Mathematics Education Ph.D. Program

Dr. Foley in his main role: teacher

Ohio University offers a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with a specialization in mathematics education. This program develops scholars who study teaching, learning, and assessment in mathematics—kindergarten through college. The program prepares these scholars to act as stewards of the field of mathematics education, with all its complexity and diversity. See program details.

A key strength of the program is its ability to provide individualized programs of study for scholars with a wide variety of interests who seek to serve as leaders in various facets of mathematics education. Since 2000, the program has produced 16 Ph.D.s—placing OU among the top 20 programs nationally in this high need area. The Morton Professorship (the only endowed chair in mathematics education in Ohio), the Southeast Ohio Center for Excellence in Mathematics and Science (SEO-CEMS), and the Stevens Literacy Center support the overall program and give it distinction within the state and across the nation.

The program participants conduct research in curriculum, instruction, learning, assessment, professional development, teacher beliefs, and student attitudes. Recent dissertations have explored the effect of high school mathematics course-taking patterns on college success and calculator use in mathematics instruction in Ghana, as well as investigating the attitudes of community college developmental students toward mathematics and their perception of mathematically intensive careers.

The professors in the program embrace their teaching and service roles in mathematics and mathematics education along with research related to teacher preparation, teacher professional development, student learning, and school and college curriculum and instruction. Students in the Ph.D. program not only learn how to conduct such research but also serve in apprenticeship roles in teacher preparation and professional development to prepare them for university faculty positions and other leadership roles in mathematics education.

The Ph.D. program in Mathematics Education is built on a common foundation of learning theory, social and cultural contexts of education, curriculum and instruction theory, ethics, technology, and quantitative and qualitative research methods, which is then extended to a profound understanding in mathematics and mathematics education. For each individual scholar, this foundation plus specialization serves as the basis for investigating a signifcant educational issue that will advance the field of mathematics education and prepare the scholar for future research. A typical program consists of the following components:
- Professional Education Core (25 quarter hours)
- Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods (20 quarter hours)
- Mathematics (25 quarter hours)
- Mathematics Education (20 quarter hours)
- Dissertation (15 quarter hours)

For further details, contact:
Gregory D. Foley, Ph.D.
Robert L. Morton Professor of Mathematics Education
117 McCracken Hall
Ohio University
Athens OH 45701
Phone: (740) 593-4430
Email: foleyg@ohio.edu