Family Studies (Ph.D.) - Graduate - 2014 University Catalog

You are viewing the 2014 University Catalog. Please see the newest version of the University Catalog for the most current version of this program's requirements.

FAMILY STUDIES

Complete the following 7 requirements for a minimum of 48 semester hours.

  1. CORE COURSES

    Complete the following 4 courses for 12 semester hours:

    FCST 820 Critical Change and Advocacy in Family Studies (3 hours lecture) 3
    FCST 821 Seminar in Family Policy (3 hours lecture) 3
    FCST 842 Critique of Family Processes (3 credits lecture) 3
    FCST 844 Power and the Intersectionality of Social Locations (3 credits lecture) 3

  2. ELECTIVES

    1. Complete 3 semester hours at the 500 level or above, with advisement.

    2. Complete 9 semester hours at the 700 level or above, with advisement. FCST 850 may be taken with approval.

  3. RESEARCH COURSES

    1. Complete 2 courses for 6 semester hours:

      EDFD 820 Qualitative Methods for Educational Research (3 hours lecture) 3
      EDFD 821 Quantitative Methods for Educational Research (3.0 - 4.0 hours lecture) 3-4

    2. Complete 1 course from the following for 3 semester hours:

      EDFD 822 Advanced Methods of Quantitative Inquiry in Education (3 hours lecture) 3
      EDFD 823 Advanced Qualitative Research in Education (3 hours lecture) 3

  4. REQUIRED DISSERTATION COURSES

    1. Complete for 3 semester hours.

      FCST 898 Dissertation Seminar (3 hours lecture) 3

    2. Complete for a total of 12 semester hours.

      FCST 900 Dissertation Advisement 3-12

    3. After 12 hours of FCST 900, complete 1 hour from the following each semester, as required:

      FCST 901 Dissertation Extension 1

  5. QUALIFYING PORTFOLIO/EXAM/ASSESSMENT

    Successfully complete the qualifying portfolio, examination or assessment requirement.

  6. ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY

    Following completion of pre-dissertation research courses and qualifying exam, you may be admitted to candidacy.

  7. DISSERTATION REQUIREMENT

    Complete a dissertation in accordance with Graduate School and doctoral program requirements.

Course Descriptions:

EDFD820: Qualitative Methods for Educational Research (3 hours lecture)

This course introduces students to the theories and practices of qualitative research. Students develop skills to critically analyze qualitative studies and the various components of research design. They are also introduced to a rich array of qualitative approaches and possibilities in educational research. They develop an understanding of what is involved in designing original research and have hands-on practice with qualitative data gathering. Previous course ELRS 820 effective through Spring 2013. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: Matriculation in a doctoral program at MSU.

EDFD821: Quantitative Methods for Educational Research (3.0 - 4.0 hours lecture)

This course introduces students to major methodologies and fundamental skills of quantitative research. Students critically examine the features of common research methods, including experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental designs, as well as related sampling techniques. Students study the underlying principles of measurement, focusing on such concepts as validity, reliability, and bias. Students also acquire skills for interpreting basic statistical procedures. Topics include descriptive statistics, introduction to probability and statistical inference, and the presentation and interpretation of statistical data in empirical literature. The course provides students with an opportunity to use statistical computing packages, such as SPSS, to support data analysis and interpretation. Previous course ELRS 821 effective through Spring 2013. 3 - 4 sh.

Prerequisites: Matriculation in a doctoral program at MSU.

EDFD822: Advanced Methods of Quantitative Inquiry in Education (3 hours lecture)

The second in a sequence of two doctoral courses in quantitative research methods, this course enables students to further examine and apply quantitative research methods and tools. Students learn widely-used statistical procedures that are fundamental for the further study of statistics. They study inferential statistical methods and their applications to research. Topics include simple and multiple regression, one-factor analysis of variance, factorial designs, analysis of covariance, and nonparametric methods. Students have multiple opportunities to use statistical computing packages, such as SPSS, to support data analysis. Students further develop the skills for understanding and evaluating the use of quantitative methods in the research literature. Previous course ELRS 822 effective through Spring 2013. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: EDFD 821.

EDFD823: Advanced Qualitative Research in Education (3 hours lecture)

This is the second in a sequence of two doctoral courses in qualitative research methods, building on students' initial understanding of qualitative research from EDFD 820 Qualitative Methods of Research in Education. This course offers students the opportunity to develop a more in-depth understanding of qualitative research and its application to original research, including dissertations. Students explore the interconnections and congruence between theoretical and conceptual framing, research design, and data analysis and representation. Previous course ELRS 823 effective through Spring 2013. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: EDFD 820.

FCST820: Critical Change and Advocacy in Family Studies (3 hours lecture)

This course provides students with an overview of theory, research, and practice in prevention and intervention science and engages them in exploring factors that promote positive change processes in family life. Students are encouraged to examine factors that promote or inhibit healthy development; to apply empirically-based knowledge towards mitigating emotional, behavioral, academic, and social problems; and to promote healthy family development. They explore selected family health, behavior, and social problem areas (e.g., substance abuse, teen pregnancy, youth violence, gerontological sexual risk), depending on their potential dissertation interests. They examine grant funding processes related to prevention and intervention, including the identification of funding opportunities, application procedures, implementation, and evaluation strategies. Students are encouraged to view themselves as agents of change and to actively engage in formulating change models, exploring funding opportunities, and evaluating advocacy approaches. Students also examine the role of context and larger societal structures, such as power and oppression, in family functioning, change processes and advocacy. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: Matriculation in the Family Studies PhD program.

FCST821: Seminar in Family Policy (3 hours lecture)

This course is designed as the culmination of graduate studies in family policy. In this course, students critically examine issues of power, privilege, and competing political agendas as they are woven through the policy process, focusing on how historical and ideological debates shape current and future policy creation and implementation. Students extend their ability to critically examine and utilize theories, data, and research on family policy via a close analysis of an issue in their area of interest. They apply their understanding of family policy studies to their area of research cal policies, focusing specifically on how past political and historical contexts shape current iterations of policy and on who benefits from the proposed initiatives and current policies and who is placed at risk. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: Matriculation in the Family Studies PhD program.

FCST842: Critique of Family Processes (3 credits lecture)

This course examins the theoretical frameworks and provides students with an advanced understanding of family processes. While family systems theory provides the central focus, students consider and critique a variety of epistemological stances, including feminist, resiliency, and multicultural epistemologies. Through the lenses of theory, research and knowledge from practice, student explore the inner workings of family relationships, how various experiences interact with family and child experiences, and how contextual factors influence family relationships. Students have the opportunity to tailor their coursework inquiry into family processes to reflect their dissertation research focus. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: Matriculation in the Family Studies PhD Program (FMST).

FCST844: Power and the Intersectionality of Social Locations (3 credits lecture)

In this course, students explore how individuals experience, organize and negotiate their membership in the full range of social categories to which they belong. Individuals have multiple, layered identities that are derived from social relations, history and the operation of structures of power; the intersection of these identities allows for the simultaneous experiences of oppression and privilege. In the course, students explore intersection theory, which holds that modes of inequality based on factors such as race, class and gender can combine in ways that may do violence to individuals and families through institutional and systematic practices antithetical to their well-being. Using this theoretical lens, students explore patterns of inequality based on these interconnecting systems of advantage and disadvantage, which are dependent on the particular social positioning of individuals and families. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: Matriculation in the Family Studies PhD program (FMST).

FCST898: Dissertation Seminar (3 hours lecture)

This seminar is designed as a workshop that provides a supportive, focused, yet critical space for doctoral students to conceptualize and write a research proposal to be used as the basis for their dissertations. Much of the work is "hands on" in that students bring drafts of various components of the proposal to class, critique and provide feedback on each other' s work, and present their ongoing work to the class as a whole. Students receive feedback from seminar classmates and the instructor to refine and finalize their plans for their proposed research. Students read purposefully in areas related to their proposed research methodologies as well as for their literature reviews. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: EDFD 820 and EDFD 821; and EDFD 823 or EDFD 822.

FCST900: Dissertation Advisement

This department requires 12 credits of FCST 900. While enrolled in FCST 900, students will work with their Dissertation Chair and their Dissertation Committee. Credits are reported as IP (In Progress) while the dissertation is being written. At the conclusion of the dissertation defense, a final grade of Pass or Fail will be recorded. 3 - 12 sh.

Prerequisites: Matriculation in the Ph.D. in Family Studies (FCST) Program; Advancement to Candidacy.

FCST901: Dissertation Extension

Once students have acquired 12 credits of FCST 900 Dissertation Advisement, they must enroll in 1 credit of FCST 901 in every semester in which they intend to work on the dissertation, up to and including the semester of the defense. Credits are reported as IP (In Progress) while the dissertation is being written. At the conclusion of the dissertation defense, a final grade of pass or fail will be recorded. FCST 901 may be repeated until the time limitation for completion of the doctoral program as specified in the Doctoral Policy Manual has been reached. 1 sh.

Prerequisites: 12 credits of Dissertation Advisement.

Output generated in 0.00007 seconds.