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The Department of Teacher Education offers three types of master's degree programs: Initial with licensure, Blended, and Advanced.

Initial Licensure Programs

• Adolescent to Young Adult Education
• Middle Childhood Education
• Special Education-Intervention Specialist

Blended Licensure Programs

• Early Childhood and Elementary Education
• Special Education-Intervention Specialist

Advanced Degree Programs Available

• Curriculum and Instruction
• Reading Education

For more information visit the departmental master’s master's programs website.

The information provided in this handbook references both OHIO (OHIO) policies and procedures and Patton College of Education (PCOE) policies and procedures. , the OHIO Student Handbook and the Patton College Master’s Handbook provide valuable information about graduate studies at the university. The Patton College Master’s Handbook is available upon request. You are responsible for knowing university, college, and department regulations and for complying with all applicable policies and procedures.

All candidates for a Master’s of Education degree in the Department of Teacher Education are required to advance in good standing from admission to completion of program requirements. After admission, you must complete the coursework listed in your program of study, the clinical experience requirements of your program, and a capstone experience.

The following sections of this Handbook describe how to complete these requirements.

For program-specific information, see the Teacher Education master's programs page.

Some programs adhere to a prescribed program of study that you must follow. These programs are monitored by the Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS).

For other programs, your Master’s advisor will guide you to develop a program of study (POS) as soon as possible after being admitted. It is expected that an approved program of study will be on file in The Patton College Office of Graduate Student Affairs within the first semester of initial enrollment in the Master’s program and no later than the start of the second semester of enrollment. Master’s students in the Department of Teacher Education are required to purchase a LiveText account to complete course requirements. The Teacher Education POS and corresponding approval page must be filed in the PCOE Graduate Records Office of Student Affairs. The template for completing the POS is available on the Patton College forms webpage.

The official, approved POS establishes the contractual agreement regarding required courses for the Master’s degree. It can only be changed by intentional action. A form entitled "Request for Change in Approved Master’s Program of Study" is used for this purpose, and is available from the Office of Student Affairs in the Patton College forms webpage.

The total number of hours to be taken in a Master’s program varies by program and according to many factors. Every student is required to complete at least 30 semester hours of coursework relevant to the program beyond the Bachelor's degree. For Master’s students in an Initial licensure program, the faculty advisor may require undergraduate courses to fulfill additional teaching field requirements.

For a Master’s degree program of 30 hours, a maximum of 8 semester hours is transferable. For Master’s degrees longer than 30 hours, no more than 25% of the total graduate credit hours required to complete the degree are transferable. To be eligible for transfer, courses must be:

1. Designated as graduate credit at the institution where taken,
2. Letter graded B or better,
3. Cannot have been used to satisfy the requirements for completion of another degree,
4. Earned within the past five years, and
5. Applicable toward a graduate degree at the institution where taken.

Credits requested for transfer cannot have been used to satisfy requirements for completion of another degree. Courses equivalent to those at OHIO cannot be transferred for credit and also be taken for credit at OHIO.

Any request for transfer of credit must be recommended by your advisor and department chair before final review and acceptance by the Dean's office, which forwards the approval to the Graduate College. No letter grades will appear on your OHIO transcript for transferred courses, nor will they be calculated in your GPA. Only courses counting toward an OHIO degree are eligible to appear on the OHIO transcript as transfer credit.

There is no set limit to the number of credit hours that may be transferred for doctoral degrees; however, it is up to the discretion of the advisor whether any credits (and how many) will be accepted as transfer credit.

If a student intends to count a transfer course in their program of study, they should designate this arrangement by flagging the course on the program of study with the letter "T." Students must submit an approved Request for Graduate Transfer of Credit form to the Graduate College, 102 Grosvenor Hall. Before the transfer can be processed, the Graduate College must receive an official transcript from the institution where the course was completed. Courses that are transferred to the DARS are listed as having a grade of "T" rather than a letter grade.

While most Master’s degree program coursework requires work that is completed in clinical settings, not all programs require formal clinical experiences. All initial and blended Master’s degree programs that lead to a teaching license require clinical experiences in the form of early field experiences, a professional internship, or both. All placements for the clinical experiences, including the professional internship, will be made by the Patton College of Education. To complete clinical experiences, Master’s students must comply with the following requirements:

• Anyone representing OHIO has to wear identification. Check your program to ascertain if you need to obtain an official OHIO Patton College photo ID nametag.
• Apply for a Pre-Service Teacher Permit as required by state law. Your program will provide directions on how to complete this process to ensure we and the school district have access to your records. This will also include completing Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification (BCI) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background checks before beginning clinical experiences. Maintaining current background checks and permit status is required annually for the duration of enrollment at OHIO. Master’s students are responsible for keeping copies of all documentation. You must follow the program and college guidelines to ensure we receive appropriate copies and/or access to your records.

Additional information about clinical experience requirements is available on the Clinical Practice web page.

Early Field Experiences

When required by the program or practicum courses, field experiences provide Master’s students with opportunities to observe, teach, and work with students, teachers, and administrators in educational settings.

Professional Internship

All Initial master’s degree with licensure candidates are required to complete a yearlong (two-term) professional internship (PI) in a P-20 classroom. In the first term, candidates observe and 10 teach in a classroom for a minimum of 10 hours but no more than 2 full days per week. During the second term, candidates observe and teach in a classroom full-time.

Master’s students must complete and submit the Professional Internship in Teaching Application. Without this application, students will not receive information about the PI. The Patton College Guide to Successful Internship Experiences provides additional information about the PI.

All students in a master's degree program must complete a research capstone experience. The type of research capstone required varies by program and may include a Master's Research Project- Study, Master’s Research Project- Portfolio, or Master's Thesis. The Master’s Research Project- Portfolio option is only available to Master’s with Initial Licensure program students. Consult with your faculty advisor to determine the capstone experience that is most appropriate for you. This decision should be made during the first semester of enrollment and no later than the time the Program of Study is submitted for approval.

Master's Research Project

A Master’s Research Project (MRP) in the Department of Teacher Education varies by program and can take the form of a research study or portfolio. Master’s students must contact their faculty advisor for information about which options are available for their program. Students who plan to complete the MRP must register for EDTE 6940 – Master’s Research Project. With guidance from the faculty advisor, a student will select the type of MRP to complete early in their program, within the first semester of enrollment. For initial licensure programs, this selection must take place before the start of the professional internship. To successfully complete the MRP, students must maintain regular communication with the course instructor and submit an approved final study or portfolio. The faculty advisor or the course instructor will submit a completed and signed MRP approval form and the first page of the plagiarism detection report.

Master’s students who plan to complete the MRP-Study work with their course instructor or advisor to develop a research question, design a research plan, obtain Institutional Review Board approval for research with human subjects (when appropriate), collect and analyze data, and write a research report. A plagiarism review is required before final approval of the MRP- Study by the chair of the Department of Teacher Education. Additional guidelines and resources for the MRP- Study are provided in Appendix A.

Master’s students who plan to complete the MRP-Portfolio work with their course instructor or academic advisor to create a timeline towards completion of the portfolio, identify a list of program-specific teaching and assessment strategies, and determine appropriate types of evidence and artifacts. The MRP-Portfolio is not to be confused with the ePortfolio required during the Professional Internship or the Professional Teaching Portfolio required in the Curriculum and Instruction program. Additional guidelines and resources for the MRP portfolio are provided in Appendix B.

Master's Thesis

A student who plans to complete a Master's Thesis must register for EDTE 6950 and prepare a thesis under the guidance of his or her thesis director and a master's thesis committee. The master's thesis committee is composed of the chair/director of the thesis as well as a minimum of two additional faculty members. One of the members of the committee must be a faculty member outside the program area and will serve as the Dean's Representative. The Dean's Representative is the only committee member who has veto power over the thesis. Guidelines for the preparation and submission of a master's thesis are available at the TAD website. Each semester, deadlines for the submission of the thesis for graduation are made available from the Office of Thesis and Dissertation Services (TAD) on the OHIO Graduate College website.

With input from and subject to approval by your course instructor or faculty advisor:

1. Create a timeline for completing steps 2-10. This timeline should include when you will submit sections of your research report to your course instructor and advisor. All work must be completed no later than the last week of classes of the semester in which you intend to graduate.
2. Review literature on a topic of interest related to your area of licensure (minimum of 20 resources). The majority of your literature must consist of scholarly and empirical sources (e.g., books, journal articles, and other publications of Specialized Professional Associations). Very limited use of websites is permitted. Use of websites must be approved by your course instructor and advisor.
3. Use your findings from the literature to develop a research question that interests you and will support growth in your practice. The research question must be approved by your course instructor and advisor before proceeding to the next steps.
4. Design a research plan to answer the question. Your plan describes your participants and how you will select them, the data and how you will collect it, and the plan for analyzing the data. The research plan must be approved by your course instructor and advisor before proceeding to the next steps.
5. Seek and obtain OHIO Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval before data collection if your research involves human subjects.
6. Analyze and interpret the data using appropriate standards for maintaining validity, reliability, credibility, and trustworthiness.
7. Consider how well your findings align with your understanding of the topic (based on your literature review), explain similarities and differences, and justify how your findings will inform your practice and future research
8. Write a final paper to report your work. Use the most recent APA style guidelines to format the body and references of your paper. One possible model for the paper is provided in Outline and Elements below. You must adhere to the guidelines provided by your course instructor and academic advisor.
9. Submit your paper for feedback from your course instructor and advisor. You may need to revise your paper or submit multiple drafts before receiving approval to proceed to the next step. Adhere to the timeline created in Step 1.
10. Submit your final paper (Word document or PDF) to your course instructor or academic advisor who will use an approved OHIO plagiarism detection software to complete the required plagiarism review. Your course instructor and advisor may require changes to the document before approving your work for final submission.
11. Your course instructor or academic advisor will share the Master’s Research Final Report with the Chair of the Department of Teacher Education for approval.

Outline and Elements

Title

Abstract

The abstract is typically 50 to 150 words long. It provides a brief summary of the study.

Introduction

The introduction includes a statement of the problem, background information providing a context for the research, and the purpose and rationale (including the research question or hypothesis).

Background

The background provides a comprehensive review of all relevant literature relating to your study. It synthesizes previous research on all aspects of the same problem.

Method

This section describes:

1. The type of research you used (e.g. Action Research) and why it was appropriate for your project.
2. Your participants (characteristics), how they were selected, and the context of the study.
3. The type of data you collected including any tools that were used to collect the data. Describe any instruments that you use
4. Any procedures you followed to obtain data.
5. How you analyzed the data and what you did to ensure validity, reliability, credibility, and trustworthiness
6. Limitations

Results

Present your findings with supporting evidence. The way you present your findings must be appropriate for the type of research study and data you collect.

Discussion and Recommendations

Explain and interpret your findings in relation to your original questions/hypotheses and the findings of others. Include implications and recommendations for further study.

Implications for Practice

Discuss the importance of the findings for your practice as well as that of educators and related professionals.

Conclusion

Using your findings, briefly describe the takeaway message from your study.

References

List the references that were cited in your paper using the most recent edition of APA style.

Appendix (optional)

Include any instruments, additional tables or figures, the IRB approval form, etc.

With input from and subject to approval by your course instructor and advisor:

1. Create a timeline for completing steps 2-10. This timeline should include when you will submit sections of your portfolio to your course instructor and advisor. All work must be completed no later than the last week of classes of the semester in which you intend to graduate.
2. Describe your context. Be sure to revisit the context section to add information over time.
3. Review the literature about each of the required entries related to your area of licensure. Your literature must consist of a good mix of scholarly and empirical sources (e.g., books, journal articles, and other publications of Specialized Professional Associations). Consult your course instructor and academic advisor for guidance about sources. Very limited use of websites is permitted. Use of websites must be approved by your course instructor and advisor.
4. Design, develop, and implement interventions (lessons, activities, assessments, etc.) that can be used to document your practice for each entry type.
5. Begin collecting artifacts for each entry and use your findings from the literature to analyze each artifact to determine how it reflects best practices and areas for improvement. Develop and implement new interventions as necessary. Consult with your course instructor and advisor before proceeding to the next steps.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you have enough artifacts or until you are satisfied with your performance.
7. For each entry, write a 1,000-word paper in which you critically reflect on your developing knowledge, skills, and dispositions, and how your practice supports the diverse needs of your students. Each paper must cite the pedagogy, research, and theory you learned during the program (#3). Use the most recent APA style guidelines to format your reflective papers.
8. Write your teaching philosophy statement using what you learned about best practices from the literature and how you have (or will) enacted them in your practice. Use the most recent APA style guidelines to format your statement.
9. Submit your portfolio entries and teaching philosophy statement for feedback from your course instructor and advisor. You may need to revise your work or submit multiple drafts before receiving approval. Adhere to the timeline created in Step 1.
10. Submit your final portfolio to your course instructor or academic advisor. Additionally, submit your reflective papers and teaching statement (Word document or PDF) to your course instructor or advisor who will use an approved OHIO plagiarism detection software to complete the required plagiarism review. Your course instructor or advisor may require changes to your portfolio before approving your work for final submission.
11. Your course instructor or advisor will share your Master’s Research Project Final Report with the Chair of the Department of Teacher Education for approval.

Outline and Elements

The MRP-Portfolio capstone requirement is a learning portfolio. It provides an opportunity for you to synthesize what you have learned in the Master’s program, show your growth over time, and document the evidence-based practices that you used to support engaged, high cognitive demand, and culturally responsive student learning. The portfolio consists of four parts: Context, Entries, Teaching Philosophy, and References.

Part A – Context

Set the stage for your portfolio by describing your experience in the program, your internship teaching context (e.g., district, school, classroom), and any other circumstances that you believe impacted your performance in the program.

Part B – Entries

Portfolio entries consist of artifacts and reflective papers that showcase growth in your knowledge of students and their subject-specific understandings, teaching strategies, and assessments. Entries also showcase your development as a leader-educator who uses their prior experiences and knowledge of subject matter to develop a meaningful curriculum.

• Artifacts can be lesson plans, assessments, videos, papers, or other projects. They document different elements of your practice and should be selected from different points in your program (e.g., summer, early, fall, spring).
• Reflective papers describe how the artifacts represent a particular type of entry, analyze your developing knowledge, skills, and dispositions, and critically discuss how your practice supports the diverse needs of your students in light of pedagogy, research, and theory you learned during the program. Each reflective paper should be approximately 1,000 words long.

Your portfolio will consist of 6 entries. Use the guiding questions to select and include at least 3 artifacts and one reflective paper for each of the following areas. Artifacts can be used in more than one entry to highlight a different element of practice.

• Relationships and Leadership: What activities have contributed to your development as a professional and a leader? What kinds of relationships have you developed with your students, mentor teachers, other professionals at your school, community members/organizations, and faculty/staff at OHIO?
• Students: What did you learn about your students, their ideas, and how they learn (subject matter, generally)?
• Content and Curriculum: What did you learn about your content and content-specific curricula and how you can use them to support student learning?
• Teaching Strategies: What did you learn about planning and subject-specific instructional strategies?
• Equity, Diversity, and Justice: How did you intentionally create safe, culturally responsive, and challenging learning environments?
• Assessment: What did you learn about different types of formative and summative assessments? How did you intentionally use them in your classrooms to showcase student learning?

Part C – Teaching Philosophy

A teaching philosophy communicates your beliefs about and orientations toward teaching and learning. It emerges as a result of synthesis, evaluation and critical reflection focused on your professional knowledge and experiences with teaching and learning (described in Part B). To formalize this emerging philosophy, write a 1,000-word paper in which you share your core ideas about effective teaching and learning in the context of your discipline; your role as a teacher; the goals/values/outcomes that you have for students; and your goals for continual engagement in the profession. An important characteristic of teaching philosophy is that it also explains why you hold those ideas and beliefs by referencing pedagogy, research, and theory you learned during the program.

Part D – References

List the references that were cited in your portfolio using the most recent edition of APA style.

While the doctoral advisor provides students with guidance as they progress through their graduate studies, and students are always urged to consult with them first, procedural clarifications can be sought by contacting the TE Doctoral Program Coordinator and the PCOE's Graduate Student Records Manager (740-593-4411). The College's Graduate Student Affairs Office is located in Patton Hall 125D.

The Department of Teacher Education offers four doctoral programs leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree:

• Curriculum and Instruction
• Mathematics Education
• Science Education
• Social Studies Education

More information about each of these programs is available on the and in the graduate catalog. For information regarding departmental faculty schedules, including office hours, please contact the Department of Teacher Education, 309 Patton Hall, 740-593-4424. A TE faculty directory and additional department resources and information are available on the .

The information provided in this handbook references both ������Ƶ (OHIO) policies and procedures and Patton College policies and procedures. The , the OHIO Student Handbook, and the Patton College Doctoral Handbook provide valuable information about graduate studies at the university.

You are responsible for knowing university, college, and department regulations and for complying with all applicable policies and procedures. Below is a list of resources that can support your academic needs during your graduate studies.

There are three levels of admission to doctoral programs in the Department of Teacher Education: Unconditional (Final) Admission, Conditional Admission, and English Provisional Admission. Students who receive conditional admission must specific academic requirements, set by the program before they can be fully admitted to the program. Students with conditional admission are not eligible for Department or University assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships until they meet the required conditions. Additional information about admission levels is available in the OHIO Graduate Catalog.

When a Department of Teacher Education orientation is offered, the date and time will be shared by the Doctoral Program Coordinator. Students admitted to a doctoral program in the Department of Teacher Education must participate in the orientation when it is offered.

After admission to a doctoral program in the Patton College, you must complete the coursework listed in your program of study, a comprehensive exam, and a dissertation proposal to be formally admitted to doctoral candidacy (Figure 1). Specifically, the following Patton College criteria must be met:

1. Program of Study courses successfully completed, including all courses with a prior grade of PR.
2. Comprehensive Examination successfully completed.
3. Dissertation Committee Approval form was completed and submitted to The Patton College Office of Graduate Records.
4. The Dissertation Proposal was successfully defended and the Proposal Defense Report was completed and submitted to The Patton College Office of Graduate Records.
5. For dissertations that require IRB approval, the confirmation of IRB approval must be obtained and submitted to The Patton College Office of Graduate Records.

Forms indicating completion of the above steps are available from and filed in the Office of Student Affairs in the Patton College of Education. You are not permitted to schedule the oral examination of the dissertation until you have met all requirements for formal admission to candidacy. Formal notification of your admission to candidacy will be provided to you. A copy will be sent to your advisor as well as kept on file in the Office of Student Affairs in the Patton College of Education.

After formal admission to doctoral candidacy, all doctoral students must successfully complete a final dissertation defense followed by the Patton College dissertation submission process, and, to graduate, meet the TAD requirements for dissertation submission associated with the 10 academic terms in which graduation is intended. Enrollment in dissertation hours is reserved for students who have completed the comprehensive exam.

Phase I Doctoral Student

• Form a Doctoral Committee; the Doctoral advisor(s) chair this committee
• Complete and submit the Program of Study (POS) during the first two years of enrollment
• Complete POS Coursework
• Complete the Comprehensive Exam successfully

Phase 2 Doctoral Student

• Form a Dissertation Committee
• Successfully defend the Dissertation Proposal
• Obtain IRB approval for research involving human subjects

Phase 3 Doctoral Candidate

• Conduct dissertation research
• Successfully defend the dissertation
• Complete the Thesis and Dissertation submission process
• Apply for graduation

As mentioned previously, you will form a doctoral committee consisting of your advisor and at least 3 additional faculty members within your program or department. The doctoral committee will guide you to develop a program of study (POS) over the first two years of your program. It is expected that an approved program of study approved by your doctoral committee will be on file in The Patton College Office of Graduate Student Affairs no later than the end of the spring semester of your second year in the program. The official approved POS establishes the contractual agreement regarding required courses for the doctoral degree. It can only be changed by doctoral committee action. A form entitled "Request for Change in Approved Doctoral Program" is used for this purpose, and is available on the Patton College of Education online forms webpage.

As you develop your POS, it is important to consider your anticipated dissertation research topic, questions, and research design because the courses listed in the POS will serve as the content of the comprehensive examination and the foundation for dissertation work. It is important to keep in mind that if the content area, research design, and/or methods selected for the dissertation proposal do not align with the completed POS courses, the dissertation committee is likely to require additional courses as a contingency to a successful proposal defense.

The total number of hours to be taken in a doctoral program varies according to many factors, but every student is required to complete at least 90 semester hours of coursework relevant to the program beyond the bachelor's degree and at least 60 semester hours of coursework beyond the master's degree.

The POS and corresponding approval page must be filed in the PCOE Graduate Records Office of Student Affairs. The approval page is available on the Patton College of Education online forms webpage.

For all courses required on the approved POS, no grade below B- will be accepted toward graduation. If you earn a grade below B-, you must repeat the course (noting that the grade for the first attempt remains on the permanent record and contributes to the GPA) or make a substitution subject to approval by your doctoral program committee.

You can only complete a course more than once for credit if the course is designated as repeatable. Repeatable courses are designed to be taken multiple times (e.g., dissertation, practicum, and special topics credits). You may not take a course a second or subsequent time if a prior attempt has met degree requirements.

To be eligible for transfer, courses must be

1. Designated as graduate credit at the institution where taken,
2. Letter graded B or better,
3. Earned within the past five years,
4. Applicable toward a graduate degree at the institution where taken, and
5. Earned in courses taught by members of that institution’s graduate faculty.

OHIO and Patton College guidelines for credit transfer apply. There is no set limit to the number of credit hours that may be transferred for doctoral degrees; however, it is up to the discretion of the doctoral committee whether any credits (and how many) will be accepted as transfer credits.

All TE doctoral programs require 6 credit hours of EDTE 7920 Curriculum and Instruction Practicum. Decisions about the kind of experiences that doctoral students can pursue to satisfy practicum hours should be made based on the professional goals of the student and their area of specialization. Practicum experiences must be discussed at the time of the POS meeting. It is recommended that practicum hours be used to satisfy teaching and research purposes. To clarify the roles and responsibilities of faculty and students during practicum hours, it is recommended that instructors of record, with input from students, develop a syllabus that includes outcomes, topics, expectations, assignments and products, a calendar, and due dates. A few examples of potential practicum experiences are provided below.

Teaching Practicum. Doctoral students can teach or co-teach undergraduate courses in the Department of Teacher Education under the supervision of a graduate faculty member who is the instructor of record for the EDTE 7920 course. Sample products for college teaching practicum hours include course planning documents, video-based analysis of practice papers, a practitioner article highlighting an innovative strategy or approach, an analysis of student learning paper, and an evidence-based reflective journal. Teaching practicum hours can also be used to develop curriculum materials or design other solutions for formal and informal educational agencies.

Depending on professional goals and with input and approval of the doctoral committee, students who have limited K-12 teaching experience can use practicum hours (up to 3 credits) to engage in a clinical experience in a K-12 classroom (e.g., observe, teach, and work with students, teachers, and administrators). Students and doctoral advisors are encouraged to contact the Patton College Office of Clinical Experiences to secure school placements and comply with stated requirements.

Research Practicum: Doctoral students can collaborate with TE graduate faculty on new or existing research. The purpose of the research practicum is to provide students with a mentored opportunity to conduct empirical research that potentially results in published manuscripts and/or presentations.

Graduate faculty of the Department of Teacher Education will periodically evaluate the academic progress of departmental doctoral Students. Evaluations will be based on core course writing assignments, survey responses about program experiences, and/or program faculty deliberations. The Doctoral Writing Rubric (Appendix A) will be used to evaluate all major writing assignments in the required, core Teacher Education courses. Course instructors will provide students with a completed rubric as well as written or audio-recorded feedback. At least three checkpoints will be conducted before the start of the comprehensive exam.

Checkpoint 1

At the end of the second semester of study, doctoral students will submit to their advisor (doctoral committee chair), with copy to the program coordinator:

• A major paper was written that semester to meet the requirements of a core Teacher Education course (EDTE 7150, EDTE 7160, EDTE 8000, and EDTE 8040).
• Associated, instructor-completed Doctoral Writing Rubric (Appendix A).

Checkpoint 2

At the end of the fourth semester of study, doctoral students will submit to their advisor (doctoral committee chair), with copy to the program coordinator:

• A major paper was written that semester to meet the requirements of a core Teacher Education course (EDTE 7150, EDTE 7160, EDTE 8000, and EDTE 8040).
• Associated, instructor-completed Doctoral Writing Rubric (Appendix A).

If the doctoral advisor has concerns about the performance of the student at Checkpoint 1 and/or Checkpoint 2, they will share the student’s materials with the doctoral committee or the department Graduate Committee if the doctoral committee is not yet formed. The doctoral committee will identify areas of improvement and develop a plan of action (e.g., re-write, course, workshops) to support student growth and advance students’ academic writing skills. Appendix B lists examples of resources to support writing. If the plan of action requires the student to take courses not previously included in the POS, the student must submit a “Doctoral Change in Program of Study” form to the Patton College Office of Graduate Student Affairs.

Checkpoint 3

Doctoral students will complete an online survey intended to assess their experience in the program (e.g., opportunities to engage in research and college teaching, writing needs). The survey may be distributed by the Doctoral Program Coordinator annually or at the time of the comprehensive exam. Survey responses will be used by the Doctoral Program Coordinator, the department Graduate Committee, and the department faculty to identify opportunities for programmatic improvements in support of students’ academic progress.

The comprehensive examination is the culmination of the coursework component of the doctoral degree. It is an opportunity for students to demonstrate broad and inclusive knowledge of the core content areas associated with courses in the program of study. The intent is for these courses to support the research to be undertaken for the dissertation.

Comprehensive examinations consist of two phases: written and oral. While both phases are considered to be one examination, each phase has distinct components and processes. Students must be enrolled in at least one graduate credit hour during any term in which either component of the comprehensive examination is underway. In extenuating or special circumstances, and only under the discretion of the committee, a student may have the opportunity to take the comprehensive exam a second time.

Written Portion

The written portion may only be taken with the approval of the doctoral committee and after completion of the courses listed on the student’s approved POS. With the approval of the doctoral committee, the written portion of the comprehensive exam may be completed in the final semester of coursework. The Chair of the doctoral committee, in consultation with the student and committee members, determines the timeline for undertaking and completing the written portion of the examination. Doctoral committee members constitute the examination committee and recommend questions to represent all the content areas on the student’s POS. While comprehensive exam questions can ask students to design research studies, the examination is not intended to serve as a pre-proposal for the dissertation. With input from all doctoral committee members, the examination is prepared by the program committee chair and a deadline for completion is conveyed to the student. The deadline set by the committee is binding; failure to submit the written examination to the program committee chair by the deadline can be the reason to require a second examination or face dismissal from the program.

After the student submits the written portion of the examination, a date for the oral portion of the comprehensive exam is confirmed in consultation with the student and the committee members. The oral defense date must be set at least two weeks after the submission of the written 14-component. It is recommended that committee members use the TE Doctoral Writing Rubric (Appendix A) to evaluate the portions of the exam falling under their purview, identify oral examination questions, and provide verbal and written comments to the student (and the chair) during the oral defense. If the doctoral committee has significant concerns about the written portion of the comps, the doctoral committee chair will notify the student before the oral component of the comprehensive exam.

Oral Component

The oral comprehensive examination consists of a formal evaluation where the student responds to questions posed by committee members.

Outcomes of the Comprehensive Exam

After the oral examination is concluded, the committee chair is responsible for submitting the “Report of the Results of the Doctoral Comprehensive Examination” to the Patton College Office of Graduate Student Records within one week. The form must be completed in its entirety, with the signatures of each examiner. The student also signs the form acknowledging any required conditions or plans for resolution. When the outcome of the comprehensive exam is unsatisfactory, feedback from all committee members must be used to determine conditions and a resolution plan. Conditions represent the criteria that committee members expect doctoral students to meet when they revise the current comprehensive exam or engage in a subsequent one. A plan for resolution consists of additional requirements (e.g., coursework, workshops, readings, etc.) that a student must take to prepare for a re-examination. Requirements on the resolution plan must be successfully completed before a comprehensive exam re-examination. There are four possible outcomes for the comprehensive evaluation:

1. Satisfactory; No Conditions. The Doctoral Committee is dissolved and a Dissertation Committee will need to be formed;
2. Unsatisfactory; Minor Conditions (these conditions must be delineated on the evaluation form). If conditions are not met to the satisfaction of the committee within 2-4 weeks of the date of the oral component of the comprehensive exam, the outcome of the comprehensive exam becomes Unsatisfactory: Opportunity for Re-examination or Unsatisfactory;
3. Unsatisfactory; Opportunity for Re-examination (resolution plan must be described on the form). A date for the re-examination is determined based on the resolution plan and should occur at least 1 semester after the first examination.
4. Unsatisfactory; No Opportunity for Re-examination. Referral to the Department for potential dismissal from the Program. The Doctoral Committee is dissolved.

Successful completion of the comprehensive examination is an important step in the pathway to admission to doctoral candidacy. Students can appeal the result of the comprehensive examination only in the case of an Unsatisfactory; No Opportunity for Re-examination outcome. In the Department of Teacher Education, students who wish to appeal the result of the comprehensive examination have 2 weeks from the date of the oral examination to submit a 15 letter to the Chair of the Department Graduate Committee with a copy to the chair of the student’s doctoral committee and the Chair of the Department of Teacher Education. The letter should provide a rationale for why the student believes the Unsatisfactory; No Opportunity for Reexamination outcome of the comprehensive exam should be reconsidered. The Graduate Committee, in consultation with the Department Chair, reviews the appeal and provides a written response to the student within one month of the submission of the appeal (excluding holidays, semester breaks, and summer break).

Students can enroll in dissertation credit hours after completion of the comprehensive exam. Before the completion of the comprehensive exam, students may register for independent research hours to meet requirements for full-time study or continuous registration. A student can sit for the dissertation proposal defense only after successfully completing the comprehensive examination.

Dissertations, and the research leading to their completion, reflect a level of scholarly rigor representative of the candidate’s academic preparation and content mastery. Patton College dissertations are evaluated by the members of the committee and monitored at several distinct points throughout the process (e.g., proposal and final defense). Throughout the preparation of the dissertation, students should work closely with the committee chair and other committee members. Students are expected to enroll in dissertation credit hours for all terms in which ������Ƶ faculty guidance and participation are sought.

Faculty members who chair and sit on committees have the obligation to:

• Become familiar with the student’s topic
• Participate in setting a timeline for student work
• Review student work throughout the time of student’s dissertation process
• Provide feedback to the student promptly.

After a doctoral student has completed their comprehensive exams, they should discuss the appointment of a dissertation committee with their doctoral advisor. Four or five members usually make up this committee, including a Dean's representative, with the minimum being four. Once formed, the dissertation committee becomes the doctoral committee and is responsible for approving any changes to the POS that occur after the completion of the comprehensive exam.

Doctoral committee membership is determined by the student in consultation with proposed members of the committee, who must agree to serve. The first step is to identify a chair of the dissertation committee, who serves as the dissertation director. The chair of the dissertation committee should help the doctoral student select appropriate members. The role of the dissertation chair is to coordinate the work of the committee and to mentor the doctoral student in their chosen dissertation topic from a perspective of expertise. The dissertation chair must be a faculty member in the Department of Teacher Education and from the student's program area. It is possible to select a co-chair of the dissertation committee from another department if the faculty member has graduate faculty status in the Department of Teacher Education.

At least three of the committee members must meet the requirements for Graduate Faculty status in their respective departments, as verified by the Chair of the department. At least two members of the dissertation committee must be full-time faculty members in the Department of Teacher Education. When appropriate, one member of the dissertation committee may be from outside ������Ƶ. Such members must have earned a doctorate or the equivalent, must have expertise in the area of the dissertation, and must be approved by the Department Chair and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies. The CV of proposed members from outside ������Ƶ must accompany the committee form.

The Dean's Representative must be a tenured ������Ƶ faculty member from outside the student’s department who holds full graduate faculty status in their home departments. It is recommended that a Dean’s Representative have previous experience as a dissertation committee member. Appointment of the Dean’s Representative is subject to approval by the Dean of the Patton College (or their designee, who is typically the Senior Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies). All members of the dissertation committee are subject to approval by the Department Chair. Upon the approval of the Dissertation Committee Information form, the dissertation chair automatically becomes the student's advisor.

The role of the Dean’s representative is to ensure an appropriate and rigorous standard for the evaluation of the dissertation. The Dean’s representative is expected to function as a contributing member of the dissertation committee in the same manner as the other members. The Dean’s representative also has the responsibility to objectively monitor the process and rigor of the dissertation development and defense. The general guideline for selecting the Dean's representative is to identify a member of the faculty from outside the student’s department whose research expertise fits with the dissertation topic and who is willing to be a contributing member of the committee. The student must identify an individual who is a tenured full member of the graduate faculty in their respective department, currently affiliated with ������Ƶ, and is not a member of the department in which the student seeks to obtain the degree.

The period after approval of the program of study, and while the student is taking coursework, provides an opportunity to begin consideration of the dissertation topic and the preparation of a dissertation proposal. Although a dissertation topic cannot be formally approved until after completion of the comprehensive examination, the student can save time by communicating directly with various faculty members and beginning to investigate the area in which the dissertation is planned. For this exploratory work, readings and research hours are appropriate, as approved by the committee chair. As a reminder, enrollment in dissertation hours is preferably reserved for students who have been admitted to formal doctoral candidacy, but can commence during the semester the student is completing the comprehensive exam.

Before doctoral students begin their dissertation research, they must prepare a dissertation proposal following guidelines established by their dissertation committee. The student's official dissertation committee reviews and approves the dissertation proposal during a specially scheduled meeting in 17 which the student defends the proposal.

The purpose of the dissertation proposal is to hold a formal evaluation of the student’s plan for dissertation completion. Typically, committee members will expect that students (a) clearly articulate the purpose of their research, presenting hypotheses and/or research questions, (b) fully delineate their planned research design, and (c) present a comprehensive review of the literature supporting their rationale for embarking on the proposed research. Decisions about pursuing a traditional or alternative format for the dissertation must be made in conjunction with dissertation committee members who are ultimately responsible for approving the dissertation format. Additional information and considerations for the format of the dissertation are provided in Appendix C.

In the Patton College, the latest available edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) guides the citation and writing style. Students and their faculty committee members should make use of APA resources and give attention to preparing the dissertation proposal and final document in proper APA style.

The student should work closely with the committee chair and consult members of the committee as the proposal is developed. The committee chair has the authority to approve the scheduling of a formal proposal defense. With the committee chair’s approval, the student is responsible for determining a date on which all members are available and scheduling the defense. (See “Proposal Defense Room Reservation Request” if you wish to use the Patton College Dissertation Room). As a best practice, students should ensure that committee members have the proposal document for review at least two weeks before the scheduled defense meeting.

After the proposal defense, a report titled “Proposal for Dissertation Report” is completed by the committee chair, with signatures of all committee members and the student, and then submitted to the Patton College Office of Graduate Student Records by the committee chair. This report must be submitted immediately after the proposal defense. If the results of the proposal defense warrant conditions or a resolution plan, these must be described in the evaluation report. Conditions represent the criteria that committee members expect doctoral students to meet when they revise the dissertation proposal. A plan for resolution consists of additional requirements (e.g., coursework, workshops, seminars, readings, etc.) that a student must take to prepare for dissertation research and the development of a new or revised dissertation proposal. Requirements on the resolution plan must be successfully completed before beginning the dissertation research.

There are four possible outcomes for the dissertation proposal evaluation, as delineated in the report:

1. Satisfactory; Proceed with Dissertation;
2. Satisfactory; with Conditions (Proceed with dissertation/thesis after Dissertation Chair approves changes);
3. Satisfactory; with Conditions (Proceed with dissertation/thesis after Dissertation Committee approves changes);
4. Unsatisfactory; with Potential Plan for Resolution (the student shall receive written feedback regarding additional courses/workshops/seminars to prepare for dissertation research); Timeline for setting a new Dissertation Proposal Defense is dependent on the nature of the resolution plan.

Upon successful completion of the proposal defense, if the research involves human subjects, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) training must be completed and ������Ƶ Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval of the research (with the student as the primary investigator) must be secured. IRB approval must occur before any participant recruitment or data collection. The IRB is responsible for reviewing and approving all research involving human subjects by students and faculty at ������Ƶ. For information and forms, visit the IRB website.

The student is responsible for providing the Office of Student Affairs with a copy of the IRB approval upon receipt. The final dissertation defense cannot be scheduled without an approved IRB on file. Please complete the "Approval of Proposal for Dissertation" report.

The process of completing a dissertation is comprehensive and necessarily requires substantial consultation with faculty mentors (dissertation chair, committee members, and sometimes others who offer additional guidance such as with statistics and other assessments). All students embarking on a dissertation should realize that this is a labor-intensive process and one with many checkpoints toward progress.

It is often advisable to hold meetings of the committee before the dissertation proposal and final dissertation defense. Holding one or more pre-proposal and pre-defense meetings is an advisable practice that can enhance the path to successful outcomes.

At the beginning of the dissertation writing process, all students should become familiar with the ������Ƶ Graduate College Thesis and Dissertation (TAD) website. Additionally, students must be sure to use the current Patton College template, found on the Thesis and Dissertation (TAD) website, to create and continue to write the dissertation. Students who write over several years must ensure that the current template has been implemented at the time of final defense and submission.

The TAD process has key required checkpoints with which all students need to become familiar. These include initial and post-defense document format reviews as well as specific deadlines for the oral defense and final document submission. Current requirements are presented on the TAD website, referenced above.

In the Patton College, the Office of Graduate Student Records maintains a “Procedures Checklist of Completing Thesis/Dissertation Requirements” for the degree. This checklist is published on the Patton College Current Students Forms website page.

The student must notify the PCOE Office of Student Affairs, Graduate Records, two weeks before the oral defense to supply information about the confirmed date, time, and location of the defense as well as the current dissertation title and committee membership. The PCOE Office of Student Affairs, Graduate Records, gives public notification of the defense.

Official notice of the defense will be sent to the student and dissertation committee, along with the required forms for the dissertation chair and the Dean's representative. In addition, Student Affairs will notify the student of the requirements and guidelines for completing the graduation process. At least two weeks before the oral exam, the student must distribute final draft copies of the dissertation to all members of the dissertation committee.

In the Patton College, the student presentation component of the final defense is open to PCOE faculty and the public for observation. PCOE faculty can remain for the examination portion of the defense. However, guests/observers must be asked to leave before the examination component unless all members of the committee agree to their presence before the defense.

After the oral examination, the Dissertation Committee deliberates privately to evaluate the dissertation and, when appropriate, determine necessary conditions or plans for resolution. If the results of the dissertation defense warrant conditions or a resolution plan, these must be delineated in detail (in writing) in the Dissertation Defense Report. Conditions represent the criteria that committee members expect doctoral students to meet when they revise the dissertation. A plan for resolution consists of additional requirements (e.g., coursework, workshops, seminars, readings, etc.) that a student must take to revise the dissertation.

There are five possible outcomes for the dissertation defense evaluation, as delineated in the report:

1. Satisfactory;
2. Satisfactory; with Conditions (Changes to be approved by the Dissertation Chair);
3. Satisfactory; with Conditions (Changes to be approved by the Dissertation Committee);
4. Unsatisfactory; with a potential plan for Resolution (Timeline for setting a new Dissertation Defense is dependent on the nature of the resolution plan); or
5. Unsatisfactory; No Conditions for Remediation Offered (Final decision).

After completing their deliberation, committee members vote to approve the dissertation. Up to one dissenting vote is allowed for a Satisfactory outcome. The result of the vote is reported on the Dissertation Defense Report along with the outcome of the evaluation. Once decisions are reached, the committee immediately notifies the student. The Final Defense Report is completed by the committee chair, with signatures of all committee members and the student, then submitted to the Patton College Office of Graduate Student Records by the committee chair. Students can appeal the result of the Dissertation Defense only in the case of an Unsatisfactory; No Conditions for Remediation Offered. In the Department of Teacher Education, students who wish to appeal the outcome of the Dissertation Defense have 2 weeks from the date of the dissertation's final defense to 20 submit a letter to the Chair of the Department Graduate Committee with a copy to the chair of the student’s dissertation committee and the Chair of the Department of Teacher Education. The letter should provide a rationale for why the student believes the Unsatisfactory; No Conditions for Remediation Offered outcome of the dissertation defense should be reconsidered. The Graduate Committee, in consultation with the Department Chair, reviews the appeal and provides a written response to the student within one month of the submission of the appeal (excluding holidays, semester breaks, and summer break).

It should be noted that the Dean's Representative can “veto” the outcome of the dissertation based on the appropriateness and rigor of the process, not content and methods. In that case, the Dean’s representative withholds their signature and justifies their “veto” recommendation in their report to the PCOE Office of Graduate Student Records. A “veto” recommendation initiates a meeting among the Dissertation Chair, Dean, and Dean’s representative.

The Patton College requires submission of the post-defense, committee-approved dissertation through plagiarism checking software (Turn-it-In) and final review by the Department Chair and the Senior Associate Dean. Due to the time required for this final submission process, an electronic copy of the document must be submitted by the committee chair to The Patton College (Research and Grants Development Coordinator) no less than two weeks before the TAD Final Clearance Deadline.

The first review of the PDF generated in the Turn-it-In software rests with the committee chair. The committee chair should identify any potential plagiarism issues and also ensure that APA style and grammatical issues are completely resolved. This level of review may result in the student needing to make additional post-defense revisions before the next step in the dissertation submission process, which is reviewed by the Department Chair and Senior Associate Dean. Following their review, the dissertation chair may either submit a second, revised document to the PCOE or report that the document is ready “as is” for the next levels of review.

The Plagiarism Review Tracking Sheet is signed by the dissertation chair when approved, and sent to the Department Chair who also reviews the document and signs as appropriate or requests additional changes in the dissertation. The final review is conducted by the Senior Associate Dean, who also reviews the document and provides feedback as appropriate. Once both the Department Chair and Senior Associate Dean sign the Plagiarism Review Tracking Sheet in approval, it is submitted to the Patton College Office of Graduate Records and filed. The submission of the approved Plagiarism Review Tracking Sheet triggers the Graduate Records manager to send the approved Final Dissertation Defense Report to TAD. TAD must have the approved Final Dissertation Defense Report for the student to be allowed to upload the dissertation and complete the submission process required for the degree.

Please refer to Theses and Dissertation Services (TAD), Graduate College, for deadlines, 21 checklists, guidelines, formatting assistance, filing procedures, and forms. A dissertation template for the College of Education can be found on the TAD website.

Upon initial admission, you will be assigned a TE faculty member to serve as your advisor. The initial assignment of the advisor is based on considerations such as student and/or faculty preferences, compatibility of student and faculty research interests, and faculty advising loads. You should contact your advisor to discuss your program’s requirements and to determine which courses to register for. As you become acquainted with additional faculty members within your program, you will form a doctoral committee that will guide you to develop a program of study during your first two years in the program. It is expected that a program of study approved by your doctoral committee will be on file in The Patton College Office of Graduate Student Affairs no later than the end of the spring semester of your second year in the program. The Program of Study is important to complete because it establishes the contractual agreement regarding required courses for the doctoral degree.

If the student or the advisor determines that it is no longer desirable for the adviser-advisee relationship to continue, the student or doctoral advisor should notify the PCOE Graduate Records - Student Affairs Office and complete the on the PCOE Forms Page.

In the event the decision to discontinue an advisor-advisee relationship originates with a faculty member – including a faculty member's decision to retire or leave the University – it will be the responsibility of that faculty member to assist the student in identifying and obtaining a new doctoral advisor. If no new doctoral advisor can be identified, the matter will be brought before the program faculty for resolution. If the decision originates with a student, it will be the sole responsibility of the student to seek out and gain the consent of another faculty member to serve as their doctoral advisor.

Students who seek to change advisors do so for a variety of reasons. Often, as students complete coursework in their programs, they learn about the research interests of faculty members other 6 than those of their initial advisor. Alignment of research interests, compatibility of temperaments, and faculty members' availability to provide support for the dissertation are all good reasons for changing advisors. Changing advisors in the middle of the dissertation process occurs much less often than during the coursework phase of the program. It is typically a result of a change in the faculty dissertation chair’s status (e.g. medical situation, fellowship leave, or move to another institution). A change in dissertation chair for other reasons must be considered carefully, in consultation with the chair of your department. Such a request requires approval by both the department chair and the Office of the Dean.

Students admitted to a doctoral program in the Department of Teacher Education can pursue an additional master’s degree at the same time as they are completing the doctoral program of study. They can also add certificate programs to their degree. However, TE doctoral students are not allowed to pursue a second doctoral degree as they complete their program of study. A maximum of ten (10) semester hours can be shared between two degree programs. A Dual Degree/Dual Program form: must be completed before admission is finalized for the second degree or certificate. More information about adding degrees and certificates is available in the OHIO Graduate Catalog. Contact the Graduate College (www.ohio.edu/graduate) for information about how to change your degree program.

Students who have been admitted to master’s programs are eligible to register (or pre-register) for classes beginning on dates listed on the official academic calendar found on the Registrar’s Office website. Students can view OHIO Course Offerings online through the . Information about how to register for classes, dates for pre-registration, registration, change orders (i.e., adds/drops), cancellations and graduation is available on the OHIO Registrar's webpage and through the .

Continuous Registration

You must be continuously registered in any term during which service of any kind is received from OHIO including the term that you graduate.

Graduate Assistantship and Graduate Recruitment Scholarship

To apply for financial assistance through a graduate assistantship (GA) and/or graduate recruitment scholarship (GRS), see the departmental Assistantships page.

Applications for financial assistance are typically due by March 15 of the year before the one for which you are seeking assistance. Graduate assistantships are not renewed automatically from year to year. You must reapply by submitting a new application each year if you are interested in continuing to receive a graduate assistantship or recruitment scholarship from the department. To reapply you must use the form available in the TE Department office.

Students who are awarded a graduate assistantship of any kind (GA/GRS) are required to register for at least 12 graduate hours each term. Undergraduate hours (courses numbered 100-400) and hours taken for audit (AU) do not count toward the required number of hours for the financial aid award. Students who have been awarded a graduate assistantship or graduate recruitment scholarship are required to complete an I-9 form in person at the Graduate College. Unless this form is completed, your first paycheck will be held.

Any questions concerning financial aid should be directed to the chair of the TE Department.

Financial Aid Resources

• Financial Aid Office, Chubb Hall, 740-593-4141 - loans, work-study: www.ohio.edu/financial-aid
• Residence Life positions, Chubb Hall, 740-593-4095: www.ohio.edu/housing
• Office of Graduate College, 740-593-2800: www.ohio.edu/graduate
• Veterans Center, Baker University Center, 740-566-8387: www.ohio.edu/veterans-center
• Graduate Student Senate, 305B Baker Center, 740-593-1899: www.ohio.edu/graduate-student-senate

Funding for Research

Graduate Senate Grants: The Graduate Student Senate provides grants for travel and scholarly work.

Graduate Study and Educational Research Fund: Awards are made each term.

Patton College Student Travel Award: All Patton College students are eligible for financial awards to attend conferences to present their research. 

Standards of Work

Conferral of a graduate degree requires at least a B (3.00) grade point average (GPA) plus the required courses for the degree program being pursued. All students in master’s programs must maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00. Students whose GPA falls below 3.00 will be put on probation and must raise their GPA above 3.00 by the end of the following term. If a student’s GPA improves substantially after one term but remains below 3.00, they will remain on probation and may continue in the program only with the recommendation of the advisor and department chair. The Department of Education reserves the right to dismiss/suspend a 6 student with the option to reapply in the future. University regulations prohibit awarding any type of financial assistance to students who are on probation or who are conditionally admitted to a graduate program.

For master’s programs in The Patton College, no grade below C will be accepted on any coursework that is part of a student's program of study. If you receive a grade below C, you must repeat the course or, subject to approval by your advisor, revise your program of study with a different course substituted for the course carrying the grade below C If you repeat a course or substitute it with an approved course, the previously earned grade that was below a C is not removed from your transcript. The grade remains on the transcript and is used in the calculation of your GPA. Please refer to the Graduate Catalog for complete information.

You can only complete a course more than once for credit if the course is designated as repeatable. Repeatable courses are designed to be taken multiple times (e.g., thesis, practicum, reading, and special topics credits). You may not take a course a second or subsequent time if a prior attempt has met degree requirements.

When a student is unable to complete a course, other than a Master’s Research Project or Master’s Thesis, during the semester of enrollment, they may receive a grade of I with permission from the instructor. The student must complete the work within the first two weeks of his or her next semester of enrollment or two years from the end of the term in which the grade of “I” was given, whichever comes first, or the “I” converts automatically to an “F.” The instructor may at his or her discretion submit a change of grade request to the Office of the University Registrar. When the student applies for graduation, any Incompletes on the record will be calculated as “F” grades to determine eligibility for graduation and will be converted to “F” upon graduation. In extenuating circumstances, a student may receive a grade of PR with permission of the course instructor and an agreed-upon timeline for completing the course. If a student does not adhere to the timeline, the course instructor may change the grade to an F.

If the faculty member who assigned the I or PR is no longer with ������Ƶ, students should contact the Coordinator of the Program or the Chair of the Department of Teacher Education for guidance about completing the course and requesting a change of grade.

Professional Dispositions and Academic Integrity

Master’s students in the Department of Teacher Education must uphold and follow professional ethics, standards of practice, policies, and legal codes of professional conduct set by the Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession (OSTP), the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC), the National Board Professional Teaching Standards, Specialized Professional Associations, and The Patton College core values.

Students are expected to maintain academic integrity and avoid dishonesty or deception when fulfilling academic requirements. The OHIO graduate catalog and student code of conduct provide more information about expectations and consequences for academic misconduct.

Academic Grievance Procedure

The Graduate Catalog and the OHIO Faculty Handbook provide a process and timeline for individual grade appeals. As a first step, a grievance should be fully discussed with the instructor. If the problem cannot be resolved at that level, the student should next appeal to the chair of the department with which the faculty member is affiliated. The Chair of the Department may activate departmental grievance procedures to support the process. For a Department of Teacher Education faculty member, the Chair of the Department will consult with the departmental Graduate Committee. If no resolution is reached at the departmental level, the Chair of the Department can forward the appeal to the Dean of the college. If the grievance cannot be resolved to all parties' satisfaction at any of these levels, it can be brought before the University Grievance Board for review. The board reviews the grievance and submits its recommendations to all appropriate parties. Additional information about the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty concerning grade appeals can be obtained from the Office of the Ombudsperson.

Time Limit

Master’s students have six (6) years from the date of admission to complete the degree requirements. Doctoral students have seven (7) years from the date of admission to complete the degree requirements. Students who do not complete their requirements within the time limit may continue graduate study at OHIO only if exceptional circumstances are associated with the delay in progress. The Dean of The Patton College of Education may grant a one-term, one-time extension. The application for such an extension may be found on the forms webpage

Students who have not completed the degree requirements within the required time limit may apply for readmission to the program. Applications and guidelines for extension and readmission are available on the forms webpage.

Doctoral students have seven (7) years from the date of admission to complete the degree requirements. Students who do not complete their requirements within the time limit may continue graduate study at ������Ƶ only if exceptional circumstances are associated with the delay in progress. The Dean of The Patton College of Education may grant a one-term, one-time extension. The application for such an extension is available on the forms webpage.  

Credit Hours

The total number of hours required for the Master’s degree varies by program. The required minimum number of hours is 30 semester hours beyond the Bachelor’s degree. Master’s programs in Teacher Education may require hours beyond the minimum.

The total number of hours required for the doctoral degree varies by program. The required minimum number of hours is 90 semester hours beyond the bachelor's degree and 60 semester hours beyond the master's degree. Some programs in The Patton College require hours beyond the minimum.

Academic Residency

The Patton College does not currently have residency requirements for Master’s degrees.

At ������Ƶ doctoral programs must articulate requirements, if any, for students’ on-campus presence, either periodic (as in a hybrid online/on-campus learning model) or continuous. This residency requirement is provided by The Graduate College in The Graduate Catalog under Fees and Ohio Residency.

Leave of Absence Policy

If you are enrolled in a degree program but do not expect to make progress toward your degree for some time due to personal, medical, or professional reasons, you should request a leave of absence from the degree program before leaving the program temporarily. Students on an approved leave of absence may not use university resources and services or engage in consultation with faculty in an academic capacity. A leave of absence does not extend the six-year time limit of the master’s degree. To request a leave of absence, you must submit a request to your advisor stating the reason for the leave and the expected duration of the leave. The Patton College Leave of Absence Policy and the form for submitting the request can be found on the forms webpage. The Patton College Master’s Handbook and the Graduate Catalog provide additional information about this policy.

Students in a Master’s program with initial licensure are eligible to apply for a teaching license once they successfully complete all program requirements and courses listed on their POS, the State of Ohio required licensure examinations, the edTPA, and the Professional Internship in Teaching. Information about how to apply for a license is available in the Licensure Office.

The Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE)

All candidates in licensure programs must take the required assessments for educators (OAE) before graduation and will not be permitted to graduate until the scores have been received by the Office of Student Affairs located at 103 Patton Hall. Candidates are not required to pass the OAE to graduate. Passing scores are required for licensure. Candidates are required to submit a complete copy of their scores at the time they turn in their graduation application. Information about which assessment is required and how to register is available from the Office of Clinical Experiences website and the .

All other candidates for a master’s degree should contact their advisor to determine if an OAE is required in their program.