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University of Wyoming

Doctoral Studies

The College of Education offers three doctoral degrees: PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, college-wide PhD in Education and college-wide EdD in Education.

College-wide doctoral degrees

College-wide doctoral degrees (PhD in Education and EdD in Education) have been awarded since the early 1990s.  However, boundaries between the degree options blurred over the years, challenging faculty and students alike when the time came to find the right fit for the latter’s scholarly and career goals.
When a faculty study group examined the college’s graduate programs in summer 2002, its recommendations began a multi-year exploration that led to the recent changes and clarification of purposes.

PhD in Education

Adjustments to the PhD program were based on the assumption that recipients would be preparing to assume tenure track positions at a university and that their professional responsibilities would focus heavily on teaching and research. To better prepare doctoral students for that career path, two primary changes were made to the college’s program: Scholarly interests of new PhD students would be matched with faculty expertise and research agendas, facilitating mentorship opportunities and engaging students in high-impact academic experiences throughout their programs.

Students in the PhD program would be required to meet a four-semester residency component, to provide opportunities for immersion in the college community and focus on their scholarly efforts.

The college instituted a new selection process in January, 2006 when the first group of applications for the revised program were received. Under the new process, a faculty committee screens applicants and examines for two criteria: evidence that the applicant can succeed in a doctoral program and potential fit to faculty research expertise.

“The assumption for that degree is that the applicant would align themselves with the research interests of someone in the college,” Day explains.

Applications that pass the committee screening are then referred to the appropriate department to determine if a good match to a faculty mentor can be made within the academic unit. Successful applications are then recommended for admission to the UW Graduate School.

Doctoral programs in counselor education are excluded under the revised program: degrees are awarded with that departmental designation to meet credentialing requirements of its accrediting and professional organizations.

EdD in Education

Focus of the college’s EdD degree was sharpened to better represent another need: preparing working professionals for leadership in their chosen career fields. Decisions about admissions are made at the departmental level, with each unit having greater latitude to tailor the program and the selection process to the varied professional requirements.

A key difference between the PhD and the EdD is the latter’s lack of a residency requirement. It does, however include a new “professional immersion experience” component – e.g., a practicum, internship, or special problems course – and the expectation that the student participate in some campus-based experiences during his/her program. Another key difference is the problem-based, applied nature of the EdD dissertation. Graduate students pursuing an EdD will focus on research questions and projects that address issues encountered in their respective disciplines.