Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Master's: 42
Required Courses:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| AOD 5534 | Group Facilitation and Consultation | 3 |
| EDAD 8093 | Administration Research Seminar | 3 |
| EDAD 8461 | Ethical Leadership | 3 |
| EDAD 8553 | Democratic, Equitable, and Ethical Leadership | 3 |
| EDAD 8635 | Education Policy Analysis | 3 |
| EDAD 8636 | Research for Change | 3 |
| EDAD 8653 | Civic Leadership | 3 |
| EDAD 8755 | Organizational Dynamics | 3 |
| EDUC 5262 | Introduction to Qualitative Research | 3 |
| EDUC 5325 | Introduction to Statistics and Research | 3 |
| EPSY 8627 | Introduction to Research Design and Methods | 3 |
| SPED 8101 | Trends and Issues in Special Education | 3 |
| Research Courses 1 | 6 | |
EDUC 9998 | Dissertation Proposal Design | |
EDUC 9999 | Doctor of Education Dissertation 2 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 42 | |
- 1
Students are required to complete a minimum of 6 credits that include EDUC 9998 and EDUC 9999. Of the 6 credits overall, a minimum of 2 credits of EDUC 9999 must be taken.
- 2
Students enroll in EDUC 9999 after their proposal is approved, taking at least 1 credit each term until the dissertation is defended and filed with the Graduate School. A minimum of 2 credits of EDUC 9999 must be earned.
Proposed Plan of Study Outlined by Year and Term
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer II | Credit Hours | |
| EDAD 8461 | Ethical Leadership | 3 |
| EPSY 8627 | Introduction to Research Design and Methods | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Fall | ||
| EDAD 8635 | Education Policy Analysis | 3 |
| EDUC 5325 | Introduction to Statistics and Research | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDAD 8653 | Civic Leadership | 3 |
| EDUC 5262 | Introduction to Qualitative Research | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Summer II | ||
| EDAD 8636 | Research for Change | 3 |
| EDAD 8755 | Organizational Dynamics | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Fall | ||
| EDAD 8093 | Administration Research Seminar | 3 |
| SPED 8101 | Trends and Issues in Special Education | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDAD 8553 | Democratic, Equitable, and Ethical Leadership | 3 |
| EDUC 9998 | Dissertation Proposal Design 1 | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 4 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Summer II | ||
| AOD 5534 | Group Facilitation and Consultation | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Fall | ||
| EDUC 9999 | Doctor of Education Dissertation 1,2 | 2 |
| Credit Hours | 2 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 9999 | Doctor of Education Dissertation 1,2 | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 42 | |
- 1
Students are required to complete a minimum of 6 credits that include EDUC 9998 and EDUC 9999. Of the 6 credits overall, a minimum of 2 credits of EDUC 9999 must be taken.
- 2
Students enroll in EDUC 9999 after their proposal is approved, taking at least 1 credit each term until the dissertation is defended and filed with the Graduate School. A minimum of 2 credits of EDUC 9999 must be earned.
Curriculum ONLY for the EdD Program in Jamaica, in collaboration with Church Teachers' College
Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Master's: 45
Required Courses:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| EDAD 5301 | Leadership for Learning | 3 |
| EDAD 5303 | Ldshp in Diverse Context | 3 |
| EDAD 5653 | Educational Leadership as Civic Leadership | 3 |
| EDAD 8093 | Administration Research Seminar | 3 |
| EDAD 8461 | Ethical Leadership | 3 |
| EDAD 8635 | Education Policy Analysis | 3 |
| EDAD 8775 | Understanding Organizational Dynamics in Educational Settings | 3 |
| EDAD 8787 | Administration of Higher Education | 3 |
| EDUC 5101 | Critical Understanding of Social Science Research | 3 |
| EDUC 5262 | Introduction to Qualitative Research | 3 |
| EDUC 5325 | Introduction to Statistics and Research | 3 |
| EDUC 8102 | Ethnographic Research Methods | 3 |
| or EPSY 8625 | Intermediate Educational Statistics | |
| URBE 5401 | Policy and Practice in Urban Education | 3 |
| Research Courses 1 | 6 | |
EDUC 9998 | Dissertation Proposal Design | |
EDUC 9999 | Doctor of Education Dissertation | |
| Total Credit Hours | 45 | |
- 1
Of the 6 research credits required, a minimum of 2 credits of EDUC 9999 Doctor of Education Dissertation must be taken.
Culminating Events:
Preliminary Examination:
At the end of the academic term in which students are enrolled in EDAD 8093 Administration Research Seminar and prior to completion of the dissertation proposal, students complete a preliminary exam (also sometimes called "comps" or "comprehensive exam"). The preliminary exam consists of written responses to three questions developed by the instructor of the Research Seminar. Through the comprehensive exam, students must demonstrate the ability to:
- situate and define a chosen topic or field within the concepts and history of the field;
- compare, contrast and justify various research methods appropriate to investigation of a practice-based research problem; and
- critically synthesize the extant scholarly and practice-focused literature that informs administrative practice related to the topic.
Students must obtain a passing score on the preliminary exam prior to registering for EDUC 9998 Dissertation Proposal Design. A passing score is also required for elevation to candidacy following a successful proposal defense.
Dissertation Proposal:
In the term immediately following completion of the EDAD 8093 Administration Research Seminar and successful completion of the comprehensive exam, students enroll in EDUC 9998 Dissertation Proposal Design. Like EDAD 8093 Administration Research Seminar, EDUC 9998 Dissertation Proposal Design serves as a structured, intensive cohort-based monthly workshop in which students design and defend a dissertation proposal that outlines a rigorous plan for empirical study of an issue relevant to the student’s professional responsibilities or aspirations. The proposal must incorporate a thorough and critical review of literature relevant to the topic, a discussion of theoretical approaches to understanding and studying the topic, a conceptual or theoretical framework that will guide the study, and a robust methodological plan that includes assurances of completing Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and any interview or other protocols necessary to submit for IRB review. Dissertation proposal defense occurs at any point during or at the end of the academic term. Students receive feedback from the faculty advisor, other committee members and their cohort peers during their defense.
Dissertation:
The EdD dissertation is distinct from the PhD dissertation in that the intent of the EdD dissertation is not to build theory but to make a substantive contribution to practice-focused scholarship in a particular domain of K-12 educational leadership. EdD dissertations are typically less lengthy than PhD dissertations and cover a smaller scope of theorizing and data collection. They are, however, held to the same standards as PhD dissertations with respect to methodological validity, data analysis, and writing quality and clarity.
Following successful defense of the dissertation proposal and after securing IRB approval, students carry out an original research project intended to make a significant practice-based contribution to the field. While the EdD dissertation is meant to have practical and applied relevance, however, it is nonetheless expected to engage rigorously with existing literature and theory appropriate to the student’s chosen topic and to demonstrate the student’s ability to execute robust methods appropriate to the student’s research question(s). Toward this end, EdD students:
- prepare a dissertation study report that is a standard academic manuscript, which includes an introduction, literature review, conceptual/theoretical framework, methodology, results, discussion and references; and
- produce a white paper/executive summary that distills the lessons of their research for practitioners in their field.