Coursework Requirements

The Master of Arts in Social Foundations of Education is a non-thesis program.

The Social Foundations M.A. degree requires a minimum of 32 s.h. of graduate credit.

Students complete eight courses, that is, two courses in each of the four areas of specialization, to equal 24 s.h. in Social Foundations courses.

The remaining 8 s.h. of required course work are taken in an academic area related to each student's career goals.  For example, students interested in philosophy of education might choose to take courses offered by the Department of Philosophy.

Comprehensive Examination

M.A. students must satisfactorily complete a six-hour comprehensive examination covering their coursework in the Social Foundations Program and in their elective areas. The examining committee may elect to hold an oral examination after the exam.

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Ph.D. in Social Foundations of Education

Students are required to take a minimum of 27 s.h. in Social Foundations courses:

• at least four courses (12 s.h.) in their Major Area of Specialization;

• at least two courses from each of two additional areas of specialization (a total of 12 s.h.); and,

• at least one course (3 s.h.) in the remaining area of specialization.

Students must also take a minimum of 9 s.h. of course work outside of the Social Foundations, in an academic area related to the student's career goals.

Students also must take 30-45 s.h. of course work in a cognate area related to his or her Major Area of Specialization. Program faculty will consider whether prior graduate-level coursework may be counted in fulfillment, or partial fulfillment, of this requirement.

Students also take the college-wide Research Core courses. The Research Core requires six courses (18 s.h.):

• 07X:150 Introduction to Educational Research (Required - 3 s.h.);

• 07B:206 Research Process & Design (Required - 3 s.h.);

• two or three courses in quantitative methodologies (6-9 s.h.); and,

• two or three courses in qualitative (6-9 s.h.) methodologies.

Residency

Doctoral students must successfully complete two semesters with a minimum of 9 s.h. per semester to fulfill the residency requirement.

Comprehensive Examination

Ph.D. students must satisfactorily complete an extensive comprehensive examination, including three examinations. The first is in the major area of study; the second is in the other two concentration areas; and the third is in the outside area of study and is prepared by faculty members outside the social foundations program. The exams are followed by an oral examination.

Dissertation Research

All Ph.D. students must write a formal dissertation prospectus and submit it to their advisor for approval; students then schedule a formal proposal meeting with the five members of their doctoral committee for approval.

Students typically earn 12-15 s.h. for dissertation research. The final requirement of the dissertation phase of the PhD degree is the oral defense of the dissertation.

Students must maintain registration at The University of Iowa for the duration of their dissertation research and defense.

Examples of Recent Dissertation Titles:

• "A Religious and Historical Study of Horace Mann"
• "Gender and Education: An Analysis of Factors Influencing the Academic Participation of Chinese Women"
• "American Universities and the U.S. Agency for International Development: An Analysis of the New Directions Period"
• "Improving Teacher Performance: Toward a Sociological Theory of Teacher Motivation"
• "Chicano Cultural Frames and High School Performance in a Rural Iowa Town"

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