Doctor of Philosophy Education with a Concentration in Instructional Design and Technology (PhD)
Tian Luo, Graduate Program Director
The Doctor of Philosophy in Education, Instructional Design and Technology (ID&T) concentration prepares individuals to conduct research and assume leadership roles in the field of instructional technology. Students will master a number of instructional design skills, ranging from instructional problem identification, task and audience analysis, strategy design, assessment, evaluation, and implementation that they can use in a variety of settings including traditional classrooms, distance education, business, health care, military, K-12 and higher education, and government. Courses explore theories and research that provide a foundation for the field. Students are also expected to participate in and conduct research studies as part of their program. Completing the PhD in ID&T will prepare students to take jobs as instructional design and human performance practitioners in business, military, government, health care, and educational settings. They are also prepared to take positions as faculty members in higher education and as researchers for private organizations. The PhD in Education, Instructional Design Technology (ID&T) concentration is offered exclusively online. The program is offered primarily in a synchronous online format, with the vast majority of courses meeting live at scheduled times. A limited number of courses are delivered in an asynchronous online format.
Admission
For admission to this program, individuals should have completed master’s degree in an appropriate discipline from a regionally accredited university. Degrees that are equivalent to a master’s degree such as LLB, JD, and DDS are also acceptable. Prospective students should also have prior course work in statistics and instructional technology. If this requirement is not met, then additional course work may be added to the candidate’s graduate program of study at the discretion of the advisor and graduate program director. Please see prerequisites on the curriculum description for specifics.
Admission to the instructional design and technology PhD program is competitive. A number of criteria are considered including undergraduate & graduate GPAs, GRE scores, writing ability, a personal interview, and the match between student interests and faculty expertise. Meeting the minimum requirements established by the department does not ensure admission to the program. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.8 and a minimum graduate GPA of 3.25 are recommended.
Application Requirements
Application requirements for the PhD in instructional design and technology are as follows:
- A completed application which is available online or from the Office of Graduate Admissions.
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate courses and degrees completed.
- The GRE is recommended but not required for this program. Applicants without GRE scores will receive full consideration during the admissions review. Applicants may choose to include scores if they believe it strengthens their application.
- Applicants whose native language is not English (or who do not have a BS or MS degree from an accredited institution in a country where English is the native language) must submit a current score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) of at least 600 (written) or 250 (computer based).
- Applicants must submit a 500-word (minimum) statement of their academic and professional goals with an emphasis on how the PhD degree in instructional design and technology will contribute to the achievement of the stated goals.
- Three letters of reference from sources capable of commenting on the applicant’s readiness for advanced graduate study. It is recommended that at least two of the letters come from university faculty members. Other letters may come from work supervisors or managers.
- An interview with the instructional design and technology program faculty. This committee will also review applications for admission.
Under normal circumstances, admissions will be offered two times a year for the fall and spring semesters. Acceptance is competitive to ensure that there is an adequate number of full-time faculty to serve the students through advising, mentoring, and other duties, particularly when individuals reach the dissertation stage of the program.
*Applicants who wish to begin in the Fall as full-time students and be considered for graduate assistantships must submit their applications by November 1 of the preceding year.
Admission Application Deadlines
Applicants must submit completed applications and all related material no later than the following dates:
- November 1st for starting in the Spring/next Fall Semester
- March 1st for starting in the Summer/Fall Semester
Curriculum Requirements
Program Requirements
The Ph.D. program in Education with a concentration in instructional design and technology is comprised of courses totaling a minimum of 60 academic credit hours beyond the master’s degree. The curriculum includes a Research Core (12 credits of Shared Core in PhD in Education, plus 3-credit IDT 879 Research Residency), an IDT core of 21 credit hours, 9 credit hours in the instructional design concentration, and 15 capstone courses (3-credit dissertation seminar course and the 12 dissertation credit hours). The dissertation will often include more than 12 credit hours depending on the length of time necessary for completion. Students entering the program may also need to complete an introductory statistics course if they have not had equivalent courses or cannot demonstrate competency at a satisfactory level. Students who enter the Ph.D. program with a master’s degree in an academic field that is unrelated to instructional design and technology and/or who have not completed courses to develop competency in specified areas may need to complete these courses in addition to the required courses. All courses are offered online. All students must complete the research residency project (IDT 879 ) that results in a submission for publication or presentation to a nationally refereed journal or conference prior to taking comprehensive exams.
All IDT students are expected to have regular and reliable access to a multimedia computer (headphones, microphone, and web cam) and a high speed internet connection.
Prerequisites: All students admitted into the Ph.D. in instructional design and technology must complete the following prerequisite course unless they have previously completed equivalent graduate level coursework or have appropriate educational experience.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisites * | ||
| Introduction to Applied Statistics and Data Analysis | ||
| Research Core | ||
| Shared PhD in Education Core | 12 | |
| Quantitative Research Design in Education | ||
| Intermediate Applied Statistics and Data Analysis | ||
| Qualitative Research Design in Education | ||
| Design and Analysis in Qualitative Research | ||
| IDT 879 | Research Residency in Instructional Design and Technology | 3 |
| ID&T Core Courses | ||
| IDT 801 | Instructional Design and Technology Seminar | 3 |
| IDT 810 | Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology | 3 |
| IDT 825 | Human Performance Assessment | 3 |
| IDT 830 | Principles and Practices of Human Performance Technology | 3 |
| IDT 849 | Instructional Systems Design | 3 |
| IDT 860 | Cognition and Instructional Design | 3 |
| IDT 873 | Advanced Instructional Design Techniques | 3 |
| Instructional Design Concentration | 9 | |
Choose courses from the following: | ||
Design & Theory | ||
| Foundations of Distance Education | ||
| Computer-Based Multi-Media Design | ||
| Instructional Design Theory | ||
| Instructional Message Design | ||
Technology | ||
| Diffusion and Adoption of Instructional Technology Innovations | ||
| Theory and Design of Instructional Simulation | ||
| Instructional Gaming: Theories and Practice | ||
| Applied Instructional Design Tools | ||
| Designing Online Instruction | ||
Human Performance Technology | ||
| Noninstructional Interventions | ||
| Consulting Skills for Instructional Designers | ||
| Needs Analysis and Assessment | ||
| Electives ** | ||
| Complete electives | ||
| Capstone Courses | ||
| FOUN 881 | Dissertation Seminar *** | 3 |
| SEPS 899 | Dissertation in Occupational Education | 12 |
| Total Credit Hours | 60 | |
- *
All students admitted into the Ph.D. program in instructional design and technology must complete the prerequisite courses unless they have previously completed equivalent graduate level coursework or have appropriate educational experience.
- **
Electives are chosen from the list above, or from related areas, e.g., modeling & simulation, psychology, engineering, speech-communications, business, I/O psychology.
- ***
If seminar is waived by the doctoral committee, the credits are added to the content.
Additional courses or substitutions may be used as approved by student’s advisory committee.
Additional Requirements
Program Continuance
After completing 12 hours in ID&T course work, students must maintain a 3.25 GPA in ID&T courses. Failure to do so will result in one year probation. If the student's GPA in ID&T courses is less than 3.25 at the end of the probation period, the student will be suspended. Students who earn a grade of C+ or lower (including U) in a graduate course in their program of study are considered to be making unsatisfactory progress. Students earning one or more grades of C+ or lower must meet with the program director prior to enrolling in courses in future semesters. Students must provide a plan for making satisfactory progress or they will be suspended. If a student earns three or more grades of C+ or lower, they will be suspended from the program. Students wishing to be considered for reinstatement must follow the procedures set forth in the ODU Graduate Catalog.
In addition, the ODU Graduate Catalog states students who have less than a 3.0 GPA on courses at ODU will be placed on probation and may be suspended if conditions prescribed in the catalog are not met.
Continuous Enrollment and Exams
Doctoral students who do not meet the conditions for continuous enrollment and who do not have an approved leave of absence will be suspended from the degree program. Doctoral students who fail the comprehensive exam (either oral or written) or the doctoral final examination (e.g., dissertation defense) twice will be suspended from the degree program.
Satisfactory Progress
Prior to candidacy, doctoral students should complete a minimum of 12 credit hours per year with a grade of B- or higher. Students who fall short of this benchmark will meet with program faculty to discuss their progress and develop a plan for continued success. Before scheduling comprehensive/candidacy exams, every student will review their coursework and academic performance with their advisor to ensure readiness.
Plagiarism
Any student found guilty of plagiarism will be suspended immediately from the program.
Program Completion and Exit
To complete the program students must fully comply with the curriculum below and all requirements noted elsewhere in the University catalog for graduate students and within the Ph.D. in Education Handbook. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain these materials and complete required portions.