Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
General Information
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) includes a common core of coursework and two areas of concentration:
- Leadership and Policy Studies
- Curriculum Leadership
Students in each concentration complete common core coursework that provides foundational training in three areas: research, leadership, and advocacy. Basic general information about each concentration appears below.
Leadership and Policy Studies Concentration
P-12 and postsecondary leaders are charged with directing broad educational programs that increase excellence and equity as measured by outcomes. Educational entities and organizations need professionals who use current knowledge and possess strong leadership skills to design and administer programs that can improve teaching and learning. Moreover, they need leaders who understand and respond to the specific challenges and strengths of the communities they serve. The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program in this concentration at Eastern Kentucky University will play a significant role in developing such leaders. Participation in this doctoral program will lead to enhanced practical capacity with regard to human learning, educational institutions, and the interaction of society with educational, financial, and governmental processes. Likewise, participation will allow for the acquisition of skills to conduct and successfully apply research. Coursework will be built on a knowledge base that reflects current research, theory, and practice. Doctoral faculty will serve as mentors.
Curriculum Leadership Concentration
Curriculum Leadership is designed for dedicated practitioners committed to addressing problems facing curriculum leaders in the field of education. This degree concentration aims to develop scholars who wish to assume leadership roles in educational institutions, such as school or district curriculum leadership. Students will research and implement a diverse range of curricular trends. Doctoral faculty will serve as mentors in helping students create doctoral dissertations that align with their professional goals.
Admission Requirements
The decision to admit a student to doctoral work constitutes a major commitment from the faculty in the form of advising, teaching, chairing and serving on the committee, preparing and evaluating examinations, and guiding the dissertation to successful completion. The applications are due by March 1 for admission in the following fall semester. Applications received after March 1 may be considered for Spring admission pending availability of openings in the programs.
Admission to the Doctor of Education program is based upon the following entrance requirements:
- Earned a master’s degree in education or a related field with a minimum graduate GPA of 3.5.
- Must have professional experience.
The applicant should note that the decision to admit students to the doctoral program is a collective judgment of the faculty and represents their determination of the likelihood of the applicant’s success in all major phases of the degree program. These judgments take into account the applicant’s professional experiences, communication and thinking skills, and other relevant capabilities. Thus, an applicant is not automatically admitted on the basis of meeting the minimal criteria.
A completed application packet will include:
- Completed graduate school and concentration applications
- Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work
- Resumé of professional experience
- Score reports from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test if the graduate GPA is less than 3.5
- At least three letters of recommendation—including at least one each from a peer, a supervisor, and a college/university faculty member.
- Writing sample from previous graduate program that exemplifies applicant’s writing and research skills
After a holistic review of the application packets, the Doctoral Program Committee will select those applicants to be interviewed. A dispositions evaluation (an assessment of attitudes and behaviors practiced in the areas of personal responsibility, ethics, emotional management, communication, and work ethic) of the candidate to be conducted by one or more members of the Doctoral Program Committee using an established format/protocol.
Students will be required to complete a criminal background check during their first semester, but may complete coursework on a provisional status pending completion of the criminal background check.
Program Requirements
Candidates in both concentrations complete the following core coursework. Thereafter, each candidate’s program of study will be individually planned within the following curriculum framework as defined by the concentration area:
Program Requirements
CIP Code: 13.0401
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Ed.D. Core Requirements | ||
| EDD 901 | Orientation to Doctoral Studies | 3 |
| EDD 902 | Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods | 3 |
| EDD 903 | Qualitative Research | 3 |
| EDD 904 | Application of Research: Program Evaluation, Survey Design, and Grant Writing | 3 |
| EDD 905 | Analysis of Research Literature | 3 |
| EDD 906 | Dissertation Practicum | 3 |
| EDD 907 | Intermediate Quantitative Research Methods | 3 |
| or EDD 908 | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods | |
| EDD 999 | Dissertation (Additional dissertation hours may be required.) | 12 |
| Concentrations | ||
| Students must select one of the following Concentrations: | 27 | |
Leadership and Policy Studies (without Superintendent licensure) | ||
Leadership and Policy Studies (with Superintendent licensure) | ||
Curriculum Leadership | ||
| Exit Requirements | ||
| GRD 877P | Ed. D. Written&Oral Qual Exam | 0 |
| GRD 878Z | Ed. D. Oral Defense Exam (Dissertation Defense) | 0 |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
Leadership and Policy Studies Concentration (without Superintendent licensure)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| EDL 940 | Social Political Leadership | 3 |
| EDL 941 | Examining Diversity, Race, and Cultural Equity | 3 |
| EDL 942 | Leadership Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EDL 943 | Capacity Building, Organizational Improvement, and In | 3 |
| EDL 944 | Public Policy and Politics | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Choose from 12 hours of the following: | 12 | |
| Organizational Behavior and Justice | ||
| Educating and Supporting Diverse Student Populations | ||
| Higher Education Administration and Leadership | ||
| Foundational and Current Issues in Educational Leadership | ||
| Field Experience Elective | ||
| Intermediate Quantitative Research Methods (if not taken in Ed.D. core) | ||
or EDD 908 | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods | |
| Educational Administration & Supervision:_______ | ||
or EAD 897 | Independent Study | |
| Human Resource Leadership | ||
| Systems for Change | ||
| Total Hours | 27 | |
Leadership and Policy Studies Concentration (with Superintendent licensure)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| EAD 839 | The School Superintendency | 3 |
| EAD 849 | School Systems Administration | 3 |
| EAD 859 | Instructional Planning for Student Learning | 3 |
| EAD 879 | Systems for Change | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Choose from fifteen hours of the following: | 15 | |
| Organizational Behavior and Justice | ||
| Examining Diversity, Race, and Cultural Equity | ||
| Leadership Theory and Practice | ||
| Public Policy and Politics | ||
| Educating and Supporting Diverse Student Populations | ||
| Higher Education Administration and Leadership | ||
| Foundational and Current Issues in Educational Leadership | ||
| Field Experience Elective | ||
| Intermediate Quantitative Research Methods (if not taken in Ed.D. core) | ||
or EDD 908 | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods | |
| Educational Administration & Supervision:_______ | ||
or EAD 897 | Independent Study | |
| Total Hours | 27 | |
Curriculum Leadership Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Discipline Specific Concentration | ||
| EAD 819 | School Leadership and Instructional Supervision | 3 |
| EDL 925 | Organizational Behavior and Justice | 3 |
| EDL 940 | Social Political Leadership | 3 |
| EDL 941 | Examining Diversity, Race, and Cultural Equity | 3 |
| EDL 950 | Educating and Supporting Diverse Student Populations | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Choose from 12 hours of the following: | 12 | |
| Capacity Building, Organizational Improvement, and In | ||
| Public Policy and Politics | ||
| Foundational and Current Issues in Educational Leadership | ||
| Field Experience Elective | ||
| Educational Administration & Supervision:_______ | ||
| Human Resource Leadership | ||
| Conditions of Learning | ||
| Systems for Change | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Leadrship and Social Justice Advocacy | ||
| Advanced Social Psychology | ||
| Total Hours | 27 | |
Exit Requirements
Dissertation Proposal
The Student’s Doctoral Committee prepares and scores the dissertation proposal. This examination consists of a written proposal and oral defense by the student that is evaluated by the student doctoral committee.
The Student Doctoral Committee will require students to rewrite any failed portion of the Qualifying examination by the last day of classes during the following semester.
Dissertation
The purpose of the dissertation is for students to demonstrate the ability to conceptualize and complete an inquiry project. The dissertation process, during which students register for a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours, includes three (3) stages. First, there is the development of a proposal that the Student Doctoral Committee reviews and approves. Second, students prepare the dissertation document. Finally, students submit and defend the dissertation to the Student Doctoral Committee.
For additional information, consult the Doctoral Program Director for Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.