Education (Doctor of Education)

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

The program consists of four components. The first component is a set of five core courses, totaling 15 credit hours.
     The second component consists of coursework in either advanced qualitative or advanced quantitative research methods. This component takes place in the second semester of study.
     The third component is an oral comprehensive exam (3 credits). The comprehensive exam is designed to check students for overall leadership knowledge, skills, and dispositions. The exam is taken after the first three semesters of coursework during the fall semester of year two of the program, while the candidate completes the School Law and Equity Issues course.
     The fourth and final component is the dissertation, which comprises the final 13 credit hours. Students take Dissertation I (2 credits) to define their problem statement and begin their dissertation’s first three chapters under faculty guidance as a cohort. The final Dissertation II (11 credits) begins as early as the spring of year two of the program and is the more typical independent work. It is expected that students will complete the final dissertation by summer of the third year. A fourth year is acceptable within the typical timeline. Extensions beyond this time must be appealed in writing and granted on a case-by-case basis.

Requirements.

Core courses (15 credits)
EDL 800 - Survey of Research Theory, Design, and Methods.
EDL 801 - Educational Policy.
EDL 803 - School Law and Equity Issues.
EDL 844 - Professional Standards and Community Relations.
EDL 856 - School Finance, Business and Human Resources Management.
Research sequence (6 credits). One of:
EDL 804 - Quantitative Research Methods I & II.
EDL 805 - Qualitative Research I & II.
Comprehensive examinations.
Course study leads up to the oral comprehensive examination for the doctoral degree. A student must pass the Comprehensive Examinations before moving on to the Dissertation I. Comprehensive Exams must be passed within one year after all required core courses and research courses have been completed.
Dissertation (13 credits)
EDL 990 - Dissertation I Research and Prospectus.
EDL 995 - Dissertation II.

Sample Calendar

Year 1
Fall:  EDL 800 , EDL 801 .
Winter:  EDL 804 , EDL 805 .
Spring/Summer:  EDL 844 , EDL 856 .

Year 2
Fall: EDL 803 .
Winter/Spring/Summer: EDL 990 , EDL 995 .

Year 3
Fall/Winter/Spring: Individualized dissertation research.