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Doctoral FAQs - Columbus State University

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Department of Teacher Education, Leadership, and Counseling

Doctoral FAQs

I live out of town. What are the face-to-face requirements of the hybrid tracks?
Courses within in the EdD Program are offered one of three ways: face-to-face, hybrid, or online. Course and section information will be posted under section info within CSU’s online schedule of classes.
  • A fully face-to-face course is a course with 100% in-person seat time, on campus, with no significant online component.
  • A fully online course is a course with 100% online content, with no on campus class meetings.
  • A hybrid course is a course that has both face-to-face sessions and online sessions. The percentage of face-to-face vs. online varies by course and course instructor. It could be 80% online and 20% face-to-face, 50/50, or 75/25. Any course that combines face-to-face instruction with online instruction is considered a hybrid course. In both the fully online courses and the hybrid courses, instruction can take two forms, or some combination of the two forms: synchronous and asynchronous class sessions.
  • Asynchronous means “at your own pace, not at the same time.” In these courses, students will have no real-time instruction – no virtual class attendance.
  • Synchronous means “at the same time” or “in sync.” These class sessions require that students attend each synchronous session online. These courses are still considered online courses but include virtual meetings/video conferencing on specific dates.
How long is the program?

Students will enroll in coursework with a group of their peers for the first 2.5-3 years of the program (depending on transfer of coursework). Once all coursework is completed, students enter the dissertation phase – during which the pace is determined by the student and the dissertation chair. The dissertation is broken down into three sections and is designed to be completed in three semesters. This is not a guarantee though, as much of the progress depends on the student’s motivation and ability to work on the dissertation research. Ideally, students will complete the program in 4 years.

There is also a time limit for program completion. All coursework, including any transfer work and all dissertation research must be completed within 10 years.

What types of research opportunities are available?

Students will engage in coursework throughout the EdD program. This coursework is designed to not only add to the breadth of knowledge in the field but also to help the student engage in meaningful research with faculty and other doctoral students. Students will be guided through the research process by qualified faculty and are encouraged to seek out involvement in research projects, write papers, present at conferences, etc.

What’s involved in writing the dissertation?

The doctoral dissertation is the capstone project for most doctoral degrees around the world. Though they can take many forms depending on the field of study, institution type, research methodology, etc., they serve to allow the student to prove that they can conduct independent research from initial concept, empirical review, design, analysis, and dissemination.

CSU utilizes the standard 5-chapter dissertation and it is broken down into three distinct sections. The dissertation Prospectus consist of Chapters I and II (The Introduction and the Literature Review). The dissertation proposal consists of Chapters I, II, and III (adding the Methodology section). The Final Dissertation includes all four chapters (adding the Findings and Conclusions sections).

Each dissertation committee includes three members. The dissertation chair helps to guide and direct the entire research project. The dissertation methodologist helps the student with the study design and analysis of results. The 3rd member, or content member, is generally an expert in the field and helps the student with the accuracy and inclusion of all relevant content.

For answers to other questions, please visit the Resources for Doctoral Students or consult the Handbook (PDF).

Ask Cody

Ask Cody