Doctor of Philosophy - Education Studies

A) Areas of Faculty Research and Specialization

The Faculty of Education currently supports active research programs in four areas, established around a number of centres of specialization, research groups, and projects. Candidates admitted to the program will normally hold a Master's degree in an area or specialization congruent with, or subsumed within, one of these. There is some overlap among some of the areas, as a number of faculty members are associated with more than one group. Doctoral candidates are also encouraged to consider research projects that span more than one area.

These research specialization areas are:

  • Curriculum Studies and Pedagogy (includes the former Language and Literacy and Mathematics, Science, and Technology)
  • Educational Policy Studies
  • Educational Psychology/Special Education
  • Gender, Equity, and Social Justice

On the on-line application applicants are asked to identify one of the four areas above as their choice of research area.

Prospective students are not required to secure a Thesis Supervisor at the time of application; however, those wishing to ensure there are faculty members on staff who research in their area of interest are invited to review the Faculty Research page.  At the time of admission, students are assigned an Academic Advisor who will guide them through course and program planning.  When students are ready to begin work on their theses, they are welcome to approach their Advisor or another faculty member to act as Thesis Supervisor. 

B) Program of Studies & Compulsory Courses

Degree Requirements
All candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education Studies will be required to complete successfully a minimum of two and a half compulsory courses, three elective half courses, a qualifying examination and a thesis, defended according to the policies of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies .

Compulsory Courses
Ph.D. classes are offered during the day. Most elective courses are scheduled in the evenings, 6:30 - 9:30 pm (except summer session). The program normally takes 4 years of full-time study to complete.

Although candidates will have been introduced to Educational theory and educational research from a particular perspective in their Master's studies, during their doctoral studies they will be expected to acquire a more comprehensive understanding of how different theoretical perspectives and alternative approaches to research inform scholarship and practice in Education. That is the particular purpose of two compulsory full courses required of all candidates. These cross-disciplinary courses are designed and taught by members of faculty who bring a variety of perspectives and a range of expertise to the courses, and so engage students in the study of educational ideas, problems, and issues in ways that cross traditional boundaries in this field. Thus, each course is taught by at least two members of faculty who represent at least three of the areas of specialization to ensure the cross-disciplinary emphasis.

700 Theories of Education. This full course engages candidates in the advanced study of current issues and enduring questions in Education, including such matters as the nature of curriculum and the social, political, economic, and legal contexts that affect curriculum and educational policies. All issues are examined from a cross-disciplinary perspective. Topics such as the structuring of subject matter, issues of access and equity, responses to cultural and individual differences, the impact of new educational technologies, issues of evaluation and control, and other timely and practical education issues are analysed and critiqued from a variety of theoretical and ideological perspectives, as well as from the view point of practitioners in the field.

701 Research in Education. This full course reviews issues of theory and methodology in educational research. It examines such matters as the conduct of research and the critical interpretation and dissemination of results, including a thorough consideration of: formulation of research questions and problems; concepts and problems related to validity and reliability; bias and the selective interpretation of results; research priorities; evaluation and accountability; and a close analysis of ethical standards for social science and educational research. Students become familiar with the language, principles, reasoning and methodologies of qualitative and quantitative research methods, with specific approaches being examined in detail as appropriate. At the conclusion of the course students are able to critically evaluate research reports as to their validity and relevance as well as their ethical conduct, and are prepared to initiate independent research using methodologies appropriate for specific, focussed educational inquiry. There is an emphasis on cross-disciplinary approaches to educational research.

702 Doctoral Seminar. These seminars provide focussed experience, informed by the relevant literature in applying appropriate theoretical frameworks and research methods to specific educational problems. The seminars serve to integrate the theoretical and research perspectives developed in 700 and 701 with current topics and issues in educational research.

Ph.D. PROGRAM STRUCTURE

Term 1
(Fall 1)		 700 Theories of Education (Full Course)

701 Research in Education (Full Course) AAA Elective Half Course		 Term 5
(Winter 2)		 Qualifying Examination
Term 2
(Winter 1)		 700 Theories of Education (cont'd)

701 Research in Education (cont'd)
BBB Elective Half Course		 Term 6
(Summer 2)		 Thesis Proposal
Presentation and Defense of Thesis Proposal
Term 3
(Summer 1)		 CCC Elective Half Course and independent reading Term 7
(Fall 3)		 Proceed with Ph.D. Thesis Research
Term 4
(Fall 2)		 702 Doctoral Seminar (Half Course)    


1. Courses shown in bold type are available to doctoral candidates only. All candidates will be required to take and maintain satisfactory standing in the compulsory courses .

2. The elective half courses may be taken from the list of graduate courses offered in the Faculty, or, as appropriate and pertinent to a student's individual program and with permission, from other graduate level programs at The University of Western Ontario or other universities. The student and the Faculty Program Advisor will consider which courses have already been completed at the Master's level when planning the student's program.

3. With the approval of the Faculty Advisor and Graduate Chair, candidates may be allowed to take additional courses beyond the required minimum.

4. Candidates may register for the Qualifying Examination only after all required courses (compulsory courses plus doctoral seminar and three elective half courses) have been satisfactorily completed.

C) Elective Courses

In addition to the Core courses, candidates are required to complete a minimum of 3 half course credits in their chosen area of specialization, chosen in consultation with the program advisor. Electives must not duplicate courses already completed in their Master's programs. These courses may be chosen from the following sources:

  1. Special topic or research seminars at the doctoral level within areas of specialization;
  2. Formal graduate courses offered in the Faculty of Education;
  3. Graduate courses in allied disciplines, to a maximum of one full course or the equivalent, chosen from among the offerings of other graduate programs at the University (subject to regulations of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and the approval of those concerned);
  4. Graduate courses in education or allied disciplines, to a maximum of one full course or equivalent from other institutions.

D) Qualifying Examination

All candidates are required to submit two qualifying papers normally completed during the fall or winter term of the second year in the Ph.D. program. The purpose of the papers is to allow students the opportunity to situate their chosen area of research in the broad educational context. The papers serve as the Qualifying Examination.

Students must identify the date on which they intend to submit the completed exam, which must be at least four weeks prior to the intended completion date, but no later than March 31. The submission date may be anytime between September 15 and April 30.

Before submitting the preferred date for the examination, students must have defined their research area and identified their intended Thesis Supervisor. The Supervisor will serve as a reader for the papers. The Graduate Chair will approve the submission date after consulting with the readers.

There will be two questions on the exam. Each question will require students to draw on either 700 or 701 and situate their own research in the broader educational context. As the calendar description of the exam notes:

"This examination will provide an opportunity for candidates to consider a variety of approaches to research in their area of specialization. They will be expected to demonstrate their ability to bring a variety of theoretical perspectives and research methodologies to bear on their intended area of research, thereby addressing their potential and readiness to proceed with independent thesis research in a Ph.D. program where a commitment to a cross-disciplinary approach is a defining characteristic."

Responses to each question will be limited to 4000 words, exclusive of the references.  For each student, the "700 question" will be read by ONE of the 700 instructors and by the Supervisor. Similarly, the "701 question" will be read by one of the 701 instructors and Supervisor. Grading will be either pass or fail.

E) Thesis

Following successful completion of the qualifying examination and when the candidate is ready to begin work on the thesis, the Graduate Chair, at the candidate's request and after consulting with the faculty members concerned, will formally appoint a Thesis Supervisory Committee. The Committee will consist of a Chief Supervisor and at least one additional faculty member. The Chief Supervisor must be a member of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies with Ph.D. supervisory status, as approved by the Credentials Committee of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies . The Thesis Supervisory Committee will normally be chosen no later than September of the third year.

Within six months following successful completion of the qualifying papers, candidates must submit a written research proposal to their Thesis Supervisory Committee, and make an oral presentation to the Committee in which the research problem, theoretical framework and methodology are explained and satisfactorily defended. The presentation will be open to all members of Graduate Faculty and to all graduate students. The Committee must approve both the written proposal and the oral presentation before the candidate will be allowed to proceed.

When the Thesis Supervisory Committee is satisfied with a candidate's written proposal and the oral presentation made to the Committee, when ethical approval has been granted (where necessary) and upon approval by the Graduate Chair, the candidate will proceed with the research and the preparation of the thesis under the guidance and review of the Chief Supervisor and the Thesis Supervisory Committee.

When the thesis has been completed and approved by the Chief Supervisor and the Thesis Supervisory Committee, necessary arrangements will be made by the Dean of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for the examination of the thesis, and the oral examination will proceed in accordance with the appropriate University regulations. Please see the FGS website for details.

The examination shall include a public lecture which will provide both a valuable means of disseminating research findings within the academic community, and an opportunity for all graduate students of education to participate in and contribute to the scholarly discourse of the university. In accordance with the appropriate regulations, the public lecture will be advertised in the University's Western News and on the University's World Wide Web Site and open to all members of the community. The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies oral examination will normally follow within 24 hours of the lecture.