The statement of purpose plays an important role in the admissions process. It is used by the admissions committee to learn more about you as a person, a potential online doctoral student, and as a potential future administrator in higher education. We recommend that the statement address the following points:
- Please tell us about yourself, your professional goals, and how the EdD will help you achieve those goals.
- Please describe how your personal and academic background will contribute to your success as a doctoral student. For example, you may discuss any educational, economic, cultural, or social experiences that shape you as a candidate. The committee recognizes that access to opportunity varies, so feel free to discuss any personal, academic, or professional challenges you have experienced. Not everyone will have challenges so you do not need to discuss them unless you feel doing so will help the committee assess promise for success as a doctoral student and a future professional.
- Pursuing a doctoral degree while working full-time can be a challenge. Please describe how, if accepted, you plan to manage your work-academic time, what level of support you have from your supervisor, and any other information that will help the admissions committee assess time available for doctoral study.
- If you have interests in specific aspects of higher education, please feel free to describe those interests, but it is not necessary that you have a defined area of interest in order to be considered for acceptance into the program.