Educational Leadership (EdD), Higher Education Leadership 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:

• Minimum of a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• Minimum cumulative graduate grade point average (GGPA) of at least 3.25.
• GRE Revised General requirements:
  • Combined Verbal (V) and Quantitative (Q) scores > 287
  • Analytical Writing score greater than or equal to current national average (Current national average is available on GRE Website.  Applicants with scores below the current national average may be admitted but may be required to complete a program writing exercise.
• Advanced knowledge and/or experience in educational leadership evidenced by 1) a graduate degree in educational leadership or 2) significant leadership experience demonstrated with artifacts related to the experience.
• Participation in an admission seminar (schedule provided after application is received)

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 Leadership 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 earning a grade in EDLE 778 and taking EDLE 777 or EDLE 799.
• As per University policy, candidates must complete all degree requirements within 9 years from initial enrollment in the program. 

Readmission

• A stopout (any fall, winter, or spring quarter without enrollment) requires the candidate to file a readmission appeal to the department chair and associate dean for academic affairs.
• Candidates may be dismissed from teh program for such things as exceeding the 9-year timeline, inadequate academic performance, or violation of relevant University policy. 
• Readmission, regardless of circumstances, is not guaranteed.
• Readmission does not restart the 9-year program completion requirement.
• Decribed below are the readmission condiations based on a candidate’s circumstances.
  • Readmission following stopout in same academic year: A candidate who voluntarily stops out then seeks reinstatement during the same academic year (fall-summer), must submit an appeal for reinstatement letter to the department chair and associate dean for academic affairs. If approved, the candidate will be readmitted to the cohort to which he/she was admitted.
  • Readmission 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 unless he/she has no coursework except dissertation-related coursework remaining.  Whether the readmit a candidate under this circumstance is at the department chair’s discretion.
  • 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 9 credit hours 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.

Academic Advising, Major Professor/Advisor, and Doctoral Committee

In the first year of enrollment, candidates are advised by the program coordinator who will assist them in preparing initial plans of study to be submitted during the first quarter of enrollment. By the fourth quarter of enrollment (summer quarter following first year), each candidate will select a major professor who will assume academic advising duties and begin mentoring the candidate on his/her dissertation proposal. With consultation from the major professor, the candidate will select a doctoral committee prior to enrolling in EDLE 788.

The candidate’s doctoral committee will consist of the major professor as chair and a minimum of two additional faculty. At least two committee members, including the major professor, must represent the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Leadership as determined by the department chair. 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 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.

Should a major professor leave the University while serving on a committee, the discretion of the department and college leadership with approval from the Graduate School dean, the major professor in question may continue to serve on a voluntary basis with an honorary appointment to the University’s Graduate Faculty for that specific purpose only. The honorary appointment will terminate upon the student’s successful completion of the dissertation or upon the chair’s subsequent replacement.