Doctor of Education in Leadership
The Ed.D. in Leadership is a 40-hour program designed to prepare students for a multitude of leadership and teaching positions, particularly in higher education and extends the degree offerings already available in the Education Department at the University of Saint Mary. The program is cohort-based and builds on the University of Saint Mary’s core values of community, respect, justice and excellence. This course of studies does not lead to licensure for school district superintendent or local level administration.
The curriculum consists of 11 3-credit hour classes (33 credits), a capstone project (1 credit) and a dissertation (6 to 12 credits). The program must be completed within five years.
Admission Requirements
- Successful completion of a Master’s program or comparable post-baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education. Candidates who have not taken a master’s level curriculum and assessment course may be required to take ED 720 Curriculum Design and Assessment.
- Minimum grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.
- Letters of recommendation.
- Statement of personal philosophy as an education professional.
Program Learning Outcomes
In the tradition and culture of the University of Saint Mary and the core values of community, respect, justice and excellence, the following are program outcomes for the Ed.D. in Leadership:
The program develops educational leaders who:
- Exhibit innovative leadership behaviors such as: cultivating a culture of effective communication, fostering collaboration, creative problem solving and reflective practices to facilitate the change.
- Analyze current issues and best practices in educational instruction, assessment, and innovation.
- Demonstrate responsiveness to the varying needs of communities, organizations, and stakeholders and recognize the strengths and challenges in working with diverse populations.
- Demonstrate ethical standards related to political, economic, cultural and legal issues in the educational arena.
- Create a culture that values professional learning, continuous improvement and communities of practice in their educational settings.
- Evaluate leadership actions that promote collaboration, risk taking, conflict resolution, and future thinking in transforming educational structures.
- Develop skills for collecting, analyzing and evaluating current research, educational models, and assessment results to make data-driven decisions.
- Conduct original research demonstrating high-level analytical thinking, advanced research design, and problem-solving skills in the implementation of innovative leadership practices.
Graduation and Commencement
Doctoral candidates (Ed.D.) may participate in the next commencement ceremony that follows the completion of the Doctor of Education in Leadership Program (Ed.D.) with the successful defense of their dissertation.
Plan of Study
11 courses (33 credits)
Capstone Project in lieu of Comprehensive Exam (1 credit) (portfolio/presentation aligned to all eight PLOs)
Dissertation (6-12 credits)
Curriculum (40-46 credits)
Required Core (31 crs):
| ED 801 | Introduction to Doctoral Studies | 3 |
| ED 805 | Characteristics of Innovative Educational Leadership Practices | 3 |
| ED 810 | Leadership for Diverse Populations | 3 |
| ED 817 | Educational Policy, Ethics, and Law | 3 |
| ED 825 | Design Methods of Educational Research | 3 |
| ED 830 | Advanced Methods of Research and Analysis | 3 |
| ED 831 | Statistical Analysis for Educators | 3 |
| ED 850 | Innovative Leadership in a Culture of Change | 3 |
| ED 860 | Dissertation | Variable 1-3 credits |
| ED 865 | Advising Seminar | 0 |
| ED 899 | Capstone Project | 1 |
A minimum of 6 credits is required for
ED 860 Dissertation
Concentrations
Innovative Leadership in Higher Education (9 crs):
| ED 834 | Leadership and Organizational Behavior for Higher Education | 3 |
| ED 838 | Resource Management in Higher Education | 3 |
| ED 842 | Data-Driven Program Assessment and Evaluation | 3 |
Innovation in Curriculum and Instruction (9 crs):
| ED 820 | Innovative Practices in Instruction and Assessment | 3 |
| ED 824 | Organizational Structures in Education | 3 |
| ED 828 | Collaborative Leadership for Growth | 3 |