Doctor of Philosophy (Elementary Education)

The PhD will appeal to educators who want to pursue a career of research, post-secondary teaching, and leadership. It will attract those who wish to dedicate themselves to academic teaching, research, and service.

Program Requirements

Students are normally required to complete a minimum of 24 units in coursework plus a dissertation.

Coursework

EDEL 650 - Curriculum Foundations and Inquiry
EDEL 660 - Advanced Research in Education
Six 3-unit graduate-level courses to be selected in consultation with the supervisor.
- A maximum of 6 units can be taken in Individual Study courses.
- Courses are to be chosen from current offerings in Elementary Education, other offerings within the Faculty of Education or outside the Faculty of Education, and are subject to approval by the Faculty.
Additional courses may be required when the focus of the Doctoral program is different from that in the applicant’s Master’s program.
Students can complete a maximum of 48 units towards their PhD program.

Thesis

Registration in 900-level THES. Students are required to present their dissertation research at a public forum prior to their final oral exam.

Candidacy Exam

Students are required to complete a candidacy exam consisting of a written research proposal and an oral examination.

Ethics Requirement

Students in the Elementary Education programs must meet the FGSR Ethics and Academic Citizenship Training Requirement through the completion of INT D 710 (for both master’s and doctoral students) and INT D 720 (for doctoral students) by the end of the first term of registration in their degree program.

Residence Requirement

The minimum period of residence for the PhD program is two academic years of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta. In cases where a student was admitted without a Master’s degree, the period of residence will be three academic years.

Length of Program

The time required to complete the PhD will vary according to the previous academic preparation of the applicant and the nature of the research undertaken; however, normally four to five years of study and research are required.

The maximum time to complete the PhD program as set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research is six years.