Doctor of Education with a Concentration in Curriculum Leadership for Social Justice (Ed.D.)
General Information
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) includes a common core of coursework and three areas of concentration including
- Leadership, Policy Studies, and Social Justice
- Counselor Education and Supervision, and
- Curriculum Leadership for Social Justice.
Students in each concentration complete common core coursework that provides foundational training in three areas including research, leadership, and social justice advocacy. Basic general information about each concentration appears below.
Curriculum Leadership for Social Justice Concentration
Curriculum Leadership for Social Justice is geared for devoted practitioners committed to addressing problems facing 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 focused on equity and social justice. Doctoral faculty will serve as mentors in helping students create doctoral dissertations that meet 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. Students applying for the concentration in Counselor Education and Supervision must have a 60 hour master’s degree from a CACREP accredited program or its equivalent.
- Must have professional experience (preference will be given to those with leadership, school counseling, or clinical mental health counseling 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
CIP Code: 13.0401
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:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Ed.D. Core Requirements | ||
| EDD 901 | Orientation to Doc Studies | 3 |
| EDD 902 | Intro to Quant Res Methods | 3 |
| EDD 903 | Qualitative Research | 3 |
| EDD 904 | App Res: Eval, Sur, & Gr Writ | 3 |
| EDD 906 | Dissertation Practicum | 3 |
| EDD 907 | Intermed Quant Research Meth | 3 |
| or EDD 908 | Adv Qualitative Research Meth | |
| EDD 999 | Dissertation (Additional dissertation hours may be required.) | 12 |
| Concentrations | ||
| Students must select one of the following Concentrations: | ||
Leadership, Policy Studies, and Social Justice | ||
Counselor Education and Supervision | ||
| Curriculum Leadership for Social Justice | 30 | |
| Exit Requirements | ||
| GRD 877P | Ed. D. Written&Oral Qual Exam | 0 |
| GRD 878Z | Ed. D. Oral Defense Exam (Dissertion Defense) | 0 |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Discipline Specific Concentration | ||
| EAD 819 | Sch Lead & Inst. Super | 3 |
| EAD 853 | Conditions of Learning | 3 |
| EDL 925 | Organizational Bhvr & Justice | 3 |
| EDL 940 | Social Political Leadership | 3 |
| EDL 941 | Exam Div, Race, & Cult Equity | 3 |
| EDL 950 | Educating and Supporting Diverse Student Populations | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Choose from 12 hours of the following: | 12 | |
| Ed Admin & Supervision:_______ | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Capacity Bldg, Org Improv & In | ||
| Public Policy & Politics | ||
| Ed.D Field Experience | ||
| Found & Cur Issues in Ed Leade | ||
| Leadrship & Social Justice Adv | ||
| Race, Identity & Policing | ||
| Social Psy &Cultural Diversity | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Exit Requirements
Qualifying/Preliminary Examination
The Student’s Doctoral Committee prepares and scores the Qualifying/Preliminary examination. This examination consists of two (2) options, which include
- written responses by the student to the prepared questions written by the Student Doctoral Committee and/or
- a written methodology paper 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 or for Counselor Education and Supervision.