• Applying to ETAP
  • Admissions Criteria
  • How to Apply
  • Application Deadlines
• Programs of Study
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Elementary Education
  • Middle Grades Education
  • Social Studies Education
  • Teacher Education
• About the Program
  • Overview
  • The Doctoral Chair and Committee
  • Residency
  • Academic Progress
  • Comprehensive Exams
  • Dissertation
• Doctoral Student Support
  • Departmental Assistantships
  • Financial Aid

Social Studies Education

The PhD program in Social Studies Education is now housed as an emphasis area within the Doctoral Program in Educational Theory and Practice (ETAP).  For students admitted before 2013 who have not changed to ETAP, see  “Ph.D. for Non-ETAP Students” for admissions, program of study and other program-related information.

This Ph.D. emphasis area is for those students who wish to research any of the various theoretical and disciplinary areas, problems, and practices related to the field of social studies.  The primary focus of the emphasis area is a continuing development of theory and research on the teaching and learning of the social studies.  Just as there are a wide variety of disciplines within, and approaches to, social studies education, there are many possibilities available for doctoral study.  Although social studies education doctoral students have the opportunity to engage with the history and current status of social studies education research, there are also opportunities for students to bring other fields of inquiry to the social studies.  Faculty members in the social emphasis area, for example, borrow from various research methodologies (narrative inquiry, self-study, and discourse analysis) and wide varieties of theoretical perspectives (feminism, pragmatism, critical theory) to focus their research in social studies education.

Graduates whose emphasis area is in Social Studies Education can position themselves for research and clinical faculty positions, teacher leadership positions, or for further classroom teaching practice in social studies education.

Required courses (10 credits)

• ESOC 8010: (3) History of Social Studies Education
• ESOC 8990: (3) Research Seminar in Social Science Education
• ESOC 9630: (3) Critique of Educational Literature in Social Science Education
• ESOC 9140: Teaching Internship (1 credit)

4 elective courses (12 credits)

These courses will be selected from offerings either inside or outside the Department of Educational Theory and Practice.  Because of the interdisciplinary focus of social studies education, most doctoral students in this emphasis area will be encouraged to take courses outside of the department of elementary and social studies education.  The elective courses will be decided based upon the scholarly interests of the student and in collaboration with the major advisor.  Examples of these elective courses include but are not limited to courses in history, philosophy, geography, economics, political science, anthropology, language and literacy.

Core faculty: Todd Dinkelman, James Garrett, Ronald Butchart, Jennifer James, Sonia Janis, Mardi Schmeichel