Department of Adult, Career

and Higher Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in

Adult Education

The Ph.D. in Adult Education is to provide leadership to individuals concerned with the research, teaching and learning of adults. Courses and experiences are provided for the continuing professional development of employed individuals and the preparation of new skills for those intending to enter adult education as a field of study.

The typical advanced degree student in adult education is a full-time professional attending school on a part-time basis. Students tend to have three major areas of variance: 1) setting, 2) subject area, and 3) role. These areas change for each person, creating an extreme diversity of students to be served by one degree program.

Setting

The setting is typically the institution or agency in which the student is employed or seeking employment. Students tend to come from a variety of settings--including both educational and non-educational ones.

Subject Area

Each student's area of specialty is subject centered. Frequently, this may be related to his/her undergraduate degree, but it is not limited to that area. Students within adult education tend to emphasize a particular subject area based on their specific job requirements.

Role

The student's role relates to the particular job responsibilities in which he/she functions at the place of employment. Students are generally in one of three major roles: 1) a learning facilitator; 2) a program developer; or 3) an administrator.

The Ph.D. is a research degree that is granted on the basis of evidence of proficiency and distinctive achievement in a specific field. Students must demonstrate the ability to do original, independent investigation and to produce new knowledge.

Basic Requirements for Admission

In order to be admitted to the Doctoral program, students will need to meet the following requirements:

1. Undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 in the upper level division undergraduate coursework or grade point average of 3.50 at the master's level.
2. G.R.E. score of 500 on the Verbal section, 475 on the Quantitative section, and a 4 on the Analytical Writing section.
3. Three letters of recommendation to be submitted directly to the department.
4. Favorable recommendations from program faculty.
5. Master's degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
   If an applicant does not have any formal coursework in adult education before his/her advanced graduate coursework, the student may need to take some introductory adult education courses. Three basic courses possibly required as a prerequisite to the degree include: ADE 6385 The Adult Learner, ADE 6080 Foundations of Adult Education, and one other course determined to be appropriate for each student.
6. An optional personal interview with the Admissions Committee if the applicant has no previous relationship with the faculty.
   
   

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Outline of Degree Plan

A minimum of 83-84 semester hours after the master's degree is required. The hours must be distributed in the following manner:

In addition, all Ph.D. candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Complete one year of full-time residency. It is understood that the student must enroll for at least nine semester hours during any two semesters within a 12-month time frame.

• Observe and critique at least two proposals and two dissertation final defenses (two within department and two outside if possible).

• Organize a major part of a conference or a doctoral student colloquia/symposia.

• Participate in research project with an adult education faculty member.

• Attend one national and one state adult education conference.

Select at Least Two:

• Repeat any activity above.

• Deliver formal presentation on a research area of interest (to faculty or professional meeting).

• Assist a professor in teaching a course; responsible for presenting/facilitating several units.

• Conduct a significant job-shadowing experience with someone in a position consistent with your professional goals.

• Assist USF Faculty member in making major revisions to existing course or develop new course.

• Work on district or institution-level research study with a faculty member.

• Serve on college/university/department policy committee or search committee.

• Participate in national certification program.

• Other activities approved by Program Faculty.

For more information contact Dr. William Young at e-mail wyoung@coedu.usf.edu or 813-974-1861

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