Educational Leadership and Change, Educational Doctorate
The 54-credit Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership and Change (ELC) is designed to prepare mid-career practicing professionals to hold leadership positions in higher education, where graduates serve as change agents. The ELC uses a scholar-practitioner model, which starts with the assumption of self-directed, collaborative learning among researchers, practitioners, educators, and students to produce scholar practitioners. Scholar-practitioners apply their scholarship to practice to be able to develop and create new knowledge which informs their work and the work of others (Shapiro, 2003).
Learning in a community of practice through cohorts is one of the central tenets of this program. It is facilitated through face-to-face and online interaction among students and faculty. Four residencies, which are generally two-day intense, face-to-face meetings with workshops and course meetings, support this approach. Each cohort constructs its community of practice throughout the program, learning together in embodied and integrated ways, and is supported by an innovative programmatic e-learning space. A sense of shared commitment and responsibility is nurtured over time. This cohort provides an environment for this model of learning to occur. Students culminate their program with a directed research project based in their own site of practice or directed at issues in their field.
Program Delivery and Tuition Rate
Most of the Ed.D. Program is delivered online asynchronously. In addition, the Program is supported by 4 required face-to-face1, cohort residencies which provide interpersonal experiences, and access to a community space that supplements the online course work.
The first Cohort residency is typically held at the start of the first term, followed by a short, weekend residency in June, at the end of years one, two and three. Students should refer to the catalog calendar, course syllabi, and the Term Guide for exact dates, locations and times.
This program is billed at the non-MBA rate.
| 1 | Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Fall 2021 residency will be held VIRTUALLY (3 days) following the guidance of the Center for Disease Control. |
Admission
The audiences for this program are higher education professionals who are looking to advance into upper leadership positions in institutions of higher education. Applications for admission are reviewed using a holistic approach that takes into account the totality of an applicant’s educational and professional accomplishments and potential for successful completion of the program and leadership in higher education. Applicants to the Ed.D. in ELC program are required to have an earned master’s degree in Educational Leadership, Higher Education Administration, Adult Learning, Student Affairs Administration, or a related field. At minimum, the master’s degree should include coursework in the content areas recommended by the Council for the Advancement of Higher Education Programs (CAHEP) for master’s degrees in higher education administration:
- History and Philosophy of Higher Education
- Administration and Leadership in Higher Education Context
- Economics and/or Finance of Higher Education
- Higher Education Law
- Organizational Development and Change Theories
Please review full admission requirements and procedure found on the Admissions page of this catalog.
Program Curriculum
The Ed.D. in ELC requires a total of 54 credit hours beyond the master's degree. The required prerequisite master's coursework in the areas recommended by the Council for the Advancement of Higher Education Programs, provide the foundation on which the Ed.D. in ELC builds to prepare mid-career professionals to be successful leaders in higher education.
Required Courses
The program begins with 12 credits of core coursework in the fundamental areas of leadership and change, 9 credits of research coursework, and 12 credits of advanced core coursework. Students then complete 6 credits of electives and the capstone sequence, which includes both a comprehensive portfolio assessment and a dissertation.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CORE COURSES | 12 | |
| Foundational Seminar: Critical Analysis and Communication | ||
| Principles of Higher Education Leadership | ||
| Organizational Change Theory and Practice | ||
| Ethical Leadership in the Academy | ||
| RESEARCH COURSES | 9 | |
| Research Methods in Education | ||
| Qualitative Research Analysis through Applied Research | ||
| Quantitative Research Methods | ||
| ADVANCED CORE COURSES | 12 | |
| Models of Organizational Administration and Finance | ||
| Leading Change in Social Justice and Diversity | ||
| Perspectives on Higher Education Administration, Management and Leadership | ||
| Institutional Culture and Strategic Change Management in Higher Education | ||
| ELECTIVES (Choose Two) | 6 | |
| Understanding Adult Education Practice | ||
| The Changing Contexts of Adult Learning | ||
| Student Development & Administration in Higher Education | ||
| Leadership & Contemporary Issues in Learning & Teaching | ||
| Assessment and Accreditation in Higher Education | ||
| CAPSTONE COURSES | 15 | |
| Professional Portfolio Seminar | ||
| Advanced Research Methods | ||
| Dissertation I 1, 2 | ||
| Dissertation II 3 | ||
| Dissertation III | ||
| Total Credits | 54 | |
Cross Registration and Transfer Credits
Students may transfer in or cross-register for no more than 6 credits toward the core, advanced core, research, or elective coursework. Students may not cross-register or transfer in credit toward capstone courses (i.e. EDLC 8000-8004). To be eligible for consideration, transfer credits must be:
- 7000-level or above
- from a regionally accredited college or university
- a final grade of B or better
- no more than seven years old at the time of the student's admission to the graduate program
Approval occurs in consultation with advisor after admission.
Suggested Enrollment Sequence
The table below outlines the typical half-time schedule sequencing. Supplementing this online coursework will be close mentorship, four short face-to-face residencies, and access to an online community space.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
First Cohort Residency and Orientation |
||
| EDLC 6000 | Foundational Seminar: Critical Analysis and Communication | 3 |
| EDLC 6001 | Principles of Higher Education Leadership | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDLC 6002 | Organizational Change Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EDLC 6003 | Research Methods in Education | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| EDLC 6005 | Quantitative Research Methods | 3 |
| EDLC 7003 | Models of Organizational Administration and Finance | 3 |
Second Residency (2-day) |
||
| Credits | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDLC 7021 | Institutional Culture and Strategic Change Management in Higher Education | 3 |
| EDLC 6006 | Ethical Leadership in the Academy | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDLC 7020 | Perspectives on Higher Education Administration, Management and Leadership | 3 |
| EDLC 6004 | Qualitative Research Analysis through Applied Research | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| EDLC 7005 | Leading Change in Social Justice and Diversity | 3 |
Third Residency (2-day) |
||
| Credits | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDLC 8000 | Professional Portfolio Seminar | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDLC 8001 | Advanced Research Methods | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| EDLC 8002 | Dissertation I 1, 2 | 3 |
Fourth Residency (2-day) |
||
| Credits | 3 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDLC 8003 | Dissertation II 3 | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDLC 8004 | Dissertation III | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 54 | |
| 1 | Requires the submission of the Dissertation Prospectus Form prior to registration |
| 2 | Requires the submission of the Dissertation Committee Form prior to registration |
| 3 | Requires the submission of the Admission to Candidacy Form prior to registration |
Dissertation
The Final Project of this Doctoral program is an applied dissertation which is:
- Research embedded in the student’s professional context;
- Requires implementation process of an intervention or an action plan after conducting an extensive study of the topic using appropriate research designs;
- Design to demonstrate the student’s ability to use data/research to solve practical problems;
- Provides the opportunity to design new curricula, new policies, and/or new ways introducing reform in their college or university; and
- Is an exercise whereby doctoral students demonstrate their ability to frame change as leaders and implement it using data to drive their professional efforts.
Students should be mindful of non-course milestones of the program as described below. After successful completion of all required courses and in particular, the Professional Portfolio Seminar course (EDLC 8000), students will begin their dissertation course work.
Non-course Ed.D. Milestones
Attendance at First Cohort Residency
- Expected Completion: Prior to first term, typically September
- Related Form: None, attendance mandatory
Attendance at Second, Third, Fourth Residencies
- Expected Completion: June of first, second and third years
- Related Form: None, attendance mandatory
Professional Portfolio
- Expected Completion: Completion and approval of EDLC 8000 Portfolio
- Related Form: Professional Portfolio form, submitted by EDLC instructor
Dissertation Prospectus and Dissertation Chair Selection
- Expected Completion: Completion and approval of EDLC 8000 Prospectus
- Related Form: Dissertation Prospectus form, submitted by EDLC 8000 instructor
Dissertation Committee Selection
- Expected Completion: Prior to EDLC 8002 enrollment
- Related Form: Dissertation Committee form, submitted by student to Graduate Student and Academic Services
Dissertation Proposal
- Expected Completion: Completion of EDLC 8002
- Related Form: Admission to Candidacy form, submitted by student to Graduate Student and Academic Services with committee signatures and IRB approval letter, if appropriate
Dissertation
- Expected Completion: Successful completion of the dissertation defense
- Related Form: Dissertation form, submitted by student to Graduate Student and Academic Services with committee signatures.1
Students should be in regular contact with their academic advisor and refer to the Ed.D. Student Handbook for guidance regarding the dissertation's specific policies and procedures. The handbook and all required forms can be found on MyESC under the Graduate Student Center link.
| 1 | Graduation clearance also involves verification that the dissertation was submitted to and approved for publication in UMI/ProQuest. |
Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Effectively communicate in oral and written form to a variety of stakeholders (e.g. students, employees, accreditors, and scholars) in both professional and scholarly settings;
- Apply research and data analysis to make leadership decisions that guide an institution of higher education through the process of innovation and change;
- Translate theories and principles of higher education leadership, change management, and innovation to practice as a scholar-practitioner to make leadership decisions that guide an institution of higher education through the process of innovation and change;
- Overcome barriers to the implementation of strategic change in higher education institutions;
- Make ethical leadership and management decisions to complex problems, in ambiguous situations, with multiple stakeholders; and
- Lead an institution of higher education to become more socially just through policies and strategies.