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Advanced Degrees
A full-time course load for graduate students at Berkeley is 12 units per semester. Although it is possible to register for fewer units, there are currently no part-time graduate programs in the Graduate School of Education. In order to meet the intense intellectual challenge of doctoral study, students are expected to enroll for at least one year free from responsibilities of outside employment.
Doctoral Degrees
The Graduate School of Education offers two doctoral degrees, the Ph.D. and the Ed.D., that differ in emphases, purposes, and the careers for which they prepare students. The preparation appropriate for each student, according to the degree and career goal desired, is fashioned by the student in conjunction with a faculty counselor. Acceptance of doctoral-level course work completed before admission to the School of Education is determined on an individual basis during the first year of study. All research for the doctoral dissertation must be relevant to education.
Students pursuing a Ph.D. or Ed.D. degree in education are expected to complete their degrees within 12 semesters of continuous registration with no more than two semesters of withdrawal status The Graduate Division refers to this 12-semester period as the "normative time" for a doctorate in education. Normative time begins the semester a student enrolls in any graduate program at Berkeley and includes semesters during which a master's degree is being completed. Once students complete required course work, pass an oral qualifying examination, and advance to doctoral candidacy, they may be eligible for significantly reduced fees to complete the dissertation.
The Doctor of Philosophy Degree
The Ph.D. degree is designed for individuals interested in pursuing research and academic careers in the field of education. It signifies competence in independent research and scholarship. Applicants should have prior formal study in a relevant discipline. The program includes intensive work and demonstrated competence in the substance and method(s) of the intended field of scholarship, and acquisition of an informed perspective on educational issues sufficient to formulate significant questions for research.
The Ph.D. program, as distinguished from the Ed.D. program, requires mastery of an academic discipline that the student intends to apply to the study of educational problems. This requirement may be met by presenting before the oral qualifying examination, courses that represent a cohesive body of knowledge relevant to the student's area of specialization, and include both theory and methods. Program offices can provide information regarding areas of specialization appropriate to the program's emphasis.
The Doctor of Education Degree
The Ed.D. degree is a professional degree designed for individuals seeking advanced professional preparation as school or college administrators, curriculum developers, and other educational leaders. Ed.D. specializations include educational leadership, human development, language and literacy, and program evaluation and assessment. Within an area of specialization, students focus on the applications of theory and research to problems of educational practice and policy.
An Ed.D. program usually includes two years of course work that incorporate a field-based practicum. Using rigorous scientific research methodologies, the field practicum provides students with opportunities to apply the theoretical foundations discussed in courses to actual situations in the field. The statement of purpose in the application for study should highlight the areas of individual interest and should clearly reflect aspirations to assume roles of leadership in educational institutions or related organizations.
Master's DegreesThe Master of Arts
M.A. degree programs enable students to acquire a broad understanding of the field of education. Work for an M.A. usually involves three or four semesters of study.
M.A. Requirements
- Plan I requires 20 semester units of upper division and graduate level courses, at least 8 units of which must be in graduate courses (200 series) in education; and the completion of a master's thesis reporting the results of an original investigation, to be approved by a three-member thesis committee. Members of this committee are recommended by the school and head graduate adviser, and reviewed and approved by the Graduate Division
- Plan II requires 24 semester units of upper division and graduate courses, at least 12 units of which must be in graduate courses in education. In addition, the student must pass a written examination, or a combination of a written and an oral examination, or complete a written seminar study.
No more than one-third of the units required for an M.A. may be taken on a Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory basis. Courses taken to fulfill schoolwide requirements must be taken for a letter grade.
Transfer of Credit from Other Institutions
You may transfer up to four semester units of credit from other institutions if you are seeking a master's degree if 1) the work was taken in graduate status at an institution of high standing, 2) it did not form part of a master's degree previously awarded at Berkeley or elsewhere, and 3) the entire record indicates superior scholarship. Acceptance is subject to the approval of the Graduate Division upon recommendation of the department concerned. Transfer of credit will not reduce your academic residence requirements nor the required minimum of 200-series courses. Please note that there is no provision for transferring credit into a doctoral degree program.
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