Social Studies Education

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

The Social Studies Education Graduate Program at The University of Texas at Austin offers a program leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Social Studies Education. This program provides coursework leading to an advanced degree for individuals who are interested in social studies teaching, service, research, and/or leadership.

Individuals who seek a degree in social studies education have the opportunity to develop a rich theoretical background and acquire research skills related to the teaching and learning of social studies. Many of our alumni go on to be teacher educators, professors at notable institutions, and administrators in education.

Faculty

General Requirements (Minimum 21 hours)

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

To be taken in sequence:

Step 1 (3 hours)

EDC 381R Introduction to Systems of Human Inquiry

Step 2 (6 hours in any order)

EDC 385R Introduction to Quantitative Research
EDC 386R Introduction to Qualitative Research

Step 3 (3 hours, one course topic from either category or an advisor-approved advanced research course)

EDC 387R Advanced Quantitative Research
OR
EDC 388R Advanced Qualitative Research

Directed Research (Minimum 12 hours)

EDC 396T Directed Research in Curriculum & Instruction (6 hours minimum)

Two additional courses that include a substantial research component approved by the advisor.

Please Note: EDC 396T can be taken more than once for credit.

Specialization Requirements (Minimum 15 hours)

Students with an emphasis on Social Studies Education will take additional related courses (15 hours), selected with the assistance and approval of the area program advisor. To help meet their personal career goals, students are encouraged to select courses from other clusters in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

Among the courses that might be selected to fulfill this requirement are the following:

EDC 382E Teaching Elementary School Subject- Social Studies
EDC 382S Teaching Secondary School Subjects: Social Studies
EDC 385G Current Issues Teaching the Social Studies
EDC 385G History of the Social Studies
EDC 390T Humanities and Literacy in Social Education
EDC 390T Improving Social Studies Education
EDC 390T Institutes in Instruction: Critical Issues in Social Education
EDC 396 Seminar: Social Studies Education
EDC 384: Research in Elementary Social Studies
EDC 385G: Perspectives on Democratic and Citizenship Education
EDC382E: Social Studies Education: Issues and Research in the Field

Other courses may satisfy the specialization requirement with the permission of the program advisor.

Courses Outside the Department (Minimum 6 hours)

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 towards total hours). Students may also choose courses from other departments within the College of Education including:

Or from another college with the University of Texas at Austin.

Dissertation (Minimum 6 hours)

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.

Additional Resources

At a Glance

Program Starts: Fall

Deadline to Apply:
December 31

Credit Hours Required: 60

Schedule: Flexible

Program Location: On Campus

GRE Required? No