The PhD program prepares individuals to conduct and evaluate research that will expand knowledge in educational leadership. Typically, the PhD student plans a career as a university professor, a policy analyst, or a research director in a state or local education agency.

Students who plan careers as school or district-level leaders or leaders in an educational institution relevant to school or district leadership should apply for the EdD program in educational leadership. In contrast to the PhD which is designed to prepare individuals to conduct research and to become policy analysts, the EdD program is designed to prepare scholarly practitioners.

Admission requirements

The EDLE program has a rolling application deadline for fall semester admission; however, to ensure your application can be reviewed by all faculty in a timely fashion, please get your complete application package to both the Graduate School and the EDLE program by no later than April 15. Any application materials received beyond that date may not be reviewed in time for you to be accepted for the Fall semester. Applicants must first submit an application to the Toulouse Graduate School. In addition, the applicant must submit an application portfolio to the educational leadership program that includes the items listed below. NOTE: The application will not be reviewed by the EDLE faculty until all documents listed below have been received.

Each PhD 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 addressing the applicant’s two most important professional achievements; the applicant’s career goals; and an explanation of how completing the degree in educational leadership will relate to those goals.
6. A sample of the applicant’s best-written work in the form of (a) scholarly oriented paper (PhD) with references, (b) scholarly oriented assignment with references, (c) an annotated bibliography, or (d) a published article or book chapter.

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 or educational leadership must complete a minimum of 15 hours of deficiency courses in educational leadership. 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.

As many as 18  hours of advanced study beyond the master’s degree or its equivalent at another institution may be accepted and credited toward the doctorate in educational leadership, provided the candidate’s advisor and program coordinator recommend acceptance of the transfer credit to the graduate school.

1. The time limit for doctoral credit applies to the transfer credits.
2. The time limit for the degree plan begins with the date of the first course on the degree plan including transfer credit. The time limit for the doctoral courses is eight years.
3. Transfer credit must be a B or higher.
4. Courses completed at other institutions must be equivalent to the content and expectation of the doctoral courses for which the student wishes to receive transfer credit at UNT/within the Educational Leadership Program.
5. In accordance with the rules of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, at least one-third of the semester hours required for any graduate degree must be completed in course work at UNT.

Residency requirement

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