Grayson Noley, Chair and Graduate Liaison
227 Ellsworth Collings Hall
Norman, OK 73019-2041
Phone: (405) 325-4202
FAX: (405) 325-2403
Internet: http://www.ou.edu/education/elps/elps.htm
Grayson Noley, Chair and Graduate Liaison |
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Professors Ballard, Fox, O’Hair, Raburn, Rossow, J. K. Smith, C. A. Vaughn, Weber; Associate Professors Dillon, Garn, Karpiak, Laird, Maiden, Noley, Tan; Assistant Professors Bennett, Frick, D. Gutierrez, K. Gutierrez, Rager, Williams.
Admission to a master’s degree program in education requires a 3.00 grade point average for the last 60 credits of undergraduate study. Additional qualifications may be required by faculty in some areas.
Applicants for programs leading to the Master of Education degree must present a bachelor’s degree in an appropriate field from an accredited college or university. Students may elect a thesis or a non-thesis program. Students must complete degree requirements within six calendar years after their first graduate enrollment at the University of Oklahoma. A written comprehensive examination may be required in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.
The program for the master’s degree includes intensive preparation for a specialized type of educational responsibility with study in associated fields. Work at the graduate level may be required in educational psychology and historical, philosophical and social foundations of education. The exact pattern of the program will be determined after consultation with the adviser. Students may obtain information about specific course requirements for each program area from the department office.
Specific program requirements are intended to provide excellence of preparation in the field of practice. General requirements across the department assure a common base for all graduates. Thesis programs require a minimum of 30 semester credit hours, and non-thesis programs typically require a minimum of 32 credits.
Descriptions of each master’s program are given on the following pages. Prospective students are encouraged to seek additional information by contacting the graduate liaison officer in the department about the program area of their interest.
The master’s program in Adult and Higher Education prepares individuals to assume entry-level and mid-level administrative roles in appropriate adult and higher education organizations. The master’s program is comprised of a comprehensive curriculum and practical experiences designed to prepare students for professional positions in a variety of educational and training organizations including colleges and universities, governmental agencies, educational planning agencies, and business and industry. The master’s program offers these emphases:
Adult and Continuing Education
This emphasis is designed to provide students with the competencies necessary to develop and administer successful educational programs for adults based on the literature in adult learning, program planning, and administration. This emphasis prepares professionals for work as administrators, program planners, and adult education specialists in a variety of organizations including universities, colleges, community colleges, vocational schools, business, industry, and government.
Higher Education Administration
The general higher education concentration focuses on topics related to general administration in colleges and universities. In this concentration, students are introduced to theories, issues, and research related to organizational behavior, leadership, academic administration, financial management, and planning in higher education. The concentration enables students to become competitive candidates for entry-level to mid-level general administrative positions in higher education, intercollegiate athletics, and institutional development.
Institutional Research
The institutional research concentration focuses on the utility of data and information in decision making, planning, and management in colleges and universities. Students are introduced to management and decision support systems and the types of research that should be undertaken on various institutional aspects (students, faculty, staff, facilities, capital and finance, curricula, programs, internal and external environments) which can yield important findings and implications for planning and management purposes. This concentration prepares students to assume institutional research positions in higher education.
Student Personnel Services
The student personnel services concentration focuses on administration and research related to college students. In this concentration, students are introduced to concepts and theories related to the administration of student personnel services, and to critical research topics dealing with college students (such as factors related to college choice, persistence, development, and student outcomes). This concentration prepares students to assume entry-level to mid-level administrative student personnel positions in higher education, in such areas as student services, residence life, financial aid, counseling, placement, student development, and tutoring.
Intercollegiate Athletics Administration
Intercollegiate athletics is increasingly becoming an important and complex administrative function in higher education. The intercollegiate athletics administration concentration focuses specifically on organizational, administrative, and managerial issues related to intercollegiate athletics. This concentration prepares students for careers in athletic and related departments in higher education.
Distributive/Distance Learning Education
The emphasis on distance education prepares professionals for work in the field of distance education as administrators, planners, instructors, and telecommunications specialists in a variety of education-related organizations, including universities, colleges, state and federal agencies, business and industry. The distance education emphasis offers concentrations in administration and program design. The administration concentration is designed to provide professionals with the competencies required to plan and administer distance learning systems. The distance education design concentration prepares instructors with the competencies required to teach students who study at a distance. The focus of this program is on the application of telecommunications in educational settings.
Training and Development
The training and development emphasis prepares professionals for work as trainers, directors of training programs, and human resource professionals in a variety of training organizations including business, industry, government, and educational entities. Adult learning theory, instructional strategies, and evaluation provide a basic foundation for the study of training and development.
The purpose of the master’s degree program in educational administration, curriculum and supervision is to provide graduate-level preparation for professional positions such as elementary school principal, middle school principal, director of elementary education, secondary principal, secondary curriculum consultant or supervisor, general or specific supervisor, curriculum consultant, and curriculum director. This program is offered in both thesis and nonthesis formats.
The master’s program in educational studies is designed to engage experienced educators in interpretive, normative, and critical studies of children’s and adults’ education for social justice — in diverse historical and cultural contexts, and in different nations — via the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Such interdisciplinary studies enhance the creative resources of educators and other persons involved in social service work who aim to be transformative leaders. For example, students consider the state’s, institution’s, or organization’s role as an agent of acculturation or of social change. History, philosophy, sociology, economics and anthropology are, therefore, major disciplinary tools that inform the policy and practice of educators.
Doctoral programs in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies are designed to prepare personnel for administrative, service and faculty positions in colleges and universities, public schools and other education and training agencies in government and the private sector. It is possible to study for the doctorate in adult and higher education, educational administration, curriculum and supervision, and educational foundations.
The doctoral degrees awarded in the College of Education are the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.). Ph.D. programs in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies focus on scholarly inquiry in several discrete areas and are intended to serve individuals who are research oriented and have promise of developing new knowledge in their fields of study. In addition to the Ph.D., EACS also offers a Doctor of Education, also known as the Executive Ed.D. The Executive Ed.D. program is directed at terminal degree preparation of practitioners in education who can be expected to serve with distinction in demanding professional positions.
Admission to doctoral study in education requires a minimum 3.25 grade point average on all graduate work attempted and additional requirements as determined by program areas within the department. The Graduate Record Examination is required of all applicants to a doctoral program. Upon acceptance by the area faculty and in consideration of recommendations made by the faculty, the department chairperson and/or the graduate studies committee and the doctoral student, the graduate dean will appoint an advisory committee. The advisory committee consists of a chairperson from the student’s major field, at least one representative from outside the department, and other faculty totaling at least five members. An advisory conference will determine the program of study that must be completed to qualify for the degree.
Upon completion of the required course work (exclusive of the dissertation), students must complete the General Examination. Prior to attempting the General Examination, a student must demonstrate proficiency in research methods prescribed in both quantitative and qualitative research for Doctor of Philosophy candidates. These standards are set forth in the department’s Graduate Studies Handbook. The student must also meet all relevant requirements of the Graduate College, as well as those of the student’s individual program area. The candidate is expected to complete all degree requirements within four years after the General Examination. Failure to accomplish this may require another writing of the General Examination and/or the revalidation of coursework.
Prospective students are encouraged to contact the appropriate program area for information about program availability, and college and departmental requirements. In addition, the section of the Graduate Bulletin, which describes the procedures and requirements for graduate study at the University, should be reviewed and kept as a reference.
The doctoral program in Adult and Higher Education is designed to prepare individuals for teaching and research positions in Adult and Higher Education, and for individuals interested in administrative and service positions in colleges and universities, professional organizations, and other educational and training agencies in government and the private sector. The degree awarded in adult and higher education is the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). This degree is directed toward the development of scholars and scholar/practitioners in Adult and Higher Education and is intended to serve individuals who have promise of making scholarly contributions to their area of expertise. Doctoral emphases within the Adult and Higher Education program include:
Students selecting an Adult and Continuing Education emphasis will develop knowledge and research skills to meet the learning needs of adults in formal or informal settings. The Continuing Professional and Higher Education emphasis provides students with the knowledge, competencies, and research skills appropriate to the role of administrator, professor, and researcher within the continuing professional and higher education frameworks. The Higher Education emphasis provides students with an in-depth understanding of administrative and research issues related to higher education as a unique organization, institutional research, student personnel services, and intercollegiate athletics administration. The Distance Education emphasis prepares students for work in the field of distance education as administrators, planners, instructors, and telecommunications specialists in a variety of education-related organizations. In the Training and Development emphasis, students will develop an in-depth understanding of the human resource potential in governmental, business and industrial organizations.
The doctoral programs (Ph.D. and Ed.D.) in EACS are designed to prepare individuals for careers in the education profession, including those found in higher education institutions and public schools. The Ph.D. is intended for those who wish to pursue careers in the research-oriented professions such as a faculty member in a research institution or as a professional staff member in a research center. The degree requires a high level of commitment to research and an understanding of leadership functions. The Executive Ed.D. degree is intended for those aspiring to central office or other practitioner fields in education. It is offered in a cohort format and is intended especially for those who are committed to a career in school administration. The Ph.D. program is individually tailored to support the needs, interests, and career aspirations of each student. Basic coursework in administrative and organizational theory, community, educational renewal and human relations, curriculum, supervision, finance, law, policy, politics, leadership, and evaluation is available. Doctoral study may be interdisciplinary so coursework and experiences from other departments and colleges are encouraged.
The Ph.D. program in educational studies prepares experienced educators for teaching and research positions in higher education or leadership roles in community and higher education. The program engages students in interpretive, normative, and critical research on children’s and adults’ education — in diverse historical and cultural contexts, and in different nations — via the arts, humanities, or social sciences. Such research requires a broad, complex, and transformative view of teaching, learning, curriculum, and their myriad contexts, including gender, age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. Therefore, this interdisciplinary field brings together historical, philosophical, sociological, economic, anthropological and human relations approaches to understanding and evaluating the means and ends of education, past and present, actual and potential, especially for social justice. The program requires students to work closely with faculty to design their programs of study and residency plans so that they are tailored to each individual’s own professional purposes and social justice concerns.
Phi Delta Kappa is a national fraternity dedicated to the promotion of excellence in leadership, scholarship and service through the education profession. The University of Oklahoma chapter was established in 1921 and has operated continuously since that time. Membership, available to all graduate students without condition as to race, sex or ethnic origin, is based upon satisfactory performance at the graduate level, and the indication of potential in the furtherance of the objectives of the organization.
Kappa Delta Pi, also a national fraternity that encourages the development of leadership in education, is open to graduate students as well as upper-division and undergraduates who have shown evidence of successful scholastic achievement.
In Oklahoma, certificates in school administration are issued by the Oklahoma State Department of Education. Applicants must meet three criteria:
1. Two years of teaching experience;
2. A masters degree in Educational Administration and Curriculum Supervision and recommendation from the director of the educaitonal professions division of the institution;
3. A passing score on the appropriate Oklahoma State Certification exams.
To receive a recommendation from the University of Oklahoma, students must complete all the requirements of the program and be favorably recommended by their advisor.
The curricula for teacher education are planned by committees of the EACS faculty. As listed in the following pages, these curricula satisfy the requirements for standard certificates in Oklahoma. For additional information concerning teacher education at the University of Oklahoma, inquiries should be addressed to the Director, Division of Teacher Education.