Ed.D. in Educational Leadership
Program Objectives
The Doctor of Education (EdD) degree in Educational Leadership is designed to prepare students to teach in educational leadership programs across the country in college and university settings. Progress through the degree provides students with opportunities to develop their professional knowledge and skills in the areas of research, teaching, and service. Those students completing the degree requirements for the EdD will have met the academic requirements necessary for a Montana Class III Administrative license with a Superintendent endorsement.
Program Flow
The Educational Leadership program courses are offered using blended delivery methods. Blended courses use a combination of distance delivery and face-to-face meetings. Many education courses are blended such that the class meets for face-to-face instruction one weekend a month and online during the weeks in between meetings.
At admission, the applicant will be assigned a chair and should contact them for initial advising. Actual courses taken during the initial stage will be based on the student's previous academic work and advisor/committee approval.
Program of Study
| Doctoral Core Courses (15 credits) choose from the following | 15 | |
| Advanced Educational Psychology | ||
| Leadership and Organizational Theory | ||
| Supervision & Instructional Leadership | ||
| Leading Social Justice | ||
| Education Policy & Politics | ||
| Critical Race Theory | ||
| Planning Program Assessment | ||
| Educational Leadership Required Courses (15 credits) | 15 | |
| Field Experience in Educational Leadership | ||
| The School Superintendent | ||
| Personnel and Collective Bargaining in MT | ||
| MT Finance & Facilities | ||
| MT Legal & Policy Studies | ||
| NOTE: If a student already possesses superintendent licensure they may choose from other electives to be determined by the student and their chair. The 15 credits in Educational Leadership Required Courses may lead to State Superintendent Licensure. | ||
| Research Required Core Courses (9 credits) | 9 | |
| Educational Statistics II | ||
| Qualitative Educational Research | ||
| Quantitative Educational Research | ||
| Other Required Core Courses (6 credits) | 6 | |
| Doctoral Seminar | ||
| Dissertation Seminar | ||
| Dissertation Credits (15 credits) | 15 | |
| Doctoral Thesis | ||
| Total Credits | 60 | |
* View the three-year Course Rotation for both required and elective course offerings.
* EDCI 506, EDCI 501 or equivalent are prerequisite courses. Do not include in the Program of Study.
Committees
Each doctoral student's committee must consist of at least four approved members. The chair and majority of the committee must be from the the Department of Education faculty.
Chairs
The student should carefully select a chair after thorough conversations with the Educational Leadership faculty members that he/she believes might have an interest in his/her doctoral research and/or the ability to work with him/her towards generating a defensible dissertation. The committee as a whole is subject to approval by the Head of the Department of Education. The chair will advise students in selecting committee members and in understanding the dissertation process. The chair and at least one committee member will be the primary readers of the dissertation as it is being written. The importance of selecting the right chair cannot be overstated. However, chairs and members of the student's committee are subject to change. In addition, revision to the program of study can be made during the course of study with the committee's approval.
Comprehensive Examinations
Comprehensive examinations are required for completion of all EdD degrees in Educational Leadership. Students are expected to demonstrate mastery of the program of study and the ability to interact with the research in that area. Students should refer to The Graduate School's Policies and Procedures web page and the Department of Education Graduate Handbook at https://www.montana.edu/education/grad/handbook/index.html for more detailed information on comprehensive exams.
After completion of at least two thirds of the required coursework, EdD students will complete a written comprehensive exam. The exam is completed in writing and then orally defended in front of the entire Graduate Committee. Through the comprehensive exam, students will be expected to demonstrate: 1) the ability to integrate concepts from courses into a holistic viewpoint; 2) the ability to apply material to anticipated real-life situations based on the theoretical principles and concepts covered in classes; 3) the ability to critically read, analyze, and critique research; and 4) a readiness to move forward to create their own research.
Generally, there are two primary question areas: 1) Identification of a topic with the potential to contribute to the literature in Educational Leadership, and a critical evaluation of the research on that topic; and 2) Design a research project on the topic of interest. Students will be expected to demonstrate a mastery of aspects of both qualitative and quantitative projects (such as sampling, validity, reliability, data analysis).
Additional Doctor of Education Requirements
The Doctor of Education degree must meet the minimum requirements in the For Doctoral Students section of the Graduate School's website. Additional requirements for the EdD degree beyond these minimums are available through the Department of Education. All EdD degree candidates are expected to be familiar with both The Graduate School's degree requirements and Department of Education degree requirements listed on the program's website.
Contact Information
Dr. Jason Cummins, Assistant Professor and Program Leader
Email: jason.cummins1@montana.edu
Dr. Laura Schlottman, Assistant Professor
Email: laura.schlottman@montana.edu
Application Process for the EdD in Educational Leadership
Prior to applying for an Educational Leadership EdD program, applicants must have a Master's degree in education or a related topic and have gained at least three years teaching experience as a certified or licensed teacher. Those applicants who do not hold an administrative license will be required to take principal preparation coursework as prerequisites to many doctoral courses.
Applicants are required to complete the online application and submit the following documentation via the Graduate School Online Application System. Prior to applying to the Educational Leadership doctoral program applicants must hold a Master's degree.
- Completed Graduate School Application
- Academic Transcripts: Applicants must provide official transcripts verifying all Bachelor's and Master'sdegree coursework and degrees earned from the applicant's certifying university. Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded during the application process and used for review. Official electronic transcripts may be emailed directly from the Institution to gradschool@montana.edu or edgrad@montana.edu Official transcripts may also be mailed directly to the MSU Graduate School, 104 Montana Hall, PO Box 172580, Bozeman, MT 59717. If you have attended MSU, please indicate and list the dates of attendance. Transcripts from courses or a degree awarded through MSU do not need to be provided. NOTE: The Graduate School requires an undergraduate and graduate GPA of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale). Transcripts will be evaluated for rigor and academic fit.
- Personal Essay: Suggested length is 2-3 typed, double-spaced pages. The applicant should briefly describe the following
- Education and other educational professional experiences
- Research interests and experience including alignment with faculty interests and expertise and an example of research experiences using educational theory, research methods, and application.
- Professional goals
- Writing Sample: Please upload a selected example of writing that demonstrates academic potential such as an artifact that highlights your interests, strengths, context and goals/desires more conducive to holistic review.
- Resume/Curriculum Vitae
- Three (3) letters of recommendation: (NOTE: At least one of the three letters must be from the candidate's PRESENT direct supervisor in his/her educational field.) The letters should be from individuals qualified to assess the following.
- Knowledge in chosen field
- Motivation and perseverance toward goals
- Ability to work independently
- Ability to express thoughts in speech and writing
- Ability/potential for college teaching
- Ability to plan and conduct research
- For International Applicants ONLY: Please visit the Graduate School International Application Admission website for application submission information.
Application Deadline
Below is the deadline by which all of application materials for the EdD in Educational Leadership must be submitted via the online application system. Students matriculate into the EdD program fall semester only. Applications to the EdD programs are reviewed once per year at the April 1st deadline. Applications received after the deadline may be reviewed for acceptance on a case-by-case basis.
- Fall Semester: April 1st
An early review deadline of February 1st has been set for those applicants wanting to be considered for Graduate Assistantships. Applications must be complete for an early review. A student must be accepted to an education program before requesting a Department of Education Graduate Assistantship. Graduate Assistantships require students to work on campus 19 hours per week. For further information regarding teaching assistantships visit webpage: https://www.montana.edu/education/grad/ga/index.html.
Admission Process
Complete applications will be reviewed by the Graduate Admissions Committee and the Department Head. Once the department recommendation has been made, the application will be forwarded to The Graduate School for a final decision. Please note that the application review process will begin at the close of the application deadline.
We strongly suggest doctoral applicants contact faculty with whom their planned research will align. This will assist us in identifying an appropriate advisor for program applicants and provide us an opportunity to get to know about you. Visit https://www.montana.edu/education/grad/edfaculty.html to view Faculty Areas of Contribution and Focus
For answers to questions on this or any graduate program at the Department of Education, contact the Graduate Program Assistant at Phone: 406-994-6786 or edgrad@montana.edu. If you are ready to apply, do so through the Graduate School Online Application System.
Contact Information
Graduate Program Assistant
PO Box 172880, Reid Hall 215
Department of Education, Montana State University
Bozeman, MT 59717-2880
Phone: 406-994-6786 Email: edgrad@montana.edu