Human Capital Development (Instructional Technology and Design) PhD

Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy in Human Capital Development with an emphasis in Instructional Technology and Design (HCD-ITD) prepares individuals to engage in advanced scholarly inquiry related to design, development, evaluation, and research of effective interactive learning environments and technology integration. The program provides quality instruction for individuals who want to improve learning experiences in education, business, government military, healthcare, various training organizations, and nonprofit organizations through the application of effective instructional practices and innovative technologies. The program is based on the foundation that learning is a life-long process that requires active participation from individuals with varying backgrounds. By providing instruction of new developments in instructional design, the application of current technologies, and the process of innovative decision-making, the HCD-ITD Ph.D. prepares professionals to assist individuals and organizations to design, develop, implement, and evaluate effective instruction. Because of today’s necessity to integrate technologies for the instruction of content at various levels, graduates of the program need to be prepared to lead future transformation efforts and become effective change agents in the process through research. The ITD faculty prepare a community of learners who can serve as change agents within their organizations and become effective leaders and innovators in improving instruction, research, and technology applications.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the Admission Requirements and Procedures , the minimum standards for regular admission are as follows:

1. The application must present evidence, by official transcript, of a grade point average of at least 3.5 (calculated on a 4.0 scale) on previous graduate coursework to Southern Miss.
2. Students whose native language is not English must meet the university’s minimum requirements of TOEFL or IELTS score.
3. The applicant must submit current resume or curriculum vitae (CV) via the online application.
4. The applicant must have at least three letters of recommendation submitted from persons (e.g. direct supervisors or academic faculty members) who are qualified to assess the applicant’s readiness for graduate work.
5. The applicant must submit a Statement Qualification (SOQ) specifying areas of interest and career goals. The statement should address the following: reasons this graduate program was chosen, how the applicant plans to relate the specialty area to his or her education and experience, expected career benefits from this program, and any other matters that should be taken into consideration. The SOQ should be 3-5 pages, double-spaced.

Program Requirements and Academic Policies

1. A minimum of fifty-four (54) graduate hours beyond the master’s degree with a 3.0 is required to graduate.
2. Students must meet the general requirements set forth by the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi.
3. Additional requirements include the satisfactory completion of a written comprehensive examination, and the satisfactory completion and oral defense of an original research dissertation.
4. Coursework for the Human Capital Development Ph.D. program includes the completion of a General Core (12 semester hours), Research Core (27 semesters hours), and Electives (15 semester hours).
5. Please refer to the Doctoral Degree Requirements section of the Bulletin.

See General Degree Requirements  and General Academic Information  for other requirements and policies.

Course Requirements (54 hours)