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The University of British Columbia
- a place of mind
- Faculty of Education
- Department of Educational Studies
The PhD in Educational Studies is a research-oriented doctoral program for students interested in any of the study areas offered in the department. Students are required to take two first-year doctoral seminars and a second-year doctoral seminar. All other courses in a student’s program are determined in consultation with faculty. Students in the PhD program typically devote two years to coursework, and two to four years to developing and carrying out a research project designed to make an original contribution to knowledge in the study area. The university allows doctoral students up to six years to complete program requirements. There is no set number of credits required for PhD programs at UBC.
There are three required courses in the PhD program. The first doctoral seminar (EDST 601A) is designed to help beginning students become familiar with the department, policies and procedures related to doctoral studies, and for an examination of critical theoretical traditions and conceptual problems in the social sciences as applied to education.
The second doctoral seminar (EDST 601B) exposes students to positivist, interpretive, historical, and philosophical methods, and a deep understanding of current methodological issues and debates. The third doctoral seminar (EDST 602) integrates the learning from the first two seminars: helping students with their scholarly writing; and preparing for their comprehensive exams and thesis proposals. In both the fall and winter, an evening departmental colloquium is held that all doctoral students are expected to attend.
The colloquia involve broad-ranging discussions of issues related to research and scholarship and their implications for educational practice.
Students in the PhD program are expected to take courses in their specialization so that they are familiar with current theory and research. Courses are selected in consultation with an adviser or program advisory committee.
Courses in the student’s specialization should be completed in the first year of the program.
PhD students typically take additional courses to give them the breadth and depth of understanding of contemporary educational theories. Doctoral study is oriented toward the thesis research, but relevant coursework beyond the student’s specialization is recommended.
PhD students are expected to be familiar with the various methods used in contemporary educational research and to master the particular methods relative to their research. Developing proficiency in research methods normally requires enrolling in available courses and reading widely in the research methods literature. Before research proposals are approved, students are expected to demonstrate that they have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully carry out their research plan.
All students in the PhD program are required to successfully complete a comprehensive examination after their coursework and before they present their research proposal. The examination is prepared by the student’s program adviser or research supervisory committee. Details about the mechanics of the examination and the options in format of the examination can be obtained from advisers or the department’s Graduate Program Assistant.
The PhD thesis is an original piece of research in the student’s area of specialization. Students develop research proposals which must be approved by a research supervisory committee of a supervisor and at least two other committee members. Research supervisory committees provide direction to the student, read and critique drafts of the thesis, and participate in the final oral examination.
There is no residency requirement per se, but PhD students are expected to make steady progress through their coursework, comprehensive exams and thesis research. Current policies require PhD students to achieve candidacy by the end of their third year of study. Achieving candidacy involves completing all coursework, passing the comprehensive exam and having an approved research proposal.
For more information about this program, the department and admission procedures can be found at www.edst.educ.ubc.ca or by contacting
Department of Educational Studies
Faculty of Education
The University of British Columbia
2125 Main Mall Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4
Tel: 604.822.6647
Fax: 604.822.4244
Email: grad.edst@ubc.ca
or
Dr. André Mazawi, Chair, PhD Management Committee
Email: andre.mazawi@ubc.ca
Tel: 604.827.5537
