Doctor of Education in Adult and Community Education
Doctor of Education in Adult and Community Education
91-97 credits
This is a doctoral degree program that prepares graduate students for professions in a variety of educational, governmental, community, business, and industrial settings. The adult and community education doctoral program emphasizes developing critical skills and conducting research in teaching and learning, program planning, leadership, continuing education, community organizing, organizational management, and evaluation using a social justice framework. Through the courses, learners understand how power issues, especially related to race and diversity, impacts decisions and policies within educational programs.
General requirements
A minimum of 91 graduate credits beyond the bachelor’s degree. At least 48 of the 91 credits, and at least half of required credits in the research requirement, the major concentration, and the cognate must be completed at Ball State. A master’s degree is required; previous graduate course work may be counted toward the 91 total credits required in the program. Exact requirements will vary depending on the concentration. Students will earn 57 credits in the core courses, research courses, electives within adult and community education program, or other areas as appropriate, in addition to cognate and dissertation courses.
Cognate requirements
The doctoral student must have a single cognate (minor) area consisting of a minimum of 24 credits, or two cognate area (or minors) consisting of a minimum of 15 credits each. For the 24 credit cognate, 12 credits of the must be taken at Ball State University. For the 15-credit cognate, 9 credits must be taken at Ball State University. Cognates are offered in executive development for public service or in all university major fields of study for the master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees, based on the student's interest and educational background.
Credits transferred from prior graduate study at Ball State University
At the discretion of the student’s doctoral committee, past graduate credits earned from Ball State University may be transferred into the core, research, cognate, and/or major concentration portions of the student’s curriculum. In some cases, this may include entire Ball State master’s-level programs, totaling up to 42 credits.
Doctoral committee
The student’s doctoral committee is appointed after the student has been admitted to study for the doctoral degree – usually near the end of the first year of doctoral work. Until the committee has been appointed, the director of the doctoral program or their designee will serve as the primary advisor for the student.
Comprehensive Exams
At the end of coursework, the student will write and answer essay questions to demonstrate their knowledge of adult education, research, and their cognate area.
Dissertation
Each student is required to write a dissertation on a topic approved by their committee. The dissertation proposal will be reviewed and evaluated by the committee after the comprehensive exam process. Students register for DISS 799 for a minimum of 10 dissertation credits.
Degree Requirements
Adult and Community Education, 91-97 credits
Core required courses, 24 credits
| EDAC 631 | Introduction to Adult and Community Education | 3 |
| EDAC 634 | Adult Learning Theories | 3 |
| EDAC 635 | Strategies for Teaching Adult Learners | 3 |
| EDAC 648 | The Community Educator | 3 |
| EDAC 655 | Continuing Education for Professionals | 3 |
| EDAC 700 | Seminar for Preparation of Comprehensive Exams in Adult and Community Education | 3 |
| EDAC 780 | Seminar in Practical Applications and Scholarship in Adult and Community Education | 3 |
| EDST 697 | The Grant Process and Research | 3 |
Research requirements, 21 credits
Students are required to take a minimum of 3 credits each in EDAC 730 and ID 705.
| EDAC 710 | Seminar for Pilot Study Research in Adult and Community Education | 3 |
| EDAC 730 | Practicum in Adult and Community Education | 3-6 |
| EDPS 640 | Methodology of Educational and Psychological Research | 3 |
| EDPS 641 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | 3 |
| EDST 650 | Introduction to Qualitative Research | 3 |
| EDST 671 | Evaluation of Educational Programs | 3 |
| ID 705 | Research Colloquium | 1 TO 3 |
Electives, 12 credits
Four courses are selected in consultation with the Doctoral Committee
| EDAC 629 | Psychology of Adult Adjustment | 3 |
| EDAC 632 | Organizing and Managing Adult and Community Education Programs | 3 |
| EDAC 638 | Program Planning in Community and Adult Education | 3 |
| EDAC 640 | Foundations of Adult and Community Education | 3 |
| EDAC 643 | Transformative Leadership for Adults | 3 |
| EDAC 644 | Collaborative Learning in Adult and Community Education | 3 |
| EDAC 646 | Working with Volunteers in Community Organizations | 3 |
| EDAC 681 | Community Engagement Through Art-Based and Popular Education | 3 |
| EDAC 698 | Special Topics in Adult and Community Education | 3 |
| EDCU 675 | Evaluation of Educational Personnel to Strengthen Curriculum | 3 |
| EDAC 699 | Internship in Adult and Community Education | 3-6 |
| EDMU 660 | Multicultural and Multiethnic Education in American Schools | 3 |
| EDFO 620 | Social, Historical, and Philosophical Foundations of Education | 3 |
| EDFO 651 | Educational Sociology | 3 |
| EDFO 631 | Philosophy of Education | 3 |
| EDST 655 | Introduction to Mixed Methods Research | 3 |
| EDST 670 | Advanced Theories of Qualitative Research | 3 |
| EDST 770 | Advanced Evaluation of Educational Programs | 3 |
Cognate(s) 24 or 30 credits
The doctoral student must have a single cognate (minor) area consisting of a minimum of 24 credits, or two cognate area (or minors) consisting of a minimum of 15 credits each. For the 24 credit cognate, 12 credits of the must be taken at Ball State University. For the 15-credit cognate, 9 credits must be taken at Ball State University. Cognates are offered in executive development for public service or in all university major fields of study for the master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees, based on the student's interest and educational background.
Dissertation courses - 10 credits
Each student is required to write a dissertation on a topic approved by the committee. Students register for DISS 799 for a total of at least 10 dissertation credits. For continuous enrollment, students must take at least 3-credit hours of DISS 799 in Fall and Spring semesters once the comprehensive exam process is successfully completed until they graduate.
Students may register for DISS 701 during the semester they take the comprehensive exams. Once successfully completed, the credits for DISS 701 are exchanged for DISS 799 and count toward the minimum of 10 credits.
DISS 701 is not required for graduation, but it is used as a placeholder for some students during their comprehensive exam semester.
Total Credit Hours: 91-97