College: School of Education
Designation: Department
Majors and degrees offered: M.S., Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction; M.A. in Education and Mathematics; M.S. in Science Education
Other: Ph.D. Minors in Curriculum and Instruction, and in Science Education; postbaccalaureate certification programs
Tracks: See list in Areas of Study section
Faculty: Professors Lockwood (chair), Apple, Bloch, Gee, Gomez, Grant, Graue, Hayes, Hewson, James, Koza, Ladson-Billings, Lockwood, Marschalek, Popkewitz, Price, Stewart, Streibel, Tochon, Way, Whatley, Zeichner; Associate Professors Baker, Cox, Hawkins, Hess, Knuth, Nathan, Rudolph, van de Water; Assistant Professors Compton-Lilly, Ellis, Hand, Hassett, Schweber, Shaffer, Squire, Steinkuehler, Taylor, Thomas, Toth, Wolfe
The Department of Curriculum and Instruction offers graduate studies leading to the master of science (M.S.) in curriculum and instruction, the master of science (M.S.) in science education, and the doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in curriculum and instruction. Each graduate student must concentrate in one of the department's areas of study, which are listed in the next paragraph. As described further in the Master's Degree Programs section, the Department of Curriculum and Instruction collaborates with the Department of Mathematics to provide a joint program of graduate work for the master of arts (M.A.) in education and mathematics.
In accord with interests and professional goals, each admitted graduate student is assigned to an area of study and to an initial faculty advisor in that area. Areas of study are adult education; art education; bilingual education; curriculum theory and research; early childhood education; educational communications and technology; elementary education; English/language arts education (literacy studies); English as a second language education; health education; international studies in curriculum, pedagogy, and teacher education; literacy studies; mathematics education; multicultural education; music education; reading education (literacy studies); science education; social studies education; teacher education; and world language education.
Educational professionals who are already certified and who wish to earn credit in graduate-level courses to improve professionally or to update or renew a license, but who do not wish to seek a graduate degree ordinarily register as University Special students through the Adult and Student Services Center, Division of Continuing Studies, 1305 Linden Drive, Room 349, Madison WI 53706-1523; 608/263-6960; assc@dcs.wisc.edu ; www.dcs.wisc.edu . Persons who plan to eventually earn a graduate degree in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction should apply for admission as a graduate student before beginning their studies and not accumulate credits as a University Special student. University policies actively discourage belated requests to allow work done as a University Special to count toward graduate degree requirements.
Unless the department Web site, www.education.wisc.edu/ci/ , describes specific exceptions, graduate study in the department cannot be combined with work required for initial teacher certification. Qualified candidates who are not presently certified and who desire teacher certification but not a graduate degree should refer to the Undergraduate Catalog, www.wisc.edu/pubs/ug/06education/admiss.html . Admission to nongraduate teacher-certification programs is limited and is subject to the availability of class space and field placements. Depending on an applicant's background and the type of certification sought, a successful applicant will be classified upon admittance as either an Education Certification Special (EDCS) student or a second-undergraduate-degree candidate.
Details of requirements and procedures pertaining to master's degree study in the department are described in the department's Master's Degree Programs Handbook. Because master's degree students are personally responsible for learning about and following department requirements and procedures, they should familiarize themselves with this document. The handbook is available at the Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Program Office, 210-C Teacher Education Building, 225 North Mills Street, 608/263-7466, or online at www.education.wisc.edu/ci/graduate_prog/current_students.asp . Master's degree students are also personally responsible for learning about and following Graduate School policies (see info.gradsch.wisc.edu/for/current.html ). The Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Program Office offers an informational meeting for graduate students at the beginning of each semester; this meeting is especially useful to entering graduate students.
The goals of doctoral study in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction are to help students develop abilities for research in the field of curriculum and instruction; develop expertise in one of the department's areas of study, listed previously; acquire greater competence in curriculum evaluation and development; improve understanding of the teaching-learning process; gain depth and breadth of knowledge in related academic fields; and build a broadened professional background in areas related to curriculum and instruction, such as administration, counseling, educational psychology, supervision, and the anthropology, history, philosophy, and sociology of education.
Ph.D. study in the department is research-oriented. It prepares students for different forms of intellectual leadership in education including research, teacher education and other teaching in higher education, and leadership positions in educational agencies. These different forms of leadership are not mutually exclusive, but the relative emphasis given to each varies among students and areas of study.
Details of requirements and procedures pertaining to Ph.D. study in the department are described in the department's Ph.D. Degree Program Handbook, which can be downloaded from www.education.wisc.edu/ci/graduate_prog/current_students.asp . Doctoral students are personally responsible for learning about and following department requirements and procedures; they should therefore familiarize themselves with this document, a printed copy of which they can pick up at the Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Program Office, 210-C Teacher Education Building, 225 North Mills Street, 608/263-7466. Ph.D. students are also personally responsible for learning about and following Graduate School policies, info.gradsch.wisc.edu/for/current.html . The Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Program Office offers an informational meeting for graduate students at the beginning of each semester; this meeting is especially useful to entering graduate students.
Doctoral students majoring in another UW-Madison department who desire a Ph.D. minor in curriculum and instruction should seek and enlist a faculty member in the department to serve as their Ph.D. minor advisor. Twelve credits are required for a Ph.D. minor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. At least 6 of these credits must be in substantive, graduate-level courses taken in the UW-Madison Department of Curriculum and Instruction. (Substantive, graduate-level courses excludes credits earned through Independent Reading, Independent Study, Research, and Thesis.) With the approval of the minor advisor, the remaining 6 credits may be met through an approved transfer of credits in substantive, graduate-level courses completed at other institutions. A maximum of 3 credits of the total 12-credit minor requirement may be met through graduate-level independent reading done in the UW-Madison Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
In addition to the master's degree and Ph.D. degree programs, the department offers several advanced certification programs involving certificates that are available only at the postbaccalaureate level. Their descriptions follow. In addition to the existing programs listed below, there is a pending proposal for the training of Reading Recovery teacher leaders; for information about the status of this proposal, please call 608/890-0908.
Applicants must have teacher certification in at least one field of study. Please refer to the department's Master's Degree Programs Handbook for applicable admission requirements and satisfactory-progress criteria.
Advisors: Professor Steinkuehler, 528-D Teacher Education Building, 608/263-4669, steinkuehler@wisc.edu ; Professor Streibel, 544-C Teacher Education Building, 608/263-4670, streibel@education.wisc.edu ; Professor Squire, 544-B Teacher Education Building, 608/263-4672, kdsquire@education.wisc.edu ; Professor Thomas, 544-A Teacher Education Building, 608/263-6987, mthomas@education.wisc.edu
a. Eligibility to hold a Wisconsin license to teach or completion of an approved teacher education program.
b. Two years of successful regular classroom teaching experience.
c. Proficiency in the teaching of reading that includes a practicum in teaching reading in all of the following:
(1) Developmental reading for pupils in the early childhood through adolescent level.
(2) Assessment and instructional techniques for readers with special needs.
(3) Language development.
(4) Learning disabilities.
(5) Content area reading.
(6) Literature for children or adolescents.
Institutional endorsement from UW-Madison for the reading teacher license (316) is met through the following required courses: 272-500 (Literacy and Language Development with practicum), 272-503 (Literacy Across the Curriculum with practicum), 272-504 (Literacy Assessment and Intervention with practicum), 272-604 (Seminar on Literacy topic 1), 272-604 (Seminar on Literacy topic 2), 272-632 (Literature and Literacy with practicum), plus one 3-credit elective course involving language development, language disorders, language structure, or literacy as approved by advisor. Thus, it is 21 credits for the Wisconsin State Reading Teacher License, with 15 semester credits involving a practicum.
At UW-Madison, application for the 316 (reading teacher) certification is made to the School of Education certification officer, Education Academic Services (EAS), 109/B117 Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall, 608/265-3475, easinfo@education.wisc.edu Advisor: Professor Dawnene Hassett, 456e Teacher Education Building, 608/263-4666, ddhammer@wisc.edu For more information, including course descriptions, see www.education.wisc.edu/ci/graduate_prog/areas/detail.asp?id=14
a. A reading teacher license under Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction PI 34 Administrative Rules, s. PI 34.33 (6), dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/pi34.html#supplementarycategories3433 .
b. A master’s degree with a major emphasis in reading
c. The ability to demonstrate expertise in each of the following:
(1) Guiding and directing the kindergarten through grade 12 program.
(2) Field experience in kindergarten through grade 12 reading programs.
(3) Research related to reading.
(4) Supervision of instruction.
(5) Content area reading for the reading specialist.
Institutional endorsement from UW-Madison for the reading specialist license (317) is met through the following required courses: 272-805 (Guiding and Directing School Reading Programs); 272-840 (Fieldwork in School Reading Programs); 305-848 (Professional Development and Organizational Learning--or an equivalent class from the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, as approved by the advisor); plus two 3-credit elective courses involving school-wide programs, curriculum development, language development, or literacy as approved by advisor. Thus, it is 15 credits for the Wisconsin State Reading Specialist License (15 credits beyond the reading teacher license).
At UW-Madison, application for the 317 (reading specialist) certification is made to the School of Education certification officer, Education Academic Services (EAS), 109/B117 Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall, 608/265-3475, easinfo@education.wisc.edu Advisor: Professor Dawnene Hassett, 456e Teacher Education Building, 608/263-4666, ddhammer@wisc.eduFor more information, including course descriptions, see www.education.wisc.edu/ci/graduate_prog/areas/detail.asp?id=14
The department nominates eligible incoming M.S. and Ph.D. students for a Graduate Opportunity Fellowship (GOF)--heretofore known as an Advanced Opportunity Fellowship (AOF). Eligibility criteria for these fellowships can be found at the Graduate School's Office of Fellowship Administration, http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/fellowships/ .
The department nominates its most academically competitive candidates for university fellowships. Nominees are considered in February by a committee of the Graduate School's social studies division. For an applicant to be considered in this competition, the graduate-application file should be complete by January 1.
University-wide information about financial aid for graduate students is available through the Office of Student Financial Services, www.osfs.wisc.edu. Additional information about financing graduate education is available from the Graduate School's Office of Fellowship Administration, info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/fellowships/ .
The department itself does not award fellowships or scholarships. However, teaching, project, research, and program assistantships are often available either in the department or through faculty research projects in the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, www.wcer.wisc.edu. These assistantships are awarded to qualified, full-time graduate students and typically involve 10-20 hours of professional work each week, usually in close collaboration with one or more professors. Assistantships provide a stipend and may include the cost of tuition (excluding segregated fees).
Applications for assistantships in the department can be downloaded from www.education.wisc.edu/ci/_workingfiles/TA_Assist_App.pdf or requested from the department secretary, 210-A Teacher Education Building, 608/263-4602, jzander@education.wisc.edu . Students should also check with individual faculty members about opportunities for assistantships. Any teaching, project, or program assistant in the department must carry a full course load of 8-12 graduate-level credits (unless employed for more than 20 hours per week, which requires special permission) and make satisfactory progress toward the graduate degree.
All applicants should apply online at info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/appinstr.html . Official transcripts should be sent in duplicate to the Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Program Office, 225 North Mills Street, Madison WI 53706-1707. Printed letters of recommendation may also be sent to this address, but persons writing recommendations may find it faster and more convenient to submit their recommendations electronically. Letters of recommendation can be submitted electronically to the Graduate School, following a process that is described in the on-line application. Any additional documentation required specifically by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction should be sent to the postal address shown above. If the application fee is not paid electronically, a check or money order should be mailed to the Office of Graduate Admissions, 228 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison WI 53706-1330.
Every master's degree applicant is required to submit a detailed statement of reasons for graduate study. This statement should indicate the applicant’s primary area of interest, professional objectives, career goals, and why the applicant is interested in pursuing the master's degree in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. This information is used to gauge the appropriateness of the applicant's program goals in relation to the department's mission and to identify prospective advisors whose research interests match those of the applicant. If an applicant's statement fails to persuade a faculty member to serve as the graduate advisor, the applicant will be refused admission; it is therefore important that this statement be detailed, well-written, and matched to specific areas of graduate specialization that are available in the department. These areas of study are listed at www.education.wisc.edu/ci/main/areas.htm . Occasionally professors will invite someone to apply as their prospective advisee. If a specific professor invites a student to apply as a prospective advisee and the student would like for that professor to be the advisor, the professor should be identified in the statement of reasons.
If the grade point average (GPA) of an applicant's last 60 semester-hours of undergraduate course work is below 3.0 (on a 4-point scale), the applicant must also take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) general test and have an official report of the scores sent electronically from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to UW-Madison (institution code: 1846).
(1) Official transcripts. Official transcripts from all previous postsecondary study are required for all Ph.D. applicants.
(2) Graduate Record Exam (GRE) general test. Ph.D. applicants should have an official report of their Graduate Record Exam (GRE) general test scores sent electronically from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to UW-Madison (institution code: 1846).
(3) Evidence of writing ability. Ph.D. applicants are required to provide evidence of their writing ability by sending a writing sample (master's thesis, academic paper from a graduate course, a journal article, or any other writing which the applicant believes can be used to judge writing ability) directly to the Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Program Office.
(4) Three letters that include appraisal of academic competence. Ph.D. applicants are required to have three letters of reference assessing their academic and professional competence. Letters of reference written for teachers ordinarily include an evaluation of their professional competence, and the department does consider that information. However, the department needs letters that also give a knowledgeable appraisal of the applicant's academic competence. A student's former professors are usually best able to provide this, so the department prefers letters from them. Printed letters of recommendation may be sent directly to the Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Program Office, but persons writing recommendations may find it faster and more convenient to submit their recommendations electronically. As described at info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/elorinstructions.html , requests to have letters of recommendation submitted electronically are made as part of the online application for admission.
(5) Statement of reasons for doctoral study. Each Ph.D. applicant is required to submit a detailed statement of reasons for doctoral study. The statement should indicate the applicant’s primary area of interest, professional objectives, career goals, and why the applicant is interested in pursuing a research degree in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. This information is used to gauge the appropriateness of the applicant's program goals in relation to the department's mission and to identify prospective advisors whose research interests match those of the applicant. If an applicant's statement fails to persuade a faculty member to serve as the graduate advisor, the applicant will be refused admission; it is therefore important that this statement be detailed, well-written, and matched to specific areas of graduate specialization that are available in the department. These areas of study are listed at www.education.wisc.edu/ci/main/areas.htm . Occasionally professors will invite someone to apply as their prospective advisee. If a specific professor invites a student to apply as a prospective advisee and the student would like for that professor to be the advisor, the professor should be identified in the statement of reasons.
In accord with Graduate School policy, every applicant whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English must provide official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). An admitted applicant whose paper-based TOEFL score is below 580, computer-based TOEFL (CBT) score is below 237, internet-based TOEFL (iBT) score is below 92, IELTS score is below 7, or MELAB score is below 82 must take an English assessment test upon arrival. Such persons must then register for any English as a Second Language (ESL) courses that are recommended.
To see whether any additional forms of evidence are presently required of them, prospective international applicants should check the Graduate Program link at the department Web site (www.education.wisc.edu/ci ) or contact the Graduate Program Office, 608/263-7466, cigrad@education.wisc.edu .
For more information: Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Program Office, 210-C Teacher Education Building, 225 North Mills Street, Madison WI 53706-1707; 608/263-7466; fax 608/263-9992; cigrad@education.wisc.edu; www.education.wisc.edu/ci.