Doctor of Philosophy in Science Education: Physical Geography (SPGD)

Advisors:
Charles Henderson, MISE Director
Room 3245, Wood Hall

Lei Meng, Graduate Advisor, School of Environment, Geography, and Sustainability
Room 3240, Wood Hall

The Doctor of Philosophy in Science Education: Physical Geography is designed for students who wish to obtain a strong background in physical geography and to pursue research in physical geography education. The program is offered cooperatively by the Institute for Science Education and the School of Environment, Geography, and Sustainability.

Admission Requirements
The minimum admission requirements to this degree program are a master’s degree or concurrent enrollment in a master’s degree program with a concentration on physical geography.

Program Requirements

The program consists of forty-five semester hours of graduate work beyond course work counted toward a master’s degree. Each student’s program is planned in consultation with the advisor and consists of the following:

1. Twenty-four semester hours of science education consisting of:

SCI 6510 - Core 1: Introduction to the History, Philosophy and Sociology of Science Credits: 3 hours
SCI 6520 - Core 2: Learning theory and instructional models in science education Credits: 3 hours
SCI 6530 - Core 3: Contemporary Research Areas in Science Education Credits: 3 hours
SCI 6540 - Core 4: Theory and Practice of College Science Teaching Credits: 3 hours
SCI 6170 - Science Education: Early Research I Credits: 3 hours
SCI 6171 - Science Education: Early Research II Credits: 3 hours
SCI 6200 - Topics in Science Education Credits: 1 to 3 hours (take three times; 1 hour each; 3 hours total)
SCI 6400 - Science Education Research Experience Credits: 1 hour (take three times; 1 hour each; 3 hours total)

2. Nine semester hours of research tools and design

To include a semester each in quantitative and qualitative research methods.

3. Twelve semester hours of dissertation

SCI 7300 - Doctoral Dissertation Credits: 1 to 15 hours (12 hours required)

Additional Program Requirements

Candidates must have completed a master’s degree with a concentration in physical geography comprised of a program of study comparable to the master’s level program with a concentration in physical geography at the WMU Department of Geography.

Advancement to candidacy for the doctoral degree requires the following:

Take the following core courses: SCI 6510, 6520, 6530, 6540, and earning an overall GPA with respect to these courses alone of 3.25 or better, and at least a B in each individual course. Each course can be taken one additional time to improve GPA, if needed.
Early research requirement culminating in a paper to be:

Presented at a MISE symposium and at a MISE approved conference;
Reviewed and approved by MISE faculty before or after presentations (can be re-submitted one time with revisions if needed), and
Submitted to an approved journal for publication review.

Dissertation Proposal

Upon successful completion of 2, the student’s dissertation committee is officially formed.
Student develops dissertation research proposal, which must be approved by the student’s dissertation committee;
Student presents dissertation research proposal at a MISE symposium. MISE faculty to provide comments and suggest revisions;
Proposal must be approved by the student’s dissertation committee (can be re-submitted one time with revisions).

The research and dissertation are completed under the direction of a major advisor and a Doctoral Advisory Committee. The Major advisor and dissertation committee members are chosen by the Institute director in consultation with the student, Institute faculty and Geography Department faculty. The research problem is formulated by the student and must be approved by the Committee. Dissertation Committees and topics are subject to the approval of the deans of the College of Arts and Sciences and The Graduate College.

To be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree the student must have satisfactorily completed the above requirements in addition to the other candidacy requirements of doctoral programs in The Graduate College.