PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN TECHNOLOGY
Eastern Michigan University's Doctor of Philosophy in Technology program offers a unique approach to the study of technology in organizations and society by applying socio-technical analysis to each stage of the technology life cycle -- planning, design and development, implementation and impact assessment. Course content is interdisciplinary, drawing on the expertise of a range of faculty within the College of Technology and across the university community. Course pedagogy integrates theory with practice, and offers scholars and practitioners opportunities for experiential learning. This program prepares graduates for positions of increased responsibility in a variety of settings, for policy analysis and research occupations, and for faculty careers in higher education. Students acquire a common core of knowledge, and an opportunity to tailor other portions of the program to meet their individual interests, through mentoring and advising relationships with faculty who are active scholars.
Students who complete the program will be able to:
· Analyze technology's interaction with organizations and society using conceptual and ethical frameworks drawn from the humanities, social sciences and management science;
· Make effective decisions pertaining to the design, planning, implementation and monitoring of technology systems and practices;
· Promote technological literacy among diverse populations and within the organizations for which they are responsible; and
· Create new knowledge through original high-quality research that contributes to technology theory and practice, and link that research to communities of practice.
The doctoral program consists of a minimum of 87 credit hours of study, designed to be completed on a full or part-time basis. Its component parts are: 1) technology core courses that provide a common knowledge base for all students; 2) technical specialization courses that promote technology literacy; 3) cognate courses shaped around individual interests; 4) research skills; and 5) dissertation.
Program of Study
Required Technology Core Courses (20 credit hours)
COTD 600 Introduction to the Interdisciplinary Study of Technology (3 credits)
COTD 601 Technology Trends and Issues (2 credits)
COTD 602 Planning for Technological Change (3 credits)
COTD 605 Technology Design, Development and Transfer (3 credits)
COTD 615 Implementing and Managing Technological Change (3 credits)
COTD 704 Legal and Policy Aspects of New Technologies (3 credits)
COTD 780 Technology Impact Assessment (3 credits)
Technology Specialization (30 credit hours)
Up to 30 semester hours are awarded in the Ph.D. program for technical competence acquired in master's degree programs. Examples of graduate program disciplines that would count toward this technical specialization are computer science, information systems, biotechnology, and educational technology, and all of the Masters and Graduate Certificate programs in the College of Technology. This is not an exhaustive list, and specific course requirements are determined in consultation with a College of Technology doctoral advisor who examines the courses taken for the master's degree in relation to the student's academic and professional goals. Students without a master's degree satisfying the technical competency requirement must take 30 hours of technical coursework.
Cognate (10-12 credit hours)
This is a planned program of coursework beyond the core and technical specialization that contributes to the student's intellectual and professional development. Cognate courses should together constitute a unified experience in particular subject or discipline areas. Specific 600 and 700-level courses are selected in consultation with the doctoral advisor and a committee member who represents the cognate area. A majority of the cognate courses must be taken outside of the College of Technology. Examples of cognate areas are management science, technology management, information systems, public policy/administration, philosophy, sociology, history, women's studies, culture studies, literature, biology, mathematics, and communication.
Research Skills (8 hours)
Research design and methodology courses provide advanced skills to assist students to prepare for and complete the dissertation. It is expected that incoming students will have a level of statistical competence equivalent to that gained in QUAL 647. Research credits earned at the master’s degree level may reduce the total number of credits required in a doctoral research sequence. Substitutions of other research courses may be permitted with the approval of the student’s advisor and the Director of the Ph.D. program.
COTD 610 -- Introductory Research Design and Applied Statistics in Technology 3 hrs
COTD 611 -- Advanced Research Design and Applied Statistics in Technology 3 hrs
COTD 612 -- Qualitative Research Methods and Design in Technology 2 hrs
Dissertation Research (19 hours)
Students enroll in COTD 895 Dissertation Research and Design Seminar (3 hrs) as part of the 19-hour dissertation research requirement to assist them in beginning the dissertation research and writing process. Concurrently with enrollment in the first dissertation research course, they must also enroll in the seminar where they receive further guidance in the early stages of dissertation work. They then continue with independent research that results in the writing, defense and presentation of the dissertation.
Required courses:
COTD 895 -- Dissertation Research and Design Seminar 3 hrs
COTD 896/897/898/899/900 -- Dissertation Research 1/2/4/8/12 hrs
Additional hours of restricted electives, internship, special topics, and independent study courses are available at the doctoral level.
Restricted Electives
To be determined
COTD 786/787788/789 – Internship in Technology 1/2/3/4 hrs
Special Topics
COTD 871/872/873 -- Special Topics 1/2/3 hrs
Independent Study