Ed.D. in Literacy

This is an archived copy of the 2021-2022 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.shsu.edu.

The Doctor of Education degree in Literacy provides the highest professional degree available to candidates who seek literacy leadership positions.  The degree requirements include a prescribed curriculum of required and elective courses and the successful completion of a major research project resulting in the presentation and defense of a dissertation.  A comprehensive examination will be taken after the completion of at least 45 hours of coursework.  Students must be enrolled during the semester the comprehensive examination is taken.  After successful completion of the examination, the student may defend the dissertation proposal.

The program includes:

Concentration of Literacy Courses27
Research Component15
An Elective Area9
Dissertation9
Total Hours60

Please see the curriculum outline for a complete listing of program course requirements.

The EdD Program is a modified cohort program.  Individuals are admitted to a specific cohort and follow the schedule for the cohort to which they are assigned.  Electives courses may be taken independent from the rest of the cohort.  Cohort groups begin in June of each year. In the event of emergencies that require an individual to drop-out of the normal schedule, they may be required to join another cohort group with another schedule.  Admission to the program requires a significant commitment of time for the duration of the individual's program.  The inability to devote the necessary time will require the individual to drop-out of the program.

Candidates who complete this program can:

  • directly help people in the community who struggle with literacy
  • train educators to help individuals and groups in the community who struggle with literacy
  • connect with and develop organizations that support literacy 
  • develop new programs and approaches to literacy instruction that meet the needs of diverse learners
  • analyze, interpret, and disseminate literacy assessment
  • become a literacy scholar and share research with the field
  • read and interpret literacy research and disseminate best practices to educators through professional development and training
  • systematically evaluate literacy programs
  • teach in colleges of education around the world

Admission to the program requires a significant commitment of time for the duration of the individual’s program. The inability to devote the necessary time will require the individual to drop out of the program.

This program follows a modified cohort model. Individuals are admitted to a specific group, called a cohort, and follow the schedule for the cohort to which they are assigned. Elective courses may be taken independent from the rest of the cohort. Cohorts begin in June of each year. In the event of emergencies that require an individual to drop out of the normal schedule, they may be required to join another cohort group with another schedule.

Applicants seeking admission to the doctoral program in Literacy must submit the following directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

  1. Graduate Application
  2. Application fee
  3. Official transcript(s) showing receipt of a baccalaureate degree and a master's degree from an accredited institution
  4. Names and contact information of at least two professional references
  5. The master’s degree should be in literacy, reading, or a related field with at least eighteen hours of graduate credit in reading/literacy. Students without the prerequisite eighteen hours in reading/literacy may be required to take additional coursework during the program.
  6. The graduate GPA should be 3.0 or higher.

Applicants meeting the criteria above may be invited for an interview with the doctoral director. A candidate who fails to meet one of the admission requirements may receive probationary admission if sponsored by a doctoral faculty member.

Ed.D. in Literacy
Specified Courses
EDLD 7337Academic Writing & Research3
EDLD 7365Applied Stats I for Ed Leaders3
LITC 7310Literacy, Policy, and Change3
LITC 7320Issues & Trends in Literacy Ed3
LITC 7330Research in Lang & Literacy3
LITC 7340Sociolinguistics/Discourse Analysis3
LITC 7345Analysis, Interpretation, and Dissemination of Literacy Assessment3
LITC 7350Qualitative Methods in Lit Edu3
LITC 7351Advanced Studies in Qualitative Methods in Education3
LITC 7358Adv Studies In Literacy Rsch3
LITC 7366Theories & History of Literacy3
LITC 7370Quantitative Rsch Method - Lit3
LITC 7385Digital Epistemologies3
Electives
Select three of the following:9
Psychological & Social Foundations of Language & Literature
Litercy Pedagogy For Adlt Lrng
Curriculum Thry & Literacy Edu
Strategies for College Reading in Developmental Education
Virtual Ethnography
Lang Arts: Theory & Practice
Graduate courses in READ, EDLD,TESL,or SPED
Dissertation
LITC 8030Dissertation in Lit Leadership 16
LITC 8320Application Of Literacy Rsrch3
READ 7301Adv Surv of Curr Rsrch in Litr3
Total Hours60

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) marketable skills initiative is part of the state’s 60x30TX plan and was designed to help students articulate their skills to employers.  Marketable skills are those skills valued by employers and/or graduate programs that can be applied in a variety of work or education settings and may include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas.

The Ed.D. in Literacy is designed to provide graduates with the following marketable skills:

  • Experience in teaching and conducting research in literacy.
  • Obtain content knowledge and credentials required for securing tenure-track professorships at colleges and universities. 
  • Establish connections with national and local organizations that support literacy instruction and research.
  • Ability to develop programs and new approaches to literacy instruction that meet the needs of diverse learners.
  • Acquire the qualifications necessary to train educators in literacy instruction.
  • Experience systematically evaluating literacy programs.
  • Expertise in supporting individuals and groups who struggle with literacy.
  • Ability to read and interpret literacy research and disseminate best practices to educators in the community and around the world.
  • Skills required to design and coordinate literacy curricula.