Doctoral Degree Programs

The Ed.D. requires the completion of a minimum of 60 credits – 51 credits of required courses and 9 credits of electives. (Note: courses are either three credits or six credits).

The Ed.D. prepares educators for advanced professional responsibility and leadership in effectively organizing, planning, implementing, and evaluating staff and programs, addressing diverse school environments, and building and fostering effective learning communities. This course will prepare educators to apply the PSEL and NELP standards in educational leadership practices.

Specifically, the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership will prepare graduates for:

• Developing skills in leadership and accountability for continuous improvement
• Providing appropriate programs to meet diverse community, school, staff, and student learning needs
• Building and maintaining effective professional learning communities where staff can address important issues and solve problems related to equity, opportunity and excellence
• Inspiring lifelong learning among students and adults
• Implementing an aligned standards-based curriculum and performance-based assessments to promote the success of all learners
• Building communication processes in the community and with parents that inform, inspire, and build confidence in working together to achieve school goals
• Bringing the world into the classroom through a technology-infused and research-based curriculum that prepares all learners to work and live in a global society
• Recommending supervisory practices based on leadership standards, leadership theories, and critical success factors
• Identifying characteristics of effective schools and explaining opportunities and strategies for improving schools
• Identifying and explaining appropriate research-based effective teaching strategies for special education, ESL, and struggling students
• Outlining resources and processes for data-based decision making for strategic planning and school improvement
• Developing a plan to implement a professional learning community via a focused culture, climate, and communication strategies in an established school
• Creating a team leadership supervisory platform that implements your vision for education leadership in terms of duties and responsibilities
• Determining appropriate approaches to developmental supervision and professional development
• Explaining pertinent laws related to special needs, discrimination, discipline, and personnel
• Creating a supervisory plan that implements both clinical supervision and differentiated supervision
• Explaining the role of the principal in managing school facilities and fiscal management
• Proposing strategies for community relations, parent involvement, and internal communication
• Designing a plan for continuous school improvement
• Planning for the implementation of federal, state, and district policies
• Implementing specific teacher supervision and evaluation strategies
• Completing an administrative internship online and onsite in an educational setting that demonstrates PSEL and NELP standards
• Completing an action research dissertation demonstrating research and analysis skills related to a pertinent educational topic