A Doctor of Education (EdD) degree in Educational Leadership is offered at Louisiana Tech University. The EdD program is designed primarily for K-12 personnel, including teachers, administrators, and school counselors. The primary goal of the doctoral program is the preparation of practitioner-scholars for roles in elementary, middle, and secondary school settings, however, some program completers may pursue careers in higher education. An individual who holds, or who is eligible to hold, a valid Louisiana Type B or Level 2 teaching certificate or has a comparable level out-of-state teaching certificate and three years of teaching experience in his or her area of certification and who successfully completes the EdD. Educational Leadership program and obtains a passing score on the current School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA) may qualify for Educational Leader Certificate Level I, in accordance with state requirements.
Admission Requirements for the EdD Degree
Beginning Fall 2012, admission is to the EdD program is based upon the following criteria:
- Applicants must hold a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in an area related to their proposed program of study.
- Applicants must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.50 and a minimum cumulative graduate grade point average of at least 3.25.
- Applicants must meet the following GRE Revised General requirements:
- Combined Verbal (V) and Quantitative (Q) scores > 287 and neither the Q nor the V score may be less that 142;
- GRE General Scores (scale scores obtained prior to August 2011) will be converted to GRE Revised General Scores and the appropriate criteria applied.
- Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with their character, teaching/administrative performance, and ability to perform academically at the doctoral level.
- Applicants should complete their admission portfolios by inclusion of a personal resume and a sample of their scholarly writing
- In addition to demonstrating evidence of academic competence and capability, those persons selected each year for this program will be applicants who are already considered leaders in their educational fields and who have clearly articulated their educational commitment. The application process is competitive.
Eligibility to Remain in the EdD Program
Students enrolled in the doctoral program must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.00 during each term of enrollment. Failure of the student to maintain an overall graduate grade point average of 3.00 or receipt of any grade lower than “C” or receipt of more than 6 semester hours of “C” in graduate coursework will result in termination from the program. The student must successfully complete all course work with a minimum grade point average of 3.00. A graduate student who is denied admission to or further continuance in the Doctor of Education degree program may appeal for admission or readmission.
Program of Study for the EdD Degree
Coursework
The approved degree program for each doctoral student must include a minimum of 66 hours beyond the master’s degree of which at least one-half must be in course work open only to doctoral students. Individuals possessing the Education Specialist Degree in the area in which they are pursuing the doctorate must complete a minimum of 51 additional semester hours of credit for the doctorate.
The program for the Doctor of Education degree consists of the following components:
| Education Foundations/Research/Statistics |
12 |
| Core Courses |
24 |
| Electives |
12 |
| Internship |
6 |
| Dissertation/Research Design Seminar |
12 |
| |
|
| Minimum Total Semester Hours |
66 |
Comprehensive Examination
The comprehensive examination, is administered when the student has completed all courses in the degree plan or is enrolled in them. This examination consists of a five-hour written component and a two-hour oral examination. Failure to complete this examination satisfactorily will result in a revision of the program of study and an additional examination. Failure to pass this examination after two attempts will result in termination of the student from the program. After satisfactory completion of the comprehensive examination, the student is admitted to candidacy.
Internship
The EdD internship is designed to provide candidates opportunities to apply the knowledge acquired in earlier program components to practical settings. The student’s doctoral committee will assist the student in internship placement.
Dissertation
In addition to the research requirements associated with each course, all doctoral students are required to complete a dissertation. The dissertation should be directed toward the degree specialization and must include field-based research. Candidates are encouraged to pursue the identification of a dissertation topic and the review of the literature prior to the comprehensive examination. The dissertation prospectus must be approved by the candidate’s doctoral committee after the comprehensive examination has been successfully completed. The proposed dissertation research must be reviewed and approved by the University’s Human Use Committee.
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 in a minimum of three semester hours of dissertation credit during the quarter in which the degree is conferred. No fewer than twelve 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 and appointed by the appropriate administrators.
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. Students are requested to submit catalog descriptions of courses under consideration. No credits for which a grade of less than “B” has been earned may be transferred. Neither internship nor dissertation credit may be transferred into programs.
Time Limit for the Doctor of Education Degree
All course work, internships, and the dissertation 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.
Policies and Procedures
Additional information about Doctor of Education (EdD) program policies and procedures is available online at: www.latech.edu/education/graduate_studies/programs/.