Planning of Program

The student's advisor and members of the program committee help him or her design a program of study; normally this is done almost immediately after admission. The student has no “official contract” until the program is signed by the student and the three members of the program committee. The completed program of study must be filed with the EdD director.

The program consists of 45-60 credits above the master’s degree and includes (a) a 6 credit orientation seminar, (b) a core of 9 credits of leadership courses, (c) 9-12 credits of research, (d) 6 credits of job-embedded practicum, (e) 18-21 credits of more specific content courses in various specialty areas and electives, and (f) 9-12 credits of dissertation (if additional research courses are required by the committee dissertation, credits required will be reduced). Dissertations will be action research projects that focus on practice-based problems related to the candidate’s career goals. Each student’s academic background and professional experiences are assessed at the time of admission. Students who stay on track in a part-time status can complete the program in approximately three calendar years.

Program Components

EDLD 700 Orientation to Doctoral Studies (6 credits) taken during the first semester after admission to the program.

Leadership Courses (9 credits)
EDLD 710 Leadership I-Leadership Theories and Practices
EDLD 720 Leadership II-Individual and Group Issues in Leadership
EDLD 730 Leadership III-Leading the Organization

Research Courses (9 credits)
EDLD 711 Research I-Applied Methods in Leadership Research
EDLD 721 Research II-Assessments, Measurement, and Validity in Leadership Research
EDLD 731 Research III-Advanced Data Analysis Tools in Leadership Research.

The specific selection of elective courses for a student’s program is based on an evaluation of the candidate’s background and strengths, as well as on the candidate’s professional objectives and needs. With approval of the program committee, elective courses are chosen to be consistent with the four specialty areas.

Each student must carry out a substantial, creative project of scholarly quality – i.e., a dissertation.  In developing dissertation topics, students are required to select real -world topics that enable them to demonstrate the ability to conduct inquiry into processes and problems of educational institutions or organizations.

Learning Outcomes

Faculty in the EdD program have identified the following student learning outcomes:

1. Design plans and strategies for systemic reform that result in measurable improvements in student achievement;
2. Demonstrate the behaviors of a visionary leader by developing, articulating and implementing a vision focused on improved student learning and achievement that is shared and communicated by a group or organization;
3. Demonstrate and discuss his/her personal code of ethics;
4. Demonstrate effective leadership strategies which improve systems and increase performance by measuring and enhancing the culture and climate of a group or organization;
5. Demonstrate and document a commitment to professional growth and development;
6. Design and evaluate strategies and structures to document system and student achievement accountability goals; 
7. Design and defend resource allocation plans and decisions to maximize system performance as aligned with vision and improvement plans;
8. Demonstrate valuing of diversity by identifying and collaborating through diverse teams in response to diverse interests and needs identified; and
9. Document plans and actions taken to impact and influence the larger policy environment including; the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural contexts.
   

Courses

Below are links to either syllabi or proposals for approved new courses. Also listed are a few existing courses that may be taken by EdD students. Other existing graduate courses may be included in a student's program with approval from the student's program committee and the EdD director. Additional new doctoral courses may also be developed.

Required Courses

• EDLD 700: Orientation to Doctoral Studies and Professional Development
• EDLD 710: Leadership I - Leadership Theories And Ethics
• EDLD 711: Methodology in Leadership Research, 3 hours
• EDLD 720: Leadership II – Individual and Group Issues in Leadership, 3 hours
• EDLD 721: Measurement and Validity in Leadership Research, 3 hours
• EDLD 730: Leadership III – Leading the Organization, 3 hours
• EDLD 731: Advanced Data Analysis Tools in Leadership Research, 3 hours

Electives

• EDFN 700: Research Design and the Dissertation, 3 hours (existing course)
• EDFN 703: Field Methods for Qualitative Research, 3 hours (existing course)
• EDU 701: Teacher Leadership and Assessment I, 3 hours
• EDU 702: Teacher Leadership and Assessment II, 3 hours
• EDFN 601: Applied Statistics and Design, 3 hours (existing course)
• EDAD 798: Internship in Administration/Supervision, 3 hours (existing course)
• LME 737: Educational Technology Leadership, 3 hours
• IED 703: Equity Pedagogy and Issues of Diversity, 3 hours
• IED 704: Leadership and the Ethics of Teaching, 3 hours
• PSY 770: Legal Issues for Organizational Leaders, 3 hours
• PSY 771: Human Resources Management and Personnel Decisions for Organizational Leaders, 3 hours
• PSY 773: Employee Training and Development for Organizational Leaders, 3 hours
• BA 751: Strategic Leadership, 3 hours
• BA 752: Leading Innovation, Creativity, and Change, 3 hours
• BA 753: Current Issues in Organizational Behavior, 3 hours
• BA 754: Budgeting and Financial Decision-Making, 3 hours
• COMM 721: Organizational Communication for Leaders, 3 hours
• COMM 731: Global Communication for Leaders, 3 hours
• COMM 741: Leadership and Social Trends, 3 hours
• COMM 751: Strategic Communication, 3 hours
• CNS 710: Leadership in Stress Management, 3 hours

Typical Core Course Sequence