Doctoral Program

The Doctor of Education (D.Ed.) is the usual doctoral degree offered in Educational Leadership. The career goal of one pursuing a D.Ed. should be the professional practice of educational leadership. The career goal of one pursuing a Ph.D. should be research and scholarly work. See  information on The WEDNESDAY PROGRAM.

Doctoral Degree Admission Requirements

All graduate students must complete the Graduate School admission application, http://gradsch.psu.edu/portal/, and complete the necessary program requirements listed under each area. Prospective students should complete all application procedures during the semester prior to the one in which they wish to enroll.

Graduate School Application

• Nonrefundable $65 electronic application fee
• Two official transcripts from each institution attended (undergraduate and graduate)
• Three letters of recommendation
• Personal Statement of goals
• Vita
• Doctoral applicants must submit Miller Analogies Test (MAT) score or GRE scores
• Provide a writing sample of a critique of an education article or a recent paper
• International students must supply a passing official TOFEL score report of 80 or higher with 20 or above on all sections of the TOFEL or a passing official score of 6,5 is required on the IELTS exam.

D.Ed. Program Requirements

Students who pursue the D.Ed. in Educational Leadership must:

• complete 75 credit hours of graduate work, plus at least 15 hours of 600 level work for dissertation (included in the 75 hours of course work is a graduate minor embracing 15 credits in a field other than education or 15 credits in general studies);
• complete a minimum of 18 credit hours in Educational Leadership coursework, a minimum of 15 credit hours in a supporting field, a minimum of 9 credit hours of research coursework and complete thesis research credits as needed;
• complete a graduate major embracing a minimum of 45 semester hours in or related to that professional field;
• offer evidence of competence in the field of educational measurement, statistics, and research;
• successfully complete comprehensive written and oral examinations;
• complete a doctoral thesis representing not less than 15 semester hours of on-campus and/or off-campus research (EDLDR 600/610);
• and complete a full-time residence of two semesters. Participation in the Wednesday Program would fulfill the residency requirement.
• A total of at least 90 credits must appear on the student's PSU transcript which must include the 15 credits from outside of EDLDR coursework(minor area)) and the 15 dissertation credits.
  
  The Wednesday Program

   

  Doctoral Program (D. Ed.) for Administrators in Practice

  
  The Wednesday Program at The Pennsylvania State University is designed for school administrators in practice. It is offered every-other year (i.e., in the 2000-2001 academic year but not the 2001-2002 academic year). The program operates all day on Wednesdays during the fall and spring semesters, providing credit toward the D.Ed. in Educational Leadership. This allows cohort members to meet the full-time residency requirement while continuing to work in their current position. Participants in the program obtain permission from their school districts to pursue their professional development by participating in the program each Wednesday for one school year.

  The cohort is composed of school administrators in the Commonwealth, and other graduate students in Educational Leadership, who meet in group and seminar activities, creating a real-world, problem-solving environment. (All full-time students are strongly encouraged to join the Wednesday Program). Learning is enhanced by having contact with educational leaders in the field and working with Educational Leadership faculty.

   

  Purpose

  The mission of the program is to develop leaders prepared for, and committed to, the reform and continuous improvement of American education. Central to this commitment is a belief, first, that higher levels of learning are necessary and possible for all children and, second, that school administration must emphasize organizing and leading for learning.

   

  Problems of Practice

  The Program focuses on problems and issues that school leaders face. You will explore ways to identify and solve problems with the help of outstanding practitioners and professors as part of the instructional team. The emphasis is on problem-finding/formulation, problem-solving, and applications of theory, research, and best-practice knowledge.

   

  Policy Issues

  The Program's focus on problems and issues involves in-depth analysis of competing values and value issues; and of policy design and the costs and benefits of alternative policies in education. Issues in leadership, policy implementation, and school effectiveness and improvement are emphasized.

   

  Active Learning

  Active involvement in group activities helps to build individual and group leadership skills and collaborative problem solving.

   

  Organization

  The program is organized into three seminars that meet each Wednesday: a Policy Seminar, a Research Seminar, and a Decision-Making Seminar. The Policy Seminar analyzes the effectiveness of educational policies and examines policy-making at the local, state, and national levels. In this connection, the Program includes a day-long seminar in Harrisburg, on state-level education policy, and a day-long seminar in Washington, DC, on national education policy. These seminars give the group an opportunity to meet with key policy-makers, legislators, policy-makers, legislators, policy advisors, and professional association representatives.

  The first semester of the Research Seminar provides an introduction and overview of research methods. The second semester builds and expands on this, with an emphasis on finding and formulating worthwhile research projects. This method of study facilitates the movement of cohort members toward a dissertation topic and dissertation proposal.

  The Decision-Making Seminar focuses on the identification and analysis of problems of practice, and uses group projects, seminar discussions, and analysis of case studies to enhance skills in problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership.

   

  Questions/Answers

   

  Q: How will the program operate?

  The Wednesday Program runs all day on Wednesdays, providing 9 or more credits each semester for two semesters, or a total of 18 credits which count toward the D.Ed. in Educational Leadership.

   

  Q: Does the program meet the D.Ed. full-time residency requirement?

  Yes, the Wednesday Program fullfills the D.Ed. residency requirement. However, you should consult your advisor about the overall degree requirements, which go beyond Wednesday Program participation.

   

  Q: How will the teaching and instruction be different from other programs?

  The group and seminar activities will provide more of a real-world, problem-solving environment than the usual classroom environment. In addition, participants benefit by contact with educational leaders in the field, and are able to learn from them and their cohort colleagues as they progress through the curriculum.

   

  Q: Who will be attending?

  Other school administrators in the Commonwealth will constitute the core of the cohort group.

   

  Ph.D. Program Requirements

Students who pursue the Ph.D. in Educational Leadership must:

• complete the course work planned in conjunction with the advisor (approximately 45 hours past the master's degree constitutes a typical program);
• complete a sequence of six courses in research and interdisciplinary studies to satisfy the Language Skills and Communications competencies;
• successfully complete comprehensive written and oral examinations;
• complete a doctoral thesis appropriate to the academic degree;
• and complete a full-time residence of a complete academic year (fall and spring consecutive semesters).
• Ph.D. course requirements. transfer credits and program plan will be agree upon between advisor and student.