Educational Leadership Ed.D.
Program Rationale:
The doctorate in education (Ed.D.) has been designed for delivery to a cohort of full-time educational professionals on weekends, evenings, and during the summer. The program has many innovative features and serves teachers and administrators in PreK-12 education who want to prepare for a variety of leadership positions: principals, lead teachers, department heads, curriculum and assessment specialists, assistant superintendents, and superintendents. The Ed.D. is based on the premise that learning takes place through an integration of course work and experiences that stem from a clear conception of leadership, the knowledge base of the field, and a structure that allows doctoral students and faculty to collaborate on shared work improving education in the State of Connecticut.
Program Learning Outcomes:
Prior to defending their dissertation proposals and beginning dissertation research, doctoral students must demonstrate their ability to:
- create collaborative learning communities which reflect sensitivity to the ethical and moral obligations of leaders to design and implement programs that promote positive learning for all;
- create and sustain a powerful vision of teaching and learning that promotes individual and organizational learning through assessment, professional development, program evaluation, and action research;
- demonstrate an appreciation for diversity by creating a culture of success that is connected to salient historical, philosophical, cultural, community, and political contexts;
- use technology to support and advance learning, improve communication, and process information; and
- research, collect, analyze, and interpret data that informs the change process; evaluate research critically; apply research to determine best practice; and provide leadership for research that improves teaching and learning.
Admissions
Admission to the program is available in alternate years for a cohort of 25 students. Deadline for admission is December 1. To be considered for admission to the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, applicants must have earned a master's degree in an appropriate discipline or professional field and have professional goals that are consistent with the goals and beliefs of the program. Admission to the program is open to all qualified applicants without regard to age, race, sex, religion, physical disability, or national origin.
Admission Criteria
The follow minimum criteria have been established for admission into the Ed.D. Program:
- Master's degree from an accredited institution of higher education in a discipline or professional field that is relevant to the Ed.D. Program
- 3.00 GPA on all graduate coursework
- Two positive letters of reference from leaders in education familiar with the applicant's work
- Detailed resume that illustrates important work-related experiences
- Acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination (within five years of admission and including a writing assessment)
- An acceptable personal statement covering three important topics:
- Career goals
- Reasons for pursuing a doctorate
- Ability and commitment to devote four weeks to summer study for the first two summers of the program and some additional on-campus summer study during the third or fourth summers
- If selected as a finalist, a satisfactory interview with the admission committee
Admission Process
The application packet for the Ed.D. can be obtained from the Ed.D. Program websites. Admission decisions are determined by a faculty admissions committee.
Program of Study
The program is divided into four major components: (1) a required core in educational leadership; (2) a specialty area; (3) a series of inquiry-oriented seminars; and (4) the dissertation component. These components and the credits required in each component are summarized below.
Component I:
Core in Educational Leadership (18 credits)
Component II:
Specialty area in one of the following (15 credits):
- Administrative Leadership
- Curriculum and Literacy
Component III:
Inquiry Seminars (16 credits)
Component IV:
Capstone: Dissertation and Dissemination (14 credits)
Total: minimum 63 credits
Component I establishes the foundational core of the program with particular emphasis in education leadership and teaching and learning. Four core courses are required of all candidates. Courses include: EDF 700; EDL 701, 702, 705; and EDT 700. All courses in the core are open only to Ed.D. students.
Component II includes a specialty area of the student's choice. Two specializations are available:
- Administrative Leadership. This specialization is for students who aspire for administrative positions in public schools. It could lead to certification for intermediate administrator (a State of Connecticut certificate) and the superintendency.
- Curriculum and Literacy. This specialization is for students who plan leadership careers in PK-12 settings such as reading and curriculum specialists. It includes courses in literacy, curriculum, and instructional leadership.
Component III of the program includes research courses, field-based inquiry projects, and a series of seminars designed to help students understand the processes of inquiry. Component III leads into and facilitates Component IV.
Component IV is the completion of the dissertation and dissemination of the results of the students' study to appropriate audiences. Special course work in research and ongoing inquiry projects will culminate with the completion of the student's dissertation. More information about all of these components is available on the program's website.
Please note that students take 10 credits during each of the first two summers in the program, and additional courses during evenings and some Saturdays during the first two academic years. During the third year and beyond, the focus is on dissertation requirements, including some on-campus study during the last summer of study.
Candidate Assessment
The curriculum of the Ed.D. program has been designed to align with national and state standards for doctoral studies in the field of educational leadership and with the program's conceptual framework. Prior to being granted the Ed.D. degree, each candidate completes a dissertation and demonstrates proficiency on each program standard. Criteria for judging performance on other standards are described in the Assessment and Dissertation Handbook.
During the second year of the program, each Ed.D. candidate completes a summative electronic portfolio. This portfolio consists of evidence (artifacts, evaluations, projects, and reflections) gathered from the beginning of the program. All entries must be tied to the program's conceptual framework and to the program's advanced leadership standards. Candidates present their portfolios to a committee of faculty, including their dissertation advisors.
Course and Capstone Requirements:
Foundational Core:
| EDF 700 | The Purposes of Education in America | 3 |
| EDL 705 | Leadership to Promote Effective Teaching & Learning | 1 TO 4 |
| EDT 700 | Topics in Leadership for Technology in Schools | 1 to 3 |
| EDL 701 | Leading Organizational Change I: Theory | 3 |
| EDL 702 | Leading Organizational Change II: Program Development & Evaluation | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Inquiry Seminars and Dissertation (30 credits required; up to six additional credits optional):
| EDL 710 | Inquiry Seminar I: The Study of Human & Organizational Learning | 2 |
| EDL 712 | Inquiry Seminar III: Quantitative and Qualitative Research II | 3 |
| EDL 713 | Inquiry Seminar IV: Study of Organizational Change | 2 |
| EDL 714 | Inquiry Seminar V: Advanced Research Design | 3 |
| EDL 715 | Inquiry Seminar VI: The Dissertation Proposal | 3 |
| EDL 716 | Inquiry Seminar VII: Dissertation I | 2 |
| EDL 717 | Inquiry Seminar VIII: Dissertation II | 5 |
| EDL 718 | Inquiry Seminar IX: Dissertation III | 5 |
| EDL 719 | Inquiry Seminar X: Dissertation IV | 1 |
| EDL 720 | Inquiry Seminar XI: Disseminating Research Findings | 2 |
| Specialty Study (15 credits of electives in Administrative Leadership or Curriculum and Literacy) | |
EDL 719: may be repeated for up to 6 credits over three calendar years
Administrative Leadership
| EDL 610 | School Leadership I | 3 |
| EDL 611 | School Leadership II | 3 |
| EDL 615 | Understanding External Environments of School Leadership I | 3 |
| EDL 616 | Understanding External Environments of School Leadership II | 3 |
| EDL 634 | Seminar in Curriculum Development | 3 |
| EDL 652 | Advanced Topics in Educational Leadership | 1 TO 6 |
| EDL 681 | District Leadership: Governance/Leadership Issues | 3 |
| EDL 682 | District Leadership: Student Matters | 3 |
| EDL 690 | Internship in Educational Leadership I | 2 |
| EDL 691 | Internship in Educational Leadership II | 2 |
| EDL 692 | Internship in Educational Leadership III | 2 |
| EDL 695 | Internship: The Superintendency I | 3 |
| EDL 696 | Internship: The Superintendency II | 3 |
| EDL 697 | Readings and Conference | 1 TO 3 |
EDL 697: repeated for up to 6 credits
Curriculum and Literacy
| RDG 667 | Multicultural Literature in the Classroom | 3 |
| RDG 675 | Reading and Writing as Integrated Process | 3 |
| RDG 680 | Current Trends and Issues in Reading and Language Arts | 3 |
| RDG 686 | Literacy Instruction for Diverse Populations II | 3 |
| RDG 698 | Research Seminar | 3 |
| RDG 700 | Seminar in Literacy | 3 |
| EDL 634 | Seminar in Curriculum Development | 3 |
| EDL 652 | Advanced Topics in Educational Leadership | 1 TO 6 |
| EDL 697 | Readings and Conference | 1 TO 3 |
EDL 697: repeated for up to 6 credits