DOCTORATE OF EDUCATION – EDD

The Educational Leadership Program prepares its students to become teachers, building, district, and higher education leaders in a variety of educational settings. Students gain a deep understanding of school leadership as they explore concepts, share ideas, develop relationships, and make discoveries. They come to know educational agencies, the complexity of schools, the challenges of educational problems, and the intricacies of change. Through coursework and rich, experiential learning in schools and institutions where students are employed, they develop evidence and research-based leadership to contribute to the transformation of education and enhancement of the student learning experience. The summer residency program enables the development of deep, meaningful relationships, which are extended through online synchronous and asynchronous learning. The summer residency program is a portion of regular summer courses which are 12 weeks in length. There are two online summer courses that contain an on-campus residency requirement. Each course’s residency is one week in length in July; totaling two weeks of on-campus residency.

THE SC DIFFERENCE

Recently ranked by U.S. News and World Report for its online degree programs, Southwestern College offers quality online degrees to adult learners. With courses taught by expert faculty and access to a variety of student resources, SC learners are provided with the tools and flexibility needed to succeed in their education while preparing for professional advancement.

• Tailored online instruction
• Nonprofit
• Kansas Department of Education (KSDE) accredited
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredited

SUMMER RESIDENCY

The campus summer residency schedules two consecutive weeks in July for EDUC 804, Research 1 (week 1) and EDUC 903 Academic Writing (week 2).

Each course continues for one week. During the scheduled time, the course starts at 8:15 AM and then ends at 4:45 PM. Assignments extend into the evening, before and beyond the residency for the completion of a significant project in the research course and the writing course.

The Ed.D. program offers licensed building leaders to an added endorsement in district leadership. The non-licensure track is available in higher education leadership. Non-higher education students must show credentials that verify a K-12 license. For some leaders who have acquired the level of licensure desired for their career, this program can serve as a path to a doctoral degree.

For information about the educational leadership doctoral program, please complete the contact form.

APPLICATION PROCESS

View the steps to apply to the Doctor of Education program:

EdD Application Process

COURSES

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

PK-12 Educational Leadership

The PK-12 educational leadership track offers Kansas licensure programs in building administration and district administration.

Students admitted to the Ed.D. program without a master’s degree must complete a minimum of 90 credit hours, including a minimum of 24 credit hours in the dissertation core. One master’s degree can be conferred within the program. Students admitted with a master’s degree must complete one emphasis and 15 hours of electives (or second emphasis) for a minimum of 54 credit hours, including a minimum of 24 credit hours in the dissertation core.

Educational Emphases

Emphases are intended for graduate students to be able to apply for a second leadership endorsement.

Emphasis in District Leadership

All courses in this emphasis are required for District License:

• EDUC802 Educational Law DL (3 hours)
• EDUC809 District Level Leadership DL (3 hours)
• EDUC812 School Finance DL (3 hours)
• EDUC814 Environmental Scanning DL (3 hours)
• EDUC821 Introduction to Special Education Law DL (3 hours)
• EDUC859C District Leader Practicum DL (1 hour)

The following courses may be required for district licensure, if not previously completed:

• EDUC811 Building, District and Personal Liability BL (3 hours)
• EDUC813 Human Resources BL (3 hours)
• EDUC815 Information Strategies and Professional Practice BL (3 hours)
• EDUC816 Values, Ethics, and Professionalism BL (3 hours)
• EDUC817 Power and Politics of Education BL (6 hours)
• EDUC819 Classroom Inquiry through Action Research BL (3 hours)
• EDUC824 Mission and Vision for Student Learning BL (3 hours)

Emphasis in Educational Leadership

• EDUC819 Classroom Inquiry Through Action Research (3 hours)
• EDUC824 Mission and Vision for Student Learning (3 hours)
• EDUC825 Conflict in Education (3 hours)
• Two or more EDUC doctoral electives to account for a minimum of 15 hours.

Dissertation Core Requirements (Minimum of 24 credit hours)

• EDUC804 Research Methods 1 (3 hours)
• EDUC805 Statistical Methods 1 (3 hours)
• EDUC806 Advanced Qualitative Methods 2 (3 hours)
• EDUC901 Dissertation Writing 1 (3 hours)
• EDUC902 Dissertation Writing 2 (3 hours)
• EDUC903 Academic Writing (3 hours)
• EDUC904 Dissertation Writing 3 (3 hours)
• EDUC905 Dissertation Defense (3 hours)
• EDUC865 Educational Leadership Portfolio (1 hour)

Ed.D. courses not assigned to a degree plan can be selected as electives or substituted for the above courses. New courses will likely begin as topics courses to respond to field needs.

BL Courses are required for licensure in “Building” Leadership.

DL Courses are required for licensure or “District” Leadership.

Higher Education Leadership

Entrance into the higher education educational doctorate track requires that a master’s degree has been completed, prior to admission. Hours earned while completing a master’s degree cannot be applied toward the doctoral degree. Thirty (30) hours in selected higher education content categories are required in addition to 24 minimum credit hours in dissertation core requirements.

Higher Education Change Management & Accreditation

6 hours selected from:

• EDUC815 Information Strategies and Professional Practice (3 hours)
• EDUC825 Conflict in Education (3 hours)
• EDUC847 Assessment and Evaluation in Adult Education (3 hours)

Higher Education Leadership

12 hours selected from:

• EDUC816 Values, Ethics, and Professionalism (3 hours)
• EDUC817 Power and Politics of Education (6 hours)
• EDUC824 Mission and Vision for Student Learning (3 hours)
• EDUC822 Cultivating a Collaborative Culture of Learning (3 hours)

Professional Learning in Higher Education

3 hours selected from:

• EDUC823 Differentiated Program Planning & Professional Development (3 hours)
• EDUC845 Teaching Methods for Adult Learners (3 hours)

Higher Education Operations in Context

• EDUC830 Student Affairs and Enrollment Management in Higher Education (3 hours)
• EDUC833 Administration, Governance and Accreditation in Higher Education (3 hours)
• EDUC835 Finance, Policy, Legal and Ethical Issues in Higher Education (3 hours)
• EDUC859D Higher Education Practicum (1 hour)

Dissertation Core Requirements

• EDUC804 Research Methods 1 (3 hours)
• EDUC805 Statistical Methods 1 (3 hours)
• EDUC806 Advanced Qualitative Methods 2 (3 hours)
• EDUC819 Classroom Inquiry through Action Research (3 hours)
• EDUC901 Dissertation Writing 1 (3 hours)
• EDUC902 Dissertation Writing 2 (3 hours)
• EDUC903 Academic Writing (3 hours)
• EDUC904 Dissertation Writing 3 (3 hours)
• EDUC905 Dissertation Defense (3 hours)
• EDUC865 Educational Leadership Portfolio (1 hour)