Educational Leadership - Higher Education Concentration, EdD

Program Code: EDD_702F
CIP Code: 13.0401

Program of Study for the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Admission Requirements: Master’s degree from an accredited college or university or the Education Specialist from Appalachian; complete application to the Graduate School ; official general GRE exam scores, unless waived; a letter of application including reasons for the applicant’s interest in the program. Applicants should arrange an interview with the Program Director in advance of submitting their completed application.

To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the criteria for admission to the Graduate School . In addition, the program faculty will give preference to applicants who meet or exceed the following: GRE Writing test score of 4.0 or higher.

Standardized Exam Waiver Eligibility: The standardized exam (GRE) requirement may be waived for applicants with:

An earned graduate degree with GPA of 3.0 or higher AND
At least five (5) years of professional experience in education

An earned Education Specialist (EdS) degree with GPA of 3.0 or higher from Appalachian State University

Location: On Campus, Off Campus and Online; Off-Campus and Online cohorts begin periodically, and follow a part-time extended format.

Additional Information about Standardized Exam Waiver Eligibility

Any standardized exam waiver for a graduate degree program at Appalachian State requires that applicants hold a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher in their last earned degree (undergraduate or graduate; some programs have established higher GPA requirements). No exam waiver is automatic but will require review and approval by the Graduate School upon submission of a complete application. An approved waiver request does not guarantee acceptance into the program. A denied waiver request does not mean that a candidate is denied admission to the program, only that a standardized exam score is needed to more fully evaluate the application. Standardized test scores may be required for scholarship consideration.

Course Requirements for the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Total Required (Minimum 60 Hours)

Required Courses (36 Hours)

Select Two of the Courses Below With Advice and Approval of an Advisor

Dissertation (6 Hours)

Students are required to register for 3 hours of Dissertation for two consecutive semesters, followed by at least 1 hour for every semester thereafter until the dissertation is completed. (See index for policy on completion of thesis/dissertation.)

EDL 7999 - Dissertation (1-9) - 6 hours minimum

Concentration Requirements (18 Hours)

EDL 7900 - Internship (3-6) 3 or 6 hours

Select from the Following

Select 12 or 15 hours from the following courses or other doctoral and graduate level courses with approval of the Doctoral Program Director.

Other Requirements for the EdD in Educational Leadership

Dissertation: Required
Proficiency: None required
Candidacy: Required
Qualifying Exam: Required
Product of Learning: None required

Notes

As required by UNC Board of Governors policy, doctoral students must remain enrolled in at least one hour each Fall and Spring semester until graduation once 6 dissertation semester hours are completed.
The internship is typically a two-semester experience under the co-sponsorship of an appropriate educational agency and the Doctoral Program. The student will engage in activities designed to bring together the relationship of theory and practice associated with the student’s intended concentration. Students may substitute 3 hours of internship for an additional 3 hours of elective courses with approval of the Program Director.
The program requires a minimum of 60 semester hours beyond the student’s master’s degree. All students must take at least 48 semester hours of doctoral coursework (or a combination of doctoral coursework and approved Ed.S. courses).
Students entering the doctoral program with an EdS in Higher Education from ASU will have fulfilled the requirements for a concentration in Higher Education.
Students who hold an earned Ed.S. degree from Appalachian State will be exempt from 24 - 30 credit hours of course work in the doctoral program. A student who holds an Ed.S. from a regionally accredited university may be exempt from up to 30 credit hours of coursework in the doctoral program. The exemption is not automatic. Specific Ed.S. coursework that might substitute for doctoral coursework will be identified after evaluation of eligible courses by the Program Director. All other degree requirements remain in effect. For further information on exemptions, contact the program director.