.

Program Website

Program Requirements

90 Credits Required

(Up to 30 credits from a Master’s or professional Doctoral degree may be applied.)

Required Courses (29 credits)

Core Courses (12 credits)

EDCI 58000 - Foundations Of Curriculum Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 58500 - Multicultural Education Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 68200 - Contemporary Curriculum Theory Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 59000 - Individual Research Problems Credit Hours: 1.00 to 6.00 - Credit Hours: 3.00 (with curriculum focus) or
EDCI 68400 - Seminar In Curriculum Studies Credit Hours: 3.00 (repeatable)

Seminar Courses (2 credits)

EDCI 62800 - Curriculum And Instruction Doctoral Seminar I Credit Hours: 1.00
EDCI 63800 - Curriculum And Instruction Doctoral Seminar II Credit Hours: 1.00

Research Courses (15 credits)

Research in Education Course (3 credits)

EDPS 53300 - Introduction To Educational Research I: Methodology Credit Hours: 3.00

Qualitative Research Course (3 credits)

EDCI 61500 - Qualitative Research Methods In Education Credit Hours: 3.00

Introductory Statistics Course (3 credits)

Choose one.

EDPS 55600 - Introduction To Quantitative Data Analysis Methods In Education I Credit Hours: 3.00
PSY 60000 - Statistical Inference Credit Hours: 3.00
SOC 58100 - Methods of Social Research II Credit Hours: 3.00
STAT 50100 - Experimental Statistics I Credit Hours: 3.00
STAT 51100 - Statistical Methods Credit Hours: 3.00

Advanced Qualitative or Quantitative Course (3 credits)

Choose one from either list.

Qualitative Methods
ANTH 51900 - Introduction To Semiotics Credit Hours: 3.00
ANTH 56500 - Sociolinguistics Credit Hours: 3.00
ANTH 60500 - Seminar In Ethnographic Analysis Credit Hours: 3.00
COM 58500 - Qualitative Methods In Communication Research Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 61600 - Qualitative Data Collection And Analysis In Educational Research Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 62100 - Technology For Qualitative Research Credit Hours: 3.00
ENGL 59900 - Academic Language And Content Area Learning Credit Hours: 3.00
SOC 60900 - Seminar In Sociology Credit Hours: 3.00
Quantitative Methods
EDPS 55700 - Introduction To Quantitative Data Analysis Methods In Education II Credit Hours: 3.00
PSY 60100 - Correlation And Experimental Design Credit Hours: 3.00
STAT 50200 - Experimental Statistics II Credit Hours: 3.00
STAT 51200 - Applied Regression Analysis Credit Hours: 3.00

Research Seminar Course (3 credits)

Contact the Office of Graduate Studies in the College of Education for a list of department-approved substitute courses (Substitutions may not be available for all concentrations.)

EDPS 63000 - Research Procedures In Education Credit Hours: 3.00

Focus Area Electives (15-16 credits)

Outside Area Elective (3-4 credits)

Students should take an elective in the Humanities or Social Sciences outside of Curriculum and Instruction courses, determined in conjunction with their advisor.

Disseration Research (12-43 credits)

EDCI 69900 - Research PhD Thesis Credit Hours: 1.00 to 18.00 - Credit Hours: 12.00-43.00 total

Program Learning Outcomes

GPA Requirements

Education Licensure Disclaimer - GR

For information on which Graduate programs lead to an Instructional or Administrative State of Indiana Educator License, and the obligations therein, visit the Office of Teacher Education and Licensure (OTEL) Graduate Programs website. The Transcript Evaluation and Credential Review (TECR) is the authoritative source for program licensure requirements.

Graduate Programs Disclaimer

The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Students should consult with their advisor/department for more information.
Not all graduate programs may be actively recruiting students and course modality availability may vary.
Please refer to the Explore Graduate Programs website for a list of currently available graduate programs.
Transfer credit policy: Credits earned for graduate study at other universities (both domestic and international) may be applied toward an advanced degree. Only credit hours associated with graduate courses for which grades of B- or better were obtained will be eligible for transfer. Any additional conditions under which credit transfers may be made are determined by the various departments.
Comparative information about Purdue University and other U.S. educational institutions is also available through the College Navigator tool, provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, and through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

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