Educational Leadership, Higher Education Concentration, Ed.D.

Program Requirements

Initial Application Requirements: Earned Master’s degree from an accredited institution. Official score on the GRE taken within last five (5) years. Minimum graduate GPA of 3.50. Official transcripts from all universities or colleges at which courses have been taken. Three letters of recommendation from professional references. A personal interview. A writing sample. Current resume or vitae. A portfolio of professional goals and growth that is submitted directly to the Ed.D. Program.

Core Curriculum: 21 Credits

Research: 12 Credits

Cognate Area: 12 Credits

For Higher Education Cognate Area, select the following:

Capstone Requirements: 15 Credits

Internship in Educational Leadership and Dissertation:

Other Requirements

A maximum of 6 hours of relevant graduate transfer credits with a grade of 3.0 or higher may be accepted. Doctoral candidates must complete 54 hours of required doctoral course work, 6 hours of dissertation work, in addition to successfully completing the doctoral dissertation. Candidates have a total of 8 years after initial admission to successfully complete the degree requirements.* For timely progression, candidates will be required to enroll in 9 semester hours the fall and spring of the first two years of coursework, and in no more than 12 credit hours during the corresponding summer semesters. Candidates must be available to participate in required enhancement activities. The comprehensive examination is required. Candidates’ learning experiences will be informed, as applicable, by the NCDPI, CAEP, NELP, CAS, and other relevant academic, quality, and professional standards.

For timely progression, the following schedule is strongly recommended:

Year One: Fall & Spring: 9 credit hours each semester
Year One: Summer: 12 credit hours
Year Two: Fall & Spring: 9 credit hours each semester
Year Two: Summer: 6 credit hours
Year Three: Fall & Spring: 3 credit hours minimum each semester

*Beyond the Third Year (60 credit hours): After achieving the 60 credit hours, students who need more time to complete the dissertation research and writing activities are required to maintain continuous enrollment in the program. Therefore, they must register for designated dissertation courses as advised by the department.

Academic Catalog