Official Handbooks
Degrees and Credits
Note that many of these questions are not specific to the LDL concentration.
The EdDM is 32 credits (8 courses). The EdD and PhD are both 64 credits. The EdD requires 10 regular courses plus 6 “courses” in the Exam-Dissertation Sequence (EDS). The PhD requires 12 regular courses, an Early Research Project (can be for 0 credits), credit towards 4 of the Exam-Dissertation Sequence courses, but the work for all 6 EDS courses.
Yes, you must have completed a Master’s degree before pursuing the EdD or PhD
You must complete at least 64 credits at the University of Illinois. 64 credits are required for the EdD and PhD
You can apply as a non-degree seeking student and take up to 12 credits (3 courses) before your official start term. This application is different than the degree-seeking application process.
You need to submit an application through the Center for Innovation and Teaching. More information can be found on the College of Education’s web site and on our LDL Certificates page. This application is different than the degree-seeking application process.
You can transfer up to 12 credits (3 courses) towards your degree program. Courses taken prior to your official start term will count towards the non-degree status.
The only Coursera courses that are transferrable to a degree program are those offered as a part of the Instructional Design Mastertrack certificate program.
Any of your degree courses may count towards a certificate requirement. While you can earn multiple certificates, you can not count the same course for more than one certificate.
You will need to apply to the doctoral program, but if accepted, you can apply your earned credits to the doctoral degree requirements – as long as you did not officially earn the second Masters degree. If admitted, meet with the LDL program advisor to discuss your revised program plan.
Program Planning and Registration
You can not earn credit towards your degree for a course you have already taken. We have a substitute set of requirements that you will discuss with the LDL program advisor.
If the course is the same, you are not able to earn credit again. The registration system will not alert you that you have already taken the course, so please be sure to double check with the instructor if you are not sure whether the course is the same or different.
Yes, you are encouraged to explore the variety of courses offered by other concentrations, departments, and colleges at the University of Illinois. The LDL program advisor will review your program plan to confirm that your selection will qualify towards your degree program. Note that some units/courses do not allow enrollment by those outside of their program.
Your completion timeline will depend on your capacity, personal and professional circumstances, your motivation, and your ability to complete the requirements of the degree. But if you take one course per term, approximate completion timelines may be close to the following:
* EdM: 1 1/2 years
* EdD: 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 years
* PhD: 4 to 5 1/2 years
For doctoral students with an existing Masters degree, the time limit is 6 years, including the completion of your dissertation.
The Graduate College refers to doctoral students as entering in Stage I or II. The LDL program only admits students at Stage II. Stage III is the post-preliminary exam stage. Stage II must be completed no later than year four for a student entering in Stage II, and ends with the successful passing of the preliminary examination. Students who have not successfully passed their preliminary examination at the end of year four of their graduate program will be put on academic probation. (see Section 6.2 of the Graduate College handbook).
Stage III must be completed by end of year six . Stage III is the time from the completion of Stage II to graduation. Stage III consists of the student conducting research and writing their dissertation, successful passing of their final examination (defense), and deposit of their
dissertation. Students who have not completed Stage III by this time will be put on academic probation.
International students in an on-campus degree program have certain credit requirements. You must be registered for at least 8 credits in the Fall and/or Spring. If you are registered in both the Spring and Fall of the same calendar year, then you are not required to be registered for that many credits in the Summer.
Refer to this page for more details: https://isss.illinois.edu/students/f1j1/index.html
Courses taught by LDL faculty typically follow the same schedule each year. Course taught by other faculty may or may not follow a recurring schedule, but search Course Explorer for upcoming and past offerings. Note that Summer and Fall schedules are usually released in mid-March. Spring schedules are usually released in mid October.
You will receive a registration time ticket in your illinois.edu email account indicating when you can register. Note that certain courses fill up very quickly, so it is important to pay attention to your time ticket and register shortly thereafter. See the University’s registration timeline page.
View the University’s registration timelines page
You need to submit an application through the Center for Innovation and Teaching. More information can be found on the College of Education’s web site and on our LDL Certificates page
Once you receive your acceptance as a non-degree seeking student, the CITIL office will assist you in manually registering for your desired courses.
Contact the same person who assisted you with your initial registration.
If you are enrolled in a degree program, you can register through self service as long as the registration period is open. You’ll need to sign in with your Net ID and password.