Doctor of Philosophy in Science Education: Physics (SCPD)

Advisors:
Brandy Ann-Skjold Pleasants, MISE Director
Room 3245, Wood Hall

Kirk Korista, Graduate Advisor, Physics
Room 1135, Everett Tower

The Doctor of Philosophy in Science Education: Physics is designed for students who wish to obtain a strong background in physics and to pursue research in physics education. The program is offered cooperatively by the Mallinson Institute for Science Education and the Department of Physics.

Admission Requirements
The minimum admission requirements to this degree program are a master’s degree in physics or concurrent enrollment in a master’s degree program in physics.

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 advisors 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 in physics. They may have completed the master’s degree in physics prior to beginning the doctoral program or while concurrently enrolled in the doctoral program.

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 and physics education faculty at the Physics Department. 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.