Joint Doctor of Philosophy - Educational Studies


NOTE:  The last intake of new students into this program is September 2004.

A) Program of Studies

The Joint Ph.D. in Educational Studies is offered jointly by Brock University, Lakehead University, The University of Western Ontario, and The University of Windsor. The designation of "home university" is applied to the university at which the doctoral candidate is registered. The student has the right to take courses and seminars or to use the academic facilities at any of the participating universities in accordance with the approved plan.

The Regulations governing the preparation of theses and conduct of examinations are those of the home university.

The degree requirements, regulations and procedures for the Joint Ph.D. program have been approved by the appropriate governing body of each institution. Where there is a conflict in regulations and procedures:

  • in academic matters, the regulations of the institution offering the course will prevail;
  • in non-academic matters, the regulations of the institution at which the student is
    registered will prevail.

Program Goals and Objectives

The Joint Program will:

  • provide greater access to advanced study in education for qualified candidates across a wider geographic range in the province;
  • promote the growth of research activity and professional development through collaboration among practitioners, scholars, educational institutions, and Faculties of Education;
  • foster inter-university links and promote partnerships among Ontario universities;
  • further the expansion of research culture and service throughout the province; and
  • contribute to the renewal of the professoriate and educational leadership in Ontario during the upcoming period of heavy retirement in the universities and school systems.

The objectives of the program are to produce graduate students who will:

  • contribute to the development of knowledge and expertise in teaching/learning at all levels on the education continuum;
  • contribute to the solution of problems/issues in Canadian education;
  • promote scholarly enquiry and the development of methodological advances in the study of education;
  • integrate theory and practice in education; and
  • assume positions of leadership in Faculties of Education, school systems, and other public-and private-sector institutions concerned with education.

B) Admission Requirements

Normally, the minimum academic requirement for admission to the Ph.D. is successful completion of a Master of Education or Master of Arts in Education with an A standing.

In exceptional circumstances, applicants with lower formal academic qualifications but with a strong track record of professional experience related to the proposed area of doctoral study may be admitted. In these cases, however, the Admissions Committee may place additional requirements upon the applicant. Additional requirements will be stated on the offer of admission.

Applicants must provide evidence of research competence normally demonstrated by a master's thesis.

English is the primary language of communication and instruction in the program. Applicants from other countries who have not completed a degree at a university where the primary language of instruction is English must pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 600 (250 computer-based) or an equivalent demonstration of proficiency.

Candidates who are working on the degree at a distance from the home university must purchase the software and access to the Internet which will enable them to participate fully in the required courses.

The deadline for applications is January 1st of each year. All students admitted to the program MUST begin their studies in July with the Core Seminar. Each summer the Core Seminar is delivered on-site at one of the participating universities
(2003 - Brock; 2004 - Windsor; 2005 - Lakehead; 2006 UWO)

Admission With Advanced Standing

Students may receive advance credit for a maximum of one-half course specialization elective at the graduate level provided that this course has not been credited to a degree or certificate already awarded, is relevant to the proposed area of study and has been taken within three years of admission. Requests for advanced credit must be declared prior to admission. No substitution may be made for Core Seminars I and II or the joint specialization elective via distance.

Plan of Study

Applicants must submit a description of their proposed area of research (approximately 2-3 typed pages) as part of the application. When an applicant meets the basic requirements for admission, the Program Director and a potential supervisor will assist the applicant in developing a plan of study which will be presented to the Program Committee for approval. If approved, the applicant will proceed to register as a doctoral student at the home university and will be subject to the general degree regulations of that university. The offer of admission will be made to the applicant by the home university.

C) Fields of Study

Applicants must declare one of the following three fields of study in their application.

Cognition and Learning

This field draws primarily upon psychology and educational psychology to critically examine the cognitive processes of teachers and learners as they engage in teaching and learning. Integral components of this field are assessment and the adaptation of instruction to the needs of individual learners.

Policy and Leadership

This field focuses upon the study of policy and leadership within educational systems. It draws upon organizational and administrative studies to construct critical perspectives on actions and structures at the macropolitical and micropolitical levels, and examines how these influence the climate and the quality of curriculum and learning.

Sociocultural Contexts of Education

This field draws upon diverse disciplines such as comparative education, cultural psychology, history, philosophy, sociology, and traditional curriculum areas to advance understanding of the sociocultural contexts which influence curriculum, teaching, and learning, to generate theory, and to plan, develop, implement, and evaluate programs, teaching, and learning.

D) Program Requirements

Doctoral candidates must be familiar with the academic regulations governing graduate studies at the home university.

Course Requirements

  • Core Seminar I and II: Current Research, Theories, and Issues (2 full courses)
  • One Joint Ph.D. Specialization Elective via distance (half course)
  • One Specialization Elective Course (half course)
  • Research Proposal Colloquium via distance (half course)

Candidates may meet the requirement for a specialization elective in the field through a graduate level course offered at any of the participating institutions.

Comprehensive Portfolio

The portfolio requires doctoral candidates to demonstrate their potential as scholars through the satisfactory completion of authentic tasks. The criteria used by the dissertation supervisory committee to set tasks and assess a candidate's performance are:

  • an understanding of the concepts, theories, and issues in the field of study;
  • a knowledge of current literature and research methods in the field of study;
  • the ability to analyze and synthesize current literature on a specific problem within the field of study;
  • an understanding of and ability to critique research in the field of study and research paradigms.

The tasks candidates are expected to complete include the dissertation research proposal, and three other tasks. Candidates must defend their portfolios.

The portfolio defence will be evaluated by the dissertation supervisory committee and at least one other member of the core faculty selected by the Program Director. Candidates are required to present their completed portfolio to an audience in a forum such as the Core Seminar.

Candidates may not begin their dissertation research until the portfolio requirements have been completed successfully.

Progression

Candidates are required to maintain continuous registration. They shall complete the requirements for the degree within a minimum of three years and a maximum of six years.

Supervisors will be required to report candidates' progress annually to the Program Committee and to appropriate authorities at the participating universities. Normally, candidates will be expected to complete course requirements and the comprehensive portfolio, and to submit a research proposal within three years of their initial registration. Changes to the approved plan of study must be approved in advance by the supervisor and the Program Director.

Recommendations for a time extension or leave of absence are subject to the regulations and procedures at the home university and must be approved in advance by the supervisor and the Joint Program Committee.

Click here to see the Joint Ph.D. Sample Program Schedule - FULL-TIME and ALTERNATE

For more information, visit the Joint Ph.D. site.