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Secondary Emphasis

All students in the PhD in Education program in the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University are required to have a secondary emphasis area of scholarship in addition to a major or professional specialization area of study in Education. The purpose of the PhD secondary emphasis requirement is to ensure that each student has adequate exposure to the concepts and research methods of a specialty or a coherent interdisciplinary field of study which is relevant to the field of specialization in Education.

Secondary emphasis areas normally consist of 12 semester hours of credit. The secondary emphasis area of study provides an opportunity for advanced, intensive, and purposeful study in a particular specialty or a coherent interdisciplinary field of study. Accordingly, the requirements for the secondary emphasis area require rigorous inquiry and involvement in scholarly activities. Through this area of study, students may explore and become familiar with the analytical concepts and assumptions that distinguish a particular specialty from other areas of study. The student may also develop proficiency in the methods by which specialists develop and test knowledge.

Students generally achieve the goals of the secondary emphasis area of scholarship in one of the following ways:

• Secondary Emphasis in a Non - GSE Department

  Students may select a secondary emphasis from any of the George Mason University departments or schools offering graduate programs in specific areas of study. The requirements for these secondary emphasiss are set and monitored by faculty in the administering department. A faculty member in the designated department serves as the student's secondary emphasis area adviser.

• Discipline-Based Secondary Emphasis

  Secondary emphasis areas may be selected from any of the academic specializations within the Graduate School of Education. However, the secondary emphasis must be in a different program area than the student's major area of study. The course requirements for these secondary emphasis areas are established by program area committees and monitored by individual faculty members. Generally, the course requirements for discipline-based secondary emphasis areas include work both within GSE and other Mason schools, departments, and institutes. A faculty member in the designated program area serves as the student's secondary emphasis area adviser.

• Interdisciplinary Secondary Emphasis

  Secondary emphasis areas can be individually designed across GSE program areas and other Mason departments. Such secondary emphasis areas should include a coherent rationale for the choice of specific coursework which meets the student's professional goals. The requirements for these secondary emphasis areas must have the approval of a GSE faculty member who serves as the student's secondary emphasis area adviser.

• Master's Degree as a Designated Secondary Emphasis

  Students who have earned a master's degree in a discipline other than the major area of program specialization may request using the master's degree for a reduction in credit of nine credit hours of the GSE secondary emphasis area requirement. The master's degree must have been awarded within the last six years prior to admission to the doctoral program. Approval of such waivers and any additional requirements will be determined by the PhD in Education Committee. A faculty member with expertise in the designated area should serve on the student's program advisory committee.