Proposal
for a New PhD in Economic Education
Submitted
by
Department
of Economics
Proposal
Date: Fall 2009
Contents
III. ENROLLMENT, ADMISSIONS AND
FINANCIAL AID
The PhD program in Economic
Education will train a new generation of scholars and practitioners in the
field of Economic Education, encompassing core skills and knowledge in both
Economics and Education and in the applied field of Economic Education. Economic Education includes two distinct
competencies, one in Education that involves primarily the teaching of
economics in K-12 settings and one in Economics that involves education public
policy issues (i.e., school financing, vouchers, testing, human capital
development) and also the education production process at both the K-12 and
post-secondary levels. Traditionally,
professionals and researchers in the field of Economic Education have been
trained in either economics or in education, with little or no meaningful cross-training
in the other area. The next generation of leaders in this field will need to
know far more about economics than is learned in a typical graduate program in
Education and far more about educational issues than is learned in a typical
graduate program in Economics. This new
joint program will bridge the gap between these related disciplines and provide
a specialization in Economic Education.
Skills like these will be valuable in a wide
range of employment sites: Centers for
Economic Education (> 300 nationally, most affiliated with universities,
including the Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship at the
University of Delaware); education units within regional Federal Reserve Banks
and other private sector businesses and foundations with an interest in
economic and financial literacy; school districts and state departments of
instruction; education consulting and evaluation firms; and universities. We
expect this program to produce the next generation of leaders in the field of
Economic Education.
The proposed PhD supports
the university’s key Strategic Milestones of the Path to Prominence: Milestone II – A Premier Graduate and
This proposal was initiated in 2007 jointly by
faculty from the Department of Economics and the CEEE at the suggestion of
James O’Neill, Professor of Economics and Director of the CEEE. Nancy Brickhouse, then Director of the School
of Education (SOE), and Gail Rys, Graduate Director of the SOE, were consulted on the program in 2007 and 2008 and
made valuable suggestions that were incorporated in the proposal. The proposal was approved by the Graduate
Studies Committee of the Department of Economics, by the faculty of the
Department of Economics, by the Lerner College Graduate Program Committee, and
by the Lerner College Faculty, all in September 2008. It was approved by the
SOE faculty in March, 2009 and is being submitted to the Graduate Committee of
the
The proposed
PhD in Economic Education will further enhance the national reputation of the University
of Delaware Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE). We expect the program to facilitate recruitment
of absolutely top-quality faculty and professionals in the CEEE and to lead it
to the next stage in its development. Additionally, the new program will support
the established graduate programs in Economics. A new course to be developed for this program
(ECON 820 Economics of Education Policy) will be available to and of interest
to students enrolled in the MA and PhD programs. Finally, we hope that stronger ties with
public policy units in the SOE and CEPP will develop, as well as with
Students in the Economic Education program will
enroll in selected graduate courses currently offered as part of the MA and PhD
programs in Economics and the MA and PhD in Education. These classes have the
capacity to accommodate the small envisioned increase due to this new program. More
than three-quarters of the coursework for these programs will be taken in
existing courses. This means that the
resource costs of the new program are very low.
As described more fully below, only one course will be developed for the
exclusive use of this program.
We expect the program to begin at a relatively small level, perhaps two
to four students per year. Because the
program is unique, we cannot cite enrollment in other programs as a basis for
projections. The students will be fully
integrated into the on-going graduate programs of the Department of Economics and
the
This program is designed as a full-time
program. Students can complete the PhD degree
in four years. The MA in Economic
Education can be completed in three or four terms.
This program builds on the very considerable strengths of the
Department of Economics, the School of Education, and the Center for Economic
Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE).
In the 2008-2009 academic year, the Economics Department
recognized the 50th PhD in its 13-year history. Its graduates have garnered awards and
obtained outstanding professional appointments.
Its faculty have established a reputation for very strong applied
research and excellence in teaching.
The
The CEEE is one of the premier national Centers for Economic
Education. Its director, James O’Neill,
and Associate Director, Bonnie Meszaros, are nationally prominent figures in
the profession. Both have faculty appointments in the Economics
Department. The
CEEE currently offers a Masters of Arts in Economic Education and
Entrepreneurship (M.A.E.E.E.) that is designed to provide school teachers with
the training and expertise to teach economics in their own schools and to offer
economic courses and programs to train other educators. The national
recognition of the CEEE and its staff will be a critical feature in
jump-starting recruitment for the program.
If enrollments are to be
limited, e.g., by size, by pre-requisites, or by academic performance, describe
the restrictions and the reasons for them. Be sure to indicate the effective
academic year. A letter of support from the Admissions Office for undergraduate
programs or Office of Graduate Studies will also be helpful in projecting
enrollments for the proposed program.
The Department expects that in steady state the PhD
program will enroll 3-5 students per year. We can readily accommodate those
numbers with our current resources.
Students will be admitted to the program based
upon enrollment availability and their ability to meet the following minimum
recommended entrance requirements.
Admission to the
graduate program is competitive. Those who meet stated requirements are not
guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements
necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.
Admission decisions are made by the faculty Admissions Committee for this
program and are based upon a number of factors, including the applicant’s GRE
scores, college transcripts, application essays and letters of
recommendation.
Students
admitted into the Ph.D. Program in Economic Education will be admitted into the
program in regular admission status only.
Indicate the need for any
required student expenses beyond the traditional book and supplies, for
example, personal computer, extensive laboratory fees, etc. For Graduate and
professional courses of study, indicate anticipated levels of student financial
support to be provided from (a) institutional and (b) other sources.
No additional expenses are envisioned. Students will be considered for financial assistance
along with other applicants to graduate programs in the Department of Economics
and the School of Education. Students will be encouraged to apply for
competitive awards for graduate study available at the University. We will also seek external funding for
students.
State the degree to be awarded
to those who complete the program and explain why this is the appropriate form
of recognition.
PhD in Economic Education
The Doctor of
Philosophy in Economic Education requires an MA in Economic Education (MAEE) from
the University of Delaware or Masters Equivalency plus 23 credits of graduate-level
coursework and 9 credits of dissertation. Coursework for the MAEE
includes: EDUC 805, 806, 850, and 852 (14 credits) and ECON 801, 802, 803, 829
and 2 approved electives (17 credits) for a TOTAL of 31 credits.
The required PhD coursework includes:
ECONOMICS
ELECTIVES
ECON 820
Economics of Education Policy 3
ECON 804 or ECON823 3
One approved elective 3
EDUCATION
Two of
To be chosen from any graduate level courses with approval of advisor 6
DISSERTATION
COURSEWORK (ECON969 or
TOTAL
REQUIRED CREDITS 32
Students must pass a comprehensive field exam
in Economic Education administered by the CGSEE. A faculty committee consisting of at least
two members from each unit will be responsible for the writing and grading of
the examination. The examination is graded as High Pass, Pass, or Fail.
Students must receive a grade of pass or high pass. Students who do not pass this examination on
the first attempt may retake it one additional time.
All students must register for and attend
ECON890 (weekly department seminar) in two semesters and meet established
course requirements
Ph.D. in Economic Education
Suggested Student Schedule*
|
FALL ECON 801or 811 3
cr. ECON 803 or 822 3
cr. |
SPRING ECON 804 3
cr. ECON Elective 3 cr. |
|
FALL ECON 802 or 812 3
cr. ECON 820 3
cr. |
SPRING ECON 829 2 cr. ECON Elective 3 cr. |
|
FALL ECON electives
3-6 cr. |
SPRING ECON or Or ECON / |
|
FALL ECON/ |
SPRING ECON/ |
* This schedule is one
of many alternative ways to fulfill requirements. Specifics would be determined by advisor and may
depend on availability of courses in particular semesters. Schedule shown includes courses to be taken for
Master’s degree in Economic Education.
**A total of 9 credit
hours of Doctoral Dissertation (ECON/EDUC 969) are required of all students to
satisfy degree requirements. After all
required program coursework is completed, but before they advance to Candidacy
by successfully defending their Dissertation Proposal, students enroll in
Pre-Candidacy Study (ECON/EDUC 964).
Graduate students are required to be registered for courses every
semester, including the semester in which their degree is conferred, unless
they are on an approved Leave of Absence.
– Not applicable.
No other department will be
providing required courses.
Transfer
of Credit Earned
Students who complete graduate credits with
the classification of CEND (Continuing Education Non-degree) at the
Graduate credit earned at another institution
will be evaluated at the written request of the student. Such a request should
be submitted first to their advisor using a Request for Transfer of Graduate
Credit form. A maximum of 9 credits required for the degree will be accepted
provided that such credits: (a) were earned with a grade of no less than B-,
(b) are approved by Director of the Graduate Program; (c) are not older than five years, and (d)
were completed at an accredited college or university. The credits, but not the
grades or quality points, are transferable to
A student who has completed a graduate degree
in Economics or Education at the University of Delaware or another institution
may petition the Committee on Graduate Studies in Economic Education for
“equivalency” for coursework taken. When
granted, the equivalency waives designated required courses and the associated
credit requirements. Equivalency is
granted only when a student provides evidence that courses fully equivalent to
those required in the MA program have been taken and that mastery of the
material has been achieved. The Department of Economics has sole authority to
award equivalency for economics courses and the School of Education has sole
authority to award equivalency for education courses.
Masters transcripts are evaluated on an
individual basis to determine equivalency. Students requesting equivalency for
a course must supply a course description and syllabus prior to enrolling in
the first semester of the program.
Describe briefly the scope and
quality of available library holdings, audio-visual materials, special
equipment and collections, laboratories, clinical facilities, research
facilities, etc., that are available and would directly support the proposed course
of study. If appropriate, obtain a Library Assessment Statement.
All
University of Delaware library and computing facilities will be available and
utilized as appropriate.
Describe the available program
administrators and faculty expertise which support the proposed curriculum.
List name, rank, specialization, nature of appointment (regular, full-time,
adjunct, etc.) and highest academic degree earned by those who would be
directly involved, including campus administrators. If appropriate, provide
pertinent information about the professional and scholarly accomplishments,
including training, courses and workshops taught, publications and projects,
and other relevant documentation of the faculty.
James B. O’Neill, Professor of Economics
and Director, Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship
PhD, Education, Purdue University, 1971
Bonnie T. Meszaros, Assistant Professor of
Economics and Associate Director, Center for Economic Education and
Entrepreneurship
PhD , Education, University of Delaware, 1986
Activities and Honors
Selected Recent Publications
·
Focus: Globalization (with
Sandra Odorzynski, Phil Van Fossen, William Boshardt), 2006, National Council
on Economic Education, 2006.
·
Economics: From Here to There, Editor
(with Mary Suiter), National Council on Economic Education, 2006.
·
“Teaching about Saving and Investing in the
Elementary and Middle School Grades,” (with Mary Suiter), Social Education, 69:2
(March 2005), 92-95.
·
Focus: High School Economics, 2nd
edition, (with Sarapage McCorkle, Mark Schug, Michael Watts), National Council
on Economic Education, 2001.
·
“The Voluntary National Content Standards in
Economics: From Standards to Classroom Implementation,” (with Laurie
Engstrom) Social Studies & The Young Learner, 11:2
(November/December 1998), pp. 7-12.
·
"Voluntary Economics Content Standards for
·
“What Should High School Graduates Know in
Economics,” (with John Siegfried), American Economic Review
Papers and Proceedings, 87:2 (1997), pp. 247-253
Saul D. Hoffman, Professor of
Economics and Department Chair
PhD, Economics,
Prof. Hoffman will be both
an administrator of the program and an active participant. He has published in the field of economics
education and has expertise in research methods used in this area.
Selected Recent Publications:
·
“Revisiting Marshall's Law: Why Does Labor’s Share
Interact with the Elasticity of Substitution to Decrease the Elasticity of
Labor Demand?” Journal of Economic Education, forthcoming.
·
"The Changing Impact of Marriage
and Children on Women’s Labor Force Participation," Monthly Labor
Review, forthcoming.
·
Women
and the Economy: Family, Work, and Pay, (with Susan L.
Averett), Addison Wesley, 2nd Edition - January, 2009.
·
"NJ and PA Once Again: What Happened to
Employment When the PA-NJ Minimum Wage Differential Disappeared?" (with
Diane Trace), Eastern Economic Journal, January, 2009.
·
Kids Having Kids: Economic
Costs and Social Consequences of Teen Pregnancy, Second
Edition, (with Rebecca A. Maynard, eds.),
·
“A Good Policy Goes Bad:
The Strange Case of the Non-Refundable State EITC,“ State Tax Notes,
Vol. 44, No. 8, pp. 551-558, May 21, 2007.
·
By the Numbers: The Public Costs of Teen
Childbearing.
Charles R. Link, Professor Economics and
MBNA
PhD, Economics,
University of Wisconsin, 1971
Prof. Link will be an
active participant in the program. He
has published in the field of economics education and has expertise in research
methods used in this area. He has also
supervised two previous dissertations in the area of economic education.
Selected Recent Publications
·
“Population and Bandwagon Effects on Local Team
Revenues in Major League Baseball,” (with Dan Brown) Journal of Sports
Economics, October, 2008.
·
“The Relationship between Economic Status and Child
Health: Evidence from the
·
"The Shortage of Registered Nurses and Some
New Estimates of the Effects of Wages on RN Labor Supply : A Look at the Past
and a Preview of the 21st Century" (with Y. Chiha), Health Policy,
Vol. 64, 2003, pp. 349-375
Jeffrey A. Miller, Professor of
Economics
PhD,
Prof. Miller is currently conducting research on international aspects
of educational policy, joint with a French professor of economics at the
Selected Recent Publications
·
"On the Role of Government in Transition: The
Experience of
·
"Comment on Gur Ofer and Justin Yifu
Lin," pp. 84-88 in Francois Bourguignon, Yehuda Elkana, and Boris
Pleskovic (eds.) Capacity Building in Economics Education and Research,
World Bank, 2007.
·
“Contract Enforcement in the Early Transition of an
Unstable Economy” (with Kenneth Koford), Economic Systems ,March, 2006.
·
“State and Ownership Reforms in Transition
Economies:
·
"Inflation and the Bulgarian Currency
Board," (with Stacie Beck and Mohsen Saad), International Journal of
Development Issues, December, 2005.
·
"Macroeconomic Policy and Collective
Action" (with Kenneth Koford and David Colander), in Collective
Choice: Essays in honor of Mancur Olson, edited by Jac Heckelman and
Dennis Coates, Springer, 2003.
James A. Mulligan, Professor of
Economics, Director of Graduate Programs, Department of Economics
PhD, Economics, University of Minnesota, 1980
Prof. Mulligan will participate in the program primarily as an
administrator.
Andrew T. Hill, Economic Education Advisor, Community Affairs
Department, Federal Reserve Bank of
PhD, Economics,
Dr. Hill works full-time in the field of Economic Education
for the Federal Reserve Bank of
James
A. (Tony) Whitson, Associate Professor of Education
PhD, Education, Rochester, 1985
J.D., Wisconsin, 1978
Prof. Whitson will teach the curriculum courses
within the program and is a member of the Delaware Department of Education’s
Curriculum Cadre. He has previously
taught courses in Family Economics, he is on the Editorial board of the Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, and
is a member of the Board of Advising Editors for JCT: Interdisciplinary Journal of Curriculum Theory and Classroom
Practice.
David
J. Blacker, Professor of Education
PhD, Philosophy of Education, Illinois
(Urbana-Champaign), 1994
Prof. Blacker also has a secondary faculty
appointment in the Legal Studies Program.
He will be an active participant in the program and has recently taught
courses such as:
Professional Issues in Education: Philosophical and
Legal Perspectives
Critical and Interpretive Methods in Educational
Research
Desegregation in Delaware and Beyond
No Child Left Behind: Critical Perspecties
Legal Issues for School Managers
Research on Teaching
Robert
L. Hampel, Professor of Education
PhD, History, Cornell University, 1980
Prof. Hampel will be an active participant in the
program and he serves as the faculty coordinator for the Ph.D. in Education. Dr.
Hampel writes extensively in the area of educational policy and school
improvement and he will teach one of the core courses in this progam.
Elizabeth
Nash Farley-Ripple, Assistant Professor of Education
PhD, Education Policy, Pennsylvania, 2008
Dr. Farley-Ripple will be an active participant in
the program and will teach courses in educational policy and data-driven
decision making for schools and school systems.
Dr. Farley-Ripple coordinates the School Leadership program within the
School of Education and she has expertise in both quantitative and qualitative
research methods.
Frank
B. Murray, Professor of Education
PhD, Education and Psychology, Johns Hopkins
University, 1966
Prof. Murray is the former Dean of the College of
Education and he will be an active participant in the program. He is the author or co-author of over 130
articles on education or educational policy and has edited or co-edited six
books, and has served on the editorial board for over 20 journals.
Indicate any resource or source of funding external
to the University which has been garnered to support the curriculum. – NOT
APPLICABLE.
Identify needed additional
learning resources. Indicate which of these are essential for basic
implementation and whose which will produce a premiere program able to compete
favorably for the highest caliber of student.
NONE REQUIRED
Indicate any new faculty
positions required and the qualifications and subject matter specialties that
will be sought. Give reasons for needing new position.
NONE REQUIRED.
As the program develops, we may seek to recruit faculty
with interest in Economic Education, either independently or as part of CEEE
staff recruitment.
The program, as designed, can be provided with the
current Department faculty without altering the size of faculty regular
teaching workloads.
New
Courses: ECON803 and ECON804 are
requirements for the PhD in Economic Education.
These courses are moving through the course approval cycle this academic
year as part of a revision of the MA and PhD degrees in Economics.
Table I
shows how these objectives map onto the curriculum.
Table I Curriculum-Objectives-Assessment Matrix
|
Objective |
Course Requirements |
Method of Assessment |
|
Knowledge
of economics |
ECON
801, 802,803, 804 |
P, Q,
H, G, D |
|
Knowledge
of education |
|
P, G,
D, O |
|
Knowledge of economic education |
ECON
820, 829 |
P, Q,
H, G, D |
|
Research
methodology |
|
P, O, G,
FE |
|
Original
scholarship |
ECON/ |
P, O |
P = Paper Q
= Exam/Test Questions
O = Oral
Presentation H =
Homework
G = Group
Work FE = Field Experience
D =
Discussion
All
objectives require Attendance and Class Participation