Educational Administration (Ed.D.) Program Curriculum & Admission Requirements

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

Coursework

Students take a major concentration of courses entailing a minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework. At least two courses from each of two or more of the department's various program areas must be included in the major concentration. Such courses should offer an opportunity for students to focus on policy questions.

Comprehensive examination

Upon completion of all coursework, the student is eligible for the comprehensive examination. The comprehensive examination consists of both a written and oral part and test the student's knowledge of the areas of the coursework; ability to reason, evaluate and draw supportable conclusions within the context of the subject area; and knowledge of current issues and trends within the field.

Dissertation

The purpose of the dissertation is to study one administrative problem or specialty in depth. The student is expected to generate original knowledge in a specialized field and contribute to resolving important problems or questions within the field of educational leadership.

Program Curriculum

The program’s curriculum reflects the needs and aspirations of each student, and prepares researchers, teachers and educational leaders for a variety of settings. The student will work closely with an advisor to determine a plan of study. The curriculum requirements outlined below are the minimum required for the school district leadership endorsement. Additional courses may be added to complete the building-level endorsement.

Core Requirements

Research Requirements

Dissertation Requirements

Please note, this is a potential plan of study. Please consult with your faculty advisor before enrolling. Individuals who have completed an Educational Specialist degree program and have already earned district level licensure endorsement are not required to complete ELPS 995: District Level Field Experience.

Summary of the Ed.D. program

Total core credit hours – 30;
Research credit hours – 9;
Dissertation credit hours – typically 9 – 18.

Graduate Admission

Applicants must have a master’s degree or equivalent with at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. International applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the application process well in advance of the application deadlines, in order to ensure adequate time for processing of visa related paperwork. Meeting minimum admission standards does not guarantee admission to the program. Applicants are strongly advised to contact one (or more) of the faculty members in the department prior to applying for the doctoral program. This cohort program begins in June of each year.

Application Deadlines

April 1

Summer semester priority application deadline

Application Checklist

Ed.D. in Educational Administration

Applicants are required to submit the following materials and meet the following requirements before the application deadline:

Admission & Curriculum Resources

The online application is designed to give applicants the ability to submit all supporting documents in one form. We invite you to explore our graduate degree information, review our student resources, and learn more on our knowledgeable faculty and the vibrant community of Lawrence, Kansas.

Apply Online