Doctor of Education Program (Ed.D.) - Leadership in Educational Administration
Dr. Mark Fincher, Program Director
The College of Education offers a Doctor of Education degree in Leadership in Educational Administration. The 60 hour program is a comprehensive program that integrates the best of educational disciplines and is delivered in a nontraditional (Approximately 1 weekend per month) cohort format to enable currently employed educational leaders and practitioners to pursue a doctoral degree. Participants will benefit from summer institutes(approximately 2 weeks) involving a combination of travel and course content. The program is open to qualified students of all academic backgrounds who possess a Master’s degree from an accredited higher education institution. Graduates will be thoroughly prepared to engage in leadership, collaboration, decision-making, research, and reform initiatives in higher education and P-12 environments.
With a unique shortage of educational leaders throughout the United States, the Doctor of Education program will prepare practicing educators for leadership in higher education and P-12 environments. The program has required courses taught by faculty members with experience in the higher education and the P-12 administrative ranks.
We believe passionately in the “UMHB Advantage” - a collection of beliefs, practices and characteristics with a distinctive Christian perspective that makes UMHB, and the Doctor of Education Program, unique and advantageous.
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree prepares students for executive leadership roles in higher education or in P-12 district settings leading to administrative positions including the university president or school superintendent.
New students are admitted to the Doctor of Education program each spring semester for the forthcoming Summer Institute which begins in July. Prospective students are required to submit admission materials by the end of January of the calendar year in which admission is sought. Students admitted to the program complete all courses and experiences as a cohort over a three-year period.
Admission
- Complete University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Graduate School Application ($35 application fee paid upon acceptance to the program).
- Submit official transcript of a completed Master’s degree from an accredited university in an area related to the proposed studies, with a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for courses applied toward a Master’s degree.
- Interview with members of the Ed.D. faculty.
- Compose an essay response to an educational leadership prompt. (The essay and the interview will be held on the same day.)
- Submit resume or curriculum vita documenting educational background, professional experience, certifications and endorsements, professional development and training, community service, and general references.
- Receipt of three completed letters of recommendation addressing the applicant’s professional and academic background.
- Submit employment verification document or artifact.
Members of the College of Education and the Ed.D. Executive Council will consider all applicants and make recommendations regarding acceptance.
Mode of Instruction
Students will be admitted to the program in cohorts and complete all courses and experience as a group over a three-year period. The cohort promotes collaboration and helps to create a community of learners.
Courses will be delivered in a variety of methods including, but not limited to lecture, discussion, presentations, readings, speakers, group collaboration, problem-based activities, and case studies. The program also includes required state, national, and international summer institutes. The Doctor of Education Program affords doctoral students the flexibility to study while maintaining obligations to families and careers.
Residency Requirement
The doctoral student may fulfill residence requirements by either of the following plans: 1) two consecutive semesters, one of which may be summer, during which students are registered for a minimum of nine (9) semester hours or 2) three consecutive semesters during which students are registered for nine (9) hours during one semester and six (6) hours for each of the other two semesters.
Advanced Academic Activities
Doctoral courses contain appropriate advanced academic activity reflected in the areas of content, process, and product. The advanced activity is facilitated through the dimensions of critical thinking (CT), synthesis and integration of materials (SI), depth of engagement of materials (DE), and contribution to scholarship (CS). The purpose of advanced academic activity is to demonstrate a higher level of sophistication and to emphasize separation from Masters level courses.
Core Curriculum
Students program of study include:
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Leadership Core
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24 hours
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Research & Statistics
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9 hours
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Summer Institutes
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9 hours
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Cognate Specialization
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12 hours
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Proposal & Dissertation
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6 hours
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Total
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60 hours
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Concentrations & Specializations
Students select a primary program of study from two tracks:
- Higher Education Leadership and Administration
- P-12 Education Leadership and Administration (Includes Texas Superintendent Certification)
Certification
Coursework to prepare an individual for Superintendent certification may be included in the doctoral program with a specialization in P-12 administration. Coursework for preparation for Principal certification is not available through the doctoral program.
Field Component
Students participate in a 3 hour university/district based internship spanning one or two semesters, for a total of 120 hours.
Admissions to Candidacy
Admission to the doctoral courses is not equivalent to admission to candidacy. Students are admitted to candidacy for the Doctor of Education degree only after they have successfully passed the research/statistics qualifying examination and have completed thirty-six (36) semester hours of program study.
Qualifying Examination
The Doctor of Education Program has one (1) Qualifying Examination which serves as the prerequisite for candidacy. Students advance to candidacy after successful completion of the qualifying examination. The qualifying examination must be completed at least two semesters prior to the date the degree is conferred. If any part of the examination is failed, the examining committee shall recommend reexamination. No more than two failures are permitted. The qualifying examination is a test of competence in the areas of research and statistics in education.
Portfolio Component
Doctoral students complete a Portfolio Assessment & Professional Growth activity in the final semester of program coursework.
Assignment of Dissertation Committee
The dissertation committee is appointed by the Graduate School on the recommendation of the Ed.D. Executive Council. The committee will consist of the faculty member chairperson and two other committee members. Students are allowed to recommend the committee chairperson and committee members to the Ed.D. Executive Council. Appointment of the committee occurs following advancement to candidacy. Special arrangements may be made for the early appointment of a committee in unusual circumstances.
Research and Dissertation
Students will be required to take courses in educational statistics and in methods and techniques of research. The dissertation must give evidence of the ability to treat, in a scientific and systematic manner, an educational problem of significance to the major field of study.
Culminating Examinations
The Doctor of Education Program has three (3) Culminating Examinations which serve as final prerequisites for graduation. Students are permitted to graduate only after they have successfully completed the leadership readings examination, professional portfolio-presentation, and dissertation defense.
The chairperson of the dissertation committee will ensure that a formal announcement of the dissertation defense is made, that the defense is conducted fairly, and that it is open to the faculty.
Time Limitation
The maximum time limit for the doctoral degree is five years from the point of matriculation. After this time, the appropriate required coursework may be revalidated or not according to the policy of the individual degree program in consultation with the Graduate School. Candidates are not allowed to continue in the doctoral program after ten years has elapsed from the semester of admission.
Program Requirements:
Leadership Core: (24 hours)
Research: (9 hours)
Summer Institutes: (9 hours)
Cognate Studies: (12 hours)
K-12:
Cognate Studies: (12 hours)
Higher Education:
Dissertation: (6 hours)