Overview
The Instructional Technology program is housed in the College of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Technology Studies (ELPTS). Students pursuing a Ph.D. in Instructional Leadership can complete the degree with a concentration in Instructional Technology. The mission of the instructional technology program is to provide academic preparation and professional development for those pursuing careers in various settings such as, but not limited to, higher education institutions as professors, administrators, and technology professionals; in K-12 schools as technology specialists, technology coordinators, technology coaches, and curriculum supervisors; and in the business arena in areas such as training and development.
- Our PhD students have published numerous refereed journal articles and have presented regionally, nationally, and internationally.
- Many of our students have won best paper and dissertation awards.
- Our program students serve in prestigious roles such as Dean, Provost, Academic Chairs and Director positions.
The faculty are high caliber experts in their fields. They are dedicated to helping students reach their goals and succeed in their careers. They take the time to get to know you and they care about you and your development. I appreciate the alternative residency option so that I could complete the program while working full-time. My degree broadened my background and gave me the opportunity to work on online course design at my institution. I developed close relationships with my peers in the program and we continue to keep in touch. Kim Roberts, Assistant Professor, Athens State University, Athens, AL
The program equipped me with the knowledge and skills to consider digital solutions for instructional problems while placing the ideas under a microscope of evaluation to assess their feasibility and potential impact. Furthermore, I learned practices and platforms for communicating and conveying my thoughts and findings with wider audiences. Today, these transformational learning experiences prove invaluable as I assist more than 500 faculty to explore, design, and evaluate technology-enhanced activities for higher education learning environments. Geoff Price, Ph.D., Director of Instructional Technology, Belmont University, Nashville, TN
The program helped me to complement my industry research experience and provided the background and methods to teach in a fast changing field like Computer Science in higher education. Carmen Winter, Ph.D., Professor of Computer Science, Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart, Germany
The program gave me insight to many of the new technological assets that can be used in moving the classroom forward to distance education. Also, the Instructional Technology program provided me academic preparation and professional development to align my career as an educator for the community college system. Robert Davis, Division Chair, Distance Education, Central Alabama Community College
I spent a great deal of time searching for a program that would give me a marketable skill set to pursue leadership positions in the rapidly changing, technology-focused, and highly competitive landscape of higher education. I also needed a program that provided me the flexibility to continue working while pursuing my degree. The program in gave me everything I was looking for and so much more. Derrick Griffey, Ph.D., Director, Teaching and Learning Center, Gadsden State Community College, Gadsden, AL
Admission Requirements
For admission, an applicant must apply through the Graduate School. To be considered for regular admission, students must have obtained a Master’s degree, maintained a graduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, scored at or above the 50th percentile on the MAT or GRE, and have basic technology skills. In addition, three recommendations, a departmental information sheet, a curriculum vita or resume, a statement of purpose, and a writing sample are required.
Application Process
Doctoral students are admitted in cohorts for each Fall semester. Applications are accepted throughout the year for a Fall semester enrollment. For the application to be processed for the Fall semester, the application should be submitted no later than July 10th.
Visit the UA Graduate School website where you will:
- Complete the online application http://graduate.ua.edu/application.
- Submit official GRE or MAT scores.
- Submit official transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions attended.
- Submit a statement of purpose.
- Submit 3 letters of recommendation.
- Submit a writing sample.
- Submit a current vita or resume.
Program Requirements
The program of study includes 60 course hours plus 24 dissertation hours. Students also complete a comprehensive exam, in the form of an electronic portfolio.
- Technology Courses (24 hours)
- Leadership Courses (9 hours)
- Research Courses (15 hours)
- Foundational Courses (12 hours)
- Dissertation (24 hours)