Early Childhood Education, Ph.D.

General Program Information

Graduate School Contact:
Fiona Goodyear; goodyear@etsu.edu; (423) 439-6148

Jane Broderick, EdD, Professor
Graduate Coordinator
214 Warf-Pickel Hall
Box 70548
(423) 439-7695
e-mail: broderic@etsu.edu

Pamela Evanshen, EdD, Professor, Department Chair
209 Warf-Pickel Hall
Box 70548
(423) 439-7694
e-mail: evanshep@etsu.edu

Faculty: Jane Broderick; Pamela Evanshen; Ruth Facun-Granadozo; Rebecca Isbell; Alissa Lange; Amy Malkus; Kathryn Sharp; Carol Trivette

Admission Requirements

Applications to the Ph.D. in Early Childhood program are evaluated once each year for admission in the fall semester. All application information must be received by March 15^th. This deadline is flexible until enrollment is filled. Students will be admitted on a competitive basis. Admission to the Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education program has the same requirements as existing graduate school requirements plus additional specific requirements (in italics):

1. Application fee.
2. Application form.
3. One official transcript of all previous undergraduate and graduate work.
4. Personal resume.
5. A personal essay that includes a written statement of career and educational goals, professional experience, and area of interest for the dissertation.
6. Submit official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within the past 5 years, except for those with a prior doctoral degree from an accredited institution within the United States. The preferred scores are 50^th percentile or higher for verbal and quantitative sections.
7. Four letters of recommendation.
8. Master’s Degree in Early Childhood or a related field from an accredited university.
9. An interview by members of the admission committee, when warranted.

Graduation Requirements

Completion of the Ph.D. in Early Childhood includes all of the following:

1. A minimum of 69 semester credits of coursework beyond the master’s degree.
2. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
3. Completion of a required research apprenticeship and at least one of the additional apprenticeship options (university teaching, development of teachers, early intervention, or early childhood leadership).
4. Passing the doctoral comprehensive candidacy written and oral examinations.
5. Passing the preliminary oral examination, dissertation prospectus defense.
6. Completion of a dissertation of publishable quality.
7. Passing the final dissertation defense.

A student in the Early Childhood Ph.D. program shall have seven calendar years from the date of initial registration to complete and successfully defend a dissertation. All students must have Institutional Review Board approval by ETSU.

Early Childhood Education, Ph.D. Degree Requirements: 69-72 credits

Early Childhood Education Core: 12 credits

• ECED 6100 - Historical and Theoretical Basis for Early Childhood Education (3 credits)
• ECED 6200 - Implications and Current Trends in Typical and Atypical Development of Young Children (3 credits)
• ECED 6300 - Social and Cultural Diversity in Children and their Families (3 credits)
• ECED 6400 - Seminar in Professional Development and Leadership (3 credits)

Additional Requirements: 15 credits

• ECED 6600 - Processes of Language and Literacy Learning (3 credits)
• ECED 6610 - The Teaching and Learning Environment: Impact on Children, Families, and Teachers (3 credits)
• ECED 6620 - Leadership Roles, Administration, and Supervision in Early Childhood Education (3 credits)
• ECED 6630 - Paradigms of Inquiry-Based Constructivism (3 credits)
• ECED 6640 - Critical Analysis of Brain Research and Creativity Theory (3 credits)

Advisor Approved Electives: 9 credits

Nine (9) credits must be taken in the same academic area, as determined by the student and doctoral advisor.

Apprenticeship: 3-6 credits

Choose 1-2 courses from the following:

• ECED 7001 - Apprenticeship in University Teaching (3 credits)
• ECED 7002 - Apprenticeship in Development of Teachers (3 credits)
• ECED 7003 - Apprenticeship in Early Intervention (3 credits)
• ECED 7004 - Apprenticeship in Early Childhood Leadership (3 credits)

Research Requirements: 30 credits

• ELPA 7810 - Educational Statistics (3 credits)
• ELPA 7811 - Quantitative Research (3 credits)
• ELPA 7812 - Qualitative Research (3 credits)
• ECED 7000 - Apprenticeship in Research (3 credits)
• ECED 7814 - Analysis and Interpretation of Research Designs (3 credits)
• ECED 7950 - Advanced Research in Early Childhood Education and Seminar (3 credits)
• ECED 7960 - Dissertation (3-6 credits) (Take for a total of 12 credits)