Doctoral Degree

Doctoral Degree Program

Candidates for the doctoral degree in CI ED must exhibit high research competence, including the ability to identify, conceptualize, and execute a significant research project that clearly adds to the body of knowledge in the field.

Doctoral students should apply for the CI ED dual-title degree program prior to achieving candidacy in their major program. Candidacy requirements may vary across programs, and students are expected to apply for candidacy in their major program after acquiring at least 18 course credits. At or prior to the time of their application for candidacy, students seeking a dual-title degree in CI ED must invite a CI ED faculty member (either their assigned CI ED advisor or a CI ED faculty member within their major program) to participate in and sign off on their candidacy process.

Students and advisors should maintain the CI ED Doctoral Degree Plan of Study (Appendix F of the CI ED Handbook), which must be submitted to the CI ED program office before the student schedules the comprehensive examination. Students who choose the doctoral dual-title degree in CI ED should:

• Complete a minimum of 27 CI ED credits with study in the following curriculum categories:

  • 3 credits, CI ED Proseminar

  • 6 credits, advanced comparative and international education content courses

  • 12 credits, advanced or focused comparative and international education content (elective) courses (elective courses may double-count)

  • 6 credits, research methods (qualitative or quantitative).

  A minimum of 18 of the 27 credits must be from 500-level courses. Some courses may satisfy both the graduate major program requirements and those of the CI ED program. Final course selection is determined by the students in consultation with their CI ED advisors and their major program advisors. Students who already hold a master's degree from another institution may petition to have equivalent course credits accepted.

• Be fluent in reading, writing, and speaking English, and they must have competency in reading a language other than English, preferably a language relevant to a country or geographic area they propose to study. Where appropriate, the foreign language requirement can be satisfied by passing the ETS Language Achievement Test or by passing a Penn State foreign language course.

• Complete a comprehensive examination in their home departments that follows the guidelines established by the home department. A separate comprehensive examination is not required for the CI ED program, but the CI ED representative on a student's doctoral committee will have input into the development of the comprehensive examination.

• Write and orally defend a thesis on a topic related to comparative and international education. The doctoral committee of a dual-title degree student is recommended, in conjunction with the CI ED committee, by the graduate major program. The chair and at least three members of a doctoral committee must be members of the Graduate Faculty, and the committee must include at least one representative from the CI ED faculty. The chair of the committee may not be the sole CIED representative on the committee; he or she must represent the major program and therefore cannot also represent CI ED. If the chair is a CI ED faculty member, the CIED representative may be any other member of the committee, including a co-chair. If the chair is not a CI ED faculty member, the CI ED representative must be the co-chair of the committee. The CI ED Doctoral Committee form (Appendix H) must be submitted to the CI ED program office before the student schedules the comprehensive examination.

Doctoral Minor

Doctoral students who find it advantageous to include CI ED content, methods, and policy analysis in their program of study may complete a minor in CI ED. Students who choose the CI ED doctoral minor should:

• Complete a minimum of 15 CI ED credits with study in the following curriculum categories:

• 3 credits, CI ED Proseminar

• 6 credits, advanced comparative and international education content courses

• 6 credits, advanced or focused comparative and international education content courses.

• Submit the completed CI ED Doctoral Minor Plan of Study (Appendix G of the CI ED Handbook), along with an unofficial Penn State transcript (available through eLion), to the CI ED program office for review by the program chair.

• Include a CI ED representative on the doctoral committee in the role of “Minor Field Member.” The chair may not be the sole CI ED representative on the doctoral committee; he or she must represent the major program and therefore cannot also represent CI ED. If the chair is a CI ED faculty member, the student must select another CI ED faculty member to be the minor field member. Indicate on Appendix G which CI ED faculty member has agreed to serve as the minor field member.