PhD in Language and Literacy Education (Literacies and Children's Literature P-5 or 6-12)

Become an expert literacy educator-scholar in your field with our flexible, challenging PhD program in Language and Literacy Education.

Develop close mentoring relationships with our award-winning faculty for support and guidance through your program. You will have numerous opportunities to apprentice on research projects, author articles and book chapters, present at national and international conferences, and teach university courses.

Curriculum

Become proficient in literacies and children’s literature through formal internships (in both research and university teaching), special courses, and independent research projects.

You will take a minimum of 46 semester hours of academic credit. This includes a minimum of 30 semester hours for admission to candidacy and a minimum of 16 hours of 8000 and 9000 level courses. Requirements include:

• An introductory seminar (LLED 8000)
• Four research methodology courses
• A research apprenticeship
• Diversity studies

The research apprenticeship pairs doctoral students with our nationally and internationally recognized faculty on a range of research activities. Past students have worked on writing grants, research design and implementation, collaborative writing and presenting, and community service work.

If you are a practicing teacher in the state of Georgia who wishes to pursue a doctorate and wants to qualify for a T6- or T7-level promotion with this degree, you will be required to take specific courses that align with your teaching field and initial certification, as determined by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. Refer to the Program of Study PDF for more details (PDF) .

In consultation with a major professor, you will form a doctoral committee made of faculty who reflect your research goals. This team charts a path through the coursework, the comprehensive examination, the prospectus, and the eventual dissertation.

Downloads

• Program of Study (PDF) (PDF)
• Ph.D. Yearly Progress Form (PDF)
• Doctoral Program Requirements (PDF)
• Journal Articles Dissertation Format (PDF)

Our Faculty

A hallmark of our program is the close mentoring relationships doctoral candidates develop with our award-winning faculty.

Additional information and disclosures regarding state licensure for professional practice in this field can be found at the UGA Licensure Disclosure Portal .

Financial Assistance

Research Assistantships and Fellowships

A limited number of highly competitive research assistantships and fellowships are available for those who are seeking to begin their degree program in Fall (August). These assistantships offer four years of funding (tuition, the majority of fees, and a monthly stipend) and focus on research. There may also be opportunities to teach undergraduate courses, depending on the requirements of the research assistantship or fellowship. Those interested in this type of funding should apply to our degree program by January 1st. Please note that students who apply after January 1st still may be eligible for teaching assistantships. Prior to or upon notification of admission from the Graduate School, contact the Literacies and Children’s Literature (LCL) program coordinator to express your interest in applying for these awards. Award Assistantship notifications are typically sent between March and May.

Teaching Assistantships

We offer a limited number of teaching assistantships every year for those who are seeking to begin their degree program in Fall (August). These assistantships provide one year of funding (tuition, the majority of fees, and a monthly stipend) with the possibility of renewal for up to three additional years. Teaching Assistants typically serve as an Instructor of Record (IOR) for undergraduate courses offered by the department and/or provide instructional assistance to faculty teaching graduate level courses. Those interested in this type of funding should apply to our degree program by January 1st. Please note that students who apply after January 1st still may be eligible for teaching assistantships. Prior to or upon notification of admission from the Graduate School, contact the Literacies and Children’s Literature (LCL) program coordinator to express your interest in applying for these awards. Assistantship notifications are typically sent between March and May.

Additional Funding Opportunities

Please visit the following websites for more information about graduate scholarships, in-state tuition waivers, and other funding opportunities.

• UGA Graduate School: Funding Your Graduate Education
• Mary Frances Early College of Education Financial Assistance
• Regent’s Research Out-of-State Tuition Waivers Domestic Students
• Office of Global Engagement Out-of-State Tuition Waivers International Students
• UGA Career Center Listing of Part-time Campus Jobs
• Office of Student Financial Aid

How to Apply

Applicants are required to submit official GRE scores. Miller Analogies Test (M.A.T.) scores can be considered as well, but only if GRE scores are received. International applicants should submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores. While completing your Graduate School application, please include the following documents:

• Current resume/CV
• GRE or the Miller Analogies Test (M.A.T.) Please note: we can ONLY consider the M.A.T. scores for Ph.D. applicants if GRE scores are also received.
• TOEFL or IELTS (for international applicants)
• Statement of Purpose
• Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended
• Three (3) letters of recommendation
• Writing sample of no more than 20 pages

Email your writing sample to the department and include your name, desired area of emphasis for the Ph.D. program (i.e. English Education, LCL, or World Language Education and TESOL), and the words “writing sample” in the subject line.

Please indicate in your statement of purpose which area of emphasis below you intend to pursue for the Ph.D. program (i.e. English Education, LCL, or World Language Education and TESOL).

Start A Graduate School Application

Funding consideration will be given to students who apply for Fall by January 1st. Fall is the only admissions term in which funding is awarded each year.

In addition to the written application, this emphasis requires either a face-to-face or web-based interview. For the 2022/2023 school year, interviews will be conducted in mid-January 2023.

There will be another interview date in April 2023 that will be listed once it is determined.

In addition to the Graduate School application, applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. You must hold a master’s degree from an accredited college or university in an area of language and/or literacy education, or a related field.
2. For US residents, you must submit official GRE scores. You may also submit official Miller Analogies Test (M.A.T.) scores, but those scores can only be considered if we also have your official GRE scores. We recommend the following GRE and M.A.T. scores but will consider GRE/M.A.T. scores in light of the merits of your entire application package.
3. GRE: at least a score of 295 (if taken after August 2011)
4. GRE: at least a score of 900 (if taken prior to August 2011)
5. M.A.T.: at least a score of 408
6. For International residents, you must take the GRE and TOEFL, or the IELTS. We require the following scores:
7. GRE Verbal score of 154 or higher
8. TOEFL: at least a score of 100 with a minimum score of 25 in speaking and a 25 in writing
9. IELTS: at least a score of 7 with a minimum score of 6.5 in speaking and a 6.5 in writing
10. For international residents, you must also demonstrate proficiency with two languages as evidenced by
    1. A bachelor’s degree in English linguistics and literature,
    2. A master’s degree where English was the medium of instruction
11. We recommend an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
12. We recommend at least two years of teaching experience

Deadline To Apply

• For a Fall start and consideration of funding: January 1st (international and domestic students):
• For a Spring start: October 15 (international students); January 1st (domestic students)
• For a Summer start: March 15 (domestic students)

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