The Childhood Education Department has designed this flexible degree to meet a variety of needs. A minimum of 33 semester hours is required. Eligibility for early childhood or elementary certification is required for admission. Non-certified students may apply to the Dual Track or Plan III program or the M.A. in Reading Education Ph.D. Programs

The Ph.D. degree is offered in Curriculum and Instruction with three emphasis options: Elementary, Reading/Language Arts, and Early Childhood. These degrees require satisfactory completion of coursework, research tools, qualifying examination, dissertation, and the teaching of at least one university level course - which may be met as a part of a graduate assistant responsibility or through independent study. Ph.D. PROGRAM OF STUDIES: Total Post-Master's hours: 82 minimum) Specialization, Specialization:18 hours minimum, Curriculum and Instruction: 3 hours, Dissertation: 30 hours, Cognate Area 2 hours minimum, Statistics/Measurement/Research Design11-12 hours including Tool requirement.Foundations of Education 8 Hours minimum, Language/Computer Application no creditApplication Deadlines for the graduate program are as follows: Fall: June 1; Spring: October 15; and Summer: March 2.

The Graduate Certificate in Literacy in Elementary Program provides elementary school administrators with applicable knowledge to provide instructional leadership in literacy at the building level. The curriculum consists of five specific core courses totaling 15 credit hours. The Graduate Certificate can be completed within five to six graduate courses. No GRE is required. Must submit graduate certificate application. For more information call 813-974-2996 or visit www.grad.usf.edu .