Great schools have great teachers. If we want great schools, we must prepare teachers to be great. That is the work of teacher educators.
As the field of teaching has developed more complex ideas of high-quality education, teacher education has become more complex. Teacher educators need to prepare pre-service and in-service educators for equitable and justice-oriented practice. This program leads to a PhD in Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership with a specialization in Teacher Education and Professional Development (TEPD).
Courses examine:
- research on approaches to pre- and in-service teacher education;
- connections among teacher development, student learning, teacher leadership, curriculum, and school improvement;
- the sociopolitical contexts in which teacher education and professional development are embedded;
- humanizing and equity-oriented pedagogies used in different subject areas and in preparing teachers for multilingual and special needs students; and
- scholarship on teacher learning for minoritized and underserved populations in urban schools.
TEPD graduates become researchers, educational leaders, teacher educators, and change agents who forge innovative directions in the education of teachers for universities, state departments of education, school districts, and other research and learning organizations.
To complement the TEPD program requirements, students are encouraged to work with their advisors to tailor their coursework to their interests. Students are encouraged to take courses from other specializations within the department, including:
- Education Policy and Leadership;
- Language, Literacy and Social Inquiry;
- Mathematics and Science Education;
- Urban Education; and
- Technology, Learning and Leadership.
Courses may also come from other areas of study from within and outside the college including international education, sociology, anthropology, linguistics, urban studies, and women’s studies.
For information on graduate admission please see the Graduate School's Admission requirements. We accept both full-time and part-time doctoral students.
Select an area of interest from the various offerings in the College of Education to determine the admission requirements and deadlines.
Applicants who wish to apply to the PhD program with specialization in Teacher Education and Professional development should select Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership (TLPL) as their “Intended Program of Study,” and TEPD as their “Area of Interest.” Special consideration is given to candidates who have PK-12 teaching experience and/or who have led professional development programs or activities in schools, school systems, and other learning organizations.
Applicants to the PhD program need to submit the following:
- A statement of purpose describing your professional background, research interests, faculty you have interest in working with, and other relevant experiences;
- Official transcripts from undergraduate and graduate work;
- Letters of recommendation from people who can address your academic strengths and abilities as an educator or leader (3);
- CV/Resumé;
- A strong academic writing sample; and
- TOEFL/IELTS/PTE (for international graduate students). The requirements are available here.
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.
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.
A typical course sequence for the TEPD specialization is below. Your individual experience may vary and we strongly encourage you to work with your advisor on crafting a course sequence that fits your needs and interests.
Course Sequence: Teacher Education/Professional Development Specialization
Year 1
| Fall | spring |
|---|---|
| TLPL 788Q: TEPD Seminar (1 cr.) | TLPL 788Q: TEPD Seminar (1 cr.) |
| TLPL 794: Foundations of Education Inquiry: Core I (3 cr.)* | TLPL 795: Foundations of Education Inquiry: Core II (3 cr.)* |
|
TLPL 771: Pedagogy of Teacher Education (3 cr.)† (odd years only) OR TLPL 788: Teacher Cognition (3 cr.)† (even years) |
TLPL 772: Teaching, Professional Development and School Change (3 cr.)† (even years only) OR Elective |
| One more course (Doctoral, Elective, or Research Methods) (3 cr.) | One more course (Doctoral, Elective, or Research Methods) (3 cr.) |
|
* Required for all TLPL doctoral students. † Required for all TEPD doctoral students. Only offered alternating years. |
|
Year 2
| Fall | Spring |
|---|---|
| TLPL 788Q: TEPD Seminar (1 cr.) | TLPL 788Q: TEPD Seminar (1 cr.) |
|
TLPL 771: Pedagogy of Teacher Education (3 cr.)† (odd years only) OR TLPL 788: Teacher Cognition (3 cr.)† (even years) |
TLPL772: Teaching, Professional Development and School Change (3 cr.)† (even years only) OR Elective |
| Two more courses (Doctoral, Elective, or Research Methods) (3 cr.) | Two more courses (Doctoral, Elective, or Research Methods) (3 cr.) |
| † Required for all TEPD doctoral students. Only offered alternating years. | |
Year 3
| Fall | Spring |
|---|---|
| TLPL 788Q: TEPD Seminar (1 cr.) | TLPL 788Q: TEPD Seminar (1 cr.) |
|
TLPL 898: Pre-Candidacy Research Comprehensive Exam (1-6 cr.) |
TLPL 898: Pre-Candidacy Research Comprehensive Exam (1-6 cr.) |
| Two more courses (Doctoral, Elective, or Research Methods) (6 cr.) | Two more courses (Doctoral, Elective, or Research Methods) (6 cr.) |
Years 4 & 5
| Fall | Spring |
|---|---|
| TLPL 899: Doctoral Dissertation Research (1-6 cr.) | TLPL 899: Doctoral Dissertation Research (1-6 cr.) |
| Dissertation defense | |
The program provides competitive financial support packages for all full-time students.
If you have questions about our admissions process, contact TLPL Graduate Coordinator Kay Moon at kmoon@umd.edu.
If you have questions about the program specifically, contact Dr. Donna Wiseman at dlwise@umd.edu.