Faculty create “Program Learning Outcomes” (PLOs) for each undergraduate and graduate program at Boise State University. The Ed.D. / Curriculum & Instruction program has twelve such outcomes, which students must address in various projects done during their studies, including in their dissertation project. We use feedback from students, assessments of assignments, and other input about the PLO’s to help judge how the program is effective and in which ways it might be improved. Faculty work to generate a “program area report” every three years. Students do not directly contribute to the PAR process (except by way of surveys), but they should be aware of the PLOs so that they are aware of how they connect to the goals and objectives of each course. Learn more at the PLO-ULO Alignment Guidelines.

Current PLOs

Revised Spring 2026

1. Locate, summarize, and synthesize literature related to education, its related fields, and the student’s research interests.
2. Demonstrate effective collaboration with one or more colleagues to design and implement a research-based project, presentation, or paper related to the discipline.
3. Critically assess existing and emerging research and evaluation methods to analyze studies and provide critical perspectives about them.
4. Apply research methodologies to design an empirical investigation in accordance with accepted professional and institutional guidelines and procedures.
5. Apply expertise gained from research in education and its related fields to make recommendations that inform and guide professional practice.
6. Critically analyze and apply theory as it relates to leadership, culture, and contexts.
7. Analyze and articulate ethical considerations and culturally relevant issues within the study and practice of education and related fields.

See how the revised PLOs connect to the previously described outcomes.

PLO Connections

Degree of emphasis placed on the outcome in the associated course or experience in the C & I doctoral program:

• No Emphasis [ — ]
• Limited / Some [ Ls ]
• Focus Area [ Fa ]
• Serious Concentration [ Sc ]
• Varies [V]

EDU 610 The American Culture & the Context of Schooling

[Ls] PLOs 1, 2

[Fa] PLO 5

[Sc] PLOs 6, 7

EDU 660 Learning and Cognition

[Ls] PLOs 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

EDU 662 Curriculum

[Ls] PLOs 1, 2, 6

[Fa] PLOs 5, 7

EDU 650 Analysis of Research Perspectives

[Ls] PLO 2, 5, 6, 7

[Fa] PLO 1, 3

[Sc] PLO 4

EDU 651 Evaluation

[Ls] PLO 1, 2, 4, 7

[Fa] PLO 3, 5, 6

EDU 652 Quantitative Approaches to Research

[Ls] PLO 1, 2, 6, 7

[Sc] PLO 3, 4

EDU 653 Qualtitative Approaches to Research

[Ls] PLO 1, 2, 7

[Fa] PLO 4, 6

[Sc] PLO 3

EDU 555 Analysis of Variance in Educational Research

[Ls] PLO 2

[Fa] PLO 3, 4

EDU 556 Multiple Regression of Educational Data

[Ls] PLO 2

[Fa] PLO 3, 4

EDU 691 Comprehensive Examination

[Ls] PLO 6

[Fa] PLO 3, 4, 7

[Sc] PLO 1

EDU 693 Dissertation

[Ls] PLO 2, 6

[Fa] PLO 7

[Sc] PLO 1, 3, 4, 5

Cognate Requirement

[V] PLOs 1 – 7