Admissions Screening Process
All students who apply to the Graduate School for the Doctor of Education degree must be screened for initial admission. The screening process consists of an evaluation of each student in terms of selected criteria for admission. Each criterion has been assigned a numerical value. The total of these values equals a possible 100 value points:
writing skills, 10 points;
scholarship, graduate level, 15 points;
speaking skills, 10 points;
evidence of leadership, 5 points;
estimated leadership potential, 5 points;
Graduate Record Examination scores–verbal and quantitative, 15 points;
employment record, 10 points;
quality of four letters of recommendation (each 5 points), 20 points.
An appointed screening committee utilizes uniform evaluation sheets. After study of the student’s credentials and an interview with the student, the committee meets and summarizes the scores. Recommendations may be provided by the screening committee for acceptance, conditional acceptance, rejection, or for subsequent re-screening, if deemed appropriate.
Required Courses
A graduate committee may require other semester hours of course work not listed here if circumstances warrant such a decision. Specific requirements for an Ed.D. degree will be individually determined.
Requirements for students who hold a master’s degree
For students already possessing a valid master’s degree, or equivalent, the minimum requirements for the doctoral program would be 66 credit-hours which includes the following courses and activities:
ELPA 7810 – Educational Statistics – 3 hours
ELPA 7811 – Quantitative Research or
ELPA 7812 – Qualitative Research – 3 hours
ELPA 7813 – Research in Educational Leadership – 3 hours
ELPA 6450 – Leadership Studies – 3 hours
ELPA 6810 – Theories of Educational Administration – 3 hours
ELPA 6581 – Internship in Educational Leadership – 3 hours
ELPA 7960 – Dissertation – 12 hours
6 credit hours in research, statistics, evaluation, or technology
6 credit hours in cognate area other than Educational Leadership
6 credit hours of Foundations of Education, to include EDFN 6730
18 credit hours of guided electives (see below).
At least 10 residency activities
Requirements for students who hold a specialist degree
For qualified students already possessing a valid Specialist’s degree, or its equivalent, and seeking an Ed.D. degree, the requirements are for a minimum program of 44 credit hours, to include:
ELPA 7810 – Educational Statistics – 3 hours
ELPA 7811 – Quantitative Research or
ELPA 7812 – Qualitative Research – 3 hours
ELPA 7813 – Research in Educational Leadership – 3 hours
ELPA 6450 – Leadership Studies – 3 hours
ELPA 6810 – Theories of Educational Administration – 3 hours
ELPA 6581 – Internship in Educational Leadership – 3 hours
ELPA 7960 – Dissertation – 12 hours
12 credit hours of guided electives in Educational Leadership (see below).
At least 10 residency activities
Guided Electives for Postsecondary & Private Sector Concentration
Guided electives include the following courses; however, advisors may recommend substitutions which would better address individual students’ needs:
Guided Electives must include
ELPA 6563 – The Adult Learner,
ELPA 7820 (or equivalent)- Administration of Higher Education
ELPA 7822 – Higher Education Law Finance (or equivalent)
Other Guided Electives
ELPA 6010 Leadership for Lifelong Learners
ELPA 6452 Creating Organizational Cultures that Support Excellence
ELPA 6561 Organizational Development
ELPA 6850 Integrating Public Agencies
ELPA 6954 Educational Program Evaluation
ELPA 6955 Grant and Proposal Development
ELPA 6953 Policy Analysis
ELPA 7110 Community Colleges in the United States
ELPA 7220 Supervising Community College Curriculum Planning
ELPA 7820 Administration of Higher Education
EDFN 6730 Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Education