COE: Curriculum & Instruction
Program Information for Prospective Students

Admission Information

Admission Criteria | Application Process | Financial Aid

Admission Criteria

Admission to the Doctoral Program will be based on a combination of factors including the following: a Graduate Record Examination score, a master's degree or its equivalent, the grade point average in a graduate degree program, an academic writing sample, three letters of recommendation, professional experience and a statement of professional goals. A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score is required of an applicant for whom English is a second language.

Criteria for application components are listed below. If any of the components fall below the stated criterion, the applicant should write a statement describing the reasons why the application should be accepted despite not meeting the criterion. The statement should contain information about exhibited ability in scholarly work, outstanding career accomplishments, and/or recognition in the field of study.

Criteria for admission in the Curriculum and Instruction Doctoral Program are the following:

Application Process

The following admission materials are to be sent directly to the Graduate Admissions Office. These materials will be made available to the departmental Doctoral Admissions Screening Committee. For further information consult the Graduate School website - http://www.grad.ilstu.edu:

The following materials are to be assembled as a single packet and then sent to:

Graduate Secretary,
Department of Curriculum and Instruction,
Campus Box 5330,
Illinois State University,
Normal, IL 61790 - 5330

  1. A professional resume/curriculum vitae that includes the following information:
    • Name, address, phone numbers, e-mail address
    • Current position, name and address of employer
    • Formal education
    • Professional experiences
    • Academic achievements (e.g., honors, assistantships, or other recognition)
    • Research and writing not required for courses or degrees
    • Broadening experiences (e.g., non-professional employment, military leadership, travel, other activities)
  2. A professional goals statement that articulates well-defined professional goals and gives reasons why the Curriculum and Instruction doctorate would help meet those goals.

  3. An academic writing sample consisting of one of the following:
    • A single-author published article completed within the last five years.
    • A single-author published conference paper completed within the last five years.
    • A critical review (not less than three pages) of representative professional literature on a topic of interest.
    • A representative paper from graduate course work completed within the last five years.
    • A chapter or relevant section of a thesis.
  4. Three positive letters of recommendation from persons who know the applicant in a professional or academic capacity. These letters should document academic ability and professional performance. The references may be included with the packet or sent directly from the author to the Graduate secretary at the address above. In either event, provide a list of the references with the application packet and indicate how each reference can speak to academic ability and professional performance that are relevant to work in the doctoral program. Click here to access the recommendation form.

Please note: A student denied admission may reapply. Admission materials (including transcripts) are retained in Graduate Admissions Office for one year. Other documents (letters of recommendation, etc.) are also kept in the application file by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. To reapply, a new graduate admission application must be filed with the Graduate Admissions Office and other new supportive materials sent to the Graduate Admission Office or the C & I Graduate Secretary as described above.

Financial Aid

Graduate Assistantships

Full-time graduate students may apply for graduate assistantships in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. To be considered for an assistantship, a student must be admitted to a graduate program in the department and have skills that match a departmental need. Generally, graduate assistantships are for the academic year (fall and spring semesters). A curriculum and instruction student may hold a graduate assistantship in another department or office of the university. A graduate assistantship application may be obtained from the Graduate Secretary. For further information consult the Graduate School website - http://www.grad.ilstu.edu.

Tuition Waivers

The granting of graduate tuition waivers in the Department Of Curriculum & Instruction is governed by the following criteria:

  1. In order to receive a tuition waiver, students must:
    • be admitted to the C & I doctoral program
    • be in good academic standing.
    • demonstrate financial need
  2. Priority will be given to applicants:
    • from demographically underrepresented and special population groups
    • doctoral students in residency
  3. Tuition waivers will be granted only for College of Education courses.

  4. Students must obtain the C & I Graduate Tuition Waiver application form online or from the Graduate Secretary and submit the completed form to the Graduate Secretary at least two weeks before the semester for which the waiver is requested.

  5. Students who are U.S. citizens and are of African American, American Indian, Asian, or Hispanic ethnicity are also strongly encouraged to apply for a Graduate Student Minority Tuition Waiver Fellowship. Further information can be obtained from the Graduate School office or online in the Prospective Students section of the Graduate School's website.

  6. Graduate students also may be eligible to receive financial assistance in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and employment. All financial aid is coordinated through the University Financial Aid Office.