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Doctor of Philosophy in
Education (PhD), English
Language Learning

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PhD in English Language Learning

For education professionals with a desire to be an active scholar in the field of education and make significant contributions to the existing body of knowledge, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education program can take both your research skills and career options to a higher level. The program begins with a review of theoretical frameworks to support your understanding of the role of theory in a PhD degree. Coursework combines this strong base of theoretical knowledge with an individualized focus to conduct research in pre-K-12, post-secondary, and adult learning environments as you contribute new and innovative findings to advance your field of educational specialization.

Why Earn Your Ph.D. in English with National University?

The English Language Learning (ELL) specialization prepares you to be a research scholar in the field. You’ll build on your existing knowledge and skills in preparation for continued investigation around teaching, assessing, and developing curricula for English language learners. The final course considers significant issues in ELL education, one of which may inspire your dissertation. Throughout the program, you’ll have a support system of advisors, faculty, and tools to guide you through coursework, research, and your dissertation process. Please note: if you’re seeking ELL/ESL certification, you should verify with state officials that this specialization meets applicable requirements. 

Admission Requirements 

A conferred post-baccalaureate master’s degree or doctoral degree from a regionally or nationally accredited academic institution or an international institution determined to be equivalent through an approved evaluation service.

Dissertation Process

In addition to the foundational and specialization courses, each PhD student is required to complete a high-quality dissertation through a systematic process and sequential courses assisted by faculty. A PhD dissertation is a scholarly documentation of research that makes an original contribution to the field of educational study. The step-by-step process requires care in choosing a topic, documenting its importance, planning the methodology, and conducting the research. These activities lead smoothly into the writing and oral presentation of your dissertation.

Courses and Sequence

The PhD in Education program requires 60 credits for degree completion. Additional credit hours may be allowed as needed to complete your dissertation research. If granted, additional courses will be added to your degree program in alignment with the SAP and Academic Maximum Time to Completion policies. The estimated time needed to complete this program is 45 months.

Course Details

Course Listings

A PhD prepares you to make significant contributions to the body of literature within the education field. This course prepares you for understanding what theory is, recognizing theoretical frameworks within existing literature, connecting your research interests to existing theoretical frameworks, and justifying how your research will add to the wealth of current theories in the field.

Specialization Course 1

Your success as a scholarly professional will largely depend upon your communication skills, particularly in your written work. This course supports your development as a scholar who can publish in different types of research-based publications for a variety of audiences. You’ll practice synthesizing multiple sources, formulating arguments, and integrating feedback through iterative drafts of your work. These are key capabilities you’ll need as you submit your research in published manuscripts and presentations.

In this course, you’ll develop effective search and writing strategies to create a scholarly review of literature. The course emphasizes how to: (a) use effective literature search strategies; (b) develop a scholarly synthesis of research literature; (c) organize research literature around identified themes, including a study problem, purpose, and theoretical perspectives; and (d) focus on developing a scholarly exposition that reflects divergent viewpoints and contrasting perspectives. The overarching goal is for you to understand strategies for surveying scholarly literature that avoid bias, focus on educational, practice-based research problems, and address the requirements of a scholarly literature review.

Specialization Course 2

This course introduces you to the research process by exploring its underpinnings, examining its paradigms, and investigating the foundations of qualitative and quantitative methodologies used in educational studies. You’ll identify criteria for the development of quality research studies that are ethical, accurate, comprehensive, cohesive, and aligned. Specific course topics involve the ethics of conducting research; data collection and analysis techniques; and issues of feasibility, trustworthiness, validity, reliability, transferability, and rigor. The goal is to familiarize yourself with the concepts and skills associated with conducting theoretical and applied research.

Specialization Course 3

This course provides the foundational knowledge to become a critical consumer of statistical-based research and a skilled analyst of non-inferential quantitative data. Coursework focuses on understanding multivariate data, non-inferential and inferential statistical concepts, the conventions of quantitative data analysis, and interpretations and critical inferences in statistical results. You’ll use software applications to complete statistical computations and perform quantitative data analysis. The course culminates in a synthesis project to demonstrate your statistical skills and present your results using APA guidelines.

Specialization Course 4

Elective Course*

Specialization Course 5

A focus on qualitative research methodology and the designs and methods used to collect and analyze data in educational research. You’ll examine the principles of qualitative research and explore commonly used designs (also referred to as qualitative traditions or genres) with a focus on application and feasibility. Qualitative data collection and analysis methods will be examined for their suitability with regard to the research design selected. Alignment between qualitative designs and research methods, issues of trustworthiness, and the responsibilities of the qualitative researcher will also be explored.

Specialization Course 6

An exploration of quantitative research methodologies and associated designs and methods. You’ll examine paradigmatic perspectives along with the tenets and conventions of quantitative research. Topics for examination include feasibility, validity, reliability, variable operationalization, inferential designs, and analytic software applications used within the quantitative research paradigm. You’ll also look at the components of quantitative research designs that support meaningful studies within the field of education.

Select One of the Following Two Data Analysis Courses:

An exploration of advanced statistical principles and how to apply them to quantitative research. This course provides an overview of advanced statistical concepts used in empirical research, including inferential analyses. You’ll use SPSS software to perform advanced computations as you build independent, scholarly statistical skills. Coursework will emphasize multivariate data; the use, comprehension, and evaluation of sophisticated statistical concepts; and the proper presentation of statistical results.

This course builds on a foundational understanding of qualitative designs and measurements to focus on analyses of the data. Coursework takes you deeper into the skills and techniques necessary to ensure the appropriate analyses of qualitative data, including integrating relevant frameworks, verifying trustworthiness of the findings, and selecting suitable methods for presenting analyses and findings.

The doctoral comprehensive assessment is your opportunity to demonstrate your preparation for entering the dissertation phase as a PhD candidate. You’ll synthesize discipline-specific content with research designs and analysis methods to create a prospectus for a theoretically-based research study that focuses on furthering knowledge in the field of education. Whereas EdD research focuses on addressing a researchable problem with practical applications, PhD research has a focus on contribution to theory and the broader discipline of education. This course is begun only after all your foundation, specialization, and research courses have been completed, and your prospectus will likely become the foundation of your PhD dissertation. 

Students in this course will be required to complete chapter one of their dissertation proposal, including the following: a review of literature with substantiating evidence of the problem, the research purpose and questions, the intended methodological design and approach, and the significance of the study. A completed, committee-approved chapter one is required to pass the course. If you don’t receive approval to minimum standards, you’ll be able to take up to three supplementary eight-week courses to finalize and gain approval of chapter one.

In this course, you’ll work on completing chapters one to three of your dissertation proposal and receiving committee approval for the dissertation proposal (DP). Chapter two consists of the literature review, while chapter three covers the research methodology and design, including population, sample, measurement instruments, data collection and analysis, limitations, and ethical considerations. Completed, committee-approved chapters two and three are required to pass the course, as is a final approved dissertation proposal. If you don’t receive approval to minimum standards, you’ll be able to take up to three supplementary eight-week courses to finalize and gain approval of these requirements.

In this course, you’ll prepare, submit, and obtain approval of your Institutional Review Board (IRB) application. You’ll also collect data and submit a final study closure form to the IRB. If you’re still collecting data at the end of the 12-week course, you’ll be able to take up to three supplementary eight-week courses to complete data collection and file your IRB study closure form.

In this dissertation course, you’ll work on completing chapters four, five, and your final dissertation manuscript. Specifically, you’ll complete your data analysis, prepare your study results, and present your findings with an oral defense and a completed manuscript. A completed, committee-approved dissertation manuscript and successful oral defense are required to complete the course and graduate. If you don’t receive approval for either or both, you can take up to three supplementary eight-week courses to finalize and gain approval.

* The elective can be satisfied with any doctoral-level School of Education course. The course listed in the degree plan can be changed upon request. Contact your academic and finance advisor for assistance.

Specialization Courses

ESL-7100 Second Language Foundations

In this course, you’ll analyze how learning a new language differs from learning a first language, including learner experiences and processes that occur during second language acquisition. As you examine theories related to second language acquisition, you’ll also consider the role of reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in acquiring the second language. You’ll also assess best practices and principles in various learning environments and create instructional plans and materials based on those principles.

ESL-7200 Teaching English Language Learners

This course offers a deeper exploration of theories, models, practices, and strategies related to teaching English language learners. You’ll consider knowledge and skills related to listening, speaking, reading, and writing English as you develop sheltered content lessons for diverse learners. Given the collaborative nature of teaching, you’ll also assess opportunities to confer with other professionals around effective instruction for English language learners. Throughout the course, you’ll consider diversity, equity, and inclusion as you design culturally responsive instructional materials and accommodations.  

ESL-7300 Assessing Diverse Learners

In this course, you’ll explore the assessment of diverse English language learners in various educational contexts from the perspectives of a leader-practitioner and research scholar. Your studies will include assessment differences, tools, and strategies for both content-area learning and language learning. You’ll also evaluate the role of technology in the assessment of diverse English language learners and examine the roles of teachers and other professionals in the evaluation and accountability of English language services and programs.

ESL-7400 Developing Curriculum for English Language Learners

Here you’ll examine frameworks for curriculum development, including the development of unit plans for both content-area and language learning outcomes related to reading, writing, and speaking English. You’ll also consider strategies for differentiating curricula and evaluating proficiency standards and guidelines for English language learners.

ED-7009 Educating a Diversity of Learners

Because today’s learners differ in gender, sexual orientation, age, cultural background, experiences, and abilities, modern educators must be able to appraise, assess, and argue the best means to reach such a variety. In this course, you’ll explore different means to address the nature of cultural diversity, its sources, and its importance to educators. You’ll also consider how districts can plan and prepare to meet the needs of diverse students, taking into consideration epistemological and axiological perspectives unique to many cultures.

ESL-7600 Issues in ELL Education

In this course, you’ll analyze historical contexts for English language learning and the current political, social, and educational implications of teaching English learners. You’ll consider research regarding the education of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as different ways to affirm students’ cultural identities. Along the journey, you’ll also evaluate strategies for teaching English language learners within contexts of English as a foreign language, English as a second language, and bilingual education.

Program Learning Outcomes

The PhD in Education program prepares you for making significant contributions to the body of knowledge in the broad field of education as well as a more narrowed area of instructional specialization. Learning outcomes include the ability to:

  • Develop deep knowledge of educational systems, theories, and research in an area of expertise
  • Interpret theories, research, and ideas for different audiences through multiple methods of communication
  • Integrate ethical principles and professional standards for a specific discipline within the field
  • Conduct autonomous or collaborative research using high-level analytical skills
  • Contribute to the body of knowledge specific to a discipline within the field

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Program Disclosure

Successful completion and attainment of National University degrees do not lead to automatic or immediate licensure, employment, or certification in any state/country. The University cannot guarantee that any professional organization or business will accept a graduate’s application to sit for any certification, licensure, or related exam for the purpose of professional certification.

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