Mar 28, 2024  
Graduate Catalog | 2016-2017 
    
Graduate Catalog | 2016-2017 Previous Edition

Educational Leadership, Ed.D


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The mission of the Department of Educational Leadership is to prepare educators as leaders.  The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership is designed to prepare educational administrators who can assume mid-level and senior-level leadership positions in public school and post-secondary settings.  The program includes three concentrations:  (1) superintendent, (2) curriculum/supervision, and (3) higher education.

Program Objectives


Graduates of the program are prepared to:

  1. Exhibit a broad understanding of their roles as educational leaders in the organizations they serve
  2. Demonstrate leadership competencies and skills necessary to accomplish the goals of complex organizations
  3. Interact successfully with the numerous institutions and interests that influence their organizations
  4. Understand theoretical concepts that undergird organizational theory and behavior, leadership,  social psychology, policy, educational administration, and research
  5. Address issues that face educational leaders, including resource acquisition and management; policy development and analysis; program management; community relations; curriculum development; and personnel selection, development, and evaluation

Concentrations


Superintendent or Curriculum/Supervision Concentration


This school program is designed to serve the needs of those interested in the study of issues regarding the administration of PK-12 public and private educational institutions.  These students pursue careers as superintendents and senior level administrators.  In addition to the program requirements regarding leadership experiences (see below), prospective students must hold a Master of School Administration, Master of Education in Curriculum Supervision, Master of Education in Instructional Technology, or a comparable degree.  These students must already have a valid “M” level certificate in an appropriate field.  Appropriate PK-12 North Carolina licensure will be recommended at the completion of the program.  A Superintendent Concentration or Curriculum/Supervision Concentration may be chosen by working with the advisor and selecting the appropriate courses and experiences.

Note to Students in one of the School Concentrations:  The Department of Educational Leadership follows the North Carolina Standards for Superintendents as approved by the State Board of Education, September 6, 2007.  A complete copy of the standards and guidelines is available online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/effectiveness-model/ncees/standards/superintendent-standards.pdf.

Higher Education Concentration


The Higher Education Concentration is designed for those interested in careers as senior level leaders in post-secondary settings, including higher education, adult education, and research.  To ensure the effectiveness and competence of individuals in such positions, coursework within the program is comprised of foundational work in educational leadership, research, and higher education with further specialization available in adult education or educational research.  Prospective students should already have a Master’s degree in an appropriate and related field.  They are neither required to hold North Carolina PK-12 licensure nor will any license or certificate be recommended upon graduation.

Additional Admission Requirements


Superintendent or Curriculum/Supervision Concentration


In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, applicants must have a master’s degree from an accredited institution.  Applicants should have a minimum of three years of documented successful work-related experience.  The applicant should provide a statement of purpose, description of previous relevant employment, and the nature of previous educational experiences in the essay. Recommendations from employers and former University instructors are required. 

Admission decisions are competitive.  These decisions are made by a departmental admissions committee that includes program faculty.  Applicants with the highest profile rankings are invited to participate in interviews that are conducted by the Ed.D. Admissions Committee.  The interview is designed to provide evidence of an applicant’s academic strength, leadership potential, and personal characteristics.  Decisions are based not only on the comparative profiles of all applicants, but also on the commitment of the Admissions Committee to achieve diversity among the students admitted each year.  Admission decisions are made in the Spring and Fall prior to each semester. 

Higher Education Concentration


In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, applicants must have a master’s degree from an accredited institution.  Candidates must have an entry-level license in educational administration or supervision; and they must have a minimum of three years of successful leadership experience, which may include the full-time internships.  Applicants must also submit a personal essay of purpose; a description of their previous relevant employment, highlighting their leadership experiences in school-settings; and recommendations from school administrators and former university instructors.

Admission decisions are based on a comparison on of applicant profiles and are made by a departmental admissions committee that includes program faculty.  Applicants with the highest profile rankings are invited to participate in interviews that are conducted by the Ed.D. Admissions Committee.  It is designed to provide evidence of an applicant’s academic strength, leadership potential, and personal characteristics.  Admission decisions are based not only on the comparative profiles of all applicants, but also on the commitment of the Admissions Committee to achieve diversity among the students admitted in each year’s cohort group.  Admission decisions are made in the Spring and Fall prior to each semester.

Degree Requirements


The Ed.D. program consists of a minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the master’s degree:

Superintendent Concentration


Elective Courses (6 credit hours)


Elective courses must be at the 8000 level and offered at UNC Charlotte.

Select from the following:

Proposal Design Course (3 credit hours)


Dissertation Course


Students continue to enroll in dissertation study (a minimum of 3 credit hours per semester) until completion of the degree.

Curriculum and Supervision Concentration


Elective Courses (6 credit hours)


Elective courses must be at the 8000 level and offered at UNC Charlotte. 

Select from the following:

Proposal Design Course (3 credit hours)


Dissertation Course


Students continue to enroll in dissertation study (a minimum of 3 credit hours per semester) until completion of the degree.

Higher Education Concentration


Elective Courses (15 credit hours)


Elective courses must be at the 8000 level and geared toward the student’s doctoral dissertation and/or professional pathway.  Elective courses include other higher education, adult education, advanced educational research, educational instructional systems technology, and related courses.

Select from the following:

Proposal Design Course (3 credit hours)


Students may take ADMN 8699  only after all coursework is completed or during the final semester of coursework.

Dissertation Course (6 credit hours)


Students must take ADMN 8999  only after all other coursework in the program is completed.  Students must maintain continuous enrollment in ADMN 8999, to include at least one Summer Session, until degree completion and must be enrolled during the semester in which they graduate.  Failure to maintain continuous enrollment in ADMN 8999  will result in dismissal from the program. 

Internship


All Superintendent and Curriculum Supervision Concentration students seeking licensure are required to complete an internship or practicum in a K-12 school district.  The internship is based upon identified objectives and organizational areas within the school system of the internship assignment.  Students are also required to complete a project based upon a current educational leadership topic related to student achievement.  Higher Education Concentration students may choose to include a practicum in their course of studies.

Advising


Doctoral students will have the benefit of three phases of advising as they pursue their degree.

Phase l


The doctoral coordinator or an assigned faculty member serves as the “temporary advisor” when students enter the program. During this phase, the advisor plans a course of study with students during the initial stages of the program. A Program Planning Sheet is used to document tentative plans for projected coursework. The planning sheet should be kept by the student and a copy should be provided to the advisor.

Phase 2


By the end of the first year of the program, students select a “program advisor” to serve as a guide through the completion of the coursework. This person also serves as the coordinator of the process to complete the Qualifying Examination. This advisor also helps the student identify faculty whose research interests and expertise are congruent with the student’s probable area of inquiry for the dissertation. This advisor in consultation of the student has the responsibility for creating a “doctoral committee” that is made up of the faculty who prepares and evaluates the written and oral comprehensive qualifying exam. (See Qualifying Examination section.)

The responsibility of the doctoral committee members includes:

  1. the approval of the student’s course of study;
  2. approval of the dissertation proposal; and
  3. evaluation of the final dissertation and oral defense.

Phase 3


Upon successful completion of the Qualifying Examinations, students are recommended for admission to candidacy. They may then select a “dissertation advisor” and a dissertation committee and complete a “Change of Advisor Form” if  needed. These committee members are appointed to serve on the committee with mutual consent between the student and each faculty member. The committee consists of four members of the Graduate Faculty: the Chairperson and two other members from the Department and one member appointed by the Graduate School from outside the Department of Educational Leadership.

The purpose of this process is to provide students with an opportunity to develop a direct working relationship with several faculty members. At the same time, it provides an individualized and personalized approach to the advising process. For example, some students may choose to keep the same faculty member to serve as both the program advisor and the dissertation advisor. Likewise, the doctoral committee and the dissertation committee could include some or all of the same faculty.

Qualifying Examination


Students are required to successfully pass a written and oral examination. The examination is based upon the core areas of the respective specializations.

Dissertation


Students must complete and defend a dissertation focused on a specific problem or question relevant to their specialization. Students must be continually enrolled in ADMN 8999  (Fall, Spring, and Summer) for dissertation research credit, beginning with the semester following completion of the comprehensive examination and continuing through the semester of their graduation. Defense of their dissertation is conducted in a final oral examination that is open to members of the University community.

Application for Degree and Application for Candidacy


Students may submit an Application for Degree and an Application for Candidacy during the semester in which they successfully defend their dissertation proposal. Adherence to Graduate School deadlines is expected. Degree requirements are completed when a student successfully defends the dissertation and files the final copy of the dissertation in the Graduate School.

Program Certification/Accreditations


  • National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
  • North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)

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