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Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership, (Ph.D.) - Technology, Learning, and Leadership Specialization

This program leads to a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership with a specialization in Technology, Learning, and Leadership. The Technology, Learning, and Leadership specialization is designed to prepare students to become scholars and leaders in the study and design of learning technologies. This specialization is truly cross-disciplinary, drawing together students with diverse interests in teaching and learning, policy and leadership, but who share a focus on exploring the impact of technology on education. Graduates will be prepared to develop innovations in research, teaching, assessment, and leadership through the use, design, and understanding of learning technologies. They will be qualified to conduct research, teach and be leaders in diverse settings, including universities, formal and informal learning environments, and policy organizations. Students design a program with their advisor that incorporates a core cluster of technology-focused courses, in addition to discipline-based courses drawn from other specializations within the department. Students can choose to concentrate on learning to design technology environments, learning to critically evaluate their impact on education or some combination. Faculty members who are affiliated with this specialization have research interests and expertise in virtual worlds for learning, design methodologies, learning sciences, and online learning. Faculty members situate their work in a variety of fields including science education, young people’s identity development, and education policy and evaluation.

graduate admissions information 

Select an area of interest from the various offerings in the College of Education to determine the admission requirements and deadlines.  If you are unsure of your area of interest you may request information by submitting an "Inquiry Form". We accept both full-time and part-time doctoral students.

Applicants who wish to apply to the Ph.D. program with a specialization in Technology, Learning, and Leadership should select Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership (TLPL) as their “Intended Program of Study”.

After you apply for graduate admission you may check your application status by logging into the online graduate application using your user name and password.  Graduate faculty in the Academic Department you applied to will review your completed application for graduate admission.  Questions regarding application reviews and decision recommendations should be directed to the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership (TLPL).  Please contact Kay Moon, TLPL Graduate Coordinator, at (301) 405-3118 or kmoon@umd.edu

Apply at gradapply.umd.edu.

Please refer to the Guide to Applying  for instructions on how to apply for graduate admission. If you have questions or concerns, we ask you to first review our list of  Frequently Asked Questions. International applicants should visit the International admissions webpage for additional information.

For questions about the application process, or to check on the completion of your application please contact Kay Moon, TLPL Graduate Coordinator, at (301) 405-3118 or kmoon@umd.edu

INFORMATION SESSION about our Ph.D. and M.A. programs will be held on October 13, 2023, by zoom. Please email Kay Moon (kmoon@umd.edu) to receive updates.

For advising information, please contact Kay Moon, TLPL Graduate Coordinator, at kmoon@umd.edu

For program-specific information, please contact Dr. David Weintrop at weintrop@umd.edu.

For TLPL advising information please contact Kay Moon, TLPL Graduate Coordinator, at kmoon@umd.edu

Financial assistance for graduate study is generally divided into two categories: 

  • Merit-Based Assistance Need-Based Assistance  
    • Fellowships and Scholarships Loans  
    • Graduate Assistantships 

For more details about the various types of financial assistance offered by the campus please visit the Office of Student Financial Aid 

There are also a number of fellowships and scholarships offered through the College of Education, the University, and through external sources which may provide tuition support and/or living allowance. Students must apply for these awards on their own, but the links that follow provide valuable information on searching for fellowships and scholarships. 

For more information concerning fellowships and scholarships, please visit: 

The College of Education Financial Aid & Scholarship webpage

The University's Scholarships webpage, and 

The Graduate School Student Fellowships & Awards webpage

The doctoral curriculum typically requires at least three years of graduate study beyond the master’s degree. Most students admitted to the doctoral program already have a master’s degree. If a student does not have a master’s degree, an advisor develops an individualized plan that aligns master’s level and doctoral level coursework for the student.   

Students are expected to integrate into the campus scholarly community and to be available on a full-time basis.   

Integrated Department Core 

All new TLPL PhD students join a two-course sequence (6 semester hours) in foundations of inquiry and practice with other department specialization students from Education Policy and Leadership, Language, Literacy and Social Inquiry, Mathematics and Science Education, Minority and Urban Education, Teacher Education and Professional Development, and Technology, Learning and Leadership.  

  • TLPL 794: Foundations of Educational Inquiry I ("Core I")
  • TLPL 795: Foundations of Educational Inquiry II ("Core II")

Specialization Core 

 

Specialization Core 

All students complete three three-credit core courses: 

  • TLPL 702: Theories of Learning and Leadership with Technology
  • TLPL 703: Research on Technology in Education
  • TLPL 708: Rotating Special Topics Course

 

 

 

Elective Requirements  

 

Students work with their advisor to develop a program of study that includes a min. of 12 credits of a technology-related specialization (e.g. design, policy issues, social media etc.) and 9 credits of a disciplinary specialization comprised of coursework in one of the department’s other, existing specializations (e.g. math education, literacy, policy etc.). 

 

 

21 

Intermediate and Advanced Methods 

Students are required to take at least 12 credit hours of research methods courses, including one qualitative and one quantitative methods course. Students may take research methods courses in TLPL, Human Development and Quantitative Methods (HDQM), or other academic departments. 

Doctoral Seminars 

Doctoral students in TLPL enroll in a weekly 1-credit seminar (TLPL 708A) with other students in their area of focus to explore opportunities for collaborations with faculty and other students, develop their knowledge of the field and the academic profession, and apprentice into the broader research community.

Graduate Education Program Requirements

For questions related to the admissions process, students may contact Kay Moon, TLPL Graduate Coordinator, at kmoon@umd.edu

For program-specific questions, students may contact Dr. David Weintrop at weintrop@umd.edu.

Deadlines vary by degree and program.  Please refer to the Graduate School's application information.

CATALOG AND POLICIES

Graduate students in the College of Education are responsible for meeting University and the Graduate School policy, and for meeting Program requirements.  See the Graduate Catalog and Graduate Policies governing graduate education at the University of Maryland. The schedule adjustment policy is available from the Office of the Registrar and provides information on adding and dropping courses, penalties, and refund schedules.

FORMS 

Graduate students are required to submit various forms at specific points in the program and as part of the degree clearance process. Please refer to Steps Toward Graduation to determine the steps and forms that are required. To access forms used by graduate students visit the Graduate Studies Forms page in Student Services.