2024-2025 Graduate Academic Catalog

PhD in Educational Studies: Educational Leadership Specialization 45 Credits

Educational leadership involves creative intelligence, an understanding of the disciplines that influence education, systems thinking, strategic planning, cultural responsiveness, trust building, and facilitation of collaborative efforts. This specialization is designed to develop educational leaders with the knowledge and skills to initiate, facilitate, support, and sustain school- or district-wide improvement of teaching, learning, and leading.

Students meet as a cohort in three nine-day summer residencies and attend online classes over the duration of the program. Program faculty are committed to promoting a scholarly and collegial community that informs and sustains both the academic work and professional responsibilities of cohort members.

  • Program prerequisite: Master's degree or Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study
  • Students must take EAGSR 9151 in fall, spring, and summer semesters of each year they are taking courses and each semester thereafter until they have completed their dissertation defense. 

For the university's transfer credit policy for this and other programs, see the Transfer of Credits page.

Program of Study

Year I (18 credits)

EAGSR 7118Nature of Inquiry: Below the Surface of Research

3

EAGSR 8110Change is a Process

3

GINTC 6110Values Differences and Moral Judgments in Contemporary Contexts

3

EAGSR 8108The Purposes of School in a Democratic Society

3

EAGSR 8107Critical Contexts for School Leaders

3

EAGSR 7004Adult Learning and Development

3

EAGSR 9151Doctoral Study

N/A

Year II (18 credits)

EAGSR 7200Writing in Doctoral Studies

3

EAGSR 7101Quantitative Research Methods I: Statistics for Research

3

EAGSR 8109Schools as Systems

3

EAGSR 7103Qualitative Research Methods I

3

EAGSR 8116Leadership Dilemmas

3

EAGSR 7104Qualitative Research Methods II

3

EAGSR 9151Doctoral Study

N/A

After successfully completing a qualifying paper, a student is advanced to Year III.

Year III (9 credits)

EAGSR 7502Doctoral Seminar Part 1

3

EAGSR 8503Research Design

3

EAGSR 8112Ph.D. Dissertation Seminar

3

EAGSR 9151Doctoral Study

N/A