About the Program
Doctor of Philosophy
Degree Requirements
Doctor of Philosophy (75 points)
The Doctor of Philosophy (75 points) is designed to prepare candidates as researchers and scholars who are particularly interested in the philosophical and theoretical issues in the field as these are defined within specific historical, social, cultural, literary, and rhetorical matrices. Candidates in all programs can expect to explore current professional issues, debates, and ethical dilemmas within the teaching of English as well as within the general arenas of teaching, learning, and working in various educational communities. Courses encourage candidates to conceptualize pedagogical and curricular philosophies for the teaching of English, consider social and cultural differences in teaching and learning, investigate methods, modes of interpretation, and theoretical investments that one might bring to bear on questions of knowledge, and to survey resources for professional development. All areas of study have consistent emphases on social, cultural, and political contexts in English Education and college English.
Doctoral candidates: Always consult with your Academic Advisor prior to registration.
Required courses for ALL English Education/Teaching of English doctoral candidates:
• A&HE 5504 Research paper: Teaching of English
• A&HE 6015 College teaching of English*
• A&HE 6404 Internship in college teaching of English
• A&HE 6504 Doctoral Seminar: Teaching of English (can be taken more than once)****
• A&HE 7504 Dissertation Proposal Seminar: Teaching of English
• A&HE 8904 Dissertation advisement in the teaching of English
Candidates to the Ed.D.C.T are required to take ALL of the above mentioned plus**:
• A&HE 6015 College Teaching of English
• A&HE 6404 Internship in College Teaching of English
*Can be taken more than once.
**Candidates for the Ed.D. in the College Teaching of English who have not completed the equivalent of at least one year of full-time teaching as a college teacher of English are required to include A&HE 6404 in their doctoral programs. (See course listing for description). Interns will work with an experienced college English instructor for a period of at least one semester. Candidates who have the equivalent of at least one year of full-time college teaching experience can take A&HE 6404 to design/pilot an experimental study that explores current issues in the field.
Research methods courses (a minimum of 12 points)
It is highly recommended that the candidates include at least two of the following:
• A&HE 5149 Writing research: Methods and assumptions
• A&HE 5150 Research in practice
• A&HE 6151 Narrative research in English education
• A&HE 6152 Advanced narrative research in English education
Other choices may include other research courses offered across the College.
General Guidelines on the English education doctoral program:
1) Program Plan: During the first year of study, students file a program plan and Statement of Total Program (the forms are available in the Office of Doctoral Studies) within the first two semesters of acceptance to the degree program. Once these procedures are completed, students will know how many and which courses they will need to complete their doctoral program.
The program plan is designed to represent a coherent network of courses, reflecting topics in English education. All areas of study should have consistent emphases on social, cultural and political contexts in English ducation, and issues of teacher education. Represented schematically, these areas include but are not limited to:
Literary Studies:
Literature courses, literary theory, and research in literature courses at the
A&HE 5000 and A&HE 6000 levels.
Rhetorical Studies:
Writing, composition theory and rhetorical theory courses at the A&HE 5000 and
A&HE 6000 levels.
Methodological and Pedagogical Studies:
Courses at the A&HE 5000 and A&HE 6000 level that address theoretical and practical applications within the field of English education.
2) Coursework Guidelines: The number of courses students take depends in part on the number of points students transfer from previous graduate work. Students working toward a Ed.D. (90 points) degree may transfer a maximum of 40 points and will thus complete at least 50 points while in the program for their doctoral work. Students working toward a Ph.D. (75 points) degree may transfer a maximum of 30 points and will thus complete at least 45 points while in the program for their doctoral work. An academic advisor must approve all coursework in a student’s program plan including any exceptions to the following:
• No course that is “R” (attendance) credit or that is “P” (pass/fail) may be counted toward the Ed.D. aside from A&HE 6504: Doctoral seminar and A&HE 7504: Dissertation seminar in teaching English.
• Students must consult their academic advisors when they undertake an independent study, an internship, fieldwork courses, or graduate courses at Columbia University.
• Doctoral students are generally discouraged from taking 4000-level courses and must consult with their academic advisors before registering for these courses.
• Doctoral students must complete a minimum of 12 points of research methods courses.
3) Candidates should take a minimum of three courses outside the English Education Program (Courses not designated A&HE).
4) Certification Examination: Doctoral candidates in the English Education Program are required to write two parts of the certification examinations: Certification Exam 1 and Certification Exam 2. The terms 1 and 2 are used to emphasize a difference in focus. The Certification Exam 1 usually focuses on the historical breadth of English Education, where as the Certification Exam 2 takes a more refined focus and directly relates to one’s interest in a specific area of inquiry. The College policy requires candidates to complete a minimum of 20 points after taking Certification Exam 1. Those 20 points may include the points taken during the term in which the exam was taken.
5) Dissertation Proposal (A&HE 7504): The doctoral dissertation proposal consolidates the work candidates have done in courses, professional reading, and the two certification examinations. It is a 40 to 60-page document, which outlines a coherent account of the work a candidate wants to undertake for dissertation research.
6) Dissertation: The doctoral dissertation evolves out of the coursework in which candidates have been engaged; the readings completed and synthesized for the certification examinations; the A&HE 5504 research paper; classroom teaching and research experiences; and regular consultations and discussions with an academic advisor. As candidates write their dissertations, they enroll in A&HE 8904, Dissertation advisement in teaching English, which is designed to help candidates shape the writing of the following dissertation components: review of literature, research methodology, data analysis, and implications of the research.
7) Continuous enrollment required. Consult your advisor about procedures that address conflicts with this policy.
