Educational Leadership (EdD), Higher Education Concentration

CIP Code = 130401

A Doctor of Education (EdD) degree in Educational Leadership is offered at Louisiana Tech University. The EdD program is designed for individuals currently in or interested in pursuing leadership roles in P-12 or higher education.

Admission Requirements

Application deadline: July 1

Admission to the program is based upon the following criteria:

• Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• Minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.50 and a minimum cumulative graduate grade point average of at least 3.25.
• GRE Revised General requirements:
  • Combined Verbal (V) and Quantitative (Q) scores > 287 and neither the Q nor the V score may be less than 142
  • GRE General Scores (scale scores obtained prior to August 2011) will be converted to GRE Revised General Scores and the appropriate criteria applied
• Three letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with character, teaching/administrative performance, and ability to perform academically at the doctoral level.
• Personal resume
• Sample of scholarly writing.
• Extemporaneous writing exercise
• Admission interview.

The application process is competitive, and applying for admission does not guarantee admission.

All accepted applicants begin with a fall cohort. No exceptions.

Attendance at the annual EdD Institute (August) is mandatory for new doctoral candidates. Failure to attend may result in dismissal from the program.

Retention Requirements

• Candidates enrolled in the program must maintain a minimum 3.00 graduate grade point average (GGPA) during each term of enrollment. Failure to earn a 3.00 GGPA in any term will result in the candidate being placed on academic probation for the following term.
• Candidates placed on academic probation must remove the probation during the next term of enrollment by raising the cumulative GGPA to at least 3.00. Failure to achieve this grade point average will result in the candidate’s suspension from the program.
• Candidates may earn no more than two “C” grades in academic coursework. Any candidate earning more than two grades of “C” will be dismissed from the program.
• Any candidate who earns a grade of “D” or “F” in any required course will be dismissed from the program.
• Candidates must receive formal committee approval of the dissertation proposal in EDLE 778 prior to taking any additional courses in the program.
• As per University policy, candidates are expected to complete the requirements for the degree within 9 years from initial enrollment in the program. All coursework applied to degree completion must be not more than 9 years old at the time of completion, including credits transferred into Louisiana Tech University from another institution. Stopouts (any fall, winter, or spring quarter without enrollment) do not restart the 9-year timeline without extenuating circumstances.

Reinstatement

• Reinstatement, regardless of circumstances, is not guaranteed.
• Reinstatement is the term that applies to a process of formal appeal following a voluntary stopout or involuntary dismissal from the program.
• Readmission is the term that applies to a reapplication process for candidates who voluntarily take a stop-out.
• Reinstatement or readmission do not automatically restart the 9-year program completion requirement.
• Reinstatement following stopout or dismissal requires an appeal in accordance with departmental and University policies. Candidates may be dismissed and removed from the program for such things as exceeding the 9-year timeline, inadequate academic performance, or violation of University ethics, etc.
  • Reinstatement following stopout in same academic year: A candidate who voluntarily stops out then seeks reinstatement during the same academic year (fall-summer), may submit an appeal for reinstatement letter to the department chair and associate dean for academic affairs. If approved, the candidate will be reinstated without additional action to the cohort to which he/she was admitted.
  • Reinstatement following stopout in different academic year: A candidate who voluntarily stops out then seeks reinstatement in a different academic year (fall-summer) must reapply for admission and participate in the application process for new candidates as he/she would be seeking reinstatement to a different cohort.
  • Reinstatement following dismissal: A candidate who is dismissed and wishes to be reinstated may submit an appeal for reinstatement letter to the department chair and associate dean for academic affairs. If approved, the candidate may reapply for admission and participate in the application process for new candidates as he/she would be seeking reinstatement to a different cohort.

Comprehensive Portfolio

The comprehensive portfolio serves as the degree’s comprehensive/general exam. It is completed prior to enrollment in dissertation hours. Successful faculty evaluation of the comprehensive portfolio is required to progress in the program.

Dissertation

In addition to the research requirements associated with each course, all doctoral students are required to complete a dissertation. The dissertation topic must align to the degree specialization and must include field-based research. The dissertation proposal must be approved by the candidate’s doctoral committee and the University’s Human Use Committee prior to initiating research.

The candidate will be expected to enroll for a minimum of three semester hours of dissertation credit for each quarter in which the candidate is working with faculty on the dissertation. The student must be enrolled during the quarter in which the degree is conferred. No fewer than 12 semester hours of credit shall be earned for successful completion of the dissertation. The candidate will orally defend the completed dissertation and to make all required revisions prior to graduation.

Doctoral Committee

The candidate’s doctoral committee will consist of the major professor and a minimum of two additional faculty. Additional committee members may be added to address specific student program or research needs. The candidate’s doctoral committee is selected by the student but approved and appointed by the appropriate department and college leadership. Doctoral committee members must hold graduate faculty status at the time of appointment and maintain that status for the duration they serve on a committee.

Transfer of Credit for the Doctor of Education Degree

A maximum of 9 semester hours of graduate credit appropriate to the student’s degree program may be transferred from other institutions offering regionally accredited graduate programs at that institution. No credit for which a grade of less than “B” has been earned may be transferred. Requesting the application of transfer credit does not guarantee approval.

Time Limit for the Doctor of Education Degree

All degree requirements must be completed within the time line prescribed for doctoral programs by the Graduate School. Any appeal for extension must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.