Mar 28, 2024  
2018-2019 Graduate Catalog 
    
2018-2019 Graduate Catalog [Not Current Academic Year. Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]

Measurement, Quantitative Methods, and Learning Sciences, PhD


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Education  > Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences  > Measurement, Quantitative Methods, and Learning Sciences, PhD


The Doctor of Philosophy in Measurement, Quantitative Methods, and Learning Sciences prepares students for employment as faculty members at colleges and universities. Graduates also find employment in areas such as directors of educational components of health care institutions and social service agencies. Typically, these students develop an individually tailored Ph.D. program which emphasizes theory and research in one or more areas related to learning and development, special populations, higher education, health education and/or measurement and statistics.

Originally named the Ph.D. Educational Psychology and Individual Differences, the Ph.D. program in Measurement, Quantitative Methods, & Learning Sciences continues to represent core elements of the definition of Educational Psychology, which includes “Instruction in learning theory, human growth and development, and research methods, and psychological evaluations” (according to IPEDS [Integrated Post-secondary Education Data System]), but enhances the employment prospects of program graduates.

The MQM-LS degree qualifies students as university and college instructors, program evaluators, researchers in psychological, educational, and community environments, and professionals within various related fields. In addition, it provides them with the skills necessary to fill a variety of roles in other settings in which knowledge of human development, learning theory, research and evaluation methods are essential. Graduates are trained for teaching, research, and leadership careers in academic positions and non-academic settings such as local, state and national agencies that deal with educational policy and practices. 

For further information, please see Measurement, Quantitative Methods, and Learning Sciences.

Admission Requirements


College of Education takes into consideration a number of criteria when determining admission, including prior college or university performance, letters of recommendation, standardized test scores and statement of intent. All applicants must abide by the minimum qualifications for admissions to a masters or doctoral program. All graduate applicants (regardless of citizenship status) must demonstrate proficiency in English to obtain admission to the University. For more information, visit http://www.uh.edu/graduate-school/admissions/international-students/english-proficiency/.

An applicant is responsible for ensuring that all required materials for the evaluation of admissions are received by the College before the program’s deadline. If the application is not complete by the program’s deadline, it will not be evaluated for the admissions. Full details of the online application process can be found at www.uh.edu/graduate-school/admissions/how-to-apply.

Applicant checklist:

  1. Complete online graduate application including statement of interest, resume/c.v., writing sample, letters of recommendation, and application fee payment.
  2. Official transcripts from all previous college/university work sent to the UH Graduate School.
  3. Official reporting of GRE scores taken in the last five years
  4. International students have additional documentation requirements which can be found at www.uh.edu/graduate-school/admissions/international-students/

Grade Point Average Requirements

Admission requirements for the College of Education require a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.6 for undergraduate coursework or over the last 60 credit hours of coursework. The College requires a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for graduate coursework. The College’s admission committees evaluate all credentials submitted by applicants to determine a student’s ability and potential to succeed in graduate study. In addition, the committee is interested in the applicant’s potential to contribute to his/her program of study and the University community as a whole.

Please visit the program’s Admission Application Instructions page for more information.

Degree Requirements


Credit hours required for this degree: 69.0

The curriculum for the MQM-LS Ph.D. program involves the completion of specific coursework that includes foundations of psychological and educational theory, statistics, and research methodology.  This coursework is designed to be consistent with the American Psychological Association’s principles for learner-centered education and with the College of Education’s conceptual model. Completion of the program typically requires four years of full time study, inclusive of coursework, candidacy research project, comprehensive examination portfolio, and dissertation. Courses required for the degree are described below.

Department/Foundations Core Courses (21 hours)


All students in the MQM-LS doctoral program are required to complete a Program Area Core consisting of seven courses (21 hours). 

Program Area Core Requirements (21 hours)


All students in the MQM-LS doctoral program are required to complete a Program Area Core consisting of seven courses (21 hours). Three of these courses (9 hours) must be in the area of Learning and Development, and four of these courses (12 hours) must be in the area of Research Methods, Measurement and Statistics.

Independent Research Requirements (9 hours minimum)


All students in the MQM-LS doctoral program are required to satisfy two major research requirements:

  1. the candidacy research paper, and
  2. a doctoral dissertation.

Both of these projects typically involve the collection, analysis, and interpretation of quantitative or mixed-methods data.

Specialization Electives (18 hours minimum)


All students in the MQM-LS doctoral program are required to pursue one of two Areas of Specialization: Measurement & Quantitative Methods, or Learning Sciences. For these electives, students are encouraged to pursue coursework pertinent to their individual career goals, including courses offered by faculty within the Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences, as well as courses offered by the Department of Psychology, and those related to the fields of sociology and other behavioral and social sciences. These electives should be identified in consultation with the student’s academic advisor. A maximum of two (6 hours) independent study courses (e.g., PHLS 8398) can be used to satisfy this requirement.

Academic Policies


Professional Development Activities 

Students in the MQM-LS PhD program are required to satisfy a Professional Development requirement during their first year in the program. Students are required to complete a separate Residency Report for the Fall and Spring semesters of their first year in the program that will serve to satisfy their doctoral residency/professional development requirement. These forms must be approved by the student’s academic advisor, the chair of the department, and the Dean or his/her designee. 

The following professional development activities are required for doctoral students in the MQM-LS program. Activities completed each semester should be listed on separate Residency Reports for each semester. Students should consult with their advisor regarding selection of additional activities that will augment their academic preparation in scholarship, teaching, and service, such as attending presentations of scholarly speakers at the University of Houston or elsewhere (e.g., Rice University, the Medical Center, in the community), assisting other doctoral students with data collection, etc. 

  1. Attend at least one defense of a candidacy research proposal in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.

  2. Attend at least one defense of a candidacy research final paper in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. 
  3. Attend at least one defense of a dissertation proposal in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.

  4. Attend at least one defense of a dissertation final paper in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
  5.  Attendance at a local, state, or national conference that pertains to education or a relevant social science. The sessions attended may be listed as additional activities.

  6.  Attendance at the Houston Symposium for Research in Education, sponsored by the College of Education, when it is offered. 
  7.  Membership in the Graduate Students Organization
  8. Student membership in a professional organization (e.g., American Educational Research Association, American Association for the Study of Higher Education)

Candidacy Research Paper

MQM-LS doctoral students must complete a candidacy research paper before they are eligible to have their Comprehensive Examination Portfolio submission materials officially reviewed. Students are expected to conduct a research project within the general domain of higher education. The scope of this research project should be equivalent to what would be expected from a master’s level thesis. Students who previously have completed a Master’s Thesis may petition to have the thesis count for the candidacy research requirement and should consult with their academic advisor regarding this matter.

College Academic Policies

University of Houston Academic Policies  

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