Why Pursue a PhD in Learning and Teaching
The foundation of this PhD program focuses on how teaching and learning is addressed within disciplines, how they may intersect with one another, and how each maintains its uniqueness while sharing commonalities with other disciplines. This doctoral program draws on theory and research addressing the interdisciplinary nature of content, knowledge, processes, learning theory, teaching effectiveness, multicultural education, assessment, and the delivery of interdisciplinary instruction with and through technology-based processes and systems.
Research Opportunities
This doctoral program offers students the opportunity to collaborate and conduct research with professors from a variety of disciplines. Interdisciplinary research weaves together different perspectives in order to generate new insights related to interdisciplinary learning and teaching. Students will draw on theory and research addressing the interdisciplinary nature of content, knowledge, processes, learning theory, teaching effectiveness, multicultural education, assessment, and the delivery of interdisciplinary instruction with and through technology-based processes and systems.
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Admission & Application Requirements
Applications are submitted through the UT San Antonio Graduate Application. Please upload all required documents (listed below) on your UT San Antonio Graduate Application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure completion and submission of the application, a nonrefundable application fee, and all required supporting documents are on file with UT San Antonio by the appropriate application deadline.
| Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching (PhD) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Admission is only available for the Fall semester | ||
| Required Degree | Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or have proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution. | |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) Departments may consider GPA of last 60 semester credit hours | |
| Coursework | Completed adequate credit hours or foreign institution equivalent coursework as preparation for the program. | |
| Transcripts* | Required from all institutions attended; international transcripts must be recorded/translated to English | |
| Credential Evaluation | Required if you have earned university-level credit from foreign institutions. Submit an evaluation of your transcripts from FCSA or any NACES-approved credential evaluation agency. | |
| English Language Proficiency | 79 TOEFL iBT / 6.5 IELTS / Duolingo 100 For exams taken on or after January 21, 2026: We require a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 4.0. |
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| Purpose Statement | Required include your reasons for pursuing a doctorate in ILT, a biographical overview of experiences related to education, professional goals and scholarly/research interests. | |
| Resume | Required | |
| Letters of Recommendation | 2 academic or professional reference(s) demonstrating your attributes for successful completion of this program (you will request these through the Graduate Admissions Application; let your recommenders know of your deadline to ensure submissions are on time). Recommendations should be from faculty, supervisors or professional affiliations that can speak to your academic and professional attributes for success in the program and your ability to contribute to the field. | |
| *Unofficial transcripts will be taken into consideration for admissions; however, if admitted into the program, you must submit official transcripts to the University. | ||
Application Deadlines
Applicants are encouraged to have their admission file completed as early as possible. All applications, required documents and letters of recommendation, if applicable, must be submitted by 5:00 PM U.S. Central Time on the day of the deadline. Deadlines are subject to change.
| Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching (PhD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Timing on Admission Decision: Completed applications are reviewed after the application deadline. Admission decisions are released following review committee meetings in mid-March. | |||
| Application Deadlines for: | Priority | International | Domestic |
| Fall 2027 | February 1 | February 1 | |
| Spring | Not Available | Not Available | |
| Summer | Not Available | Not Available | |
Career Options
UT San Antonio prepares you for future careers that are in demand. The possible careers below are based on data pulled by a third-party tool called Emsi, which pulls information from sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, online job postings, other government databases and more to give you regional and national career outlook related to this academic program.
Courses are offered at night once a week for three hours (6:00 PM to 8:45 PM) Monday – Thursday in the fall or spring. Or, during the day two hours a day Monday – Friday in the four-week summer sessions. In addition, some courses are available at night meeting Monday – Friday for three weeks in the Maymester.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our PhD in Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching focuses on examining and researching how teaching and learning work across and within different disciplines, especially for culturally and economically diverse populations. According to our program page, the program emphasizes:
- How disciplines intersect while still maintaining their unique perspectives
- Theory and research on learning theory, teaching effectiveness, multicultural education, assessment, and curriculum
- The design and delivery of interdisciplinary instruction using technology-based processes and systems
Overall, it’s centered on educational innovation, equity, and interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning.
The PhD in Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching is designed around interdisciplinary themes rather than fixed “tracks,” so you build a specialization through your research focus and coursework with faculty from different disciplines.
Students can concentrate their work in areas such as learning theory, teaching effectiveness, multicultural education, assessment, curriculum development and technology-based approaches to interdisciplinary instruction. To get specific examples of current faculty and student research areas (e.g., particular subject areas, grade levels, or communities), contact the Graduate Advisor of Record, Crystal Kalinec-Craig, PhD, at 210-458-5969, or our Graduate Studies team at [email protected].
The PhD in Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching requires a minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the master’s degree, including research methods, core, cognate and dissertation courses. The catalog does not list a standard time-to-degree (e.g., 4 or 5 years), because it depends on your pace, dissertation progress and whether you study full- or part-time.
The program also requires passing a qualifying exam and completing a dissertation. Since timelines can vary, the best way to get an estimate tailored to your situation is to contact the Graduate Advisor of Record, Crystal Kalinec-Craig, PhD, at 210-458-5969, or our Graduate Studies team at [email protected].
Graduates of our PhD in Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching are prepared for a range of education-focused leadership and research roles. According to our Graduate Catalog, the program is designed to prepare you to:
- Serve as university or community college faculty
- Work as public school teachers or leaders
- Take on roles in adult education and human resource development, especially where you analyze, evaluate, and reform teaching and learning in diverse sociocultural contexts
Our program page also notes that career outlook information is available in the Career Options section, which pulls national and regional data for this field.
Yes, there are funding options and potential assistantships for PhD students in Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching. You can explore graduate funding and teaching assistantship opportunities: https://education.utsa.edu/programs/grad-teaching-assistantship-funding.html. More broadly, our graduate funding page lists assistantships, awards, and fellowships for graduate students: https://graduateschool.utsa.edu/tuition-funding/.
For the most accurate, current information on what’s available specifically for this program in an upcoming term, please contact the department directly or reach out to One Stop.
Graduate Advisor of Record
Crystal Kalinec-Craig, PhD
210-458-5969
