Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics, Science, Technology,
and Engineering Education
The Doctor of Philosophy program in MSTE Education
prepares educators, researchers, and university faculty in
the areas of Mathematics Education, Science Education, or
Engineering Education, who will contribute to improve
PreK-College education for all students, through a deep
understanding of:
- Theory and research on learning and development, cognitive science,
and the socio-cultural foundations of education;
- The developmental, pedagogical, and content specific challenges
inherent to the teaching and learning of mathematics, science, and
engineering education;
- Research results and research methods appropriate for the development
of studies that will contribute to new theoretical insights and
practical approaches to mathematics, science, technology, and
engineering education.
 The Ph.D. program enrolls a maximum of five full-time students per year
through new applicants and M.S. applicants from within the program
(see information at the bottom of the M.S. Program page). Part-time students may
be admitted based on recommendations from faculty in the program, with the
approval of the Graduate Program Committee.
The program admits candidates with backgrounds in
Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Technology,
Engineering, Education, Psychology, Child Development, or
other related areas, who demonstrate a commitment to
understanding the issues and challenges involved in the
research and practice of Mathematics Education, Science
Education, or Engineering Education.
Ph.D. candidates must submit with
their application a writing sample:
Write something about the kinds of problems you
want to explore and how you think you would explore
them at this point. Refer to bibliography that
has informed your interest in the problems and
in the ways you want to explore these problems.
Candidates without a baccalaureate in Mathematics, Science, or Engineering
will be required to take additional courses in the Mathematics, Sciences, or
Engineering Departments in order to reach a level of expertise equivalent to
that of a Tufts B.A./B.S. major in the content area they want to develop their
Ph.D. program.
Appropriate coursework paths will be designed to ensure that all students
will develop an advanced level of competency, as determined by the advisors and
by the Graduate Program Committee. Students will work in partnership with
educational researchers, mathematicians, natural scientists, engineers, and
experienced teachers. Throughout the program they will experience a balanced
combination of discussions of educational theory, analysis and development of
research studies, participation in practical experiences in schools and other
educational settings, and advanced work in their given focus.
The maximum time limit for full-time students to complete the Ph.D. program
is six years.
Ph.D. Course Requirements
Each student is required to complete 20 course credits to fulfill the Ph.D. in MSTE
Education degree requirements. These include:
- 12 course credits from Groups A, B, C, D, and E (at least one course credit
from each group is required);
- 2 course credits from Group F (Program Seminar);
- 2 graduate course credits in the Mathematics, Sciences or Engineering
Departments;
- 4 course credits for dissertation work.
Click here to see course options in each group (Groups
A, B, C, D, E, and F).
Depending upon their level of competence and backgrounds, as evaluated by their
advisors and by the Graduate Program Committee, students who have completed advanced
work in a group should further develop their expertise taking courses in other groups.
Students with a master's degree may be granted waivers for up to eight course credits.
Transfer of credits depends on the content of the course, the student's performance in
the course, and the relevance of the course to the student's plan of study, as judged
by the student's advisors or the Chair of the Dissertation Committee, and by the
Graduate Program Committee.
No undergraduate courses will count towards the Ph.D. degree.
Qualifying Papers and Dissertation
Qualifying Papers
Two qualifying papers, of publishable quality, are judged by the student's
program advisors or Dissertation Committee and by at least two other
faculty/researchers, experts in the subject area of the papers. These
experts may be the members of the student's Dissertation Committee if
this Committee has already been determined. The qualifying papers should
preferably be completed and approved prior to the full development of the
dissertation proposal. It is recommended that the first qualifying paper
would be a discussion of the current research literature pertinent to the
student's research and the second qualifying paper would be a relevant
empirical study that could help refine methods to be later used in the
development of the dissertation research. The page limit for Qualifying
Papers is 30 pages excluding references (using 12 point font and double spacing).
Dissertation
The dissertation is developed under the guidance of an inter-departmental
Dissertation Committee. The dissertation proposal and the final dissertation
are to be submitted to the student's Dissertation Committee. Students cannot
begin data collection and work on the final dissertation until they have
approval of their committee on their dissertation proposal and have received
IRB approval for work with human subjects. The Dissertation Committee's final
recommendation on the Dissertation will be submitted to the Graduate Program
Committee and, after deliberation, provided that all other requirements have
been fulfilled, a recommendation for degree awarding will be made to the
School of Arts and Sciences.
Advising, Evaluations, and Dissertation Committees
Annual Evaluations
At the end of each academic year, Ph.D. students will submit
to the Graduate Program Committee a report on academic activities
developed while in the program and a statement of goals for the
following years. Each student's reports and goals will be evaluated
by at least three faculty members, including the student's advisors
or, if already selected, the Chair of the Dissertation Committee.
The Program Committee will then process the evaluations and
recommendations and will forward a written report to each student
to serve as guidance towards future progress.
Evaluation of student's progress will be based upon:
- Course choices and grades obtained in courses;
- Progress towards the development of qualifying papers;
- Progress towards the development of the dissertation proposal, data collection,
and final dissertation.
Program Advisors
Upon entry into the program, each student is assigned two program advisors, one from
the Departments of Education or Child Development and another from the Mathematics,
Sciences, or Engineering Departments. The program advisors assist in making choices
regarding courses, area of research, internships, possible qualifying paper topics,
and the early planning of dissertation research. These advisors can be changed at
anytime within the program.
Dissertation Committee
The Dissertation Committee, chosen in accordance with the Graduate Program Committee
guidelines, will be constituted by:
- Two faculty from the Department of Education, or one from the Department of
Education and one from the Department of Child Development;
- One faculty from Tufts Departments of Mathematics, Sciences, or Engineering;
- One outside reviewer.
Chairs of Dissertation Committees should preferably be faculty from the Department
of Education or from the Department of Child Development. The committee chair is normally
a full-time, tenure-track faculty member.
Students are required to select the Chairperson of their Dissertation Committees
before beginning the third year of studies or, if they have entered the program with a
Master's degree in hand, before beginning the second year of studies.
Timeline for requirements
Ph.D. students are required to complete the following requirements
within the following timeframe:
- end of Year 2 in Ph.D. program: Qualifying Paper 1
- end of Year 3 in Ph.D. program: Qualifying Paper 2
- end of Year 4 in Ph.D. program: Defense of Dissertation Proposal
- end of Year 6 in Ph.D. program: Defense of Dissertation
For students transferring into the Ph.D. program from the M.S. in MSTE Education,
the following are the deadlines:
- end of Year 1 in Ph.D. program: Qualifying Paper 1
- end of Year 2 in Ph.D. program: Qualifying Paper 2
- end of Year 3 in Ph.D. program: Defense of Dissertation Proposal
- end of Year 4 in Ph.D. program: Defense of Dissertation
If any of these requirements are not met, a student will be put
on probation. Failure to meet the requirement by the time of the
next annual review will constitute evidence that the student is
making inadequate degree progress and is no longer in good academic
standing—and a recommendation will be made to the Dean of the Graduate
School of Arts and Science that the student should be administratively
withdrawn, unless an exception is granted by the MSTE Faculty Committee.
Only the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts may administratively
withdraw an enrolled graduate student.
Oversight of Graduate Student Progress
The appropriate committee, depending on the student's stage of progress,
should meet with the student twice a year. All members of the student's
committee should attend. The graduate student is responsible for scheduling
a committee meeting at the end of the Fall and the Spring semesters. The
outcome of these meetings will be noted in students’ annual review reports
by the academic advisor.
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