Graduate Program

    Student Contact Information:
    Linda Wood
    Zimmerman Library Room 242
    (505) 277-4131 woodl@unm.edu


    Degrees and Certificates Offered

    • Master of Arts in Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences (M.A.)

    • Doctor of Philosophy in Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences (Ph.D.)

    • Education Specialist Certificate in Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences (Ed.Spc.)

    Admission Information

    To enter the degree programs at the Master's or Doctoral level, the student must complete appropriate application materials and proceed through the admission process. Application packets and program information are available from the program office. For specific details and guidelines, contact the Program Coordinator or the Administrative Assistant. All graduate candidates are required to work under the supervision of an assigned advisor and to develop and follow a planned program of studies composed of courses selected with the approval of the faculty advisor and/or Program of Studies Committee. Courses taken without prior approval may not be accepted toward the completion of the degree.

    Application Deadlines

    M.A. and Ed.Spc.  
    Fall semester: June 15
    Spring semester: October 15  
    Summer session: March 15
    Ph.D.  
    Fall semester: March 15


    NOTE:
     Application packets must be submitted to the Graduate Admissions Department one month prior to these dates, if the applicant is a new student to the University of New Mexico Graduate School.

    NOTE: Doctoral admissions are made for fall semester only.


    Master of Arts in Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences

    Plan I: Professional Portfolio Option (36 credit hours)
    Plan II: Thesis Option (39 credit hours)

    The OILS Program offers a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree that gives students an opportunity to combine aspects of adult learning, learning sciences, organizational learning and development, and instructional technology that includes multimedia design and distance learning, principles of knowledge management and data management, and the design, development, and evaluation of training. OILS students can expect to develop a diverse skill set that helps them hit the ground running when they enter the workforce. They are able to design, teach, support, evaluate, lead, and manage programs for diverse audiences. Course work includes areas such as foundations of organizational learning, the adult learner, learning design, cross-cultural issues in learning, principles of knowledge management, instructional technology, e-learning, and program evaluation. Data management courses give students the conceptual and practical hands-on training that allows them to effectively design, manage, analyze, visualize, and preserve data and information. Students who are knowledgeable in these areas are at a significant competitive advantage as they pursue further academic and professional efforts. OILS courses require students to apply their learning in real world contexts. Not only do OILS graduates have the flexibility to choose where they work, they also enjoy diverse and rewarding employment options which include adult learning, instructional design and technology, organizational development, training and development, distance education, eLearning, online learning, knowledge management, data management, project management, and much more.

    Required Courses (24 credit hours)

    Credit
    Hours
    OILS 542 Theory and Practice of Organizational Learning 3
    or    
    OILS 540 Foundations of HRD and Instructional Technology 3
    OILS 541 The Adult Learner 3
    OILS 543 Instructional Design 3
    OILS 500 Contemporary Instructional Technologies: Survey 3
    or    
    OILS 502 Instructional Multimedia 3
    OILS 530 Theory and Practice of Distance Learning 3
    OILS 510 Designing Knowledge Management Solutions 3
    OILS 544 Program Evaluation 3
    OILS 545 Cross Cultural Issues in Adult Learning 3
    or    
    OILS 531 Culture and Global eLearning 3
      Electives (9 credit hours)  
      Students choose courses to strengthen their preparation in specific areas of their choosing.
    Six of these 9 credit hours should be from the OILS program.
      Elective courses may include:  
    OILS 501 Presentation Technologies
    OILS 503 Instructional Multimedia
    OILS 504 Instructional Use of Computer Simulations
    OILS 511 Collaborative Knowledge Creation
    OILS 512 Dissemination and Application of Knowledge
    OILS 513 Foundations of Information Management Practice  
    OILS 514 Metadata
    OILS 515 Introduction to Spatial Data Management
    OILS 516 Information Management
    OILS 520 Environmental Information Management 1-3 
    OILS 521 Environmental Data Analysis and Visualization 1-3
    OILS 522 Spatial Data Management in Environmental Sciences 1-3
    OILS 530 Theory and Practice of Distance Learning  
    OILS 532 E-Learning Course Design  
    OILS 533 Management of Learning Systems  
    OILS 549 Building Social Capital in Learning Organizations  
    OILS 551 Training Techniques  
    OILS 552 Team Development  
    OILS 553 The Role of Wisdom in Adult Learning and Culture  
    OILS 554 Organizational Consulting Theory and Practice  
    OILS 555 Mentoring Adult Career Development  
    OILS 556 The Business of Learning


    A 3 credit hour graduate course in a related field may be selected with the permission of the student’s advisor. Such a course might be from another department in education, business, public administration, communication, sociology, or psychology.

    Professional Portfolio or Thesis Options

    Plan I: Professional Portfolio Option: Students must register for OILS 596 (3 credit hours). Under the professional portfolio option students complete the internship and prepare a dossier showing work products which demonstrate their capabilities in OILS fields of study.

    Plan II: Thesis Option: Students must register for OILS 599 Master’s Thesis for two semesters (6 credit hours). Under the thesis option students plan, conduct, and report on original research conducted to address a research problem in an area related to their study in the OILS program. OILS students selecting the thesis option are advised to discuss the requirements for a thesis with their advisor early in the program, and enroll in research courses as electives to prepare them to write a thesis. Courses can be selected from:

    • EDPY 500 Survey of Research Methods in Education
    • EDPY 511 Introductory Educational Statistics
    • LLSS 502 Naturalistic Inquiry
    • other appropriate research courses

    Doctor of Philosophy in Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences

    The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences is a research degree. It is designed to develop the candidate’s competencies to design, conduct, and report original theoretical and applied research in the selected area of study. A comprehensive content foundation in theory and research is strengthened through the requirement of an interdisciplinary support area. The Program of Studies and the dissertation reflect an emphasis on theoretical concepts, inquiry skills, and original research.

    Requirements

    An Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences Ph.D. candidate must complete an approved program of studies, exclusive of the dissertation, of no less than 78 graduate credit hours. All candidates complete the required core courses (18 credit hours), concentration courses (15 credit hours), interdisciplinary supporting area courses (30 credit hours) and research courses (15 credit hours).

    Candidates for the Ph.D. are required to demonstrate inquiry skills appropriate to conducting scholarly research. The identification and certification of the inquiry skills are completed by the student’s Program of Studies Committee on Studies prior to the candidate’s starting work on a dissertation.

    The dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy must demonstrate an ability to conduct independent research and competence in scholarly exposition. It should present original investigation at an advanced level, of a significant problem and should provide the basis for a publishable contribution to the research literature of the major field.

    The Ph.D. degree in Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences includes a minimum 78 course work credit hours plus 18 dissertation hours.

    Doctoral Core (18 credit hours)

    Prerequisites: OILS 501, 561 and EDPY 500 or equivalent courses. Prerequisites are not applied to the 78 credit hours required.

    OILS 600 Science, Technology and Society
    OILS 601 Advanced Instructional Design
    OILS 690 Dissertation Proposal Seminar
    OILS 696 Internship
      Plus 6 credit hours of doctoral level seminar courses to be selected from the following 3 credit hour seminars:
    OILS 608 Advanced Seminar in Organizational and Program Evaluation
    OILS 635 Research in Distance Education
    OILS 639 Advanced Technology Seminar
    OILS 641 Advanced Seminar in Organizational Development and Counseling
    OILS 661 Transformational Learning


    Doctoral Concentration (15 credit hours)

    These credit hours are chosen from the OILS 500- and 600-level courses. The courses selected are chosen in concert with the student’s advisor and reflect the student’s particular programmatic interest. For example, if students are particularly interested in the use of multimedia and distance learning technologies, they choose a set of courses that help them develop these areas of expertise. Likewise, if students are interested in training and organization development knowledge and skills, they choose courses that develop these areas of expertise.

    It is recommended that students select doctoral-level courses for the concentration.

    Students must seek advisor approval, if they want to take any of these 15 credit hours outside of OILS.

    Research Requirement (15 credit hours)

    LLSS 502 Naturalistic Inquiry or equivalent
    EDPY 505 Conducting Quantitative Educational Research or equivalent
    EDPY 511 Introductory Educational Statistics or equivalent
    EDPY 603 Applied Statistical Design and Analysis or equivalent
      Plus an additional 600-level research course:


    For a Qualitative Dissertation, take one additional qualitative course (e.g., LEAD/LLSS 605 or equivalent).

    For a Quantitative Dissertation, take one additional quantitative course (e.g., EDPY 604 or 606 or equivalent).

    Interdisciplinary Supporting Area (30 credit hours)

    Courses should be selected in consultation with the student’s Program of Studies Committee Chairperson to support an interdisciplinary course of study. Courses may include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

    • Anthropology
    • Communication
    • Computer Science
    • Cross-Cultural Studies
    • Educational Psychology
    • Educational Leadership
    • Foreign Languages
    • Health Education
    • Organization and Management
    • Psychology
    • Public Administration
    • Sociology

    At least 24 credit hours of the interdisciplinary supporting area must be outside of OILS. (For students who obtained a Master’s degree in OILS, only 6 OILS credit hours may be used for the supporting area.)

    Transfer Credit Hours

    A maximum of 18 credit hours may be transferred into the Ph.D. program from a student’s Master’s program. The final decision of which courses are accepted is made by the student’s Program of Studies Committee. For more information on the transfer of courses, see Transfer Credit in the Graduate Program section of this Catalog.


    Courses

    OILS 320. Information Management for Professionals. (3)



    OILS 391 / 591. Problems. (1-3 to a maximum of 18 Δ)



    OILS 420. Creativity and Technical Design. (3)



    OILS 421. Production and Utilization of Instructional Materials. (3)



    OILS 466. Principles of Adult Learning. (3)



    OILS 470. Workplace Training. (3)



    OILS 471. Designing Training. (3)



    OILS 472. Training Techniques. (3)



    OILS 473. Measuring Performance in Training. (3)



    OILS 481. Technological Change and Society. (3)



    OILS 483. Instructional Applications: Computer Technology. (3)



    OILS 492 / 592. Workshop. (1-4 to a maximum of 13 Δ)



    OILS 493 / 593. Topics. (1-3, no limit Δ)



    OILS 495. Field Experience. (3-6 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



    OILS 500. Contemporary Instructional Technologies: Survey. (3)



    OILS 501. Presentation Technologies. (3)



    OILS 502. Instructional Multimedia. (3)



    OILS 503. Digital Video Techniques for Instruction. (3)



    OILS 504. Instructional Use of Computer Simulations. (3)



    OILS 505. Instructional Television: Principles and Applications. (3)



    OILS 510. Designing Knowledge Management Solutions. (3)



    OILS 511. Collaborative Knowledge Creation. (3)



    OILS 512. Dissemination and Application of Knowledge. (3)



    OILS 513. Foundations of Information Management Practice. (3)



    OILS 514. Metadata. (3)



    OILS 515. Introduction to Spatial Data Management. (3)



    OILS 516. Information Modelling. (3)



    OILS 520. Environmental Information Management. (1-3)



    OILS 521. Environmental Data Analysis and Visualization. (1-3)



    OILS 522. Spatial Data Management in Environmental Sciences. (1-3)



    OILS 530. Theory and Practice of Distance Learning. (3)



    OILS 531. Culture and Global E-Learning. (3)



    OILS 532. E-Learning Course Design. (3)



    OILS 533. Management of Learning Systems. (3)



    OILS 540. Foundations of HRD and Instructional Technology. (3)



    OILS 541. The Adult Learner. (3)



    OILS 542. Theory and Practice of Organizational Learning. (3)



    OILS 543. Instructional Design. (3)



    OILS 544. Program Evaluation. (3)



    OILS 545. Cross-Cultural Issues in Adult Learning. (3)



    OILS 549. Building Social Capital in Learning Organizations. (3)



    OILS 551. Training Techniques. (3)



    OILS 552. Team Development. (3)



    OILS 553. The Role of Wisdom in Adult Learning Across Cultures. (3)



    OILS 554. Organizational Consulting Theory and Practice. (3)



    OILS 555. Mentoring Adult Career Development. (3)



    OILS 556. The Business of Learning. (3)



    OILS 583. Graduate Teaching I. (1-3 to a maximum of 3 Δ)



    OILS 591 / 391. Problems. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    OILS 592 / 492. Workshop. (1-4)



    OILS 593 / 493. Topics. (1-3, no limit Δ)



    OILS 595. Field Experiences. (3-6 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



    OILS 596. Internship. (3-6 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



    OILS 598. Directed Readings in Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences. (3-6 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    OILS 599. Master's Thesis. (1-6, no limit Δ)



    OILS 600. Science, Technology and Society. (3)



    OILS 601. Advanced Instructional Design. (3)



    OILS 608. Advanced Seminar in Organizational and Program Evaluation. (3)



    OILS 635. Research in Distance Education. (3)



    OILS 639. Advanced Instructional Technology Seminar. (3)



    OILS 641. Advanced Seminar on Organization Development and Consulting. (3)



    OILS 661. Seminar: Transformational Learning. (3)



    OILS 690. Dissertation Proposal Seminar. (3-6 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    OILS 696. Internship. (3-6 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



    OILS 698. Directed Readings in Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences. (3-6 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    OILS 699. Dissertation. (3-12, no limit Δ)



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