Bilingual/Bicultural Education

Doctoral Program

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is a research-oriented degree program designed for individuals who intend to work mainly in primary research in the fields of Bilingual/Bicultural Education, Language Policy and Education, or Biliteracy. This program prepares graduate students in research design and interpretation. Graduate student research contributes to knowledge of bilingual education theories, concepts and practice.

BBE Program alumni currently serve in roles such as college or university faculty members, researchers in federal and state government, and research consultants and directors of private foundations and non-profit organizations.

Program Details

Semester Start: Fall

Deadline to Apply: December 1

GRE Required? No

Location: On Campus

Schedule: Flexible

Length of Program: 60 months, 63 hours 

Photo of faculty member Paty  Abril-Gonzalez
Assistant Professor

Studies long-term relationships with Latinx bilingual students and teachers using arts-based biliteracy approaches to affirm and amplify silenced perspectives, build connections, and develop bilingualism and biculturalism.

Photo of faculty member Doris L Baker
Associate Professor

Develops and evaluates interventions and assessments using technology to support the academic success of Latinx students and other students whose home language is not English.

Photo of faculty member Sylvia  Celedón-Pattichis
Professor

Focuses on language and cultural influences on teaching and learning mathematics, particularly equity issues involving Latinx students’ mathematical thinking, the simultaneous learning of English as a second language and math and preparing teachers ...

Photo of faculty member Stella M Flores
Associate Professor

Examines the effects of state and federal policies on college access and completion outcomes for low-income and underrepresented populations including immigrant and English Learner students.

Photo of faculty member Maria E Franquiz
Professor

Examines ethnographic language and literacy practices in K-12 classrooms, specifically focusing on how Latinx critical race theory explains the relationship between heritage language and culture and the evolving identities of future teachers.

Photo of faculty member Nora A Luna
Assistant Professor of Practice

Interests also include critical race theory specifically Latinx critical race theory and multigenerational subtractive schooling experienced by a marginalized majority.

Photo of faculty member Desiree  Pallais-Downing
Assistant Professor of Instruction-CURR

Examines the contributions of strengths-based approaches in literacy instruction with Spanish-speaking bilingual teacher candidates and in-service teachers in the U.S. and in Latin America. 

Photo of faculty member Haydee M Rodriguez
Clinical Assistant Professor

Prepares students to become educators in bilingual and ESL education and mentors novice bilingual educators.

Photo of faculty member Cinthia S Salinas
Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusive Excellence, College of Education

Dr. Salinas is a member of the Social Studies Education program area and is an affiliate faculty member in the Bilingual/Bicultural and the Cultural Studies in Education program areas. Her focus in the social studies includes critical historical inqu...

Photo of faculty member Sandra M Springer
Assistant Professor of Practice

Applicants must provide a supplemental writing sample written in Spanish to be uploaded as a “Miscellaneous Admissions Document.” The writing sample should describe your cross-cultural and/or cross-linguistic experiences.  You also should demonstrate competency with the language and content of the essay and show that you have made efforts to cross borders by working, traveling, or otherwise have lived in situations that required a multiplicity of cultural competencies.

Foundation Requirements (9 hours required)

  • EDC 380F  Sociocultural Foundations
  • EDC 381F  Introduction to Teaching and Teacher Education
  • EDC 383F  Curriculum Theory

Research Methodology Requirements (12 hours minimum)

To be taken in sequence:

  1. EDC 381R  Intro to Systems of Human Inquiry
  2. The following two courses (6 hours):
    • EDC 385R  Introduction To Quantitative Research (may be taken concurrent with EDC 381R)
    • EDC 386R  Introduction To Qualitative Research (requires EDC 381R as a prerequisite)
  3. One course (3 hours, one course topic from either category or an adviser approved advanced research course) from the following:
    • EDC 387R  Advanced Quantitative Research
    • EDC 388R  Advanced Qualitative Research
  • EDC 396T*  Directed Research in Curriculum and Instruction (6 hours)

NoteEDC 396T can be taken more than once for credit. 6 additional hours of coursework involving a substantial directed research component, This may include additional EDC 396Ts.

Students with an emphasis on Bilingual/Bicultural Education will take additional related courses, selected with the assistance and approval of the area program adviser. To help meet their personal goals, students are encouraged to select courses from other clusters in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

A. Required (12 hours):
EDC 385G Second Language Acquisition
EDC 385G Biliteracy and New Literacy Studies
EDC 385G Language Policy and Education: Global Perspectives and Local Implications
EDC 385G Immigration Theory in Education

B. Electives (6 hours):
Students select courses, such as those listed below, according to individual interests and needs and in consultation with their advisor:

EDC 390T Foundations of Bilingual Education
EDC 382E Critical Pedagogy in Bilingual Bicultural Education
EDC 385G Evaluation of Language Education
EDC 385G Biliteracy and Computer-Mediated Learning
EDC 385G Dual Language Education: Current Trends and Issues
EDC 385G Language Acquisition and Assessment for Multicultural Special Education
EDC 385G Teaching Culture
EDC 385G Language and Politics in Language Planning
EDC 385G Literacy and Culture
EDC 385G Social/Cultural/Political Context Language Learning

EDC 384P Equity/Pol/in Math/Sci/Tech Education
EDC 385G Multicultural Curriculum and Teaching
EDC 385G Cultural Knowledge of Teachers and Teaching
EDC 385G Identity and Agency in Education
EDC 385G Anthropology of Education

Coursework from sections, General Requirements, Directed Research, and Special Requirements, may fulfill this requirement (thus hours in this section may already be counted as credit toward total hours).

Students are encouraged to seek out courses that relate to Bilingual/Bicultural Education and their own research interests in such areas as: Mexican American Studies, African American Studies, Asian Studies, Middle Eastern Studies; Communication, Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies, Early Childhood Education, Educational Administration, Educational Psychology, English Literature, Health Education, Latin American Studies, Law, IT/Technology, Linguistics, Language and Literacy, Spanish Literature, Science/Math Education, Social Work, Special Education, Women’s / Gender Studies.

Students are required to continuously register for at least three credits of dissertation once they have advanced to candidacy

You must register in X99W (399, 699 or 999W) in each semester of candidacy until you graduate.

Please Note: Students receiving fellowships, assistantships, or other financial aid, may be required to take 9 hours of dissertation credit each semester.

Photo of Maria Franquiz

Program Area Coordinator, Advisor
Maria Franquiz


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