Ph.D. Program in Social Studies Education

1. Ph.D. Program in Social Studies Education Elizabeth Anne Yeager Associate Professor, Social Studies Education University of Florida

2. Admissions Requirements • GRE Score of 1000 (Combined Verbal and Quantitative Scores) • Three Letters of Recommendation • Transcripts • Statement of Purpose for Doctoral Study

3. Doctoral Coursework100 Hours Beyond B.A. Degree • Masters hours and specialist hours apply • At least two courses in research methodology • At least one course in foundations of education • Doctoral seminars in the School of Teaching and Learning (1 or 2) • Independent studies in social studies education: • Teaching and Learning of History • History of the Social Studies • Two others in individual areas of interest • Other courses in elementary and/or middle school social studies as needed to round out social studies experiences • At least one technology course • 24 hours of dissertation

4. Sequence of the Program • If full-time doctoral study is feasible, students can complete the program in three to four years. The first two years are spent completing coursework. At the beginning of the third year, students take qualifying examinations to demonstrate depth and breadth of knowledge in their field. These exams have both written and oral components, and they are considered quite rigorous. They must be passed in order to continue to the dissertation stage. As part of the oral examination, students present their dissertation proposals; if approved, students proceed with dissertations. Upon completion of the written dissertation and a successful oral defense, students graduate with a Ph.D. in Social Studies Education.

5. THE NATURE OF SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION AT UF • Emphasis is placed on preparing doctoral students for social studies education positions in academia (i.e., beginning tenure-track assistant professor positions in teacher education programs at either major research institutions or smaller colleges). Students are encouraged to have a K-12 orientation in order to maximize job prospects, but certainly elementary, secondary, and middle school specializations are feasible. Emphasis is also placed on preparing social studies educators who are sensitive to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in public school settings.

6. EXPECTATIONS THAT GO BEYOND THE CLASSROOM If you seek a career in academia at a major research university, this program will prepare you well if you are willing to do some or all of the following "extracurricular activities" to enhance your resume and networking opportunities: • attend one or two major conferences each year and present research papers (NCSS/CUFA, AERA) • become involved in graduate student activities in NCSS/CUFA and AERA • get involved in grant work at UF • work with your major professor on research studies and seek opportunities to publish your work (goal is 2-3 publications by the time you graduate) • work very hard on your scholarly writing and research agenda • keep up with the main scholarly journals in your field (e.g., Theory and Research in Social Education)