In the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education’s Ph.D. program, Instructional Science & Technology (IT) is not just a program; it is a key theme in the identity of the entire school and is influential across the university. Twenty faculty members from across the Curry School and University come together to focus on IT, and students have rich learning opportunities across a range of focal areas.
- Children’s Engineering
- Instructional Design and Interactive Development
- Web 2.0 Convergence, Educational Multimedia
- Technology Leadership, Technology & Teaching
- Consumer Health Education, Gender & Technology
- Games/Play/Flow, Museums & Education
Our students work closely with faculty in a collegial environment on both time-tested and leading-edge practices. You'll find yourself working with the most talented students from virtually every discipline and background, learning team leadership skills and forming lifelong friendships. The University of Virginia is one of the top-ranked public universities in the nation, and the Curry School is nationally recognized for its leadership and innovation, particularly in IT. We are the recipient of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Innovative Use of Technology Award for modeling innovative use of technology for others in the profession as well as a recipient of the first International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Distinguished Achievement Award for integration of technology into teacher education, among other awards and recognition. Graduates in IT from the Curry School are creating positive change through research and development in instructional innovation positions around the world. We invite you to discover, create, and change with us.
Prerequisites and Admission Requirements
Students must be continuously enrolled at the university during the fall and spring semesters. If students are not taking courses, enrollment may still be maintained by paying a non-resident fee. Failure to maintain enrollment will require re-application to program. As of 2005, completion of the Curry Research Examination (Quantitative & Qualitative) is optional for IT majors.
Application Due Date
Application package (application, official transcripts, recommendations, official GREs) must be received by December 15. For more information on the application package as well as other admission information, see the Curry admissions page.
Degree Requirements
The Doctor of Philosophy degree requires 76 units of doctoral courses in IT, research methods, supporting coursework and the on-going research internship, as outlined under Course Overview. A series of PhD assessments is completed as students move through the program:
First Year: Preliminary Examination
Second year: Pre-Dissertation Manuscript
Third year: Comprehensive Examination
During the fourth year, the sole focus is on the student's dissertation research. No coursework is undertaken during the fourth year; instead, a minimum of 12 units of dissertation credits are completed for each semester required for completion of the degree.
Funding Opportunities
Financial support packages for the PhD, which may include a combination of fellowship funding, bi-weekly pay, tuition remission/adjustment, and health insurance, is decided at various administrative levels. Heads of these administrative groups will notify all recipients following funding and placement decisions during the spring of each academic year. Funding is limited to four years of study.
Typical Length of Study
The PhD is a four-year program with the last year intended for sole focus on the dissertation.
Full or Part Time:
Students must attend full time in the PhD program.
Course Overview
Fall, First Year (13 units)
EDIS 7000 - Introduction to Instructional Design (3)
EDIS 7010 Courseware Tools (3)
EDIS 7852 Reading and Critiquing of Research (3) or EDIS 8500 Issues in STEM Education (3) or EDIS 8030 Adv. Sem. Research in Instructional Technology (3)
EDLF 7300 Research Foundations (3)
EDIS 8821 CISE Pro-seminar (1)
Spring, First Year (13 units)
EDIS 8010 - Advanced Instructional Design (3)
EDIS 7020 Courseware Design (3)
EDIS 8090 Integrative Literature Reviews (3)
Research methods course (e.g. EDLF 7310 Stat I) (3)
EDIS 9998: Doctoral Research Internship (1-3)
Fall, Second Year (13 units)
EDIS 5550 Instructional Visualizations (3)
EDIS 7000 - Intro to Instructional Design: Studio Mentor (3)
Research methods course (e.g. EDLF 7404 Qual I) (3)
Research methods course (e.g., EDLF 8300 Stat II) (3)
EDIS 9998: Doctoral Research Internship (1-3)
Spring, Second Year (13 units)
EDIS 5620 - Video Communications (3)
EDIS 5550 Educational Apps, Simulations and Videogames (3)
EDIS 8010 – Adv. Instructional Design: Studio Mentor (3)
EDIS 8822 Seminar: Grant Writing or Research methods course (e.g. EDLF 8310 Stat III) (3)
EDIS 9998: Doctoral Research Internship (1-3)
Fall, Third Year (12 units)
EDIS 8030 – Adv. Sem.: Research in Instructional Technology (3)
EDIS 5500: Leadership for Instructional Technology (3) (Dexter)
Research methods course (e.g., EDLF 7403: Survey Design & Instrument Construction) (3)
EDIS 9998: Doctoral Research Internship (3)
Spring, Third Year (12 units)
EDIS 5500 Cognitive Psychology of Education (3)
Instructional Technology topical seminar (e.g., Distance Education) (3)
EDIS 8850 Diversity in Teaching and Learning (3)
EDIS 9998: Doctoral Research Internship (3)
Fourth Year (12 units/semester)
Dissertation Hours only
Sample Jobs After Graduation
Professor of Instructional Technology/Design
Director of Educational Technology
Education & Business Development
Instructional Technology Advisor
Lead Instructional Designer
Manager of Instructional Design & Development
Multimedia & Web Applications Developer
President of Professional Services, IT organization
Senior Technical Trainer
Technology Coordinator
Web Product Manager
Contacts
