Education (ED)
ED502: Transforming Teaching Practice
This course explores the knowledge and skills essential to the highest standards of teaching and guides you in the transformation of classroom performance. Through research and reflection of best instructional practices, the development of learning targets, effective assessment techniques, student engagement strategies, and effective teacher skill, you will develop an instructional plan that addresses these components, which leads to improved student achievement.
Quarter Credit Hours: 4 | Prerequisite: None
ED503: Educational Psychology
This course introduces you to prominent research-based theories of learning and examines the impact of these theories on students, learning and motivation, teaching, and assessment. You will critically evaluate opposing sides of current issues in educational psychology and articulate and defend personal positions on these issues. The application of case studies, problem-solving strategies, collaborative learning, emergent technologies, and distance-learning techniques is discussed within this course.
Quarter Credit Hours: 4 | Prerequisite: None
ED519: Academic Integrity and Scholarly Writing
This course focuses on identifying and applying appropriate APA style format in scholarly writing. You will also learn how to critique sources based on the standards of scholarly writing. The course presents ethical standards and academic integrity for writing. Further, the course explores the role of artificial intelligence in scholarly writing.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None
ED521: Reading and Writing in the Content Areas
This course focuses on building prospective teachers' competence in the processes of planning, implementing, and evaluating content-area literacy learning for P-12 students. You will use a standards-based approach in crafting strategies for reading and writing for the content area classroom. Topics covered include research-based reading and writing strategies as well as planning standards-based lessons that incorporate reading and writing in the content area classroom.
Quarter Credit Hours: 4 | Prerequisite: None
ED522: Classroom Management
In this course, you will examine several classroom management theorists to provide a comprehensive overview of models and approaches on which to base your own philosophy and practice. Through a research-based approach, you will gain a clear understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of classroom management and its effect on student behavior and achievement. You will design classroom management plans for the contemporary classroom to meet the needs of diverse learners.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None
ED532: Curriculum Design
This course examines current theories of curriculum design in traditional and non-traditional education settings. The focus will be on the application of research and theory to instructional practice for any learning environment. You will have an opportunity to integrate curricular approaches and share strategies and effective techniques to better understand connections between various content areas, learning opportunities, and diverse learner populations.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None
ED533: Perspectives on Inclusion and Belonging
This course explores various issues of inclusion and belonging. You will be challenged to examine your own experiences with regard to culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, race, gender, sexual orientation, and language and how these are impacted in educational settings. Particular emphasis will be placed on creating opportunities for responsive and inclusive practices for supporting marginalized and oppressed learners in educational settings.
Quarter Credit Hours: 4 | Prerequisite: None
ED553: History and Philosophy of Education
This course introduces philosophical viewpoints that can affect new teachers' priorities and strategy choices in their practice. This course will also provide a historical perspective of how public education has become a democratic right in the United States. You will compare and contrast philosophical theories that have driven pedagogy over the past two centuries. You will also evaluate current research in your quest to develop as a reflective and creative practitioner in the twenty-first century classroom.
Quarter Credit Hours: 4 | Prerequisite: None
ED558: Leadership Essentials
This course provides practical insights, tools, tips, techniques, and strategies for educational leadership. You will learn the characteristics and fundamentals of effective leadership and managing change. This course will help you understand different leadership styles and help you create cultures of innovation, engagement, and growth. You will explore leadership practices where you will discover that an aspiring leader, or even an experienced leader, can discover leadership values, identify leadership purposes, and clearly define a leadership vision. Finally, in this course, you will learn how to lead others with integrity and ethics, and empower them to be their best.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None
ED562: Assessment in Education
This course provides you with a broad knowledge base of best practices in the field of assessment. This course will explore the purpose of assessing learning in traditional and non-traditional settings. Further, you will apply various approaches for assessing learning to develop a culture of assessment. Additionally, you will analyze assessment data to improve instruction for various learning contexts. The ethical considerations associated with assessment will also be examined. In addition, you will design assessment techniques for different learning contexts.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None
ED710: Trends, Patterns, and Ethical Issues That Impact Education
During this course, you will analyze trends, patterns, and ethical issues that impact educational settings. You will design innovative solutions that respond to challenges in professional practice.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None
ED720: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Educational Contexts
During this course, you will examine the characteristics of successful change agents. You will study historical figures to illuminate issues related to access and equity associated with culture, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and ability. You will explore ways to advocate for policies and practices inclusive of all individuals while recognizing diversity as an asset in an educational setting.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None
ED730: Educational Systems
This course provides a comprehensive examination of educational systems through historical, structural, and organizational perspectives. You will analyze the evolution of educational institutions and their contemporary contexts, exploring the complex interrelationships among stakeholders, policies, and systemic functions. Using systems thinking as a theoretical framework, you will critically evaluate how internal and external factors influence organizational behavior, leadership approaches, and institutional change processes in educational settings. Emphasis is placed on identifying leverage points for meaningful intervention, understanding policy implementation challenges, and designing evidence-based strategies for sustainable organizational improvement.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None
ED740: Ethics and Accountability in Leadership
This course examines the ethical dimensions of educational leadership and the development of accountability systems that respect diverse stakeholder perspectives. You will analyze how policies, practices, and leadership decisions create ethical implications across various educational contexts, with particular attention to impacts on underrepresented and marginalized populations. Through critical case studies and ethical frameworks, you will identify complex ethical dilemmas facing different stakeholder groups. Emphasis is placed on recognizing power dynamics, ethical reasoning processes, and developing inclusive accountability measures that balance institutional needs with social justice principles. By the end of the course, you will design comprehensive accountability frameworks for identified issues that incorporate multiple ethical perspectives, demonstrate cultural responsiveness, and promote equitable educational outcomes. You will also explore how transparent accountability systems can build trust and foster ethical organizational cultures in educational settings.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None
ED750: Research in Responsive Curriculum Design and Development
This course explores evidence-based approaches to curriculum design and development that meaningfully address the diverse needs, interests, and abilities of learners across educational contexts. You will examine theoretical frameworks and research foundations for culturally sustainable pedagogy, inclusive education, and differentiated instruction as they apply to curriculum development processes. Through critical analysis of existing curricula and educational research, you will identify how cultural, social, cognitive, and developmental factors influence learning engagement and outcomes. Emphasis is placed on integrating research-based methodologies, culturally responsive practices, and universal design principles to create accessible learning experiences. By the end of the course, you will develop a comprehensive, research-informed curriculum project that demonstrates responsiveness to learners' needs and abilities, while incorporating feedback mechanisms for continuous improvement. You will also explore strategies for building stakeholder support and promoting institutional adoption of inclusive curricular approaches.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None
ED760: Learning and Professional Practice
During this course, you will examine foundational theories of learning and motivation as they apply to adult and professional contexts within educational organizations. You will analyze how cognitive, social, and organizational factors influence learning processes and professional development, exploring various theoretical frameworks for understanding adult learning, workplace motivation, and effective knowledge transfer in professional communities. Through critical examination of current research, you will investigate evidence-based strategies for designing learning solutions that foster reflective and collaborative practice, with emphasis placed on identifying barriers to organizational learning and applying research-informed interventions to drive sustainable organizational change. You will examine how emerging technologies can be strategically integrated to enhance andragogy, support motivation, and expand access to transformative learning experiences in professional environments. You will build skills in systematically integrating theory and practice to transform educational environments and promote effective professional growth.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None
ED770: Transformative Learning Environments
This course explores the theoretical foundations and practical applications of transformative learning across diverse educational contexts. You will critically examine key theories of transformative learning and their relationship to personal development, cognitive change, and social transformation. Through analysis of various learning environments - formal, informal, and virtual - you will investigate how spatial, social, technological, and instructional elements influence transformative educational experiences for learners across different age groups and developmental stages. Emphasis is placed on identifying the conditions that facilitate perspective transformation, critical reflection, and meaningful paradigm shifts in learners' capabilities, beliefs, perceptions, and expectations. You will evaluate how digital technologies and innovative pedagogical approaches can be strategically integrated to support transformative learning processes and outcomes. By the end of the course, you will design a comprehensive framework for creating transformative learning environments that demonstrates understanding of theoretical principles while addressing practical implementation challenges in specific educational settings.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None
ED780: Creativity, Innovation, and Intrapreneurship in Education
This course explores how creativity, innovation, and intrapreneurship drive transformative change in education. You will learn how educational leaders conceptualize, develop, and implement new solutions to address both persistent and emerging challenges. By analyzing innovation theory and educational leadership perspectives, you will examine how an intrapreneurial mindset can lead to systemic change. You will investigate the conditions, structures, and cultural dynamics that either enable or constrain innovation within educational organizations. A core part of the course is developing your individual research skills. You will also identify an applied research topic that connects theoretical concepts with practical applications in educational innovation.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: ED730, ED740, ED750, and ED770
ED810: Applied Research Project I Academic Writing and Project Proposal
This course serves as the foundation for the applied research project by developing your academic writing, scholarly voice, and research planning skills. You will focus on crafting a clear and purposeful problem statement, conducting a comprehensive literature review, and drafting a well-aligned research project proposal. Emphasis is placed on locating, analyzing, and synthesizing peer-reviewed research, while applying appropriate citation and formatting standards. By the end of the course, you will have a refined literature review and an initial proposal that aligns with ethical research principles and prepares you for further development in Applied Research Project II. This course will be graded pass/fail.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: CM801 or ED720, ED730, ED740, ED750, ED770, and ED780
ED810A: Applied Research Project I Extension Course
This course may be taken for the specific purpose of ED810 Applied Research Project I Academic Writing and Project Proposal project completion.
Quarter Credit Hours: 0 | Prerequisite: None
ED820: Applied Research Project II Qualitative and Quantitative Research Design
This course provides an in-depth exploration of research methodologies, equipping you with the foundational knowledge necessary for conducting rigorous academic research. You will critically examine qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches, gaining insight into their philosophical underpinnings and practical applications. Emphasizing research design, this course will guide you through the process of developing research questions, selecting appropriate methodologies, and employing effective sampling techniques. Additionally, you will explore various data collection strategies, including surveys, interviews, observations, and document analysis. Ethical considerations, including informed consent, participant confidentiality, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements, will be thoroughly examined to ensure responsible and ethical research conduct. By the end of this course, you will be well-prepared to design methodologically sound applied research studies that contribute meaningfully to the field. This course will be graded pass/fail.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: ED810
ED820A: Applied Research Project II Extension Course
This course may be taken for the specific purpose of ED820 Applied Research Project II Qualitative and Quantitative Research Design project completion.
Quarter Credit Hours: 0 | Prerequisite: ED810
ED822: Applied Research Project II Research Methodology and Design
This course provides an in-depth exploration of research methodologies, equipping you with the foundational knowledge necessary for conducting rigorous academic research. You will critically examine qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches, gaining insight into their philosophical underpinnings and practical applications. Emphasizing research design, this course will guide you through the process of refining research questions, selecting appropriate methodologies, and employing effective sampling techniques. Additionally, you will explore various data collection techniques, including but not limited to surveys, interviews, observations, and document analysis. Validity and reliability will be examined to ensure a sound methodological design. By the end of this course, you will be well-prepared to design methodologically sound applied research studies that contribute meaningfully to the field. This course will be graded pass/fail.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: ED810
ED822A: Applied Research Project II Extension Course
This course may be taken for the specific purpose of ED822 Applied Research Project II: Research Methodology and Design project completion.
Quarter Credit Hours: 0 | Prerequisite: ED810
ED825: Applied Research and IRB Preparation
This course provides you with the essential skills and knowledge to transition from applied research design to applied research implementation. You will refine your methodology, utilize research instruments, and align your data collection strategies with research questions in preparation for Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. The key focus of the course is preparing and submitting a comprehensive Institutional Review Board (IRB) application, ensuring ethical compliance and participant protection. Ethical considerations, including informed consent, participant confidentiality, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements, will be thoroughly examined to ensure responsible and ethical research conduct. Through a combination of instructor feedback, peer collaboration, and applied research activities, you will emerge fully prepared to move forward with data collection in your doctoral research with Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. This course will be graded pass/fail.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: ED822
ED830: Applied Research Project III Project Implementation and Analysis
This course focuses on the implementation of the applied research project, guiding you through data collection, analysis, and the interpretation of findings. Building on the methodology and Institutional Review Board (IRB) preparation completed in previous courses, you will implement your approved research plan while maintaining ethical standards and methodological integrity. Emphasis is placed on accurate data management, appropriate analysis techniques, and thoughtful interpretation of results in the context of the research questions and existing literature. By the end of the course, you will produce a draft of the findings and analysis chapter for your applied research project paper. This course will be graded pass/fail.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: ED820 or ED825, and IRB Approval
ED830A: Applied Research Project III Extension Course
This course may be taken for the specific purpose of ED830 Applied Research Project III Project Implementation and Analysis project completion.
ED840: Applied Research Project IV Project Dissemination
This culminating course focuses on finalizing the applied research project by guiding you through the development of conclusions, implications, and recommendations based on your research findings. You will revise and refine all components of the project and prepare a complete, publication-ready manuscript. In addition, you will explore various avenues for disseminating research, including academic conferences, peer-reviewed journals, professional presentations, and practitioner-based outlets. Emphasis is placed on scholarly communication, research impact, and contributing to the field. This course will be graded pass/fail.
Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: ED830