Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development

Educational Administration

75 semester hours beyond Master’s including dissertation; 66 semester hours of course work

Advising: Department of Leadership, Technology and Human Development, Dr. Linda Arthur P.O. Box 8131, Statesboro, GA 30460, (912) 478-0697, larthur@georgiasouthern.edu, FAX: (912) 478-7104, http://coe.georgiasouthern.edu/lthd/leadership.html

Admission Requirements

Applicants who wish to pursue advanced professional preparation in Educational Administration beyond the Specialist degree, with a view for becoming a candidate for the Ed.D. degree, will be expected to file a formal application and present themselves to the faculty for special tests and/or interviews. Recommendations on admission will be made by program faculty only after screening procedures have been carried out. Admission will be upon the recommendation of the program committee, or the committee’s designated representative, and the approval of the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

Admission to the Ed.D. program in Educational Administration requires the applicant’s satisfaction of the following standards:

1.       Complete all College of Graduate Studies admission requirements.
2.       Hold a Master’s degree. Applicants who anticipate eventual endorsement for the Level Six and Level Seven Certificates in Educational Leadership should hold the Georgia Level Five Certificate at the point of admission.
3.       Present a minimum grade point average of 3.50 (4.0 scale) in previous graduate work.
4.       Hold an administrative or supervisory position at the P-12 or post-secondary level. Alternate admission criteria are applied when the applicant is not so employed.
5.       Present scores from the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).
6.       Submission of four professional references which attest to the applicant’s potential for success in a doctoral program and for executive leadership in education.
7.       Submission of a personal statement which outlines the applicant’s future direction and how the degree will benefit the applicant.
8.       Submission of a brief, two-page resume which highlights the achievements of the applicant.
9.       Submit a completed “Disclosure and Affirmation Form” that addresses misconduct disclosure, criminal background check, the Code of Ethics for Educators, and tort liability insurance.
10.  Successful interview, if requested.

The final phase of the admission process will require adherence to the following procedures:

1.       Applicant credentials are rated by Educational Leadership (EDL) faculty.
2.       These faculty, meeting as a committee of the whole, will use these ratings to assemble a list of top candidates for interviews.
3.       Students may be required to interview with EDL Faculty. The interview would explore their potential for leadership in educational organizations, qualifications for doctoral study, their career aspirations, their visions for education, and their thoughts on topics for doctoral level study.
4.       A writing sample may be required.
5.       Educational leadership faculty, meeting as a committee of the whole, make recommendations on candidates for each cohort.
6.       Faculty recommendations are forwarded to the College of Graduate Studies.

Residency:  The Ed.D. degree presupposes a minimum of five semesters of continuous study beyond the Specialist Degree and cannot be secured through summer study alone. At least six semester hours must be completed during each of two semesters to satisfy full-time residency requirements at Georgia Southern University (semesters do not have to be consecutive).

Time Limit:  All course requirements for the Ed.D. degree, except the dissertation, must be completed within a period of three years. This time requirement begins with the first registration for core (Tier II) courses on the student’s approved program of doctoral study.  In addition, a candidate for the Ed.D. degree who fails to complete all degree requirements within five years after passing the comprehensive examinations and being admitted to degree candidacy will be withdrawn from the program, or must retake comprehensive examinations to be reinstated.

Grade Average:  A student must maintain at least a 3.50 GPA on all graduate courses taken and on all courses on the Program of Study.

Supervisory Committee.  Before the end of the fourth semester of study in Tier II of a prospective candidate for the Ed.D. degree, the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies shall, upon the recommendation of the program coordinator offering the degree, appoint a Supervisory Committee for the student. The committee will consist of a major professor, who will serve as committee chairperson, and three additional members. The chair of the Supervisory Committee must meet all requirements established by the College of Graduate Studies for directing doctoral dissertations. All members of the committee must have graduate faculty status. Department recommendations for committee membership, and any necessary replacements, shall be determined by procedures established by the majority of the graduate faculty of that program. The Supervisory Committee, in consultation with the student, is charged with planning and approving the student’s Program of Study.  It is also charged with approving a subject for the dissertation, and approving the student’s oral defenses of his/her research.  The committee will advise the student of the skills and understandings required both in content and inquiry/research areas.

Program of Study.  A preliminary Program of Study based on a minimum of seventy-five semester hours beyond the Master’s degree, will be submitted to the Program Coordinator by the end of the student’s first semester of study. The preliminary program must be developed by the Program Coordinator and the doctoral student.  A total of 30 semester hours of course work, exclusive of dissertation credit, must be taken at Georgia Southern University at the doctoral level.  A final Program of Study must be approved by the Supervisory Committee, the Department Chair, and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies before application for admission to degree candidacy. The final Program of Study submitted prior to graduation must show all graduate courses relevant to the Ed.D. program (Specialist and transfer credit), and not just courses satisfying minimum degree requirements. A minimum of nine semester hours of dissertation credit must be included in the Program of Study. Program faculty will evaluate carefully and fully each doctoral student’s progress at the end of each year of study to advise the student whether or not to continue in the program.

Comprehensive/Qualifying Examinations.  A student must pass formal, comprehensive written and/or oral examinations before being admitted to candidacy for the degree. These examinations will be administered in accordance with policies in effect in the College of Graduate Studies and the student’s department. The oral examination will be an inclusive examination within the student’s field of study.  Following each examination, written and/or oral, each member of the Supervisory Committee will cast a written vote of “pass” or “fail” on the examination. At least three out of a possible four positive votes are required to pass each examination. The results of both examinations will be reported to the College of Graduate Studies.  If a student fails the comprehensive examination for a second time, he/she will be removed from the program.

Admission to Degree Candidacy.  The student is responsible for initiating an application for admission to degree candidacy so that it is filed with the College of Graduate Studies at least two semesters before the date of graduation. The application for degree candidacy is a certification by the student’s program that the student has shown the ability to do acceptable graduate work in the chosen field of study and that:

1.       all prerequisites set as a condition for admission have been met;
2.       all inquiry/research skill requirements have been met;
3.       the final Program of Study has been approved by the Supervisory Committee, the Department Chair, and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies;
4.       a grade point average of 3.50 or higher has been maintained on all graduate courses taken and on all completed courses on the Program of Study; no more than one grade of “C” may be placed on the final Program of Study;
5.       written and/or oral comprehensive examinations have been passed and reported to the College of Graduate Studies;
6.       the Supervising Committee, including any necessary changes in the membership, is confirmed and all its members have been notified of their appointments; and
7.       the residency requirement has been met.

The Supervisory Committee Chair has the primary responsibility for guiding the student’s research, but the student should regularly consult all members to draw upon their expertise in relevant areas.  After admission to degree candidacy, a student must register for a minimum of nine semester hours. Students in the Ed.D. degree program in Educational Administration must enroll in EDLD 9999-Dissertation. Students must be enrolled for a minimum of three semester hours of credit in any semester when using University facilities or staff time. Students must be continuously enrolled (fall and spring semesters) in EDLD 9999 after Admission to Candidacy.

Dissertation Planning.  The dissertation preprospectus and prospectus for the Ed.D. degree in Educational Administration will be defended by the candidate upon completion of all prerequisite course work. It is possible that the composition of the student’s Supervisory Committee may change to ensure that faculty members are knowledgeable in the areas of the student’s research. If changes in the composition of the original committee are in order, all affected parties will be notified, including the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.  The Supervisory Committee Chair and the committee membership will guide the student in planning the dissertation. When the Committee Chair certifies that the dissertation prospectus is satisfactory, it must be formally considered by the Supervisory Committee at a meeting with the student. Following the meeting, each committee member will cast a written vote of “pass”, “fail,” or “pass with modifications.” At least three out of a possible four positive votes are required for approval. Their signatures on the appropriate form, with a final copy of the approved prospectus, will be filed in the department office. A copy of the approval/disapproval form will be forwarded to the College of Graduate Studies.  If a student fails any stage of the dissertation process (preprospectus, prospectus or full dissertation) a second time, he/she will be removed from the program.

Dissertation Defense and Approval.  When the Supervisory Committee chair is satisfied with the completed dissertation, he/she will certify approval and indicate that it is ready to be read by all members of the Supervising Committee. Copies will be distributed to the remaining members of the Supervisory Committee, a final oral defense scheduled, and the College of Graduate Studies notified. The College of Education will announce the time and place of the defense of the dissertation. Committee members will have at least three weeks to READ and evaluate the dissertation. If the committee declines to approve the dissertation, the Supervisory Committee Chair will so notify the student and the College of Graduate Studies.  The oral defense session will be led by the Supervising Committee Chair and must be attended by all members of the committee. This meeting is open to all members of the University community. Three out of four members of the committee must approve the student’s dissertation and defense and certify their approval in writing.  The results of the defense must be reported to the College of Graduate Studies as per deadlines announced by the College of Graduate Studies. Once the dissertation has been approved by the Supervisory Committee and the final oral examination has been passed, the dissertation must be submitted in electronic format to the College of Graduate Studies for final approval by the deadline announced by the College of Graduate Studies.

Other Requirements.  The student must submit a receipt showing that he/she has deposited with the University Controller the cost of microfilming the dissertation. (If the student wishes to copyright the dissertation, an additional charge must be paid.) This fee must be presented to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies in the form of a receipt from the Georgia Southern University Business Office.

Program of Study

Tier I Content Courses.........................................................................................................................................36 Hours

Selected by student and advisor

Tier II Core Courses.............................................................................................................................................................. 30 Hours

EDLD 9231 - Administrative Theory (3)
EDLD 9232 - Decision Making/Problem Solving (3)
EDLD 9233 - Leadership Theory (3)
EDLD 9234 - Doctoral Seminar (3)
EDLD 9235 - Contemporary Issues in Educational Administration (3)
EDLD 9236 - Diversity and Ethics for Educational Leaders (3)
EDLD 9631 - Research Seminar I (3)
EDLD 9632 - Research Seminar II (3)
EDUR 9131 - Doctoral Research Methods (3)
EDUR 9231 - Qualitative Research in Education (3)

Tier III Dissertation.............................................................................................................................................. 9 Hours

EDLD 9999 - Dissertation (minimum of 9 credit hours)

Ed.D. Electives

Elective course selection is dependent upon the program option.  Course credit is given for Ed.S. course work to a maximum of 36 semester hours, provided the course work was completed in a timely manner at an accredited institution authorized to offer the Ed.S. in Educational Administration/Leadership.
Strands

There are three strands in the doctoral program in Educational Administration: P-12 Administration, Higher Education Administration, and Teacher Leadership.

Last updated August 8, 2009