Instructional Leadership - Ed.D.

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Instructional Leadership prepares experienced educators to become effective practitioner leaders able to translate current research into policy and practice. The program prepares teacher leaders, department chairs, administrators and other education professionals to transform K-12 education, driving better educational experiences and outcomes across larger systems. The program provides clinically-focused doctoral training and a deep grounding in the research on educational practice, particularly as it applies to urban settings and suburban settings with increasingly diverse student populations. Students develop the ability to synthesize and apply new research to improve educational experiences and outcomes for students, and the skills to communicate their insights effectively as leaders in schools and communities.

Program Highlights

Designed to meet the needs of working educators with a part-time cohort model and practice-focused curriculum over five years
Focused on interpreting and translating current research into clinical practice.
Leverages the strength and expertise of faculty with a wide range of research and practitioner areas who are engaged with current scholarship and practice.
Provides opportunities to expand both the breadth of knowledge across the field and depth of knowledge in a particular area of interest.
Institutionally committed to serving the needs of public education with an urban focus.

Admission Requirements

A master’s degree from an accredited institution in the field of education or related to your work in education with a GPA of at least 3.5. Undergraduate GPA will be considered as well.
A minimum of two letters of recommendation is required. At least one should address past academic performance and/or readiness for doctoral studies and one should speak to professional leadership potential.
A personal statement.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Prospective students whose native language is not English and who have completed all or part of their post-secondary education in a country where English is not the native language need to take the TOEFL or IELTS or the Pearson Test of English.
A resume.
A minimum of five years professional work experience in the field of education.
An on-site interview and writing activity may be required as part of the interview process.

Progress Standards

Students must maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA throughout the program. At the end of each semester, when grades have posted, the program director will meet with the Assistant Director of Graduate Student Affairs in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs to review the GPA of all students in the program and to identify any who have fallen below a 3.5. These students will be placed on academic probation. Once they are notified of probation, they will be required to meet with their advisor to develop an academic plan for improving their GPA. At the end of the semester that they are on probation and grades have posted, the program director will review the student’s GPA. If the GPA is above a 3.5, the student will be taken off of academic probation. If it is still below a 3.5, the program coordinator and advisor will determine if the student has made adequate progress towards improving their GPA. If it is determined that the GPA is improving, the student will be placed on academic probation again and allowed to continue in the program. If adequate progress has not been made, the student will be dismissed from the program. Students cannot remain on academic probation for more than three consecutive semesters without being dismissed from the program.
Prior to the start of the third year in the program, students must pass a Comprehensive Assessment. The Comprehensive Assessment serves two overarching purposes: (a) to assess doctoral students’ content knowledge in the various areas of program coursework and (b) their readiness to move into the dissertation phase of the doctoral program.

Course of Study

Academic Plan:

INSTLD-EDD

Total Credits

Exit Standards

An overall GPA of at least 3.5.
Completion of Dissertation approved by the Dissertation Committee and an oral defense is the final requirement before the degree is conferred.