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Center of Pedagogy
Doctoral Program
Director: Dr. Ana Maria Villegas
Office: University Hall, Room 2116
Phone: (973) 655-7937
Email: villegasa@mail.montclair.edu
Program Administrator: Brenda Sheehan
Office: University Hall, Room 1166
Phone: (973) 655-7332
Email: sheehanbr@mail.montclair.edu
Philosophy for Children Specialization Advisor: Dr. Jeremy N. Price
Office: University Hall, Room 2129
Phone: (973) 655-7039
Email: pricej@mail.montclair.edu
Center of Pedagogy
Montclair State University's Center of Pedagogy is the first center of its kind in the nation. The Center coordinates and oversees all aspects of teacher education. Its mission is to promote the continuous development of all educators, new and experienced, field and university-based, through the simultaneous renewal of the schools and the education of educators. Policy-making and governance in the Center rest on the collaboration of the tripartite: faculty and administrators from the schools, the College of Education and Human Services, and faculty from arts and science. Our overarching goal is to support the abilities of current and new generations of students and teachers to engage actively and productively in democratic communities.
Doctor of Education Degree
Montclair State University's first doctoral program, the Ed.D. in Pedagogy, is designed for those who aspire to be models of teaching excellence, leaders among their colleagues and spokespersons for education. Although primarily designed for teachers who wish to remain in the classroom, it can meet the needs of educators with other career goals such as teaching in two-year colleges, working with state and federal departments of education, or serving as curriculum development specialists. This Ed.D. provides the highest level of expertise in teaching, leadership, and educational reform. The program also recognizes the indisputable role of teachers at all levels in renewing our educational system and the critical importance of P-16 education in the nation's quest for improving our social and political democracy.
Goals of the Ed.D. Program: The Ed.D. Program is designed to teach educators how best to implement new theories and practice understandings about teaching, learning, and the role of schools in our society.
We expect to prepare
educational
leaders who will:
- understand the epistemology of the specific disciplines and the relationships among school subjects;
- be fully knowledgeable about the public purposes of schooling in a democratic society;
- be effective researchers, capable of conducting significant, original, theoretically based research in order to explore solutions to difficult problems and pressing needs confronting American education;
- be masters of pedagogy, both general and subject-specific, that is discipline appropriate and nurturing;
- demonstrate advanced competence in the disciplines that are the bases for their teaching specialization;
- be masters of change theory, enabling students to become effective stewards of best practice in their school settings and the agents for change;
- understand both policy issues and the politics of policy in order to transcend local concerns and become effective spokespersons for systemic change;
- understand the concept of access to knowledge, including its moral implications;
- build sophisticated curriculum plans that lead to critical thinking and high levels of learning; and
- be able to plan effective educational experiences designed to promote good citizenship and democratic practice.
Vision: The Ed.D. is characterized by a strong theoretical base and a comprehensive perspective on the nature of schools, education in a democracy, and effective teaching and learning for social change. Four major themes give coherence to the program, and support both the purposes of schools and the professional needs of educators.
These themes closely correspond to the research agenda of the twenty-four university-school partnerships that form the National Network for Educational Renewal. They represent MSU's vision of educators' responsibilities:
- to provide access to knowledge for all students;
- to enculturate students into our multicultural political and social democracy;
- to create and sustain appropriate and nurturing pedagogy;
- to commit themselves to educational leadership based on stewardship of best practice.
Specialization Area: One area of specialization is offered to enable
educators to pursue a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, advanced degree as part-time, evening, and summer students:
Philosophy for Children: This program is designed for those who have a strong background in philosophy. The program will add both depth and breadth to both their subject matter and pedagogical knowledge. In addition, this specialization builds on and extends the understandings developed in the core courses, thereby carrying forward the major themes of the Ed.D. It includes the role of philosophy in reasoning, concept formation, and sound judgment. Philosophy-based children's literature is used to develop critical thinking, and develops skills in research methods in philosophy for children.
Admission Requirements
Initial admission status requires that students meet the minimum admissions criteria.
Prospective students must submit the following for consideration:
- A completed and signed application for doctoral study
- A personal essay describing their view of the relevance of doctoral education to their personal and professional development
- A statement discussing areas of potential research interest
- Transcripts of undergraduate and graduate work, (WES evaluation, if necessary)
- GRE scores; TOEFL scores if necessary
- Three letters of recommendation, including at least two from professional colleagues or college/university faculty who can attest to the candidate's potential for advanced study and research
- Application fee. In addition, the Ed.D. program also requires the following:
- Specialization in Philosophy for Children requires a Master's Degree in Philosophy,
Philosophy for Children or its equivalent
- A personal interview with a committee representing both the education core faculty and the specialization faculty
- Teaching experience is preferred.
Application: Applicants to the Ed.D. program must complete a self-managed application. "Self-managed" refers to the process by which the applicant gathers all required documentation and submits it in one packet to the University for review. Montclair State University requires applicants to collect and submit transcripts and letters of reference with the application in the envelope provided in the application package. International students should refer to the additional information included in the application packet. The application deadline is February 1st for U.S. residents. The international application deadline is November 15th to allow time to obtain a student visa. We encourage you to begin gathering the required admission documents (official transcripts, letters of recommendation, GRE scores, etc.) as soon as possible. These materials will be reviewed by an admissions committee composed of at least three faculty, representing both the core and specialization are
as, who will recommend candidates to initial admission status.
Either before or immediately following admission, students must complete any required examinations to assess competence and/or other prerequisite knowledge identified for the program. Examination results may require that students take courses beyond the standard requirements for the degree. In addition, faculty may recommend supplementary coursework for students selecting a particular specialization without sufficient undergraduate or master's preparation.
Degree Requirements: Students must complete a minimum of 60 credits beyond the master's degree,
including five core courses (15 credits), seven courses in an area of specialization (21 credits),
four courses of research (12 credits), and a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation advisement.
All work for the doctoral degree must be completed within ten (10) years from the date of the start of the program.
Candidacy for the Degree: The qualifying assessment for candidacy for the Ed.D. in Pedagogy degree will
be the development, presentation, and evaluation of a working portfolio that is organized around a set of
pedagogical goals selected in consultation with a doctoral advisor. It is designed to be tangible and authentic
evidence of the wide range of knowledge, dispositions, and skills that doctoral degree candidates should possess.
The portfolio is characterized by a systematic, reflective collection of selected artifacts that constitutes evidence
of learning, growth, and mastery in the essential dimensions of the doctoral program. All candidates will be required to present their portfolio for assessment in a forum designed for this purpose.
Students whose portfolios meet established criteria will then have their records reviewed
for advancement to candidacy. Successful candidates will then be able to complete their remaining coursework and the dissertation.
Dissertation: Once candidacy is established, students will be permitted to enroll in the dissertation
proposal seminar and form a dissertation committee.The dissertation must be original theoretically-based,
applied research that has the potential to contribute knowledge about the process of teaching, learning and
schooling. The research must include a focus on one or more of the core dimensions of the program or, the
candidate's area of specialization. It should demonstrate mastery of a body of existing literature and theory
and its application to an educational problem. The dissertation requirement is intended to provide candidates
with the opportunity to explore an important applied issue in a scholarly fashion and investigate the ways teaching and learning may benefit from that exploration.
General Information: A limited number of graduate assistantships and graduate scholarships are available. Applications for these are included in the application packet.
For general information and application:
Call: (973) 655-5147
(800) 331 9207
Fax: (973) 655-7869
Email: Graduate.School@Montclair.edu
For further information on the academic program:
Call: (973) 655-4262
Fax: (973) 655-7776
The application deadline is February 1st for U.S. residents and November 15th for international students.
Candidates meeting basic admissions criteria may be called for an in-person interview.
Candidates are encouraged to begin gathering the required admission documents as soon as possible.
Candidates accepted for admission are required to pay a deposit prior to registering.
Requirements for the Doctor of Education Degree
|
I. Core (15 semester hours):
|
|
Required Core Courses (12 semester hours):
|
| Number |
Name |
Hours |
| EDCO 801 |
Democracy and Education |
3 |
| EDCO 802 |
Access to Knowledge |
3 |
| EDCO 803 |
Pedagogy: The Art and Science of Teaching and Learning |
3 |
| EDCO 804 |
Organizational Change, Policy, and Leadership
| 3 |
|
Elective Core Courses (3 semester hours)
|
| EDCO 711 |
Classroom Community of Inquiry |
3 |
| EDCO 712 |
Implications of Race and Ethnicity in United States Schools |
3 |
|
II. Philosophy for Children Specialization (21 semester hours)
|
|
Required Courses (15 semester hours)
|
| Number |
Name |
Hours |
| EDFD 811 |
Philosophy, Philosophy for Children and the
Educational Experience
|
3 |
| EDFD 812 |
Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy and
Philosophy for Children |
3 |
| EDFD 814 |
Recent American Philosophy and Philosophy for
Children |
3 |
| EDFD 815 |
Philosophy of Mind, Cognitive Science, and
Philosophy for Children |
3 |
| EDFD 816 |
Ethical Inquiry Through Narrative |
3 |
|
Elective Courses (6 semester hours)
|
| Number |
Name |
Hours |
| EDFD 740 |
The Role of Logic in Philosophy for Children |
3 |
| EDFD 741 |
Philosophy and Religion and Philosophy for Children |
3 |
| EDFD 742 |
Hermeneutics of Childhood |
3 |
| EDFD 743 |
Philosophy of Language and Philosophy for Children |
3 |
| EDFD 744 |
Philosophy of the Body |
3 |
| EDFD 745 |
Philosophy for Children and Ancient Greek Philosophy |
3 |
| EDFD 750 |
Selected Topics in Philosophy for Children |
3 |
| EDFD 755 |
Feminism and Philosophy for Children |
3 |
| EDFD 770 |
Doctoral Independent Study |
3 |
| EDFD 813 |
Education for Global Citizenship |
3 |
|
III. Research Requirement
|
*Indicates a pre-requisite.
*The pre-requisite for EDCO 820 & 821 is
graduate coursework in general research methods.
|
| Number |
Name |
Hours |
| *EDCO 820 |
Qualitative Research Methods for Educational Research |
4 |
| *EDCO 821 |
Quantitative Research Methods for Educational Research |
4 |
| EDFD 825 |
Research in the Specialization |
3 |
| EDCO/EDFD 830 |
Dissertation Proposal Seminar |
1-3 |
|
V. Dissertation
|
|
Required (12 semester hours- Minimum):
|
| Number |
Name |
Hours |
| EDCO/EDFD 900 |
Dissertation Advisement |
3 |
|
VI. Dissertation Extension (if needed)
|
| Number |
Name |
Hours |
| EDCO 901 |
Dissertation Extension |
1 |
|
|
|
