Cognition and Instruction: Doctoral Program
Purpose and Basic Requirements
The Ph.D. program is structured to prepare the professional whose primary interests involve learning, teaching and research. While the Graduate School sets minimum credit requirements for the Ph.D., the typical doctoral plan includes about 90 credits of course work beyond the bachelors degree, which includes at least 15 credits of GRAD 495 (Dissertation Research). For more
detailed information on Ph.D. degree requirements, please refer to the Graduate Catalog.
A complete description of the Cognition and Instruction Ph.D. program is provided in PDF format in the Doctoral Degree Program Overview. An abridged version of the information in this document is provided below.
Prerequisites
General prerequisites for Ph.D. study include undergraduate preparation in psychology, education, or related disciplines. Any additional training and experience in Special Education, Anthropology, Sociology, or Human Development is desirable, but not mandatory. Multiple admissions criteria employed in the selection of students include Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, undergraduate or previous graduate course performance, letters of recommendation, previous relevant work experience, and, when possible, personal interview data.
General Program Structure
Each student upon formal admission to the Ph.D. program in Cognition and Instruction is assigned a major advisor who will guide the student in developing the plan of study. During the second semester of the program, the student selects an advisory committee chairperson and two committee members to advise and direct the student’s course of study.
Students are evaluated with a variety of methods throughout the program. In addition to formal evaluations such as course grades, the faculty may evaluate the student’s progress through research projects. An annual faculty review of the student’s progress is conducted. In order to continue on the program, students must make satisfactory progress through the program. Finally, the Cognition and Instruction Program has adopted a portfolio system to monitor each student’s academic and professional development. The next section provides more information about our portfolio system.
Although the Cognition and Instruction Ph.D. program is designed to encourage full-time graduate study, several students work part-time in the community. In most cases, these part-time positions are related to the student’s graduate program and consequently may even enhance the student’s skills, professional maturity, and overall educational goals. The Department of Educational Psychology has a limited number of graduate assistantships and fellowships for Cognition and Instruction Ph.D. students.
Portfolio Requirements and Comprehensive Exam
The Comprehensive Examination for Cognition and Instruction consists of a portfolio assessment in the areas covered in core Cognition and Instruction courses and representative of each student's program. Students will submit an independently designed portfolio consisting of their best research work, comprehensively representing their breadth and depth of knowledge and research capabilities acquired through their program of study at the University of Connecticut. The comprehensive examination process culminates in an oral examination arranged by the student's advisory committee.
The ''Advisory Committee" must be formed in compliance with Graduate School guidelines that the committee to have at least 3 members, including a chair from the Cognition and Instruction program and at least one associate advisor from the Department of Educational Psychology, in which the degree is awarded, but not necessarily from the Cognition and Instruction program. The Advisory Committee is responsible for administering and overseeing the comprehensive examination process and, with the assistance of two outside readers, is responsible for evaluation of all components including the oral examination. The major advisor chooses the two outside readers; distribution of labor on evaluating the components is at the discretion of the advisory committee.
The portfolio will consist of a minimum of seven components, and is expected to be completed by the first semester following completion of Cognition and Instruction core coursework, and within the guidelines set by the graduate school. Your major adviser will be able to assist you and offer additional guidance as you prepare your portfolio. Items 5, 6, and 7 must be completed within the same semester, Fall, Spring, or Summer (sessions 1 and 2 combined). Two readers in addition to the advisory committee will be selected by the major advisor at the beginning of the semester in which items 5,6 and 7 are to be completed. The readers will be required to evaluate all portfolio components and submit written feedback to the major advisor by the completion of the oral.
Portfolio Components
- Curriculum Vita
- Philosophy and Pedagogy Statement
- Research Papers/Presentations
- Statistics Component
- Syllabus Response
- Article Analysis
- One-Hour Oral Examination
A complete description of the components of the comprehensive exam is provided in PDF format in the Comprehensive Exam for Cognition and Instruction.
Sample portfolios can be viewed using the following links:
Program Philosophy and Goals
The faculty is committed to a learning environment that stresses a well-organized and explicit curriculum with clear expectations. However, there is also a strong commitment to informal student-faculty interaction that further encourages the student’s professional development and identification with the field. In addition, the program is designed to acquaint students with the diversity of theories and practices within the field of Cognition and Instruction, allowing the student sufficient intellectual freedom to experiment with different instructional delivery systems and various theoretical bases. The atmosphere is intended to enhance student-faculty interaction, critical debate, and respect for theoretical diversity of practice, leading to an intense and exciting learning experience. Such a philosophy encourages and reinforces creativity and intellectual risk-taking that are fundamental in the student’s further development in Cognition and Instruction.
I. Personal Characteristics. Students’ professional activities are expected to conform to the ethical standards outlined by the American Psychological Association (APA); and in addition, students’ professional activities are to be characterized by:
- An appreciation of diversity and commitment to service that respects the worth, uniqueness, and potential for growth and development of all individuals.
- Ethical behavior including respect for copyright and confidentiality.
- The ability to work independently and collaboratively.
- Communication skills in writing, speaking, and multimedia formats.
- Commitment to life-long learning and continuing professional growth.
II. Academic Knowledge. Students are expected to be knowledgeable and possess in-depth understanding of the following core content areas:
- Motivation
- Cognitive Processes
- Social Cognition
- Human Development
- Instructional Design
- Intelligence
- Behavior Analysis
- History of Learning
- Research Methodology
- Learning Technology
|
