The Doctor of Education degree with a major in educational leadership is designed for students who plan careers as district-level school administrators. This degree emphasizes the application of educational research and accepted management practice to educational leadership. Minor fields may be selected from any other discipline at the university.

Certification as a superintendent can be part of this program. Five courses are required for this certification, four of which also apply toward the EdD. The fifth course is a superintendent internship. (See Administration Certification, Superintendent .)

Students who plan careers as university professors or educational researchers may consider the PhD program in educational administration. In contrast to the EdD, the PhD program includes more preparation for conducting research.

Admission requirements

Applicants must submit documentation to the educational leadership program office by October for the spring semester or March for the fall semester. Students applying for the EdD program will be expected to declare as an objective a career as a school administrator.

Applicants must meet requirements for admission to the Toulouse Graduate School, general education requirements (as listed in the College of Education section of this catalog) and the departmental requirements for admission to doctoral study.

A candidate for admission to the doctoral program must have completed 24 hours in education at the undergraduate or master’s level. Students who do not have a master’s degree in school administration must complete a minimum of 15 hours of deficiency courses in educational administration. These courses, generally taken prior to or concurrent with the doctoral requirements, are specified by the student’s major professor.

It is expected that applicants will have had experience as public or private school teachers and will hold a teacher’s certificate.

Applicants must submit official scores for the verbal, quantitative and analytical writing sections of the GRE for admission.

Each EdD applicant must submit an admissions portfolio, including:

1. Letters of recommendation from three persons who can give evidence of the applicant’s reading, writing and critical thinking skills. One of the letters should be from a college or university professor, and one letter should be from a supervisor familiar with the individual’s professional work.
2. A detailed resume.
3. Documentation of having experience as a public or private school teacher at the elementary or secondary school level.
4. Documentation of having experience in administrative, managerial or other leadership positions.
5. A three-page personal statement. (Contact program for details.)
6. A sample of his or her best written work in the form of a published article or book chapter, a research term paper, or a district or agency report.
7. A three-page discussion of the two or three most important books that he or she has read recently.

Applicants must also complete a written admissions exam. The admissions exam is given twice each year, in November and April.

The purpose of the admissions exam is to ascertain organizational abilities, capacity for rational thinking, and writing skill. Prior to the admissions exam, each student will be given a book chapter, research paper, or book to read. The questions on the admissions exam will relate to the prior reading assignment. It is up to the student to make sure that all requested items have been submitted.

Residency requirement

See residency requirements in the “Doctoral degree requirements ” section of this catalog.