Graduate Catalog 2025-2026

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Doctor of Education (EdD) Requirements

Philosophy and Mission of the Program

The philosophy of the Doctor of Education degree is to contribute to the improvement of the educational situation by the formation of people with sensitivity, alertness, receptiveness, competence and who are able to advance in a specialization area while rendering services of excellence to society.

The mission of the Doctoral Program in Education is to prepare professionals who can undertake the management and support of instructional programs in different contexts and scenarios. In addition, the program aspires to contribute to the encouragement, development and appreciation of scientific research as a means of analysis and solution of problems that affect education.

The Doctor in Education degree offers specializations in Business Education, Counseling, Curriculum and Teaching, Education in Mathematics, Educational Management and Leadership, Higher Education, Special Education and Transition Services.

The campuses authorized to offer the specializations of this Program are:

  1. Business Education: San Germán
  2. Counseling: Metropolitan and San Germán (51% of the specialization courses)
  3. Curriculum and Teaching: Metropolitan and San Germán
  4. Education in Mathematics: San Germán
  5. Educational Management and Leadership: Metropolitan and San Germán
  6. Higher Education: Metropolitan
  7. Special Education and Transition Services: Metropolitan

Program Goals

The Doctoral Program in Education aspires to achieve the following goals:

  1. Promote the development of professionals with the critical capacity, ethical attitude and creative disposition that enables them to understand and act in the diverse contexts and educational scenarios,
  2. Integrate in a critical manner the economic, political, social, psychological, philosophical and historical analysis in the comprehensive study of education;
  3. Promote research as a foundation for the study and development of educational projects.
  4. Refine the communication skills so that they reflect complex levels of thought and produce coherent and appropriate documents in accord with the norms, the styles and the principles of academic rigor.

Admission as a Candidate to the Doctoral Degree

In order to be considered a candidate to the Doctoral Degree, the student must pass the comprehensive examination. The student will have three opportunities to pass.

The Doctor in Education degree offers specializations in Business Education, Counseling, Curriculum and Teaching, Education in Mathematics, Educational Management and Leadership, Higher Education and Special Education and Transition Services.

Academic Advisement

  1. Once admitted to the Program a professor will be assigned to each student. This professor will perform the function of academic advisor.
  2. Before initiating registration of his first term of study the student, together with his academic advisor, will elaborate his plan of studies.
  3. This plan of study will be considered as an agreement between the student and the Program. It must be approved by the Director of the Program.
  4. The student, together with the advisor, will evaluate the plan of study periodically to verify its status.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to this program, students must:

  1. Have earned a master’s degree at an accredited university with an academic average of at least 3.00.
  2. Demonstrate mastery of English and Spanish according to the criteria established by the Program.
  3. Have approved one of the tests for admission to graduate programs, officially accepted by the University, with an acceptable grade, within five years immediately preceding the date of admission.
  4. Present evidence of having approved: a statistics course, a human development and learning course, another in general psychology; and a course in research methods at the master’s level. Candidates to the specialization of Curriculum and Teaching must have passed a course in educational philosophy or its equivalent. This requirement replaces the course of general psychology.
  5. Present three (3) letters of recommendation from professors, supervisors or other people that demonstrate the professional development of the candidate.
  6. Have an interview with and be recommended by the Admissions Committee.
  7. In addition, to meeting the admission requirements to doctoral studies established by the University, the candidate who wishes to enter the Doctoral Program in Education with a Specialization in Counseling and whose master’s degree is not in this area of specialization will have to meet the following thematic areas:
    1. Foundations of counseling
    2. Theoretical foundations of counseling
    3. The aid process
    4. Occupational development
    5. Group counseling process
    6. Measurement and evaluation
  8. Applicants for the doctorate in Education with specialization in Special Education and Transition Services, in addition to meeting the requirements for admission to the program, must have the following courses at the bachelor or master's level or their approved equivalents with a minimum grade of B.
    EDUC 2031
    		 Development Psychology
    		 3 credits
    EDUC 5111
    		 Educational Research I
    		  

    		Or
    EDUC 6931
    		 Research or Application Project in the Area of Specialization I
    		 3 credits
    EDUC 5740
    		 Education of the Exceptional Population
    		 3 credits
    EDUC 6066
    		 Technological Aid in Teaching Exceptional Students
    		 3 credits
    EDUC 6143
    		 Transition Process and Employment in Special Education and Vocational Rehabilitation
    		 3 credits
    EDUC 6360
    		 The Family in the Education of Handicapped Students
    		 3 credits
    PSYC 1051
    		 General Psychology I
    		 3 credits
    PSYC 3001
    		 Statistics Methods I
    		 3 credits
  9. In addition to fulfilling the admission requirements to doctoral studies established by the University, the candidate who wishes to enter the Doctoral Program in Education with a Specialization in Business Education and whose master’s degree is not in this area, must hold a Bachelor in Office Administration, Business Administration or equivalent, in addition to fulfilling the following thematic areas at the master’s level:
    1. Measurement and Evaluation in Business Education
    2. Administration and Supervision in Business Education
    3. Curriculum Design in Business Education
    4. Two courses of Methodology in Business Education

Graduation Requirements

  1. Students must pass:
    1. all Program courses with a minimum grade of B.
    2. the doctoral comprehensive examination in all the parts (oral and written) for which students will have a maximum of three opportunities.
    3. the doctoral dissertation.
  2. The Program Director in common agreement with the student, will designate a Dissertation Committee composed of three members of the Faculty, one of which will preside over the Committee. The candidate’s Dissertation Committee will have, from then on, the function of advising and directing the student until the completion of his dissertation. Prior to the defense, two members will join as readers. The Committee in its entirety will recommend the defense of the Dissertation.
  3. The student must meet the requirements for the degree within an eight (8) year period. The Program Director can recommend to the appropriate authorities the extension of this term for a period not greater than two (2) years only in exceptional cases.

Requirements for the Doctor of Education Program

Core Course Requirements 15 credits
Specialization Requirements *18-24 credits
Operational Requirements 9 credits
Elective Courses *3-9 credits
Total 51 credits

*The number of credits varies according to the specialization.

Core Course Requirements - 15 credits

The Core Course Requirements are divided into two components: Research and Foundations.

Research Component - 9 credits

EDUC 7050Statistics

3
EDUC 7060Quantitative Research

3
EDUC 7070Qualitative Research

3

Foundations Component - 6 credits

Select 6 credits from the following:

EDUC 7003Formation and Development of Educational Thought in Puerto Rico

3
EDUC 7010Socioscientific Concepts of Education

3
EDUC 7020Culture, Education and Philosophy

3
EDUC 7030Analysis of Human Behavior

3
EDUC 7100Foundations of Design of Teaching Programs

3
EDUC 7510Comparative Education

3

Operational Requirements - 9 credits

EDUC 8960Research Seminar

3
EDUC 8991Dissertation I

3
EDUC 8992Dissertation II

3

Specialization Requirements - 18-24 credits

Courses listed under each specialization.

Elective Courses - 3-9 credits

Courses selected at the doctoral level in consultation with the academic advisor.