Doctor of Philosophy in Literacy, Language, and Culture
Website: https://twu.edu/literacy-and-learning/graduate-programs/phd-in-reading-education/
The Doctoral Program in Literacy, Language, and Culture prepares educators and researchers for specialized work in literacy at all levels of education. The program recognizes the value of literacy and contributes to literacy development in diverse social contexts, from local school districts to universities in the United States and abroad.
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
- Analyze major research and theories in the areas of language and literacy.
- Design, conduct, and disseminate original research.
- Create and apply expert knowledge in literacy teaching and learning in higher education, PK-12 schools, and community-based contexts.
Admissions
All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.
The academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.
Degree Requirements
Update Effective August 10, 2023: The Statistics requirement of 6 SCH has changed to a range of 3-6 SCH and the Advanced Research Methods requirement of 3 SCH has changed to a range of 3-6 SCH. The total SCH for this program has not changed.
Total Semester Credit Hours Required
A minimum of 72 semester credit hours post-baccalaureate or a minimum of 42 semester credit hours post-master’s, including 12 semester credit hours of dissertation, plus satisfaction of the research tools requirement for the Ph.D. Based on a review of the preparation of each entering student, additional courses may be required.
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| READ 6533 | Foundations of Literacy | 3 |
| READ 6563 | Nature of Literacy in the Adolescent Years | 3 |
| READ 6573 | Language and Literacy | 3 |
| READ 6583 | Research in Literacy | 3 |
| READ 6593 | Advanced Literacy Research Design: Analysis and Evaluation | 3 |
| READ 6703 | Integration of Literacy Theory and Research | 3 |
| READ 6693 | Literacy Leadership and Policy | 3 |
| Research Tools | ||
| READ 6483 | Qualitative Research | 3 |
| READ 6493 | Advanced Qualitative Research: Design and Analysis | 3 |
| Statistics | 3 | |
| Advanced Research Methods | 6 | |
| Electives/Area of Emphasis (Approved by Advisory Committee) | 24 | |
| 12 SCH must be taken at TWU | ||
| Electives may be master’s level courses, Reading Recovery Training courses, or courses from a related area such as Educational Leadership, Early Childhood Education, or Bilingual Education | ||
| Dissertation | ||
| READ 6983 | Dissertation (taken two times) | 6 |
| READ 6993 | Dissertation (taken two times) | 6 |
| Total SCHs | 72 | |
Grade Requirement
A grade of B or higher is required in all graduate courses. A student who has earned a grade of less than B (C, D, or F) in any two courses at the graduate level will be removed from the doctoral program in Literacy, Language, and Culture, even if the course was repeated for a better grade.
