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Graduate Programs

Master's Degrees

The College of Education offers MEd degrees in counseling and guidance, educational administration, educational foundations, educational psychology, educational technology, elementary education, secondary education, special education, and teaching. The MEd programs in elementary and secondary education are in the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies. The other MEd programs are under those specific departments. 

The College of Education also offers the master of education in teaching (MEdT). The two-year, interdisciplinary, field-based program is designed for students who have earned baccalaureate degrees in fields other than education. Graduates are qualified for state teacher certification in either elementary or secondary education at the professional certificate level. MEdT students must be registered full-time and progress through the program in cohorts. See Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies for more information.

Doctoral Degrees

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Wist 113
1776 University Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7817

Faculty

*Graduate Faculty

• *H. B. Slaughter, EdD (Chair)--language arts, literacy, qualitative research
• *K. Au, PhD--literacy, multicultural education
• *A. Bartlett, PhD--literacy
• *A. Bayer, PhD--reading, composition, collaborative learning
• *E. Beauchamp, PhD--history, comparative education, higher education
• *R. Black, EdD--mental retardation transition, students at risk, research design
• *J. E. Cooper, PhD--higher education, community college curriculum, leadership and reflective practice
• *M. J. D'Andrea, EdD--developmental counseling, adolescent and family life, counseling diverse populations
• *J. A. Daniels, EdD--school, development, adolescent, group, homeless children, loss and transition counseling
• *P. Deering, PhD--curriculum and instruction, middle level education, social studies education, qualitative research
• *C. DeRenne, EdD--physical education and sports science
• *P. Edelen-Smith, EdD--special education, assessment, learning disabilities
• *E. Enomoto, EdD--organization technology, politics of education
• *D. P. Ericson, PhD--philosophy of education, educational policy
• *S. S. Feeney, PhD--early childhood education
• *M. Hayes, PhD--curriculum and instruction, science education
• *R. H. Heck, PhD--leadership and governance, organizational theory, policy
• *A. A. Jenkins, PhD--mild/moderate disabilities, content strategies/inclusive education, collaboration
• *R. Johnson, EdD--early childhood and elementary education
• *L. K. Johnsrud, PhD--academic governance and leadership, organizational theory, ethics
• *A. R. King, Jr., EdD--history of curriculum, higher education
• *I. King, PhD--mathematics education, supervision
• *E. B. Klemm, EdD--science education
• *V. N. Kobayashi, PhD--comparative education, philosophy
• *V. Krohn-Ching, MFA--art education
• *B. J. Lum, PhD--philosophy of education, policy studies, social and cultural studies, human development, moral education
• *M. Maaka, PhD--developmental/cognitive psychology, language and literacy in education; multicultural education
• *S. E. Marlow, EdD--curriculum administration, policy, professional socialization, school administration
• *L. P. McCormick, PhD--early education, communication disorders, behavioral disorders, severe disabilities
• *D. McDougall, EdD--behavioral self-control (self-management, self-monitoring), behavioral disorders/learning disabilities, inclusion/integration, applied behavior analysis, special education law
• *H. McEwan, PhD--curriculum theory, philosophy of teaching
• *L. K. Menton, PhD--history of education, history of education in Hawai'i, 19th-century Hawaiian history
• *M. J. Noonan, PhD--moderate and severe disabilities, early intervention
• *M. M. Omizo, PhD--tests and measurements, research and evaluation, school psychology
• *N. A. Pateman, EdD--mathematics education
• *M. E. Pateman, HsD--school and college health science
• *F. Pottenger, PhD--science education
• *M. A. Prater, PhD--learning disabilities, self-management, effective teaching strategies, computer technology
• *J. H. Prins, PhD--physical education and exercise science
• *G. G. Reed, PhD--social and cultural foundations, values and education, comparative education
• *T. Sileo, EdD --mild/moderate disabilities, multicultural education, family involvement, educational collaboration
• *D. C. Smith, PhD--school counseling, social and emotional development, and assessment
• *G. Smith, EdD--interdisciplinary team development
• *T. W. Speitel, PhD--science curriculum research and development, computer communications
• *R. A. Stodden, PhD--mental retardation, career/vocational special education
• *E. H. Tamura, PhD--history of education, history of education in Hawai'i, Asian-American history
• *S. L. Thomas, PhD--organizations, finance, research methods
• *J. J. Tobin, PhD--ethnography, early childhood, elementary education
• *N. C. Whitman, PhD--mathematics education
• *D. Young, EdD--science education
• *J. Zilliox, EdD--elementary mathematics

Cooperating Graduate Faculty

• K. Hijirida, EdD--Japanese teaching methodology, curriculum theory and development, language teaching for special purposes

Affiliate Graduate Faculty

• P. G. LeMaieu, PhD--state of Hawai'i superintendent of schools, educational research methodology, statistical analysis, evaluations and measurement

The Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) is a college-wide degree awarded for distinguished academic preparation for professional practice and research in the field of education. The program is designed to enhance and facilitate educational, social, and economic growth locally, nationally, and internationally with a pool of highly qualified educational scholars and leaders.

The quality of a candidate's work is judged by a variety of experiences, which include the College of Education general and specialization area courses, culminating in a field project or internship, a set of comprehensive and final examinations, and a dissertation. The dissertation is based on a selected research problem and is a significant part of the candidate's experience. Five areas of specialization are currently available: curriculum and instruction, educational administration, educational foundations, exceptionalities, and policy studies.

Application for admission to the PhD program will be considered for the fall semester only and is made to the Graduate Division. Students must meet the requirements of both the Graduate Division and the College of Education, including acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections and the Miller Analogies Test‡ (MAT). Applicants from foreign countries where English is not the dominant language are required to have a TOEFL score of 600 (regardless of degree completion from other U.S. institutions). A master's degree from an accredited university or college is required with evidence of a minimum of three years of experience in the field of education. The applicant must demonstrate competence in writing and present a written statement of higher career goals and academic objectives. At least three letters of recommendation are required. An oral interview may be conducted. 

For further information, applicants may contact the graduate chair of the doctor of education program at (808) 956-7817.

Specialization in Curriculum and Instruction

This specialization develops educational leaders in curriculum development, teaching, curriculum evaluation, and/or teacher education and professional development. The program varies in the number of credit hours required, depending upon the candidate's qualifications, and includes courses required for all doctoral students enrolled in the College of Education; courses in an area of specialization, such as curriculum development, teaching and learning, curriculum and program evaluation, and research on teacher education and professional development; courses taken outside the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies; a field project or an internship; and the dissertation.

Specialization in Educational Administration

The primary purpose of this specialization is to develop educational leaders in elementary, secondary, and higher education settings. Areas of emphasis within the program include management and leadership, organizational theory, policy and governance, organizational socialization, and research methods.

The program includes courses required of all doctoral students in the college, courses in an area of specialization (K–12 or higher education), courses taken outside the department, a field experience, and the dissertation.

Specialization in Educational Foundations

This specialization prepares educational professionals with an understanding of the historical, philosophical, cultural, social, and political contexts of education so that they can make informed and wise decisions about educational problems and policy issues. Graduates with the PhD are expected to exert leadership in the field of education and deal with those aspects and problems in society that need to be taken into account in advancing educational thought, policy development, and practice, especially where these concern the social role of the school and other educational agencies. The program of study varies in the number of credits required, depending upon the candidate's qualifications, and includes two 12-credit-hour semesters (not necessarily consecutive); college and departmental course requirements; course work focused on an area of emphasis in history, philosophy, or comparative or social foundations of education; courses outside the department; a field project/internship or an apprenticeship in teaching; qualifying and comprehensive examinations; and the dissertation.

Specialization in Exceptionalities

This specialization prepares professionals to work as leaders in the education and support of individuals who have unique needs, often due to disabilities. The field is broad, addressing life-span concerns and involving such services as advocacy, family support, community services, vocational training and support, and special education. Graduates of the program are expected to assume leadership roles addressing local, regional, national, and international issues related to research and higher education and/or program development and evaluation. The program varies in the number of credit hours required, depending upon the candidate's qualifications, and includes courses required by the college, courses in the area of specialization, courses in an emphasis area, courses in a field outside of the Department of Special Education, a field internship, and the dissertation.

Specialization in Educational Policy Studies

Educational policy studies consists of a multidisciplinary program of study and research concerned with identifying and ameliorating significant educational problems. It draws upon concepts and research methods from a variety of fields (including the social sciences, history, law, and philosophy) in defining problems and formulating solutions. The purpose of this specialization is to prepare professionals from diverse backgrounds for effective informed engagement in this process. At the same times, it prepares such persons to pursue research and service agendas geared toward lifting policy analysis, discourse, and action to new levels. The program varies in the number of credit hours required, depending upon the candidate's qualifications, and includes courses required of all doctoral students in the college, courses in the specialization area, work in a cognate area outside the specialization, a field experience/internship, and the dissertation.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 

See Educational Psychology.

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