PhD in Education / Sustainability Education

The PhD is 72 credits in length (at a minimum).

  • 72 credits, in the distribution described below, completed with satisfactory evaluation by faculty of all learning/study documents, written materials, and oral presentations within 10-years’ time

  • Attendance at all required residencies or documentation of prior written approval from the Faculty Advisor to miss a specific colloquium and in some way make up for it

  • Foundational courses (24 credits):

    • Critical Foundations of Research and Scholarship 

    • Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Pedagogy

    • Sustainability Education

    • Sustainability: Principles and Practice

    • Climate Advocacy and Praxis

    • Quantitative Research Methods

    • Qualitative Research Methods

    • Advanced Research Methods

  • 24 credits of Electives 

  • Academic Writing Seminar (optional course) (3 credits) - the outcome is a required Qualifying Paper 

  • Approved Dissertation Proposal: Doctoral Research Design (3 credits)

  • Dissertation & Presentation (minimum 18 credits)

Doctoral Residency Requirements

The program is designed to be limited residency, primarily conducted online with annual optional residential offerings, and two mandatory on-campus residencies.

Qualifying Paper/Dissertation Proposal/Dissertation

See specific details in the Ph.D. Student Handbook.

Doctoral Committee Structure

The Doctoral Committee for each student is determined by the beginning of phase (year) three. The Doctoral Committee consists of four members:

  • One Chair

  • Two Doctoral Mentors selected/identified in the second phase of the student’s program and in place at the beginning of phase three

  • One Expert External Reviewer (last phases only)

During the second year of the program and before the beginning of phase three, students collaborate with their Faculty Advisors to select the two Doctoral Mentors to serve on the Doctoral Committee. The Expert External Reviewer is added to the Doctoral Committee in the final dissertation/project phase of the student’s program. All committee members are selected for their deep commitment to education, specifically sustainability education, expertise in a related area(s), and hold terminal degrees in their respective fields.