Plan of Study

• Developing the Plan of Study
• Master's Non-Thesis and Thesis Plan of Study Department of Curriculum & Instruction
  • Forming a Committee
  • Degree Title
  • Area of Specialization
  • Checklist
  • Department Foundations and Research Requirements
• Master's Non-Thesis and Thesis Plan of Study Department of Educational Studies
  • Forming a Committee
  • Degree Title
  • Area of Specialization
  • Checklist
  • Department Foundations and Research Requirements
• Educational Specialist Plan of Study Department of Curriculum and Instruction
  • Forming a Committee
  • Degree Title
  • Area of Specialization
  • Checklist
  • Department Foundations and Research Requirements
• Educational Specialist Plan of Study Department of Educational Studies
  • Forming a Committee
  • Degree Title
  • Area of Specialization
  • Checklist
  • Department Foundations and Research Requirements
• Doctoral Plan Study Department of Curriculum and Instruction
  • Forming a Committee
  • Degree Title
  • Area of Specialization
  • Checklist
  • Department Foundations and Research Requirements
• Doctoral Plan of Study Department of Educational Studies
  • Forming a Committee
  • Degree Title
  • Area of Specialization
  • Checklist
  • Department Foundations and Research Requirements
• Approval Process for a Plan of Study
• Change to the Plan of Study

Developing the Plan of Study

Master's Non-Thesis and Thesis Plan of Study Department of Curriculum & Instruction

Forming A Committee

A student's committee must be 51% Purdue faculty with Graduate School certification. (Graduate School Policy)

The committee chair or at least one co-chair must be from the C&I program area where the student is admitted.  It is strongly recommended that at least 1 committee member be selected from the C&I faculty. (Department Policy)

Degree Title

The degree title for a Master's Non-Thesis student is:  Master of Science in Education: Non Thesis

The degree title for a Master's Thesis student is:  Master of Science in Education: Thesis

In order for a student to receive a Master of Science degree, the students plan of study must have a majority of Science related coursework

Area of Specialization

The student's area of specialization is the program area the student is admitted to.
(Example:  Mathematics Education, Social Studies Education, Educational Technology)

Checklist

Curriculum & Instruction Master's Plan of Study Policies Checklist may be located here: http://www.education.purdue.edu/gradoffice/currentSt/plan_of_study_checklist.html.

Department Foundations and Research Requirements

Students must complete the Graduate Competencies Requirements for the program area they are admitted to.  These requirements may be obtained from the student's program area.  A general outline of the Graduate Competencies Requirements can be located at: http://www.edci.purdue.edu/grad_studies/grad_competencies.html.

Master’s Non-Thesis and Thesis Plan of Study Department of Educational Studies

Forming A Committee

A student's committee must be 51% Purdue faculty with Graduate School certification. (Graduate School Policy)

One member of the students committee must be from the student’s related area. (Department Policy)

Policy on Co-Chairs of Committees:

1. A student entering a graduate program will be appointed a temporary Major Professor (a graduate program advisor who is a faculty member in program area).  This advisor will monitor the student's academic progress.
2. It is desirable that a student file a Plan of Study by the end of the first year in the program.  At this time the student is responsible for designating a Major Professor, who may or may not be the person initially assigned to be the temporary Major Professor.
   a.  A simple majority of a student's committee must be Purdue faculty in the student's program with regular certification approved by the Graduate School.
   b.  One member of the student's committee must be from the student's related area. (Department Policy)
3. A student who is ready to begin working on the dissertation must designate a Major Professor to serve as the chair of the dissertation committee (thesis advisor). This person may be the existing Major Professor or a different faculty member. The thesis advisor takes over primary oversight of the student's progress in the program and dissertation. The student's dissertation committee is chaired by the designated Major Professor (thesis advisor).
4. The practice of having co-chairs for a Master's or Doctoral committee is not advantageous nor desirable except in the specific instances that follow:
   a.  A co-chair who reflects the student's matriculation in a different program area or department (e.g., if a student is admitted to a program area in Educational Studies but is doing research that is cross-disciplinary and has a major component in another department, such as Curriculum & Instruction).
   b.  Co-chairs in the same department at different campuses or institutions may be advisable in cases where the student's thesis advisor relocates.
   c.  Co chairs within the same program area are acceptable if the faculty and student can agree to a clear delineation of responsibilities (in writing) at the time that the co-chairs are determined.
   d.  In the event that a student's committee is co-chaired, the signature of both co-chairs is required on all committee documents (e.g., dissertation proposal, changes to the plan of study, thesis examination documents, etc.).
   e.  Program areas may propose exceptions to this policy, which will be reviewed for approval by the Curriculum and Graduate Committee.
5. The student may change the Major Professor / Dissertation Committee Chair / committee members at any time assuming that the new Major Professor / Dissertation Committee Chair / committee members have agreed to the change.

(Department policy, Approved August 15, 2007)

Degree Title

The degree title for a Master's Non-Thesis student is:  Master of Science in Education: Non Thesis

The degree title for a Master's Thesis student is:  Master of Science in Education: Thesis

In order for a student to receive a Master of Science degree, the students plan of study must have a majority of Science related coursework

Area of Specialization

The student's area of specialization is the program area the student is admitted to.
(Example:  Educational Administration, Educational Psychology, School Counseling)

Checklist

Educational Studies Master's Plan of Study Policies Checklist may be located here: http://www.education.purdue.edu/gradoffice/currentSt/plan_of_study_checklist.html.

Department Foundations and Research Requirements

A Master's degree plan of study shall include one (1) departmental foundational research methods course ­ EDPS 533 (3 credits) (Department Policy, EDST Faculty 9/5/02)

 

Educational Specialist Plan of Study Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Forming A Committee

A student's committee must be 51% Purdue faculty with Graduate School certification. (Graduate School Policy)

The committee chair or at least one co-chair must be from the C&I program area where the student is admitted.  It is strongly recommended that at least 1 committee member be selected from the C&I faculty. (Department Policy)

 Degree Title

The degree title for an Educational Specialist student is:  Educational Specialist

Area of Specialization

The student's area of specialization is the program area the student is admitted to.
(Example:  Mathematics Education, Social Studies Education, Educational Technology)

Checklist

Curriculum & Instruction Educational Specialist Plan of Study Policies Checklist may be located here: http://www.education.purdue.edu/gradoffice/currentSt/plan_of_study_checklist.html.

 Department Foundations and Research Requirements

Students are required to take EDPS 533, its equivalent, or an advanced level research course. (Department Policy, Approved by C&I Graduate Committee 1989) 

Students must complete the Graduate Competencies Requirements for the program area they are admitted to.  These requirements may be obtained from the student's program area.  A general outline of the Graduate Competencies Requirements can be located at: http://www.edci.purdue.edu/grad_studies/grad_competencies.html.

Educational Specialist Plan of Study Department of Educational Studies

Forming A Committee

A student's committee must be 51% Purdue faculty with Graduate School certification. (Graduate School Policy)

One member of the students committee must be from the student’s related area. (Department Policy)

Degree Title

The degree title for an Educational Specialist student is:  Educational Specialist

Area of Specialization

The student's area of specialization is the program area the student is admitted to.
(Example:  Educational Administration, Educational Psychology, School Counseling)

Checklist

Educational Studies Educational Specialist Plan of Study Policies Checklist may be located here: http://www.education.purdue.edu/gradoffice/currentSt/plan_of_study_checklist.html.

Department Foundations and Research Requirements

An Educational Specialist degree plan of study shall include one (1) departmental foundational research methods course ­ EDPS 533 (3 credits) (Department Policy, Approved EDST Faculty 9/5/02)

Doctoral Plan of Study Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Forming A Committee

A student's committee must be 51% Purdue faculty with Graduate School certification. (Graduate School Policy)

The committee chair or at least one co-chair must be from the C&I program area where the student is admitted.  It is strongly recommended that at least 1 committee member be selected from the C&I faculty. (Department Policy, 1995-96)

Checklist

Curriculum & Instruction Doctoral of Study Policies Checklist may be located here: http://www.education.purdue.edu/gradoffice/currentSt/plan_of_study_checklist.html.

Degree Title

The degree title for a Doctoral student is:  Doctor of Philosophy

Area of Specialization

The student's area of specialization is the program area the student is admitted to.  (Example:  Mathematics Education, Social Studies Education, Educational Technology)

Department Foundations and Research Requirements

Students must complete the Requirements Related to Research Competency.  These requirements are listed below:

Research Requirements for PhD Degree

The Doctor of Philosophy is a research degree awarded to those who demonstrate the ability to generate new knowledge and communicate that knowledge to others.  Research in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) is devoted to increasing our understanding of how people of all ages learn and how teachers of all subjects enhance learning.  Such research relies on a variety of techniques.  The C&I faculty believe that doctoral students need an understanding of a variety of research paradigms to enable them to judge the technical merits of research that they study or conduct.  Further, it is essential that students acquire sufficient depth in the research procedures used in their own work to carry out the proposed research in an intellectually honest manner.  Toward that end, the C&I faculty has adopted these minimum requirements for the research preparation of PhD students in C&I.  These requirements will go into effect in the Fall of 1990 for incoming PhD students.*

NOTE: Students who enter the PhD program with previous work in statistics and/or educational research and who, after examining the appropriate course syllabi, believe that they have satisfied one or more of these course requirements may petition the Graduate Committee for an exception. Such petitions must be accompanied by evidence supporting the claim of competence.

*Action taken by C&I Faculty by faculty vote, March 30, 1990.
+Statement approved by mail ballot, May 15, 1990. [fdnsc&I.doc]

Students must complete the Graduate Competencies Requirements for the program area they are admitted to.  These requirements may be obtained from the student's program area.  A general outline of the Graduate Competencies Requirements can be located at: http://www.edci.purdue.edu/grad_studies/grad_competencies.html.

Doctoral Plan of Study Department of Educational Studies

Forming A Committee

A student's committee must be 51% Purdue faculty with Graduate School certification. (Graduate School Policy)

One member of the student's committee must be from the student's related area. (Department Policy)

Policy on Co-Chairs of Committees:

1. A student entering a graduate program will be appointed a temporary Major Professor (a graduate program advisor who is a faculty member in program area).  This advisor will monitor the student's academic progress.
2. It is desirable that a student file a Plan of Study by the end of the first year in the program.  At this time the student is responsible for designating a Major Professor, who may or may not be the person initially assigned to be the temporary Major Professor.
   a.  A simple majority of a student's committee must be Purdue faculty in the student's program with regular certification approved by the Graduate School.
   b.  One member of the student's committee must be from the student's related area. (Department Policy)
3. A student who is ready to begin working on the dissertation must designate a Major Professor to serve as the chair of the dissertation committee (thesis advisor). This person may be the existing Major Professor or a different faculty member. The thesis advisor takes over primary oversight of the student's progress in the program and dissertation. The student's dissertation committee is chaired by the designated Major Professor (thesis advisor).
4. The practice of having co-chairs for a Master's or Doctoral committee is not advantageous nor desirable except in the specific instances that follow:
   a.  A co-chair who reflects the student's matriculation in a different program area or department (e.g., if a student is admitted to a program area in Educational Studies but is doing research that is cross-disciplinary and has a major component in another department, such as Curriculum & Instruction).
   b.  Co-chairs in the same department at different campuses or institutions may be advisable in cases where the student's thesis advisor relocates.
   c.  Co chairs within the same program area are acceptable if the faculty and student can agree to a clear delineation of responsibilities (in writing) at the time that the co-chairs are determined.
   d.  In the event that a student's committee is co-chaired, the signature of both co-chairs is required on all committee documents (e.g., dissertation proposal, changes to the plan of study, thesis examination documents, etc.).
   e.  Program areas may propose exceptions to this policy, which will be reviewed for approval by the Curriculum and Graduate Committee.
5. The student may change the Major Professor / Dissertation Committee Chair / committee members at any time assuming that the new Major Professor / Dissertation Committee Chair / committee members have agreed to the change.

(Department policy, Approved August 15, 2007)

The student must fill in the "Advisor in Area of" section next to each of their committee member's names or their plan of study will be rejected. (Department Policy)

Checklist

Educational Studies Doctoral of Study Policies Checklist may be located here: http://www.education.purdue.edu/gradoffice/currentSt/plan_of_study_checklist.html.

Degree Title

The degree title for a Doctoral student is:  Doctor of Philosophy

Area of Specialization

The student's area of specialization is the program area the student is admitted to.  (Example:  Educational Administration, Counseling Psychology, Special Education)

Department Foundations and Research Requirements

A Doctoral degree plan of study shall include a minimum of two (2) foundational statistics courses (6 credits); one (1) advanced statistics, research methods or measurement course (3 credits) in addition to the departmental foundational research methods course required for a Master's and Educational Specialist degree plan of study (i.e., EDPS 533 or equivalent); and one (1) departmental advanced research methods course (3 credits).  The courses to choose from to meet these requirements are listed below (Department Policy, Approved EDST Faculty 9/5/02):

1. Two (2) Foundational Statistics Courses
   STAT 501 and STAT 502  or
   STAT 511 and STAT 512  or
   PSY 600 and PSY 601  or
   SOC 580 and SOC 680
2. One (1) Advanced Statistics, Research Methods and/or Measurement Course
   

   ANTH 606 CDFS 615 CDFS 617 EDCI 615 EDCI 616 EDPS 588 EDPS 619

   HIST 582   POL 605 POL 606 PSY 586 PSY 605 PSY 611

   SOC 583 SOC 686 STAT 522 STAT 523 STAT 524 STAT 525 STAT 526

   
   *Other appropriate courses including advanced EDST research seminars (e.g., EDPS 631, 632, 633, 664) to meet Category II will be considered upon graduate student petition by the Graduate and Curriculum Committee on a case-by-case basis.
   *It is recommended that EDPS 630 be taken after completing a Category II course.
3. One (1) Departmental Advanced Research Methods Course
       EDPS 630
   
   These requirements take effect and begin with graduate students admitted to EDST degree programs after December 31, 2002.

Approval Process for a Plan of Study

Once the student has submitted their plan of study as a Final, the COE Plan of Study Coordinator of the COE Office of Graduate Studies must sign off on the student's plan.  After the COE Plan of Study Coordinator signs off, the plan will then be available for each committee member to sign.  Committee members who have access to the Graduate School Database will be notified by an automatic e-mail that the plan is awaiting their electronic signature.  Any committee member who does not have access to the Graduate School database will be sent an e-mail with a copy of the electronic plan study attached from the COE Plan of Study Coordinator  of the COE Office of Graduate Studies.  After the COE Plan of Study Coordinator , all committee members, and the Graduate Chair have electronically signed the student's plan indicating their approval, the student's plan will be submitted to the Graduate School.  The Graduate School must review and approve the student's plan before it becomes official. 

The approval process for a student's plan of study is a lengthy process and may come with delays along the way (waivers, special certifications and errors).  Please be sure to have your student submit a plan of study as soon as possible.  Remember, a plan of study is just a "plan" and can be changed in the future. 

A Master's or Educational Specialist degree plan of study should be submitted within the students second semester of enrollment.  A Doctoral plan of study should be submitted by the semester prior to the semester the student plans to hold their prelims.

A plan of study is not submitted to the Graduate School until the COE Plan of Study Coordinator, student's committee and departmental graduate chair all sign off on the plan of study.  Once the Graduate School receives the plan of study, it may take up to three weeks for it to be processed.

Change to the Plan of Study

A student must submit an electronic change of plan of study for any courses or committee members they wish to add or delete.  A paper Graduate School Form 13 "Request for Change to the Plan of Study" must be submitted for those students who have a paper plan of study on file (only students who submitted a paper plan before the electronic system was implemented will use this form).  All requests for a change to the original plan of study must be given a reason for the change in the space provided, not the change itself.  A change of plan of study form must have the student's, major professor's and graduate chairs' signature before being submitted to the Graduate School.