Doctoral (Ed.D.) Program Requirements
The following applies to students admitted for the Fall 2021 cohorts and beyond that. Requirements for previous cohorts are not the same, so contact your advisor if you have questions.
The Ed.D. program is 60 credit hours total. Students who have taken courses outside the Department of Educational Technology or Boise State can potentially transfer courses to the program to replace some of the requirements listed below (see the Transfer Courses section for more details).
See the “Course Information” section on our website for more information.
Core Courses: 12 credit hours
EDTECH 601: Doctoral Studies Orientation
EDTECH 603: Global and Cultural Perspectives in Educational Technology
EDTECH 604: Leadership in Educational Technology
EDTECH 606: Research Writing
EDTECH 601 DOCTORAL STUDIES ORIENTATION: Introduction to the purpose and nature of doctoral studies in educational technology. Explores processes and procedures specific to the degree program, tools for collaboration and research, conferences and journals in the field, and graduate faculty research initiatives. Must be taken in first semester enrolled in doctoral program. PREREQ: ADM/PROG.
EDTECH 603 GLOBAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY: Explores the implementation of information and communications technologies (ICT) in educational systems outside of the United States. Examines promises and challenges of ICT integration in both developed and developing countries as impacted by different contexts.
EDTECH 604 LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY: Examines principles that guide innovative leadership of educational technology programs and initiatives. Focuses on the synthesis of theories, models, and processes that guide policy creation and active project implementation. Emphasis on team building, organizational psychology, people and resources, and change management.
EDTECH 606 RESEARCH WRITING: Introduces students to different types of scholarly writing expected of advanced graduate students, including how to form research articles and each part of a dissertation, with special focus on the literature review. PREREQ: EDTECH 601.
Research Courses: 15 credit hours
EDTECH 650: Research in Educational Technology
EDTECH 651: Introduction to Statistics for Educational Technology
EDTECH 652: Quantitative Research Methods
EDTECH 653: Qualitative Research Methods
EDTECH 6xx: An advanced research course, focusing either on qualitative or quantitative analysis of data (EDTECH 662: Survey-based Research (Quant. Analysis) or EDTECH 663: Adv. Qualitative Research).
EDTECH 650 RESEARCH IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY: Examines the foundations for and processes of conducting research using quantitative and qualitative approaches. Emphasizes critical steps in the process of research, reviewing and analyzing research studies in educational technology.
EDTECH 651 INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY: Measures of central tendency and variability, one and two sample tests, confidence intervals, chi-square, introduction to bivariate correlation, and analysis of variance. PREREQ: EDTECH 650 or doctoral status.
EDTECH 652 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS: Overview of quantitative research approaches in educational research. Covers concepts of, and practice with, parametric and non-parametric tests and predictive analysis. Introduction to experimental design, survey sampling, and advanced statistical analysis. Purchase of statistical analysis software is required. PREREQ: EDTECH 651.
EDTECH 653 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS: Overview of qualitative research approaches in educational research. Reviews the theory, epistemological assumptions, and application of major methodologies. Focuses on developing skills in creating field notes, planning and conducting interviews, collecting relevant artifacts, analyzing data, and writing reports. Introduction to computer-assisted qualitative data analysis.
EDTECH 662 ADVANCED QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS: Explores advanced concepts of quantitative theory and data analysis methods. Guides selection and application of multiple, appropriate levels of analysis to selected research questions. Purchase of statistical analysis software is required. PREREQ: EDTECH 651, EDTECH 652.
EDTECH 663 ADVANCED QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS: Explores specific qualitative methodologies in depth. Extensive practice in analysis of data based on a selected qualitative tradition, followed by the presentation of results. Focuses on the development, planning, and conduct of an applicable project. Includes further practice with computer-assisted qualitative data analysis. PREREQ: EDTECH 653
Cognate Courses: 9 credit hours
Cognate courses can be any graduate level courses (in our 500 series) that have a common theme through them. The cognate represents a student’s development of a certain level of expertise in the field. A cognate can be formed by transfer courses *if* they meet program requirements.
The “EDTECH Cognate” is comprised of three courses in educational technology or a very closely aligned field, all of which have a similar theme or strand. The cognate represents the student’s particular area of focus or expertise, and is typically related to the direction of his or her dissertation study. Examples of cognates are K12 Online Learning, Adult Online Learning, Organizational Performance, School Technology Integration, Leadership in EdTech, Games & Simulations in Learning, etc. Courses for the cognate can be 500-level courses taken at Boise State University. Coursework for the cognate can be transferred (with approval) from another accredited institution.
A student’s “cognate” is not required to align with their research interests or the topic of their dissertation, but obviously it’s synergistic if it does, as the student’s work in the chosen classes can help deepen their understanding of the topic they seek to research.
Elective Courses: 9 credit hours
Elective courses can be any graduate level courses (in our 500 series) that are related to educational or instructional technology, academic leadership, educational psychology, education, STEM education, etc. Electives can be fulfilled via transfer courses *if* they meet program requirements.
Electives do not necessarily have to be related to a student’s area of research, but should be used to help a student explore topics more broadly and give him or her a wider perspective on the implementation of technology in education. Courses for the electives can be 500-level courses taken at Boise State University. Coursework for electives can be transferred (with approval) from another accredited institution.
Doctoral Seminar: 6 credit hours
Doctoral students take Seminar in Ed Tech in each of their first four regular semesters. The seminar is a virtual space where students gather to discuss topics germane to program completion, collaborate with peers, interact with their advisor, and discuss research ideas.
EDTECH 698 SEMINAR IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY: A one-credit hour per semester seminar taken by doctoral students over the first four regular semesters of the program, for a total of four credit hours. All course meetings will be online, with some required synchronous sessions. Students will work with faculty and peers to examine topics germane to the profession, collaborate on papers and presentations, discuss current research, and focus their area(s) of study for the doctoral dissertation. (Pass/Fail). PREREQ: EDTECH 601.
The goals of EDTECH 698 include:
Help initiate and encourage an early professional relationship between a student and his/her advisor
Help foster and maintain relationships between doctoral students who start in the same cohort year
Encourage students to think and write about broad topics and specific interest areas
Prepare students for their Comprehensive Examination, Research Proposal, and Dissertation
Give students authentic opportunities to co-publish and/or co-present
“Doc Seminar” became a requirement starting with the 2019 cohort.
Comprehensive Examination (“Comps”):1 credit hour
The Comprehensive Examination can take different forms, but it is an important milestone in the doctoral program. All EdD Core courses, the EdD cognate, and at least four of five research courses must be completed before a student can enroll in EDTECH 691. After passing the Comp Exam, doctoral students are classified as “doctoral candidates.”
Dissertation / Research Hours: Minimum of 10 credit hours
Independent research at the doctoral level resulting in a dissertation that must be defended at a final oral examination and archived in the university library and with UMI. The dissertation must be written in clear and effective English and presented in a format that conforms to the standards of the Graduate College.
Students can enroll in a course that functions like an independent study to help fulfill some elective / cognate requirements. Speaking to one’s advisor and the program coordinator is a requirement before enrolling, however.
EDTECH 640 INNOVATIVE PRACTICES IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY: The application of skills and knowledge about educational technology to a novel challenge, issue, or context directly related to the field. A proposal that addresses practical dimensions of the problem, their relationship to theoretical constructs, learning goals, and project management details is required before students can enroll in the course. Culminating activities include a work log and a final reflective paper in addition to other artifacts that may be required. May be repeated for credit. (Pass/Fail). PREREQ: PERM/INST.