Educational Leadership PhD

Total Credits - 60

• 2 credits of  EDAL 645 - K–12 Educational Finance Credits: 2,3
• 2 credits of  EDAL 660 - Planning and Operating Educational Facilities Credits: 2,3
• 1-3 credits of  EDAL 886 - Advanced K-12 Internship Credits: 1–12
• EDRM 605 - Qualitative Research Methods in Education and Psychology Credits: 3
• EDRM 611 - Applied Statistical Methods I Credits: 3
• EDRM 636 - Program Evaluation Credits: 3
• EDRM 712 - Applied Statistical Methods II Credits: 3
• 2 Credits of  LEAD 535 - Principles of Academic Writing Credits: 1–3
• LEAD 630 - Introduction to Leadership Credits: 2
• 2 credits of  LEAD 637 - Issues in Research Credits: 2,3
• 1-3 Credits of  LEAD 775 - Advanced Portfolio Development: (Topic)_____ Credits: 1–12
• LEAD 778 - Global Education Study Tour Credits: 3–6

Cognates - 12

In consultation with academic advisor, choose 12 credits from outside Educational Administration, such as Business, Communication, Social Work, Psychology, Curriculum, Leadership, Research, or transfer credits.

Additional Requirements

• Candidates must complete LEAD 630 - Introduction to Leadership as an introduction to the philosophy of leadership and review of the standards that will guide their educational plan.
• The curriculum requires the completion of a portfolio and a dissertation.
• The portfolio serves as a component of the doctoral comprehensive examination.
• Beginning the semester after registering for LEAD 880 - Dissertation Proposal Development, candidates must register for at least 1 dissertation credit during each semester until their dissertation is successfully defended.
• Many courses are offered as variable credits; therefore, candidates should consider their credit needs when planning their course work and registering for courses.
• The Doctor of Education PhD program requires the submission of a research based article to a peer-reviewed publication.

Admission Requirements

An Educational Leadership MA degree or equivalent is required for admission.  Previous doctoral degree(s), post-masters’ academic work, especially research courses, documented competencies, and leadership skills and knowledge advantage these applicants in fulfilling program objectives that may be used toward degree requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Based on the program’s 10 Guiding Standards, graduates will be able to:

• Collaboratively facilitate the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a shared school vision of learning through the collection and use of data to identify school goals, assess organizational effectiveness, and implement school plans to achieve school goals; promote continual and sustainable school improvement; and evaluate school progress and revise school plans supported by school-based stakeholders.
• Sustain a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning through collaboration, trust, and a personalized learning environment with high expectations for students; create and evaluate a comprehensive, rigorous and coherent curricular and instructional school program; develop and supervise the instructional and leadership capacity of school staff.
• Ensure the management of the school organization, operation, and resources through monitoring and evaluating the school management and operational systems; efficiently use human, fiscal, and technological resources in a school environment; promote and protect the welfare and safety of school students and staff developing school capacity for distributed leadership; and ensure that teacher and organizational time is focused to support high-quality instruction and student learning.
• Collaborate with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources on behalf of the school by collecting and analyzing information pertinent to improvement of the school’s educational environment; promote an understanding, appreciation, and use of the diverse cultural, social, and intellectual resources within the school community; build and sustain positive school relationships with families and caregivers; and cultivate productive school relationships with community partners.
• Act with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner to ensure a school system of accountability for every student’s academic and social success by modeling school principles of self-awareness, reflective practice, transparency, and ethical behavior as related to their roles within the school; safeguard the values of democracy, equity, and diversity within the school; evaluate the potential moral and legal consequences of decision making in the school; and promote social justice within the school to ensure that individual student needs inform all aspects of schooling.
• Understand, respond to, and influence the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context through advocating for school students, families, and caregivers; act to influence local, district, state, and national decisions affecting student learning in a school environment; and anticipate and assess emerging trends and initiatives in order to adapt school-based leadership strategies.
• Participate in a substantial and sustained educational leadership internship experience that has school-based field experiences and clinical internship practice within a school setting and is monitored by a qualified, on-site mentor.
• Understand and comprehensively apply technology to advance student achievement.
• Appreciate the perspectives of others and develop a personal philosophy from which action and service emerge.
• Understand and comprehensively apply research and evaluation for effective decision making.