MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE PROGRAMS
34 point M.A. in the Teaching of English
34 point M.A. in the Teaching of English INSTEP
34 point M.A. in the Teaching of English with Professional Teacher Certification
35 point M.A. Peace Corps Fellows Program
38 point M.A. in the Teaching of English with Initial Teacher Certification
45/6 point M.A. in the Teaching of English with Dual Teacher Certification
An English teacher creates contexts and opportunities for students to develop as readers, writers, speakers, and listeners, as well as the cultural knowledge and critical thinking processes that nourish and refine the arts of language. Classroom teachers of English must possess a deep understanding of the development of the arts of language, and they must be accomplished practitioners of those arts in their own intellectual and creative lives. Effective teachers must also be keen and responsive readers of their students as learners and of the obstacles that might obstruct learning in classrooms.
English teachers must, therefore, function as exemplary learners in their own classrooms, committed to developing themselves as reflective, flexible, and professionally well-informed practitioners who can accommodate their instruction to serve the needs of a diverse population of students.
The M.A. degree programs in the Teaching of English at Teachers College are designed to prepare pre-service and in-service teachers for productive careers as exemplary instructors and leaders for the profession of English education both regionally and nationally. Our programs seek a balance between strengthening and refining the disciplinary knowledge and practices of our M.A. students on the one hand, while preparing them for the pedagogical application of their knowledge in their professional practice as classroom English teachers.
Our course offerings are directly relevant to the everyday challenges of teaching English in grades 7-12. We offer a range of courses that inquire into literature, literary theory, rhetoric, and writing, along with unpacking issues related to sociocultural contexts, curriculum development, assessment, and instructional practices. Our programs are unique in the degree to which they are focused on preparing our graduates to serve as cutting edge experts in pedagogy for the English classroom, while building that expertise on their continuing study of the target disciplines of literature, composition, and the range of traditional and newer multi-literacies that define the changing field of English studies.
All courses outlined below must be taken at Teachers College. We do not accept transfer credits. During the first semester, students will be assigned an academic faculty advisor who will assist them in choosing courses. It is recommended that students studying full-time begin their coursework the summer before the academic year.
For all programs leading to teacher certification, New York State Education Department (NYSED) mandates teacher certification requirements that are needed for program completion, graduation, and certification which are listed in the Office of Teacher Education section of the catalog.
To be certified by New York State, students must satisfy all coursework requirements either prior to or concurrent with their enrollment in the MA program, including but not limited to:
30 credits in the English or related fields. Under the general rubric of English, qualified coursework in such related fields as Drama, Journalism, Comparative Literature, Linguistics, Philosophy, Speech, Film Studies, and Classics are counted toward fulfilling this requirement. Please note that 6 of these credits can be completed as part of the requirements for the M.A. degree.
At least 6 credits of courses outside the English Ed Program. New York State requires student teachers to take classes in History/Philosophy of Education, Disabilities/Special Education, and Human Development/Psychology if these have not been taken in previous college-level coursework. These courses may be taken as pass/fail.
In addition to all coursework required for certification, students in the M.A. degree program leading to teacher certification are responsible for taking and successfully passing certification and examination mandates as required by New York State, such as the Content Specialty Test (CST) in English Language Arts and the Educating All Students Test (EAS).
MASTER OF EDUCATION PROGRAM (60 CREDITS)
60 point Master of Education in Teaching of English
The Master of Education (Ed.M.) degree is a 60-credit program designed for individuals interested in advanced study in the field of English Education. The Ed.M. degree is well suited for individuals who are currently teaching and who wish to concentrate their studies further within the field of English education and/or individuals who are thinking about undertaking doctoral work in English ducation. Individuals applying to the Ed.D. program in the Teaching of English sometimes are asked to complete the Ed.M. program before gaining admission to the Doctoral program. The Ed.M. program does not lead to certification for teaching.
DOCTORAL PROGRAMS (75 and 90 CREDITS)
75 Point Doctor of Philosophy in English Education)
90 Point Doctor of Education in the Teaching of English (Ed.D.)
90 Point Doctor of Education in the College Teaching of English (Ed.D.C.T.)
The primary purpose of the doctoral programs in English Education at Teachers College is to advance knowledge relevant to the teaching and learning of English and to prepare expert teachers of English for careers as scholars, researchers, and teacher educators in the field of English education. The doctoral degree programs in English Education support a wide range of interests, backgrounds, and professional ambitions in their applicants. However, all students are expected to become conversant with the principal theories, research methods, and pedagogical traditions of the field of English education. Beyond these fundamentals, students work in close consultation with faculty members to develop individualized programs of study. Applicants to the doctoral programs ordinarily possess a master’s degree in English, Education, or a related field and have three to five years of prior teaching experience at the secondary school or college level.
Points/Credits: 45-46
Entry Terms: Summer/Fall
Certification:
Degree Requirements
The dual certification MA in English Education and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is an innovative new program that responds to a growing need for dually certified teachers. The program leads to a PK-12 Initial New York State Teacher Certification in TESOL and a secondary certification (7-12) in English Education. Students complete 45-46 credits of coursework over two academic years, including two semesters (Fall and Spring) of student teaching.
Students work with leading researchers and practitioners in the fields of English Education and TESOL through comprehensive and innovative coursework and research projects. In addition, students are mentored by experienced teachers during their two semesters of student teaching in the New York City school system. While students will graduate with two separate teacher certifications, the purpose of the dual certification program is to explore the intersections between the teaching of English and TESOL; we examine both the unique challenges and opportunities of teaching secondary English and TESOL simultaneously.
Candidates applying for initial certification in New York will be required to fulfill NYSED’s Content Core requirements for initial certification (see https://www.tc.columbia.edu/office-of-teacher-education/students/certification-requirements/initial-certification/ ). They will also be required to take and pass all required New York State exams for initial certification. For more information, please visit our Office of Teacher Education (OTE) website:
Core Courses (29 points):
A&HL 4000 Educational Linguistics (3)
A&HL 4076 PreK-6 Methods (3)
A&HL 4085 Pedagogical English Grammar (3)
A&HL 4087 Second Language Acquisition (3)
A&HL 4088 Second Language Assessment (3)
A&HL 4185 Pedagogical Approaches to Content Methods (3)
A&HE 4057 English Methods (3)
A&HE 4058 Teaching of Reading (3)
A&HE 4151 Teaching of Writing (3)
A&HE 5518 Teaching of English in Diverse Social and Cultural Contexts (2)
Literature Course (3 points):
Students choose one of the following courses:
A&HE 4050 Literature & Teaching
A&HE 4051 Critical Approaches
A&HE 4052 Adolescent Literature
A&HE 4053 Cultural Perspectives
A&HE 4056 Feminist Perspectives
A&HE 4100 Teaching of Drama & Theater
A&HE 4561 Teaching Narrative and Story
Student Teaching Courses (6 points):
A&HC 4750 Supervised Teaching Phase I 3 credits
A&HC 4751 Supervised Teaching Phase II 3 credits
Foundations/Breadth Courses (6-7 points)
Foundations/breadth courses are intended to broaden students’ knowledge of the history of education, philosophies of education, and educational issues and practices beyond their particular area of concentration. All students must take at least 6 points of such courses (courses in Teachers College not designated “A&HE,” “A&HL” or “A&HC”) in close consultation with their advisors and with the TC Office of Teacher Education.
Foundations/breadth credits must be used to meet the New York State requirements within the following categories:*
Special Education (3)
History/Philosophy of Education (2-3)
Human Development/Psychology (2-3)
Each term, the program will issue a list of courses across the college offered within each of the three categories above from which students may choose. These courses may be taken as pass/fail.
*If any of these requirements has been met through previous college-level coursework, the students would adjust points within the other two courses accordingly for a total of no fewer than 6 points. Students will make these adjustments in consultation with their advisor.
Exit Project (1 point):
A&HE 5590 Master’s Seminar 1 credit
Students complete a master’s degree project written on a research topic arising from course-related interests and subject to approval by their assigned advisor. This project can be a review of literature on a scholarly topic or a teacher inquiry project. It is normally completed during the penultimate semester of study. The Master’s Seminar supports the completion of this project.
Student Teaching
Students in the 45-46 point TESOL/Teaching of English program have two separate semesters of student teaching. As specified by New York State in the requirements for 7-12 ELA Initial Certification, one of these experiences is in a middle school and the other is in a high school. Most placements are made in urban public schools in New York City. Commuting to one of the outer boroughs should be expected. In each student-teaching semester, student teachers will be placed in classrooms in which both TESOL and English Language Arts are taught.
Student teaching experiences differ by semester. In the first (Phase 1) semester, the cooperating teacher has primary responsibility for designing the curriculum. While students do not have the major responsibility for designing or organizing the course of instruction, they are active participants in the classroom and school communities.
Although the Phase 1 experience varies, students are engaged in observation, group work with students, conferencing, and teaching. Later, toward the end of the Phase 1 experience, at a time mutually agreeable to both cooperating teacher and student teacher, the student teacher is expected to assume full responsibility for one class.
During Phase 2 of student teaching, student teachers are immersed in teaching, responsible for planning and conducting two classes, assessing student work, and participating as faculty members in the life of their school.
In addition to these student teaching placements, students will complete 50 hours of observation on the PK-6 level as part of the A&HL 4076 PreK-6 Methods course.
Points/Credits: 46
Entry Terms: Spring/Summer
Certification:
Degree Requirements
In collaboration with Teaching Residents at Teachers College (TR@TC), we are offering a dual initial certification program in TESOL and another subject. After graduation, residents pledge to teach in local high-needs public schools. For more information, including funding, please visit the TR@TC website: https://www.tc.columbia.edu/teachingresidents/
Candidates applying for initial teacher certification in New York will be required to take and pass all required New York State non-curricular exams for initial teacher certification. For more information, please visit our Office of Teacher Education (OTE) website:
See the TR@TC office for information https://www.tc.columbia.edu/teachingresidents/
Points/Credits: 38
Entry Terms: Spring/Summer/Fall
Certification:
Degree Requirements
Master of Arts (M.A. 38 credits)
Required courses include:
A&HE 4057 English Methods (3)
A&HE 4058 Teaching of Reading (3)
A&HE 4151 Teaching of Writing (3)*
A&HE 5518 Teaching English in Diverse Social and Cultural Contexts (2-3)**
*Taken as a 6 credit block with A&HE 4156, Writing: Nonfiction (3)
**A&HE 5518 meets both the College-wide and the New York State diversity requirements.
In addition, students must choose at least one topic-specific methods course, such as:
A&HE 4050 Literature and Teaching (3)
A&HE 4152 Literacies and Technologies in the Secondary English Classroom (3)
A&HE 4550 Teaching of Poetry (3)
A&HE 4551 Teaching of Shakespeare (3)
A&HE 4100 Teaching of Drama and Theater (3)
As a part of the M.A. program, students also must fulfill a Content requirement. Content coursework consists of one course in writing and one course in literature. Courses may include the following:
Writing:
A&HE 4156 Writing: Nonfiction (3)
A&HE 4561 Teaching Narrative and Story (3)
Literature:
A&HE 4050 Literature and Teaching (3)
A&HE 4053 Cultural Perspectives and Literature (3)
A&HE 4052 Adolescents and Literature (3)
Foundations/Breadth Requirement
Foundations courses are intended to broaden students’ knowledge of the history of education, philosophies of education, and educational issues and practices beyond their particular area of concentration. All students must take at least 6 points of such courses (courses in Teachers College not designated “A&HE”) in close consultation with their advisors and with the TC Office of Teacher Education. For those seeking Initial Teacher Certification (38-credit program), foundations credits must be used to meet the New York State requirements for classes in History/Philosophy of Education, Disabilities/Special Education, and Human Development/Psychology if these have not been taken in previous college-level coursework. These courses may be taken as pass/fail.
Electives
Electives provide students the opportunity to explore particular interests as they design their own programs in consultation with an academic faculty advisor.
Students whose program permits room for electives may take any graduate-level courses at Teachers College or Columbia University.
Master’s Seminar
All M.A. students are required to enroll in the A&HE 5590, Master’s Seminar: Reflective Practice. Students in the 38-credit program enroll in A&HE 5590 the same semester they enroll in Phase 2 of A&HE 4750, Supervised teaching of English. Students in the 34-credit program enroll in A&HE 5590 during their final semester. Within the context of this course, all students work with an instructor to design and complete their master’s projects.
Student Teaching
Students in the 38-credit Teaching of English program have two separate semesters of student teaching. As required by New York State, one of these experiences is in a middle school and the other is in a high school. Most placements are made in urban public schools in New York City. Commuting to one of the outer boroughs should be expected.
Student teaching experiences differ by semester. In the first (Phase 1) semester, a pair of students may be placed in a classroom under the direction of a single cooperating teacher. The cooperating teacher has primary responsibility for designing the curriculum. While students do not have the major responsibility for designing or organizing the course of instruction, they are active participants in the classroom and school communities. Although the Phase 1 experience varies, students are engaged in observation, group work with students, conferencing, and teaching. During this semester, students understand, appreciate, learn from, and coach youth as readers and writers. Students begin to take over full responsibility for lessons for the purpose of benefiting from feedback and evaluation during University Supervisor visits. Later, toward the end of the Phase 1 experience, at a time mutually agreeable to both cooperating teacher and student teacher, the student teacher is expected to assume full responsibility for one class. A three to four week unit of study might be appropriate at this point.
During Phase 2 of student teaching, student teachers are immersed in teaching, responsible for planning and conducting two classes, assessing student work, and participating as faculty members in the life of their school. Phase 2 student teachers do not ordinarily enroll in any academic courses except those that define and are an integral part of the student teaching experience. Hence, students enroll in A&HE 4750: Supervised Teaching of English (3 credits), A&HE 4751: Fieldwork and Observation in Secondary English (1 credit), A&HE 5204: Fieldwork Workshops in Teaching English (1 credit), and A&HE 5590: Master's Seminar: Reflective Practice (1 credit). These courses together constitute the student teaching experience in its active, creative, and reflective dimensions.
Points/Credits: 34
Entry Terms: Spring/Summer/Fall
Certification:
Degree Requirements
Master of Arts (M.A., 34 credits. This degree program does not lead to teacher certification)
Required courses include:
A&HE 4057 English Methods (3)
A&HE 4058 Teaching of Reading (3)
A&HE 4151 Teaching of Writing (3)*
A&HE 5518 Teaching English in Diverse Social and Cultural Contexts (2-3)**
*Taken as a 6 credit block with A&HE 4156, Writing: Nonfiction (3)
**A&HE 5518 meets both the College-wide and the New York State diversity requirements.
In addition, students must choose at least one topic-specific methods course, such as:
A&HE 4050 Literature and Teaching (3)
A&HE 4152 Literacies and Technologies in the Secondary English Classroom (3)
A&HE 4550 Teaching of Poetry (3)
A&HE 4551 Teaching of Shakespeare (3)
A&HE 4100 Teaching of Drama and Theater (3)
As a part of the M.A. program, students also must fulfill a Content requirement. Content coursework consists of one course in writing and one course in literature. Courses may include the following:
Writing:
A&HE 4156 Writing: Nonfiction (3)
A&HE 4561 Teaching Narrative and Story (3)
Literature:
A&HE 4050 Literature and Teaching (3)
A&HE 4053 Cultural Perspectives and Literature (3)
A&HE 4052 Adolescents and Literature (3)
Foundations/Breadth Requirement
Foundations courses are intended to broaden students’ knowledge of the history of education, philosophies of education, and educational issues and practices beyond their particular area of concentration. All students must take at least 6 points of such courses (courses within Teachers College not designated “A&HE”) in close consultation with their advisors.
Electives
Electives provide students the opportunity to explore particular interests as they design their own programs in consultation with an academic faculty advisor.
Students whose program permits room for electives may take any graduate-level courses at Teachers College or Columbia University.
Master’s Seminar
All M.A. students are required to enroll in the A&HE 5590, Master’s Seminar: Reflective Practice. Students in the 38-credit program enroll in A&HE 5590 the same semester they enroll in Phase 2 of A&HE 4750, Supervised teaching of English. Students in the 34-credit program enroll in A&HE 5590 during their final semester. Within the context of this course, all students work with an instructor to design and complete their master’s projects.
Points/Credits: 34
Entry Terms: Spring/Summer/Fall
Certification:
Degree Requirements
Master of Arts (M.A., 34 credits)
Required courses include:
A&HE 4057 English Methods (3)
A&HE 4058 Teaching of Reading (3)
A&HE 4151 Teaching of Writing (3)*
A&HE 5518 Teaching English in Diverse Social and Cultural Contexts (2-3)**
*Taken as a 6 credit block with A&HE 4156, Writing: Nonfiction (3)
**A&HE 5518 meets both the College-wide and the New York State diversity requirements.
In addition, students must choose at least one topic-specific methods course, such as:
A&HE 4050 Literature and Teaching (3)
A&HE 4152 Literacies and Technologies in the Secondary English Classroom (3)
A&HE 4550 Teaching of Poetry (3)
A&HE 4551 Teaching of Shakespeare (3)
A&HE 4100 Teaching of Drama and Theater (3)
As a part of the M.A. program, students also must fulfill a Content requirement. Content coursework consists of one course in writing and one course in literature. Courses may include the following:
Writing:
A&HE 4156 Writing: Nonfiction (3)
A&HE 4561 Teaching Narrative and Story (3)
Literature:
A&HE 4050 Literature and Teaching (3)
A&HE 4053 Cultural Perspectives and Literature (3)
A&HE 4052 Adolescents and Literature (3)
Foundations/Breadth Requirement
Foundations courses are intended to broaden students’ knowledge of the history of education, philosophies of education, and educational issues and practices beyond their particular area of concentration. All students must take at least 6 points of such courses (courses in Teachers College not designated “A&HE”) in close consultation with their advisors and with the TC Office of Teacher Education (for those students enrolled in programs leading to certification). For those seeking Professional Teacher Certification (34-credit program), foundations credits must be used to meet the New York State requirements for classes in History/Philosophy of Education, Disabilities/Special Education, and Human Development/Psychology if these have not been taken in previous college-level coursework. These courses may be taken as pass/fail.
NYSED requires 3 years full-time classroom teaching, US citizenship, and NYS initial teacher certification to qualify for professional certification.
Electives
Electives provide students the opportunity to explore particular interests as they design their own programs in consultation with an academic faculty advisor.
Students whose program permits room for electives may take any graduate-level courses at Teachers College or Columbia University.
Master’s Seminar
All M.A. students are required to enroll in the A&HE 5590, Master’s Seminar: Reflective Practice. Students in the 38-credit program enroll in A&HE 5590 the same semester they enroll in Phase 2 of A&HE 4750, Supervised teaching of English. Students in the 34-credit program enroll in A&HE 5590 during their final semester. Within the context of this course, all students work with an instructor to design and complete their master’s projects.
Points/Credits: 34
Entry Terms: Summer Only
Certification:
Degree Requirements
Students, all of whom are inservice teachers, complete most course requirements for the INSTEP PROGRAM (which are similar to the 34 credit M.A. program) through their enrollment in an intensive month-long summer program for two consecutive summers during which they work in a cohort of inservice teachers for 6-8 hours each day. The program emphasizes aesthetic education through a course collaboration with Lincoln Center Educational Institute that is followed up with involvement in successive courses and the students’ final project based on research on classroom practice. Threaded through the coursework are emphases on issues of culture and social justice, innovative teaching methods, and teacher professionalism. Supplementary online courses for each cohort conducted during the academic year after summers 1 & 2 allow the cohorts to continue their collegial collaboration during the academic year while satisfying the few remaining requirements.
InSTEP is a 34-point program offering an MA, but not a New York State professional teaching certificate. It is geared for teachers who want to continue to work on their teaching through advanced studies at Teachers College, but don’t wish to stop teaching to do so. It is a cohort program that follows this prescribed schedule:
Summer 1
A&H 4033 English & the Language of Arts
A&HE 4151 Teaching of Writing
A&HE 4050 Literature & Teaching
A&HE 5518 Teaching English in Diverse Sociocultural Contexts
Fall 1
A&H 5001 Research Methods in Arts & Humanities
Spring 1
A&HE 4556 Seminar for Inservice Teachers
Summer 2
A&HE 4058 Teaching of Reading
A&HE 4100 Teaching Drama & Theater
A&HE 4152 Literacies & Technologies in the Secondary English Classroom
A&HE 4052 Adolescents and Literature
Fall 2
A&HE 4156 & 5590 Writing Non-Fiction & Master’s Seminar (3 + 1 = 4 credits)
The capstone project is a form of practitioner research that is developed during the first fall semester and completed in the second fall semester.
Points/Credits: 35
Entry Terms: Spring/Summer
Certification:
Degree Requirements
Master of Arts (M.A., 35 credits through the TC Peace Corps Fellows Program PCFP)
Required courses include:
A&HE 4057 English Methods (3)
A&HE 4058 Teaching of Reading (3)
A&HE 4151 Teaching of Writing (3)*
A&HE 5518 Teaching English in Diverse Social and Cultural Contexts (2-3)**
*Taken as a 6 credit block with A&HE 4156, Writing: Nonfiction (3)
**A&HE 5518 meets both the College-wide and the New York State diversity requirements.
In addition, students must choose at least one topic-specific methods course, such as:
A&HE 4050 Literature and Teaching (3)
A&HE 4152 Literacies and Technologies in the Secondary English Classroom (3)
A&HE 4550 Teaching of Poetry (3)
A&HE 4551 Teaching of Shakespeare (3)
A&HE 4100 Teaching of Drama and Theater (3)
As a part of the M.A. program, students also must fulfill a Content requirement. Content coursework consists of one course in writing and one course in literature. Courses may include the following:
Writing:
A&HE 4156 Writing: Nonfiction (3)
A&HE 4561 Teaching Narrative and Story (3)
Literature:
A&HE 4050 Literature and Teaching (3)
A&HE 4053 Cultural Perspectives and Literature (3)
A&HE 4052 Adolescents and Literature (3)
Foundations/Breadth Requirement
Foundations courses are intended to broaden students’ knowledge of the history of education, philosophies of education, and educational issues and practices beyond their particular area of concentration. All students must take at least 6 points of such courses (courses in Teachers College not designated “A&HE”) in close consultation with their advisors and with the TC Office of Teacher Education. For those seeking Initial Teacher Certification (35-credit PCFP Transitional B program), foundations credits must be used to meet the New York State requirements for classes in History/Philosophy of Education, Disabilities/Special Education, and Human Development/Psychology if these have not been taken in previous college-level coursework. These courses may be taken as pass/fail.
Electives
Electives provide students the opportunity to explore particular interests as they design their own programs in consultation with an academic faculty advisor.
Students whose program permits room for electives may take any graduate-level courses at Teachers College or Columbia University.
Master’s Seminar
All M.A. students are required to enroll in the A&HE 5590, Master’s Seminar: Reflective Practice. Students in the 38-credit program enroll in A&HE 5590 the same semester they enroll in Phase 2 of A&HE 4750, Supervised teaching of English. Students in the 34-credit program enroll in A&HE 5590 during their final semester. Within the context of this course, all students work with an instructor to design and complete their master’s projects.
Points/Credits: 60
Entry Terms: Spring/Summer/Fall
Degree Requirements
Master of Education (Ed.M., 60 credits)
The Ed.M. program is a 60-credit advanced master’s degree program to which students may transfer up to 30 credits of prior graduate-level study at Teachers College. Requirements in the Ed.M. program are flexible. Aside from three required research methods courses and A&HE 5504: Research paper: Teaching of English, students select, in consultation with a faculty advisor, an array of courses that facilitate their intellectual and professional goals.
General Coursework Requirement
Depending upon the number of TC credits transferred in, students must complete between 15 and 45 credits at the A&HE 4000, A&HE 5000, and A&HE 6000 levels. Students transferring up to 30 TC credits must take most of their courses at the more advanced A&HE 5000 and A&HE 6000 levels. It is possible to substitute a 12-15 credit specialization in an area other than English Education and/or one graduate- level course at Columbia University with an academic faculty advisor’s approval. Students considering moving on to doctoral studies should consult with their advisor about limiting the number of 4000 level courses.
Research Methods Courses
At least 9 credits (three courses) of research methods must be completed for the Ed.M. degree. Although courses may include both quantitative and/or qualitative methods, we recommend that at least one course represent study in the area of qualitative research. At least one course should be taken from the research offerings in the English Education Program; the two other courses may be taken in any department at Teachers College.
A&HE 5504. Research paper: Teaching of English
The research paper for A&HE 5504, required of all Ed.M. students, is the core of the Ed.M. program. The purpose of this paper is to evidence the student’s ability to conduct independent research. It entails work that results in an original synthesis of a broad reading of theory and research. The A&HE 5504 research paper typically includes:
A rationale for the project and demonstration of an understanding of the literature of the field related to the topic(s) undertaken;
A pilot study, including data gathering and analysis and justification of research methods employed;
A critique of the pilot study, including the student’s reflections on the study’s design and methodology as well as research strengths and weaknesses; and
Implications relevant to the student’s future research
Points/Credits: 90
Entry Terms: Summer/Fall
Degree Requirements
Doctor of Education (Ed.D., 90 credits)
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree is designed to prepare future teacher educators and education professionals who will assume teaching and professional leadership roles in English education within colleges and universities, schools and school districts, and non-profit, state, and federal educational agencies that demand advanced expertise in the teaching of the English Language Arts.
Required courses for ALL English Education/Teaching of English doctoral candidates:
A&HE 5504 Research Paper: Teaching of English
A&HE 5510: Seminar in Foundational Texts
A&HE 6504 Doctoral Seminar: Teaching of English
A&HE 7504 Dissertation Seminar: Teaching of English
A&HE 8904 Dissertation Advisement in the Teaching of English
A range of electives in literary and rhetorical studies
Four research methods courses for a total of 12 credits. It is 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
Students may also satisfy the requirement for research methods courses by completing approved courses in other programs and departments across the College.
Credit Requirements and Transfer Credits for the Ed.D. Program in the Teaching of English
The number of courses students must complete depends largely on the number of credits approved for transfer from previous graduate work at Teachers College. Students working toward an Ed.D. degree (90 credits) may transfer a maximum of 45 credits and will thus complete at least 45 credits while in the Ed.D. program. Approval of transfer of credits is always at the discretion of the advisor.
Coursework Restrictions
An academic advisor must approve all coursework in a student’s program plan, especially to ensure enforcement of the following College and Departmental policies:
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 and A&HE 7504.
Students must consult their academic advisors when they undertake an independent study, an internship, fieldwork courses, or graduate courses in other colleges (usually GSAS) of Columbia University or at other universities within the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium.
Doctoral students are generally discouraged from taking 4000-level courses and must consult with their academic advisors before registering for these courses.
Candidates should take a minimum of three courses outside the English Education Program (Courses not designated A&HE).
Doctoral Program Milestones Program Plan
During their first year of study, students in consultation with their advisor should complete and file, with the Office of Doctoral Studies, a program plan (the forms are available in the English Education office and in the Office of Doctoral Studies) anticipating all the courses they will need to complete within the scope of their doctoral studies. This program plan should then be reviewed annually with the student’s advisor--and revised as necessary -- giving student and advisor an annual measure of the student’s progress through the program.
A&HE 5504: Research Paper in the Teaching of English
Before enrolling in A&HE 5504, students must have completed at least two research methods courses, have successfully completed their Certification 1 Examination, have discovered an area or problem of interest that they wish to study for their 5504 project, and have familiarized themselves with some of the available research literature on the topic or problem they propose to investigate. The research paper completed in A&HE 5504 allows a doctoral student to demonstrate the capacity to complete independent research and produce a research paper at a level of sophistication that promises success in undertaking a doctoral research project and doctoral dissertation. The completed A&HE 5504 research paper must be approved by faculty member(s) in order for the student to further progress in his or her program of study.
Certification Examinations
Certification examinations certify a student’s expertise in the foundational texts, research traditions, and theoretical perspectives that represent the history of English Education as an academic discipline and that inform research in the more specialized field of study defined by a student’s anticipated dissertation project. Doctoral students in English Education must pass two separate certification examinations. Examination 1 is a take-home examination, seven days in duration, covering the history of English education with a focus on one of the major curricular strands within the discipline. Examination 2, covering a specialized disciplinary area related to the student’s dissertation topic, is a take-home written examination to be completed within a time frame (up to one semester) set by the student’s faculty advisor. The topics and texts to be covered by the two examinations and the examination questions are determined by each student’s advisor in consultation with the student who will be examined. Students become eligible to register for Certification Examinations when their signed approval form for the 5504 Research Paper has been filed in the English Education Program office.
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 usually a 60 to 100-page document, which outlines a coherent account of the work a candidate wants to undertake for dissertation research, usually presenting drafts of early chapters for the dissertation. Typically a proposal includes an introductory chapter describing the origins and aims of the project, a fairly complete review of the literature, a chapter on research methods, and some preliminary data and data analysis. The dissertation proposal must be accepted at a formal or informal hearing where at least two faculty members function as examiners. Students may not undertake the dissertation proposal until both Certification Examinations have been completed successfully.
Dissertation
The doctoral dissertation is the culminating research project of the doctoral program and constitutes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of English Education. As candidates write their dissertations, they must enroll in A&HE 8904: Dissertation Advisement in Teaching English, which is designed to help them refine their thinking and revise their writing as they complete successive drafts of their dissertation.
The Advanced Seminar
What is known historically as the Advanced Seminar now functions as a pre-defense meeting of a portion (2-3 faculty members) of the Ed.D. candidate’s doctoral dissertation committee, which convenes to interrogate and advise the candidate on the dissertation in progress in order to ensure its successful completion. The committee may be convened at any point in a candidate’s progress toward completing the dissertation research, but is ordinarily convened for English education candidates at a point when the candidate can present a rough draft of the entire dissertation for scrutiny by the dissertation committee members. The committee is convened in response to a formal request filed with the Office of Doctoral Studies (ODS) by the candidate with the approval of the dissertation advisor. Candidates should consult the ODS early in the dissertation project to ensure that all procedural rules for convening the Advanced Seminar and reporting on its deliberations are properly observed.
Dissertation Defense
The dissertation defense offers the opportunity for members of the candidate’s dissertation committee, all of whom have carefully read the dissertation, to interrogate the candidate on any and all dimensions of the candidate’s research and the written dissertation that is the product of that research. In most cases the committee will suggest minor revisions that the candidate is expected to incorporate into the dissertation before filing the final version. A typical defense, however, is less an interrogation than it is a collegial discussion of the candidate’s research project and findings with attention to next steps in the candidate’s research agenda and possibilities for revising and publishing the dissertation or sections of it. A successful dissertation defense marks both a moment of certification and a ritual initiation. At the conclusion of a successful defense, authorized doctoral faculty officially certify a candidate’s accomplishment in completing a major research study that makes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of English education broadly defined and thereby welcome the doctoral candidate into the community of scholars.
Points/Credits: 90
Entry Terms: Summer/Fall
Degree Requirements
Doctor of Education in the College Teaching of English (Ed.D.C.T., 90 credits)
The degree of Doctor of Education in the College Teaching of English (Ed.D.C.T.) is designed to prepare candidates for positions as college and university faculty members and researchers in English, Rhetoric, and Composition departments, and as directors of academic support programs such as college and university writing centers and reading labs.
Required courses for ALL English Education/Teaching of English doctoral candidates:
A&HE 5504 Research Paper: Teaching of English
A&HE 5510 Seminar in Foundational Texts
A&HE 6504 Doctoral Seminar: Teaching of English
A&HE 7504 Dissertation Seminar: Teaching of English
A&HE 8904 Dissertation Advisement in the Teaching of English
A range of electives in literary, rhetorical, and cultural studies
Four research methods courses for a total of at least 12 credits. It is recommended that 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
Students in the Ed.D.C.T. program are required to take ALL of the above courses plus:
A&HE 6015 College Teaching of English
A&HE 6404 Internship in College Teaching of English (unless exempted by virtue of teaching experience).
Credit Requirements and Transfer Credits for the Ed.D.C.T. in English Education
The number of courses students must complete depends largely on the number of credits approved for transfer from previous graduate work. Students working toward an Ed.D.C.T. degree (90 credits) may transfer a maximum of 45 credits from other graduate work at TC, and will thus complete at least 45 credits while in the Ed.D.C.T. English program. Approval of transfer credits is always at the discretion of the advisor.
Coursework Restrictions
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.C.T. aside from A&HE 6504 and A&HE 7504.
Students must consult their academic advisors when they undertake an independent study, an internship, fieldwork courses, or graduate courses in other colleges (usually GSAS) of Columbia University or at other universities within the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium.
Doctoral students are generally discouraged from taking 4000-level courses and must consult with their academic advisors before registering for these courses.
Candidates should take a minimum of two courses outside the English Education Program (Courses not designated A&HE).
Doctoral Program Milestones Program Plan
During their first year of study, students in consultation with their advisor should complete, and file withthe Office of Doctoral Studies, a program plan (the forms are available in the English Education office and in the Office of Doctoral Studies) anticipating all the courses they will need to complete within the scope of their doctoral studies. This program plan should then be reviewed annually with the student’s advisor (and revised as necessary) giving student and advisor an annual measure of the student’s progress through the program.
A&HE 5504: Research Paper: Teaching of English
Before enrolling in A&HE 5504, doctoral students must have passed their first Certification Examination, completed at least two research methods courses, have discovered an area or problem of interest that they wish to study for their 5504 project, and have familiarized themselves with some of the available research literature on the topic or problem they propose to investigate. The research paper completed in A&HE 5504 allows a doctoral student to demonstrate the capacity to complete independent research and produce a research paper at a level of sophistication that promises success in undertaking a doctoral research project and doctoral dissertation. The completed A&HE 5504 research paper must therefore be approved by two faculty members as qualifying the student to proceed to the next milestone in the doctoral program, the Certification Examinations.
Certification Examinations
Certification examinations certify a student’s expertise in the foundational texts, research traditions, and theoretical perspectives that represent the history of English Education as an academic discipline and that inform research in the more specialized field of study defined by a student’s anticipated dissertation project. Doctoral students in English Education must pass two separate certification examinations. Examination 1 is a take-home examination, seven days in duration, covering the history of English education with a focus on one of the major curricular strands within the discipline. Examination 2, covering a specialized disciplinary area related to the student’s dissertation topic, is a take-home written examination to be completed within a time frame (up to one semester) set by the student’s faculty advisor. The topics and texts to be covered by the two examinations and the examination questions are determined by each student’s advisor in consultation with the student who will be examined. Students become eligible to register for Certification Examinations when their signed approval form for the 5504 Research Paper has been filed in the English Education Program office.
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 usually a 60 to 100-page document, which outlines a coherent account of the work a candidate wants to undertake for dissertation research, usually presenting drafts of early chapters for the dissertation. Typically a proposal includes an introductory chapter describing the origins and aims of the project, a fairly complete review of the literature, a chapter on research methods, and some preliminary data and data analysis. The dissertation proposal must be accepted at a formal or informal hearing where at least two faculty members function as examiners. Students may not undertake the dissertation proposal until both Certification exams have been completed successfully.
Dissertation
The doctoral dissertation is the culminating research project of the doctoral program and constitutes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of English Education. As candidates write their dissertations, they must enroll in A&HE 8904: Dissertation Advisement in Teaching English, which is designed to help them refine their thinking and revise their writing as they complete successive drafts of their dissertation.
The Advanced Seminar
What is known historically as the Advanced Seminar now functions as a pre- defense meeting of a portion (2-3 faculty members) of the Ed.D.CT. candidate’s doctoral dissertation committee, which convenes to interrogate and advise the candidate on the dissertation in progress in order to ensure its successful completion. The committee may be convened at any point in a candidate’s progress toward completing the dissertation research, but is ordinarily convened for English education candidates at a point when the candidate can present a rough draft of the entire dissertation for scrutiny by the dissertation committee members. The committee is convened in response to a formal request filed with the Office of Doctoral Studies (ODS) by the candidate with the approval of the dissertation advisor. Candidates should consult the ODS early in the dissertation project to ensure that all procedural rules for convening the Advanced Seminar and reporting on its deliberations are properly observed.
The Dissertation Defense
The dissertation defense offers the opportunity for members of the candidate’s dissertation committee, all of whom have carefully read the dissertation, to interrogate the candidate on any and all dimensions of the candidate’s research and the written dissertation that is the product of that research. In most cases the committee will suggest minor revisions that the candidate is expected to incorporate into the dissertation before filing the final version. A typical defense, however, is less an interrogation than it is a collegial discussion of the candidate’s research project and findings with attention to next steps in the candidate’s research agenda and possibilities for revising and publishing the dissertation or sections of it. A successful dissertation defense marks both a moment of certification and a ritual initiation. At the conclusion of a successful defense, authorized doctoral faculty officially certify a candidate’s accomplishment in completing a major research study that makes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of English education broadly defined and thereby welcome the doctoral candidate into the community of scholars.
Points/Credits: 75
Entry Terms: Summer/Fall
Degree Requirements
Doctor of Philosophy in English Ed
The Doctor of Philosophy (75 credits) degree is designed to prepare candidates for positions in higher education as teachers and researchers whose scholarly activity is focused on the theoretical, philosophical, and pedagogical questions that define English education as a discipline for teaching and inquiry.
Required courses for ALL English Education/Teaching of English doctoral candidates:
A&HE 5510 Seminar in Foundational Texts 1
A&HE 5504 Research Paper: Teaching of English (co-requisite with A&HE 5149)A&HE 5149 Writing Research: Methods and Assumptions (co-requisite with A&HE 5504)
A&HE 6504 Doctoral Seminar: Teaching of English
A&HE 7504 Dissertation Seminar: Teaching of English
A&HE 8904 Dissertation Advisement in the Teaching of English
A range of electives in literary and rhetorical studies
Four research methods courses for a total of at least 12 credits. It is recommended that candidates include at least two of the following:
A&HE 5150 Research in Practice
A&HE 5160 Qualitative Methodologies & Theoretical Frameworks
A&HE 6151 Narrative Research in English Education
A&HE 6152 Advanced Narrative Research in English Education
Students may also satisfy the requirement for research methods courses by completing approved courses in other programs and departments across the College.
Credit Requirements and Transfer Credits for the Ph.D. in English Education
The number of courses students take depends in part on the number of credits students transfer from previous graduate work at Teachers College. Students working toward the Ph.D. degree (75 credits) may transfer a maximum of 30 credits and will thus complete at least 45 credits while in the Ph.D. program. Approval of transfer of credits is always at the discretion of the advisor.
Coursework Restrictions
An academic advisor must approve all coursework in a student’s program plan, especially to ensure enforcement of the following College and Departmental policies:
No course that is “R” (attendance) credit or that is “P” (pass/fail) may be counted toward the Ph.D. aside from A&HE 6504 and A&HE 7504.
Students must consult their academic advisors when they undertake an independent study, an internship, fieldwork courses, or graduate courses in other colleges (usually GSAS) of Columbia University or at other universities within the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium.
Doctoral students are generally discouraged from taking 4000-level courses and must consult with their academic advisors before registering for these courses.
Candidates should take a minimum of two courses outside the English Education Program (Courses not designated A&HE).
Doctoral Program Milestones Program Plan
During their first year of study, students in consultation with their advisor should complete, and file with the Office of Doctoral Studies, a program plan (the forms are available in the English education office and in the Office of Doctoral Studies) anticipating all the courses they will need to complete within the scope of their doctoral studies. This program plan should then be reviewed annually with the student’s advisor (and revised as necessary) giving student and advisor an annual measure of the student’s progress through the program
A&HE 5504: Research Paper in the Teaching of English
Before enrolling in A&HE 5504, students must have completed at least two research methods courses, have successfully completed the Certification 1 Examination, have discovered an area or problem of interest that they wish to study for their 5504 project, and have familiarized themselves with some of the available research literature on the topic or problem they propose to investigate. The research paper completed in A&HE 5504 allows a doctoral student to demonstrate the capacity to complete independent research and produce a research paper at a level of sophistication that promises success in undertaking a doctoral research project and doctoral dissertation. The completed A&HE 5504 research paper must be approved by faculty as qualifying the student to proceed to the next milestone in the doctoral program, the Certification 2 Examination.
Certification Examinations
Certification examinations certify a student’s expertise in the foundational texts, research traditions, and theoretical perspectives that represent the history of English Education as an academic discipline and that inform research in the more specialized field of study defined by a student’s anticipated dissertation project. Doctoral students in the English Education Program must pass two separate certification examinations. Examination 1 is a take-home examination, seven days in duration, covering the history of English education with a focus on one of the major curricular strands within the discipline. Examination 2, covering a specialized disciplinary area related to the student’s dissertation topic, is a take-home written examination to be completed within a time frame (up to one semester) set by the student’s faculty advisor. The topics and texts to be covered by the two examinations and the examination questions are determined by each student’s advisor in consultation with the student who will be examined.
Foreign Language Requirement
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree in English education must demonstrate reading proficiency in at least one foreign language at a level of competence sufficient to read scholarly or professional work relevant to their own field of study. Students should contact the Office of Doctoral Studies for the current policy regarding satisfying this requirement. Courses in statistics or other past substitutes for a foreign language will not be accepted.
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 usually a 60 to 100-page document, which outlines a coherent account of the work a candidate wants to undertake for dissertation research, usually presenting drafts of early chapters for the dissertation. Typically a proposal includes an introductory chapter describing the origins and aims of the project, a fairly complete review of the literature, a chapter on research methods, and some preliminary data and data analysis. The dissertation proposal must be accepted at a formal or informal hearing where at least two faculty members function as examiners. Students may not undertake the dissertation proposal until both certification exams have been completed successfully.
Award of the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree
Students become eligible to apply for the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree upon completing 75 credits of coursework and fulfilling each of the previous doctoral program milestones. Upon being awarded the M.Phil. degree, doctoral students become “candidates” for the Ph.D. degree. Applications for the M.Phil. degree can be filed with the Office of Doctoral Studies.
Dissertation
The doctoral dissertation is the culminating research project of the doctoral program and constitutes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of English Education. As candidates write their dissertations, they must enroll in A&HE 8904: Dissertation Advisement in Teaching English, which is designed to help them refine their thinking and revise their writing as they complete successive drafts of their dissertation.
The Advanced Seminar
What is known historically as the Advanced Seminar now functions as a pre-defense meeting of a portion (2-3 faculty members) of the Ph.D. candidate’s doctoral dissertation committee, which convenes to interrogate and advise the candidate on the dissertation in progress in order to ensure its successful completion. The committee may be convened at any point in a candidate’s progress toward completing the dissertation research, but is ordinarily convened for English education candidates at a point when the candidate can present a rough draft of the entire dissertation for scrutiny by the dissertation committee members. The committee is convened in response to a formal request filed with the Office of Doctoral Studies (ODS) by the candidate with the approval of the dissertation advisor. Candidates should consult the ODS early in the dissertation project to ensure that all procedural rules for convening the Advanced Seminar and reporting on its deliberations are properly observed.
Dissertation Defense
The dissertation defense offers the opportunity for members of the candidate’s dissertation committee, all of whom have carefully read the dissertation, to interrogate the candidate on any and all dimensions of the candidate’s research and the written dissertation that is the product of that research. In most cases the committee will suggest minor revisions that the candidate is expected to incorporate into the dissertation before filing the final version. A typical defense, however, is less an interrogation than it is a collegial discussion of the candidate’s research project and findings with attention to next steps in the candidate’s research agenda and possibilities for revising and publishing the dissertation or sections of it. A successful dissertation defense marks both a moment of certification and a ritual initiation. At the conclusion of a successful defense, authorized doctoral faculty officially certify a candidate’s accomplishment in completing a major research study that makes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of English education broadly defined, and thereby welcome the doctoral candidate into the community of scholars.