The Curriculum and Social Inquiry Program is designed to prepare high level scholar-practitioners to provide leadership in curriculum in school communities. The program emphasizes engagement in processes of critical reflection about issues of curriculum in relation to the school community and society. Curriculum is viewed not simply as taking place within classroom and schools, but as connected to larger social, cultural, political and historical contexts. Processes of critical reflection are characterized by problem-finding and problematizing, valuing of personal experience, fluidity and complexity of issues, and a sense of teaching and curriculum as political struggle.

Issues of content and teaching flow from essential curriculum questions: What knowledge is of most value? How is knowledge personally and socially constructed? In the distribution of knowledge, whose interests are being served? Curriculum is regarded in its broadest sense, as the constructing of a reaming environment, with activities ranging from teaching to political activity. Curriculum is thought of as including its theoretical, practical, explicit, implicit, and received dimensions. Attention is given to both content-specific and interdisciplinary aspects of curriculum and teaching.

This program serves the needs of those people who are interested in influencing teachers and school communities. Students are encouraged to see their work as combining theory and practice, and themselves as activists, effecting change within the school and beyond.

Admission Requirements

In addition to admission requirements set forth by the Foster G. McGaw Graduate school, candidates for doctoral study in Curriculum and Social Inquiry are to have completed four years of successful teaching experience and/or show evidence of leadership in the educational field. During the admission interview, applicants are asked about their background, career goals, and the applicability of this program to their goals.
Program Requirements 63 SH
Doctoral Core 6
Research, Dissertation 21
Curriculum and Social Inquiry Core 21
Minor Concentration 15

In addition to the core and research requirements, students will complete two types of course requirements specific to the program: the Curriculum and Social Inquiry core, and a minor area of concentration.

Curriculum and Social Inquiry Core

CS1600 Curriculum Theory: Historical, Philosophical, and Political Issues 3
CS1601 Cultures of Schools and Communities 3
CS1602 Curriculum Theory: Contemporary Issues and Practice 3
CS1603 Curriculum Planning, Organization and Evaluation 3
CS1605 Professional Development and School Change 3
CS1693 Curriculum Seminar 6

All of the courses, with the exception of Curriculum Seminar, in the 21-semester-hour Curriculum and Social Inquiry core, include a one-semester-hour field application designed to bridge theory and practice.

Minor Concentration

Each student is to choose at least one minor from areas which may include the following: Administration and Supervision, Early Childhood Education, Educational Psychology, Mathematics Education, Reading and Language, Science Education, Special Education, Superintendent Endorsement, and Technology in Education, and will complete at least 15 semester hours within the minor concentration.

Comprehensive Examination

The Curriculum and Social Inquiry comprehensive examination is taken after the completion of Core classes. It is to be passed by the student prior to formal work on the dissertation and advancement to candidacy for the Ed.D. degree.