Challenge and inspire your students and yourself using transformative curriculum and instruction. Our Curriculum and Instruction program will equip you with the skills to construct and implement innovative, inclusive and effective curricula. Through a balance of theory and hands-on practice, you will gain the skills necessary to reach all types of learners in formal and informal settings at all levels of learning institutions.
The 90-credit Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree program is designed for students who want to further their knowledge of teaching, learning, schools and communities from academically grounded, research based and DEI-J frameworks. The Curriculum and Instruction PhD degree is well suited, although not exclusive to, students seeking higher education faculty positions upon completion of the program. The mission of the C&I graduate program is to be a force for educational transformation and social justice through innovative curriculum and scholarship, practice and policy and community engagement.
Start Dates: Fall
Curriculum: 90 Credit Hours
Program Length: 5 Years
5 Specializations for Curriculum and Instruction PhD Students
50% Percent of PhD students with internship participation MCE Class of 2022
100% Percent of admitted students who receive some form of tuition assistance from the Morgridge College of Education
PhD in Curriculum and Instruction
How our program prepares you for your career in Curriculum and Instruction
Become an educational change agent
The program's emphasis on integrating theory and practice for DEIJ-A ensures that you will be ready to enter the field as a highly prepared educational change agent.
Learn from practical assignments
Program courses feature practical assignments that link your learning to concrete experiences in educational spaces. This leads to “real learning” that is responsive to contemporary needs and opportunities in education.
Prepare a dissertation that makes an impact
You will apply research methods toward the development of a dissertation that impacts the field of education and communities of practice.
Take a wide range of courses that support your professional goals
All PhD students like you take a wide range of courses in areas such as Curriculum, Instruction, Foundations of Education, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice and Research. This program is flexible and customizable, ensuring that you graduate with the ability to steer your career toward supporting your professional goals.
Do research that supports your doctoral dissertation
Doctoral dissertations encourage research around “problems of practice” that respond to the needs of diverse learners, culturally, intellectually and linguistically. As a doctoral student, you will be well prepared to compete for faculty positions.
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Advance your career with a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction
Curriculum Studies
You will learn about curriculum design, models of curricula, instructional strategies, assessment and student engagement. As a PhD student in Curriculum and Instruction, you will explore themes including (but not limited to) diversity, teacher education, aesthetics, urban education, family studies, social work, library and information science, zoo and museum education, and international education.
Gifted Education
You'll explore gifted education and leadership theory to equip yourself for leadership roles in gifted education. You'll hone your research skills, focusing on identifying problems and crafting interventions to address them.
STEM Education
You'll dive into ambitious and equitable instructional practices, designed to foster meaningful learning experiences for all students, with a special focus on historically marginalized groups. You'll also delve into different research designs and methods tailored to tackle challenges within STEM education, empowering you to address real-world problems effectively.
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education
You'll delve into culturally responsive pedagogy and gain insights into the cultural, language, cognitive and academic needs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners. You'll put your understanding of language acquisition, culturally relevant literature, curriculum and assessment practice, and funds of knowledge to bridge communities, classrooms, and schools.
Special Education
You'll develop an understanding of the social-emotional, cognitive, academic and behavioral outcomes for children with special needs. Through collaboration with families, community partners and school personnel, you'll work to enhance learning opportunities tailored to meet the needs of these children.
Curriculum and Instruction PhD Courses
Required Courses
- CUI 4020 - Introduction to Curriculum
- CUI 4160 - Race, Class and Gender in Education
- CUI 4035 - Critical Perspectives in Education
- CUI 4022 - Curriculum Theory into Practice
- CUI 4180 - History of Education in the United States
- or CUI 4130 - Philosophy of Education
Specialization
- Minimum of 24 total credit hours is required
Electives
- Minimum of 3 total credit hours is required
Introductory Research - 14 Credit Hours
- RMS 4940 - Structural Foundations of Research in Social Sciences
- RMS 4941 - Introduction to Qualitative Research
- RMS 4930 - Quantitative Research Design
- RMS 4910 - Introductory Statistics
Intermediate/Advanced Research
- Minimum of 18 total credit hours is required
Dissertation Research - Minimum 16 Credit Hours
- CUI 4050 - Curriculum and Instruction Research Seminar
- CUI 4051 - Seminar in Dissertation Organization and Research
- CUI 5995 - Dissertation Research
Notable PhD Alumni
Dr. Norma Lu Hafenstein
Daniel L. Ritchie Endowed Chair in Gifted Education A national and international leader in the field of gifted education and neurodiverse learners
Dr. Floyd Cobb
Associate Commissioner, Student Learning, Colorado Department of Education Author of "Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity"
Dr. Christine McConnell
Professor of Foundations and Curriculum Studies, University of Northern Colorado past president of the American Association of Teaching and Curriculum
Get Started on Your PhD in Curriculum and Instruction
Advance your career in Curriculum and Instruction with a PhD at the University of Denver’s Morgridge College of Education