Program Description
The Doctorate in Leadership Education is a 60-hour program designed to meet the leadership needs of organizations in a broad spectrum of fields, including human resource management, business administration, non-profit organizations, health care, international studies, and traditional education. This degree develops an advanced level of competence in analytical and quantitative thinking, ethical and moral practice, and interdisciplinary problem solving and research skills.

Admission
By May 1, applicants submit a complete application file to the College of Education. Space is limited, so careful completion of the following components is required to avoid delays in the admission process.

• Completion of a Master’s Degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. A conferral date must be stated on the Official Transcript.
• Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate degrees. Official transcripts must be on file before permission is granted to register for or attend classes.
• Acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or the Miller Analogies Test.
• Graduate Application.
• Résumé.
• At least three recommendations. College of Education Recommendation Forms are required.
• Interview. The College of Education confirms the completion of admission files and schedules interviews with applicants and one or more members of the Leadership Education faculty. Applicants are asked to give both oral and written responses to questions related to research and leadership.

By June 1, the Graduate Admission Committee reviews applications and considers the academic record, research and leadership experiences, and profession of applicants in the selection of cohort members. Since the program is designed to meet the leadership needs of organizations in a broad spectrum of fields, applicants who meet all the requirements for admission may or may not be selected in a given year. Applicants who are not selected are contacted and given first consideration the following year. Admission after July 1 is based on available space and the cohort composition.

The Ed.D. program has two strands. Strand 1 is the traditional program, designed for emergent leaders who are relatively novice in leadership roles. Strand 2 for Professional Leaders is designed for individuals who have been in the same or similar leadership positions for at least three consecutive years and who currently supervise other employees. Admission to the Ed.D. program is the same for all participants. However, additional criteria are used to place individuals in the strands.

Coursework
Each doctoral cohort registers for only the required 18 credit hours (two core courses in Fall, Winter, and Spring). Any other courses, including the four (4) cognate courses, may only be taken in Late Spring/Summer terms (April-July). Cognate courses should be completed prior to the fall term of the second year.

Students attend classes one evening a week (August-March) and every other Saturday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.

Continuous Assessment
A minimum grade point average of 3.0 must be maintained in all coursework. Students with two grades of C, one grade of F, or one instance of plagiarism are dismissed from the program.

Students are assessed at a variety of stages throughout the program. At least one written assignment, beyond those required in courses, is submitted to the College of Education each term. In addition, the Leadership Education Faculty annually reviews the academic performance and dispositions of each doctoral student prior to the spring term. Students that do not maintain a high level of academic, ethical, and professional conduct while fulfilling the program requirements are dismissed.

Comprehensive Examination
After the completion of all coursework, candidates must pass a comprehensive examination to qualify for candidacy status and become eligible to begin the dissertation process.

Dissertation Direction and Degree Completion
The Doctorate in Leadership Education must be completed within five years. A written request for a one-year extension may be granted with the approval of both the College Dean and the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs.

After completing the 51 hours of required coursework and passing the Comprehensive Exam, candidates must enroll in EDD 893, Dissertation Direction, for 3 credit hours in the next three graduate terms (summer, fall, and spring) for a total of 9 credit hours. Candidates must continue enrollment in EDD 893, Doctoral Dissertation, for 1 hour in each graduate term (summer, fall, and spring) until the student withdraws from the program, the 5 year limit for completion has passed, or the dissertation is accepted by the College of Education.

A minimum of nine (9) credit hours must be paid for EDD 893, Dissertation Direction. These hours are awarded when the EDD 893 Change of Grade and Dissertation Acceptance Form are submitted to Enrollment Services.

Program Sheet
Doctor of Education: Leadership Education