Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree program in Educational Leadership and Administration offers students opportunities to develop the added knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for leadership roles in a variety of educational settings.
Typically, graduates of the doctoral program prepare for positions in three general career areas: (1) central-office and school-site leadership, (2) leadership in higher education and other educational settings, and (3) leadership in policy analysis and evaluation.
The unique features of this program include an emphasis on educational leadership issues in the U.S.-Mexico border region, opportunities for research and practice in cultural and linguistically diverse contexts, and a cohort program which provides doctoral students with a sense of community and mutual support.
For further information about the program, see the Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations website.
Application Process and Program Admission
Application Requirements: Applicants must submit the following required documents to be considered for admission:
- Graduate School Admissions Application (Online application available at www.utep.edu/graduate/) with the application fee
- Official transcripts showing completion of a master’s degree, an undergraduate degree, and other college or university coursework
- Applicants whose degrees are from non-English speaking institutions are required to demonstrate English proficiency. Please consult the Graduate School website for required scores.
- Curriculum vitae/resume
- Three letters of reference, including at least one academic reference and one professional reference
- Statement of Purpose, which highlights relevant experiences and skills, and explains how the program aligns with career goals
Applicant Review Process: Qualified applicants will be invited to interview with program faculty. The purpose of the interview is to establish compatibility between applicants’ goals and the aims of the doctoral program.
Program Admission: Admission to the program is based on a variety of factors, including academic achievement, the probability of success in performing doctoral level work, and perceived contributions to the cohort experience. Admission to the program is competitive. The number of applicants commonly exceeds the faculty resources available to provide an appropriate level of academic support for each new and continuing student. As a result, it is often necessary to deny admission to otherwise qualified applicants.
Degree Requirements
Credit Hour Requirements:
The minimum credit-hour requirement is 60 semester credit hours beyond the master’s degree. Students may be required to take additional courses to address particular needs or specialization interests. Minimum credit hours shall be distributed in the following way:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Doctoral Core Courses | 21 | |
| The doctoral program core consists of seven courses. All core courses require a grade of C or better. | ||
| Specialization Area Courses | 12 | |
| After the completion of the core, students—with guidance and approval from their faculty advisor and the doctoral program director—will identify an area of specialization in their doctoral work corresponding to the degree program concentrations, and will select courses related to this area. | ||
| Electives | 6 | |
| Additionally, students select two courses within the department or from other academic units of the university that will add to their specialization area, under guidance and approval from their faculty advisor and the doctoral program director. Educational Leadership and Foundations courses must be at the level of 6300 or higher. Other UTEP courses must be at the 5380 level or higher. Courses taken to attain prior academic degrees are not accepted as electives. | ||
| Research Design and Methodology Courses | 9 | |
| Students enroll in nine hours of coursework in the areas of quantitative and qualitative research design and methodology. These courses help students develop the skills and knowledge needed to carry out effective independent research during the dissertation phase of the doctoral program. | ||
| Field-Based Learning | 3 | |
| Students enrolled in the program are expected to complete three semester credits in field-based learning activities which are designed to provide opportunities for practical application of the theoretical concepts acquired in core and elective courses. | ||
| Capstone Course | 3 | |
| The Capstone Doctoral Seminar is the culminating course for students in the Educational Leadership and Administration doctoral program at UTEP. The Capstone Doctoral Seminar serves as the Qualifying/ Comprehensive Examination for the doctoral degree. The course is aimed at ensuring that students are prepared with a range of skills and abilities for conducting a dissertation study. | ||
| Dissertation | 6 | |
| Students cannot register for dissertation courses until they have successfully completed the Capstone Doctoral Seminar (EDAD 6380). A dissertation is required of every candidate. It must address a topic of educational significance, contribute to scholarship, derive from independent investigation in the major area, and be approved by the dissertation chair and committee. | ||
| Total Hours | 60 | |
Degree Plan
Required Credits: 60
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Doctoral Core | 21 | |
| Intro to Doctoral Program | ||
| Hist & Phil Foundations-Educat | ||
| Organizat'l Theory/Development | ||
| Seminar-Educational Leadership | ||
| Eval/Acctability/Policy Analys | ||
| Soc & Symbolic Borders in Ed | ||
| Educational Research Methods | ||
| Specialization Required | 12 | |
| Select one specialization from below | ||
| Electives | 6 | |
| Select two courses within the department or from other academic units of the university that will add to the specialization area. | ||
| Research Design and Methodology Courses | 9 | |
| EDAD 6325 | Qualitative Research Methods I | 3 |
| EDAD 6328 | Quantitative Rsrch Methods I | 3 |
| Select one from: | ||
| Qualitative Resrch Methods II | ||
| Quantitative Rsrch Methods II | ||
| Field Based Learning | 3 | |
| EDAD 6350 | Practicum in Leadership | 3 |
| or EDAD 6389 | Schl Superintendent Practicum | |
| Capstone | 3 | |
| EDAD 6380 | Capstone Doctoral Seminar | 3 |
| Dissertation | 6 | |
| EDAD 6398 | Dissertation Research | 3 |
| EDAD 6399 | Dissertation Writing | 3 |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
Specialization Area Courses (12 credit hours):
Specialization Area Courses for Central Office and School Site Leadership
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Sem/Decision Making/Prob Solv | ||
| Adv Legal/Ethic Aspects Leader | ||
| State/Local Educ Fin Policies | ||
| Educ Leadership In Metro Areas | ||
| Multicult Diversity-Edu Leader | ||
| Race, Ethnicity, and Schools | ||
| Leadership & Advocacy Educ | ||
| Schl Organiz, Reform & Renewal | ||
| Educational Finance | ||
| Educ Facilities Management | ||
| Educational Policy Development | ||
| Central Office Administration | ||
Specialization Area Courses for Higher Education Leadership
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Leading Hispanic-Serving Inst | ||
| Social Jus. & Incl. in High Ed | ||
| Higher Educ Policy Analysis | ||
| History of Higher Education | ||
| The Community College | ||
| Legal & Ethical Issue in HE | ||
| Higher Ed Org & Gov | ||
| Higher Education Finance | ||
| College Stud. Learning & Devel | ||
Specialization Area Courses for Leadership in Policy Analysis and Evaluation
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Sem/Decision Making/Prob Solv | ||
| Adv Legal/Ethic Aspects Leader | ||
| Power, Politics, and Policy | ||
| Race, Ethnicity, and Schools | ||
| Leadership & Advocacy Educ | ||
| Grad. Wkshp. Ed. Lead. & Admin | ||
| Higher Educ Policy Analysis | ||
| Legal & Ethical Issue in HE | ||
| Higher Ed Org & Gov | ||
| Higher Education Finance | ||