Doctor of Education in College Teaching
Teachers College offers a doctorate in college teaching that emphasizes preparation in content coupled with a program of professional education. Field experiences can be pursued in mathematics, computing and several related disciplines. The course content and sequence are especially organized to meet the unique needs and career goals of each candidate within the general requirements of the Ed.D. degree at Teachers College.
Admission Information
Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.
Doctor of Education in College Teaching
- Points/Credits: 75
- Entry Terms: Spring, Summer, Fall
- Enrollment Formats: Full-Time Campus-Based, Part-Time Campus-Based
Application Deadlines
| Entry Term Available | Priority Deadlines | Final Deadlines | Extended Deadlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | November 15, 2024 | November 15, 2024 | N/A |
| Summer | December 1, 2024 | June 1, 2025 | N/A |
| Fall | December 1, 2024 | July 1, 2025 | N/A |
Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines, such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.
Application Requirements
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| Online Degree Application, including Statement of Purpose and Resume | |
| Transcripts and/or Course-by-Course Evaluations for all Undergraduate/Graduate Coursework Completed | |
| Results from an accepted English Proficiency Exam (if applicable) | |
| $75 Application Fee | |
| Two (2) Letters of Recommendation |
For admission-related inquiries, please contact MSTadmission@tc.columbia.edu.
Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2024-2025)
Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 terms.
Doctoral Degrees
All candidates for the Ed.D., Ed.D.C.T., or Ph.D. degrees are expected to demonstrate both mathematics and mathematics education competencies through a series of certification examinations taken upon the completion of 60 graduate points. Certification examinations test the student’s knowledge of current research and theory in mathematics education and mathematics content. Examinations are offered once in the fall, spring, and summer terms. Courses recommended as preparation for the examinations in mathematics education include MSTM 6037, MSTM 4019, and other mathematics education courses; Courses recommended as preparation for the examinations in mathematics are 6000- level mathematics content courses.
Students must demonstrate acceptable proficiency in at least three of the following six mathematics content areas: algebra, analysis, discrete mathematics, foundations of mathematics, geometry and topology, and probability and statistics. Students may sit for the examination in mathematics content during the regular certification examination times. Alternatively, they may register for advanced content courses and, with permission of the program, sit for the content area certification examination upon completion of the course. Incoming doctoral candidates should register for Professional Seminar in Mathematics during the first year of doctoral studies.
Doctoral students whose dissertations require statistical analysis should include appropriate statistics courses in their programs. These points can be included either in the mathematics/mathematics education requirement or can be taken as research electives.
Doctor of Education in the College Teaching of an Academic Subject
The Program in Mathematics Education at Teachers College offers a program of study leading to the Doctor of Education Degree in the College Teaching of Mathematics (Ed.D.C.T.) to prepare students for positions as teachers of mathematics in two- and four-year colleges.
This degree program is designed to develop both the depth and breadth in the students’ knowledge of mathematics but is intended to prepare graduates for careers in teaching rather than in mathematics research. For further details concerning general degree requirements, students should consult the bulletin, “Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in the College Teaching of an Academic Subject” available in the Office of Doctoral Studies (ODS).
A program of study for the Ed.D.C.T. degree must include a minimum of 75 semester hours of approved graduate credit, at least 45 points of which must be taken under Teachers College registration. Ordinarily, points in mathematics and mathematics education should include at least 50 points in mathematics content courses; courses in mathematics education should include MSTM 5520. Also, 12 points of research preparation including MSTM 6500/6501 and MSTM 7500 should be taken. Preparation in mathematics content should be of sufficient depth in three areas to communicate content effectively at the freshman and sophomore college levels. Algebra geometry, analysis, and discrete mathematics are recommended as initial areas of concentration. Content courses can be selected from courses with the department or from courses offered by the Graduate Faculties of Columbia University.
Candidates for the Ed.D. in College Teaching who have not completed the equivalent of at least one year of full-time service as a college teacher of mathematics/computing/statistics are recommended to include MSTM 6400 within their doctoral programs. Interns will teach college mathematics courses under the supervision of experienced college teachers for a period of at least one semester.
Incoming doctoral candidates should register for MSTM 6037 Professional Seminar in Mathematics during the first year of doctoral studies.
Candidates for the Ed.D.C.T. are required to demonstrate competency in one language chosen from among French, German, and Russian. Students who require other languages for the preparation of their dissertation may petition the department to request substitution. Students in mathematics may not use computer languages to satisfy the language requirement. The Ed.D.C.T. degree requirements include a dissertation contributing knowledge to the field and should be planned early in the doctoral program when sufficient advanced courses have been completed to permit the candidate to enroll in relevant research courses and pertinent advanced study to enable efficient preparation of the dissertation.
Doctoral dissertations in the college teaching of mathematics can be (1) experimental studies in adult learning, (2) design and formative evaluation of college mathematics curricula, or (3) analytical studies in policy theory in mathematics post-secondary education. The website of the Program offers a list of Topic study groups which doctoral students are recommended to join.