What
this Program is About
The Graduate Institute is affiliated with The Standing
Conference on Educational Research as the American gateway to the St.
Martin’s College, Lancaster University (England) cohort program leading
to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree.
This doctoral program is offered under the auspices of the Standing Conference
and is managed through this website and by the members of the Standing
Commitee.
A research only program – (there are No Taught Classes!) - it is designed for working professionals in Education, the Social Sciences and other broadly related fields. All prospective students must join the Standing Conference on Education in order to qualify for the program
The Mission of this Program
A unique learner-centered, distance doctoral program that allows you to study what is important to you while getting on with your life. This exciting program is the first one oriented around the real-life needs and passionate interests of those seeking a doctoral degree:
· From the first day, you start studying the questions and issues at the center of your life, the ones you want to research for a dissertation thesis. There are no “Content 901” classes to attend. The only seminars held are in learning how to identify the theoretical perspectives most applicable for your topic of interest, and how to identify and apply the most useful techniques to the research you want to explore.
·
You can stay at home and keep working while you pursue your degree. The
only on-site requirements consist of two residency periods each year for
minimum disruption to your life and livelihood: a one-week, on-site conference
in Connecticut, and a three-week on-site seminar, study, and conference
period in England
· Getting your degree won’t take forever. Because this program is so focused on research and dissertation skills specifically applied to your question, it is only a four-year commitment (with a fifth year optional).
·
This unique UK/US design offers a prestigious, yet affordable degree.
Through its affiliate, The Standing Conference on Educational Research,
The Graduate Institute is the American gateway to St. Martin’s College,
Lancaster. By this arrangement, doctoral degrees are awarded by the University
of Lancaster, one of the highest ranked schools in Britain, but tuition
costs are in line with those of graduate schools in the United States
(with no full-time campus residency required!).
· The UK/US design also offers the support of a unique mentoring
and cohort learning model. Although all distance-learning programs—and
all dissertations—require strong self-direction and self-initiation,
our doctoral program is designed to offer individual attention through
one-on-one coaching and guidance with mentors in the United States, a
supportive cohort of peers, and individual instruction from supervisory
teams (dissertation committees) of faculty at St. Martin’s. The Faculty
and Mentors The faculty supervising the doctoral candidates is comprised
of full-time members of St. Martin’s College in Lancaster, England.
Each is highly qualified and experienced in conducting research and working
with diverse topics. These faculty members direct the progress of dissertation
research, serving as the participant’s dissertation committee. Participants
have the privilege and responsibility of selecting their own research
focus. In the United States, Mentors who hold doctoral degrees and who
are experienced in conducting research and coaching graduate students,
guide participants in their academic progress and support them in maintaining
a positive sense of self.
Jenny Wade who directs the doctoral program offered through the Standing
Conference on Educational Research and St. Martin’s College, Lancaster,
is interim President of The Graduate Institute. A researcher and lecturer
on consciousness and developmental theory, she is author of Changes of
Mind: A Holonomic Theory of the Evolution of Consciousness. Her research
interests focus on nonordinary and mystical states of consciousness, especially
when brain function is minimal (pre-birth and after death). A former international
marketing executive and consultant, she is an expert in diagnosing organization
dynamics and applying developmental theory to optimize the performance
of work organizations. She specializes in qualitative research methods.
The Content
The most unusual element of this doctoral program lies in the fact that
candidates are expected to select and develop their own research area
from the very first day. Moreover, the college and the supervisors are
open to a wide variety of research topics and techniques. This encourages
and enables the candidates freedom in both the choice of focus and in
the methodology of study and development. Experience has shown that the
faculty actively encourage creativity as well as the evolution of unique
perspectives.
The Academic Scene
St. Martin’s College, an associated college of Lancaster University,
offers this program. The degree is granted by the University, which is
ranked as one of the highest research institutions in the United Kingdom,
and therefore enjoys a prestigious status worldwide. Though the program
is offered without content courses, there are research and theory modules
that take place in concentrated residencies. These modules are structured
around the general theoretical frameworks, critical thinking, and research
methods applicable to doctoral studies in a wide range of subject areas.
Guidance by St. Martin’s supervisors is delivered through seminar
modules and face-to-face meetings during the summer program in the UK
and through electronically mediated technology. In addition, The Standing
Conference on Educational Research, a learned society supported by The
Learning Collaborative, Inc. and housed with The Graduate Institute, provides
excellent mentoring services. Mentors provide opportunities for continuous
dialogue with candidates, and create psychological and spiritual support
to foster a high degree of program completion.
Cohort Design
All programs associated with The Graduate Institute operate as learning
communities called Cohorts. These are groups dedicated to the well-being
of learners, participants and faculty alike. Here dialogue facilitates
the goal of personal development and the creation of new insights. Positive
attitudes, kindness, acceptance, the development of understanding and
strong intentions for success characterize the underlying dynamics of
the Cohorts. Lasting friendships of both personal and professional dimensions
develop to enrich learning as well as life. The Program Schedule The course
of study requires one week of residency in Connecticut in the spring and
three weeks of residency in England each summer (for four years). The
remaining program is carried out by electronically mediated learning,
and through the powerful tools of mentoring and peer teaching within the
cohort structure.
Requirements
All doctoral candidates must have a master’s degree from a recognized
institution and enter the St. Martin’s program through their membership
as Members of the Standing Conference on Educational Research, a learned
society of scholars that includes doctoral candidates, faculty, mentors,
and many independent scholars. The fifty-five dollar annual membership
fee provides participation in annual conferences featuring prominent researchers
as well as entree to candidacy for research membership. Applicants must
be highly motivated and capable of sustaining self-directed learning.
