Ed.D. in Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education Degree Requirements

The Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership requires completion of a minimum of 72 graduate semester-hour credits including 18 dissertation hours. The 72 credit hours includes up to 30 hours of coursework completed toward a master’s degree in an education-related field.

Requirements for the Ed.D. degree in Educational Leadership

  1. Completion of the courses required for the Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership or education-related field.
  2. The following core courses to be taken in sequence with cohort:
    • EDLE 6003 — Problems of Practice
    • EDLE 6533 — Educational Policy and Change
    • EDLE 6543 — Intro to Qualitative Research
    • EDLE 6583 —Statistical Literacy for Educational Leaders
    • EDLE 6553 — Advanced Qualitative Research
    • EDLE 6513 — Program Evaluation
    • EDLE 6503 — Topics in Education Research
    • EDLE 7413 — Problem of Practice Dissertation Methods and Implementation
  3. EDLE 699V Seminar, taken on campus three times for 1 credit hour each. Doctoral students will come to campus to meet with faculty and practitioners for a 1 credit-hour seminar that will serve as a valuable capstone for the distance experience. The meaningful campus experience will be an intensive long-weekend cohort seminar on the Fayetteville campus. Each cohort weekend will be focused on a theme that connects theory with practice and includes mini-lectures by scholars and practitioners in the field, facilitated discussion groups and lively debate of critical issues facing school leaders. The intent of the cohort weekend is to build relationships, introduce students to leaders in the field, and expose them to interactive, hands-on learning experiences that lend themselves more easily to the face-to-face environment.
  4. 18 semester hours of dissertation credit.
  5. A minimum grade-point average of at least 3.25 on all coursework presented as part of the degree program. No graduate degree credit will be granted for any course grade below C.
  6. Satisfactory completion of all requirements governing the written and oral examinations for the candidacy examination, the dissertation and the final oral dissertation defense.
  7. The Ed.D. degree must be completed within seven years from the date the Declaration of Intent is signed.

Course Sequence for the EDLE Ed.D.

Summer I
EDLE 6003, Sec. 901 — Problems of Practice 3 hrs.

 

Fall I
EDLE 6543, Sec. 901 — Intro to Qualitative Research 3 hrs.
EDLE 6533, Sec. 901 — Educational Policy 3 hrs.
EDLE 7413 — Problem of Practice Dissertation Methods and Implementation 3 hrs. *
EDLE 699V, Sec. 902 — Doctoral Seminar (on campus) 1 hr.

 

Spring I
EDLE 6513, Sec. 901 — Program Evaluation 3 hrs.
EDLE 6583, Sec. 901 — Statistical Literacy 3 hrs.
EDLE 7413 — Problem of Practice Dissertation Methods and Implementation 3 hrs. *
EDLE 699V, Sec. 902 — Doctoral Seminar (on campus) 1 hr.

 

Summer II - Session I
EDLE 6553, Sec. 901 — Advanced Qualitative Research 3 hrs.

 

Fall II
EDLE 6503, Sec. 901 — Topics in Educational Research 3 hrs.
EDLE 7413 — Problem of Practice Dissertation Methods and Implementation 3 hrs. *
EDLE 699V, Sec. 902 — Doctoral Seminar (on campus) 1 hr.

 

Spring II
EDLE 7413 — Problem of Practice Dissertation Methods and Implementation 3 hrs. *

 

Fall III
EDLE 7413 — Problem of Practice Dissertation Methods and Implementation 3 hrs. *

 

Spring III
EDLE 700V — Dissertation Hours with Chair 3 hrs. *

 

Credit Hours Summary
Credit Hours of Coursework 24
*Dissertation Credit Hours 18
Total Credit Hours 42