University of Arkansas at Little Rock

The PhD in Reading requires a minimum of 108 hours (72 hours beyond the master’s degree) as determined by student and student’s coursework advisor. The program of study is organized under four curricular areas: 1) Literacy Core; 2) Research Core; 3) Specialty Area; and 4) Dissertation. The literacy core includes 15 hours of coursework that provides candidates with an integrated exploration of seminal theories, key research studies, and historical contributions in reading instruction. The research core includes 15 hours of coursework that addresses current information about research design and methods for quantitative and qualitative studies, including statistics and data management. The specialty area includes 24 hours of coursework that provides candidates with a range of options for deepening their knowledge in concentrated areas. The dissertation courses include a minimum of 18 hours of coursework that provides candidates with the knowledge and experiences for designing and conducting scholarly research in literacy education. Additional requirements include the successful completion of an electronic portfolio in Chalk and Wire and a passing score on comprehensive written and oral examinations.