Indiana University School of Education Luise P. McCarty, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies; Associate Professor of Philosophy of Education J. Debora Hinderliter, Doctoral Student International Educational Policy Studies

First year: Introduction to discipline and department Orientation: New students meet faculty and learn about faculty teaching and research interests Formal peer-mentoring: 2nd year students are assigned to mentor 1st year students Advising: New students are assigned faculty advisors Introduction to discipline: New students take introductory course and attend department colloquia Conferences: Department funds allocated to new students to attend regional conferences in their fields

Introduction to the research enterprise 3-4 Inquiry Courses courses are required by each program Students are advised to take courses in both quantitative and qualitative research methods Early Inquiry Experience Pre-dissertation fieldwork Inquiry Linkage Course Proposal writing course

Significant Transition Qualifying Exams 3 models at work within School Proctored Examination (2 programs) Portfolio (2 departments) Take-home Examination (1 department) All models require an oral defense Nomination to Candidacy

Dissertation and defense Dissertation Proposal Human Subjects Approval required Prospectus must be approved by the University Graduate School Also requires an oral defense Proposal defense must be completed at least 6 months before dissertation defense Dissertation must be completed within 7 years of completing the qualifying exams 4 members must sit on dissertation committee; chair must be graduate faculty; one member must represent the minor Defense is a public meeting announced 1 month prior to date of defense

Optional other Commonalities

Innovation Awareness of mentoring as central to successful doctoral education 5 years ago: panels, discussion groups 4 years ago: survey of student satisfaction with mentoring 3 years ago: study on mentoring as preparation for leadership 2 years ago: inception of student-initiated mentoring award 2 years ago: creation of peer-mentoring program for international students Currently: major mixed-method study involving student, faculty and administrator perceptions of mentoring (under auspices of CID team) Future: CID team will make recommendations to help institutionalize policies which encourage good mentoring

Novel Idea: First-year seminar First Semester: School-wide introductory seminar What is the field of education? Survey the major ideas that have shaped education historically, politically, socially Meet all the graduate faculty and learn about their teaching and research interests Develop cohort across departments Second semester: introduction to doctoral- level research methods Cohort from first semester seminar continues together