Students should expect to spend 4–5 years completing this program, and all students will complete:

• at least 60 semester-hours of coursework
• a comprehensive examination (with written and oral components)
• dissertation proposal
• dissertation
• oral defense of the dissertation

The program coursework is divided into 4 areas:

• Core courses across multiple content areas (12 hours)
• Research courses (21 hours)
• Concentration courses for mathematics education (15 hours minimum)
• Dissertation (12 hours minimum)

Doctoral programs are customized for each student in that specific course selection is jointly determined by the student and his or her major professor.

A sample set of concentration courses for mathematics education is described below. For more information about other coursework, see the Doctoral Program Handbook for Teacher Education.

Sample Set of Concentration Courses for Mathematics Education

Topics in Mathematics Education (3 hours)
Students explore research on children’s mathematical thinking both to appreciate the complexity and to recognize how this thinking often differs from how many adults think. Attention is given to the powerful role that children’s thinking can play in preK–12 instruction and teacher learning.

Theory in Science and Mathematics Education (3 hours)
Students have an opportunity to explore and appreciate the role of theory in research, practice, and policy related to science and mathematics education. An important goal is to address some major theoretical perspectives that have been driving science and mathematics education, and how those have changed over the years.

Research in Science and Mathematics Education (3 hours)
Students engage in some part of a study to collectively experience various research processes (e.g., study design, instrument design, data analysis, etc.). An important goal is to highlight the role that theory plays in an actual study as well as give students experience with real data before they have to work on their dissertations.

Contemporary Topics in Mathematics Education (3 hours)
Doctoral students with a focus on mathematics education attend a monthly reading group every semester throughout their entire program, but they receive credit for this course (3 hours) toward the end of their studies. The goal is for the local mathematics education community to stay connected by regularly reading current articles, discussing key and sometimes controversial issues, reviewing each other’s work, learning about upcoming guest speakers, etc.

Practicum in Mathematics Education (3 hours)
This course is spread over the first 3 years of study. Students work with their advisor to have 3 types of experiences: (a) teacher education experiences involving facilitating university courses, (b) research experiences involving work with data and analysis, and (c) community experiences involving professional development with local practicing teachers. Students also engage in a culminating experience to reflect on how teaching and research can (and should) overlap and address equity issues.