Social Studies Education

Doctoral Program

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.

Program Details

Semester Start: Fall

Deadline to Apply: December 1

GRE Required? No

Location: On Campus

Schedule: Flexible

Length of Program: 60 months, 60 hours 

Photo of faculty member Anthony L Brown
Professor

Focuses on historical and contemporary issues and discourses concerning African American students in schools and society.

Photo of faculty member Katherina A Payne
Associate Professor

Researches civic education, early childhood/elementary education, and teacher education to examine the role of relationships, community, and justice to make classrooms democratic and equitable spaces.

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...

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:

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 

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.

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.

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.

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 Katherine Payne

Program Area Coordinator, Advisor
Katherina Payne



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