The doctoral program in mathematics education is designed to provide students with broad competencies in (1) fundamental problems in mathematics education; (2) current issues in math ed; (3) content of mathematics; (4) existing research in mathematics education; (5) human cognitive development, particularly as it relates to learning mathematics; and (6) research methods that may be used either in general mathematics education research or in the evaluation of particular programs in schools. Graduates of the program are expected to be competent in the content of mathematics and to be knowledgeable about the psychology of learning, student diversity, and the social, cultural, and political milieu in which education takes place.

The program is appropriate for individuals who plan to pursue careers as college or university faculty in mathematics education, two-year college faculty in mathematics, or as classroom teachers, curriculum developers, supervisors, and instructional leaders in schools or other educational organizations. The student body is comprised of individuals in many of these types of positions and the program is flexible enough to be sensitive to a diversity of academic needs and interests.

Some students come to the program with substantial backgrounds in mathematics and relatively sparse backgrounds in education. Others present the reverse situation. Still others come with relatively balanced previous preparation. It is an objective of the mathematics education program to maintain the balance where it exists or provide it if it does not. This objective is one of the bases for the differentiation of programs from student to student.

Another is the difference in academic interests and career goals among students.

When an applicant is accepted into the doctoral program, he/she is assigned an academic advisor who meets with the student to develop a proposed program that uses the outline below as a guide. This Proposed Degree Program indicates the specific courses the student intends to take (including appropriate courses from other units of the University), the credits that are being transferred from other institutions (if any), anticipated dates of residency, etc. (Forms are available in the Department office.) The Proposed Degree Program must be filed within the first 18 credits of coursework and must be approved by the student's academic advisor, the Department Chairperson, and the Associate Dean. Although the Proposed Degree Program may be modified, it provides a blueprint for study and encourages students to think early about the directions they wish to pursue and the preparation they need in order to carry out their dissertations.

Students may change their academic advisers if and when they identify faculty members whose interests are more consistent with their own. Please note, however, that the Proposed Degree Program should be developed with the academic advisor with whom the student will be continuing to work. It should also be noted that the academic advisor is not necessarily the faculty member who serves as the student's dissertation advisor.