Temple University Ed.D in TESOL

[bocphet]

I was wondering if anyone has done or has experience with Temple's Ed.D TESOL program.

Currently, I am an American working on a PhD in TESOL in Australia but I would like to return to Japan and do the doctorate in Japan.

My specific question is:

Is it possible to chose your own research topic?

For example, I am working on a research topic that is based in intercultural language learning, but on Temple's website there is not much information about research areas and it seems rather generic.

[MaxSmith]

Good question. I heard that the Temple PhD is really a EdD - a doctorate in Education, like the newer modular-based courses where one can begin without having decided on a core topic and progress through a pot-purri of units before settling on a research theme and writing a smaller thesis. I suspect that a PhD which has a thesis as a core is more highly valued in terms of prestige, even though it seems to me less valuable on the job- that is as far as any formal study is of value in the classroom! lol

Funny thing is, I'm looking at doing the opposite of you, a PhD in Australia rather than a Temple like course in Japan so I am VERY curious as to why you are thinking of doing what you say. Is the PhD you are doing in Australia not good - is it just for personal, financial reasons that you wanna get out?

[KansaiBen]

You are aware of the cost of the Temple D.Ed? 48 credits at 200,000 yen per 3 credits. Close to 4 million yen to graduate.

Only know one guy who has done the D.Ed but cant help you much past that.

[bitteradjunct]

Good question. I heard that the Temple PhD is really a EdD - a doctorate in Education, like the newer modular-based courses where one can begin without having decided on a core topic and progress through a pot-purri of units before settling on a research theme and writing a smaller thesis. I suspect that a PhD which has a thesis as a core is more highly valued in terms of prestige, even though it seems to me less valuable on the job- that is as far as any formal study is of value in the classroom! lol

Funny thing is, I'm looking at doing the opposite of you, a PhD in Australia rather than a Temple like course in Japan so I am VERY curious as to why you are thinking of doing what you say. Is the PhD you are doing in Australia not good - is it just for personal, financial reasons that you wanna get out?

Temple U offers a doctorate but you are right it isn't a Phd it is a EdD. If you want to stay in Japan working at a uni it probably doesn't matter which you have. But if you want to be an academic pretty much anywhere else in the universe you had better know the kind of job you want and the qualifications demanded.

EdDs will tell you there isn't much difference. PhDs usually will tell you there is. Job ads in the US of A that call for PhDs want a PhD. Read the Chronicle of Higher Education forums for more info this has been discussed over there.