Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Available online

School of Education Mission Statement/Conceptual Framework

The mission of the School of Education is to prepare educators of character and competence who reflect Christ as they serve and lead in their schools and communities. The Ed.D. degree is guided by the conceptual framework of the Educator Preparation Program: a teacher-student dynamic of sensitivity, reflection, and faith. The university’s mission is “to provide Christ-centered higher education that promotes excellence and character development in service to Church and society.”

Ed.D. Description and Purpose

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) is the highest professional degree in education. Individuals who have earned this degree are recognized for their wide knowledge of theory and research and for their commitment to the application of knowledge for the improvement of educational policy and practice. The Union Ed.D. is designed for active professionals who will graduate ready to assume leadership and teaching roles in Preschool-Grade Twelve schools, universities, government and business. Ed.D. graduates can positively contribute to administration, teaching, policy and curriculum formation, and research. Each doctoral degree is designed to be a blend of theory and practice, classic knowledge and current research, analysis and synthesis, macro-perspective and micro-functionality.

Union University offers the doctoral degree in educational leadership with two areas of specialization:

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Preschool-Grade Twelve (P-12) School Administration.
The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Higher Education.

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership P-12 School Administration degree has three areas of concentration: Instructional Leadership, Teacher Leadership, and Leadership in School Reform. All programs are offered fully online.

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership Higher Education degree, offered only on the Jackson campus, is designed to prepare college and university professionals to serve as administrators, teachers, policy-makers, and researchers, with special attention to the needs of smaller independent institutions of higher education. The degree program is delivered in a combination of campus residency and fully online courses to ensure service to a national community. Its goals include the university’s guiding principles of academic excellence, Christian values, development of the whole person, and future-driven scholastic agendas.

The Cohort Approach and Calendar

Each degree program or concentration is a cohort-based enrollment program with the exception of the dissertation, which is highly individualized. The cohort approach to program delivery accepts students in groups who begin their series of courses and experiences together. The P-12 School Administration program has three entry points for each concentration area: Summer, Fall, and Spring. The Higher Education program has one entry point in June each year. The degree program offers courses in 3-year cycles. Hallmarks of the cohort-approach are lifelong friendships, collaboration and mutual support, faculty attention to individual student needs, course sequencing, and the student-centered certainty of course delivery.

Each cohort is presented its unique calendar for the complete program. Current Ed.D. calendars are available at www.uu.edu/edd.

Doctor of Education Admissions Process

Admission Criteria

Candidates for admission to the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at Union University will submit the following criteria:

Application Form: A completed application form submitted in a timely manner
Application Fee: A nonrefundable application fee of $50. Checks should be made to Union University to the address indicated below.
Official Transcripts: Official transcript(s) showing all course work, completion of baccalaureate degree(s), and all graduate credit previously attempted. Even if withdrawal occurred prior to earning credits and even if those credits do not apply to the current degree being sought, official transcripts must be sent from each institution. The minimum requirement for admission is an official Master’s degree transcript from a regionally accredited college/university with a minimum GPA of 3.20. In addition, students must ensure that transcripts received from non-US institutions are translated and evaluated by a recognized agency, and forwarded directly to Union University to the address indicated below.
Test Requirements: Official test scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) must be forwarded to Union University (Institution Code: 1826), reflecting scores for all three sections of the GRE (verbal, quantitative, and writing). Results must be current within the last five years. For all applicants who are not native English speakers, a TOEFL test is required and official test scores must be forwarded to Union University (Institution Code: 1826). Note: For the 2023-2024 academic year, the GRE test requirement will be waived and replaced with a writing sample requirement.
Documentation of at least five years of relevant professional experience in the Education sector.
Recommendations: Rating forms from four persons: one from the applicant’s employer (principal or supervisor for P–12 specialization); one from a previous graduate professor; and two from professional colleagues.
Interview: Once the application has been reviewed, students may be scheduled for a personal interview with graduate faculty.
Leadership Role: Students are expected to have served a minimum of two years in a leadership position.
Current professional resume
Students applying for admission to the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership Program with a specialization in P-12 School Administration Instructional Leadership license concentration must provide the following additional items:
1. Proof of teacher licensure
2. Copy of most recent performance appraisal (In TN, the Framework for Evaluation and Professional Growth).
3. Verification of Experience form completed by applicant’s school system documenting at least 2 years of teaching experience.
4. Recommendation form completed by the Director of the school system where the applicant is employed.
5. Instructional Leadership Screening Committee Interview.
Notification: Each student will be notified in writing of the decision regarding his/her admittance into the program.

The Graduate Education Admission Committee Review

The Graduate Education Admission Committee must screen all students who have completed application for admission to the Doctor of Educational Leadership program. Incomplete applications will not be presented to the committee. The committee, charged with selection of the best candidates for admission, reviews and evaluates each student’s potential for admission according to a portfolio of the admission criteria.

The appointed Graduate Education Admission Committee utilizes uniform evaluation forms. After study of the student’s admission portfolio, the committee recommends full acceptance, conditional admission, or rejection. A student provisionally accepted must complete designated criteria before being fully accepted to the program; however, she/he must take a maximum of 9 course credits on a provisional basis.

Program of Study

At the time of admission, a student may petition to transfer up to 12 graduate semester hours (recent “A” or “B” work from a regionally accredited institution) into the doctoral program with the approval of the Program Director. In addition, students in the P-12 School Administration specialization may petition to transfer a maximum of 15 semester hours of education specialist credit from regionally accredited institutions. For students in the Higher Education program, a waiver of up to 12 hours is possible for those who graduated from a related master’s program at a university with a formal articulation agreement, and a transfer of a maximum of 15 hours is possible for students who have earned an Education Specialist degree in Higher Education from a regionally accredited institution. Transferred credits become a part of an official Program of Study that is furnished to the student. It is the student’s responsibility to follow the Program of Study carefully in scheduling classes.

Academic Requirements for Progression, Probation, and Suspension

Students in the Doctor of Education program must maintain an overall Grade Point Average of at least 3.2 to remain in Good Academic Standing. A student who earns below a grade of C (receiving an F) will be automatically dismissed from the program without the opportunity of probation.

After completion of nine graduate hours at Union University, an Ed.D. student whose cumulative program GPA from courses taken at Union is below 3.2 will be placed on academic probation. A student placed on academic probation has one semester to increase his/her Ed.D. program GPA to 3.2 or higher.

If the student fails to attain the required minimum 3.2 GPA during the probationary semester, the student will be suspended from the Ed.D. program. While suspended from the program, the student may repeat courses in which a grade of B or C has been earned in an effort to improve the GPA. All students whose cumulative Ed.D. program GPA has been raised to 3.2 or higher and students who have been academically dismissed from the program can reapply for admission. However, readmission is not guaranteed.

A student suspended from a graduate program is not eligible for Veterans Administration Benefits.

Time Limitations

All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within 6 years from the first semester of enrollment. Students needing more than 6 years to complete the degree must file a time extension petition with the Dean of the School. After successful completion of coursework, doctoral students must maintain continuous enrollment status until graduation by enrolling in EDR 790 Dissertation each session. In order to remain in the doctoral program, students must maintain continuous enrollment throughout coursework and dissertation hours. Students who have extenuating circumstances that may prohibit continuous enrollment must contact the program office about a temporary leave of absence.

Graduation Requirements

All students completing the Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership must meet the following criteria for graduation.

Successful completion of the required 60 semester hours of coursework with a minimum GPA of 3.2.
Submission and presentation of The Qualifying Paper.
Successful completion of the written and oral Comprehensive Examinations.
Submission of approved Dissertation.
Successful defense of the Dissertation.

Financial Information

Tuition and Fees

Tuition	$723/semester hour
Application Fee	$50
General Student Fee	$27/hour
Practicum (IL)	$200

The following payment plans are available for students in the Ed.D. program:

The University accepts payment via Self-Service, in person, or by phone or mail. Debit or credit card payments are subject to a convenience fee of 2.5%. Payment plans are available if needed, and may be established through the Office of Business and Financial Services.
FACTS monthly electronic draft from checking or savings.
Financial Aid. Financial aid information for graduate students is available on our website at www.uu.edu/financialaid. Generally, graduate students may be eligible for Federal Direct student loans or private alternative student loans, depending on the program of study and the eligibility of the borrower. Union University is also approved by the Department for Veterans Affairs to offer educational benefits to veterans, reservists, and dependents of veterans who qualify for Veterans Benefits. Any person who qualifies for VA Benefits should check with the Office of Student Financial Planning as soon as possible after acceptance into a graduate program.

Doctoral Processes

The Qualifying Paper. Required of students who specialize in P-12 School Administration and the Higher Education program, the Qualifying Paper is a substantial critical analysis of the theoretical and empirical literature related to educational leadership, which may or may not be related to the student’s dissertation topic. The Qualifying Paper is completed by doctoral students in EDR 707-Leadership Research Seminar (P-12 School Administration) and EDR 750-Research in Higher Education (Higher Education Program) during the student’s first year and a half of enrollment. This seminar serves as experimental ground for creating a scholarly community among doctoral students while they explore communication essentials, such as evaluating research articles, writing academic pieces including abstracts and literature reviews, and examining effective presentation skills. The final product of the seminar is the completion of the Qualifying Paper. EDR 707 and 750 prepare students for academic writing in other doctoral classes and assists students in preparation for Educational Leadership Comprehensive Examinations. Each student’s dissertation chair, who is assigned during this seminar, augments advising for the Qualifying Paper. Students present the Qualifying Paper to a symposium of doctoral students, faculty, and community as an exit requirement for EDR 707 and EDR 750.

The Comprehensive Examinations. Upon completion of all courses prior to the dissertation, the student will receive clearance to take the written and oral Comprehensive Examinations when:

The student has earned a minimum GPA of 3.2 in pre-dissertation coursework as specified by the Program of Study.
A dissertation committee for the student has been approved by the Program Director.

The Comprehensive Exams serve as an integrated measure of assessment and are directed at practical application of knowledge across the curricula. These examinations cover issues, practice, and research in educational leadership. The written exam is prepared by program directors with specific input from professors who write the examination questions. The written exam consists of questions designed to provide students the opportunity to demonstrate an ability to analyze and synthesize pertinent knowledge in educational leadership while addressing significant problems and issues in their field. The exam is administered under supervision without the aid of texts or related materials. An oral comprehensive examination with the student’s dissertation committee follows. Successful completion of the comprehensive examination advances the student to doctoral candidacy, a requirement for registration for dissertation hours. No more than two attempts to pass the examination are permitted.

The Dissertation. The doctoral dissertation is the culminating experience and exit requirement of the Doctor of Education program. The dissertation is scholarly inquiry into an area of professional and intellectual interest. It is a highly individualized experience for the graduate student; thus, the topic of research may vary depending on the professional goals and area of specialization of the student and expertise of the faculty. Working with a dissertation chair early in the program and with faculty throughout the coursework, the student develops a research problem and proposal. Using the expertise and knowledge developed in the research core courses and under the direction of a dissertation chair and committee, the student conducts the research and produces a quality report of the findings. It is expected that the dissertation will follow standard accepted research methodologies and format. Requiring a broad-based understanding of theory and research, the Ed.D. dissertation should integrate knowledge and provide solutions to problems in the educational community, focusing on a specific setting. Results should include specific solutions or changes in educational practice. As a final demonstration of scholarly competence, the student conducts an oral presentation in defense of the research.

For more information about the doctoral process and the dissertation, please refer to the Dissertation Handbook at www.uu.edu/programs/education/graduate/edd/dissertation-handbook.cfm.

The Dissertation Committee. Doctoral students are assigned a dissertation committee chair by the program director during the first year of enrollment while in EDR 707, Leadership Research Seminar (P12) or in EDR 750, Research in Higher Education. Selection of the dissertation chair is a critical step in the completion of the doctoral degree. Factors considered in selection are:

expertise in the area of proposed research,
availability, and
compatibility.

The chair is an integral part of a doctoral scholarly community where students, chairs, seminar leaders, and research design and statistics instructors collaborate to ensure quality inquiry and writing. The dissertation committee is composed of two additional members, one who is assigned by the Ed.D. program director, and the other who is recommended by the student and approved by the Ed.D. program director in EDR 712 or 751. In addition, the faculty members who teach one or more of the research courses (EDR 710, EDR 720, EDR 725) serve as resource committee members for all dissertation committees.

Program Descriptions

Ed.D. in Educational Leadership Specialization: P-12 School Administration

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in P-12 School Administration is a blend of theory, research, scholarly inquiry, and best practice in a context of Christian values designed to prepare instructional leaders who can articulate the central issues and solve the salient problems of contemporary education society. The primary purpose is to provide experienced educators a broad, systematic understanding of educational theory, inquiry, and practice, as well as an ability to create and apply current research to educational problems.

Program Outcomes

The six outcomes of the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Preschool-Grade Twelve (P-12) School Administration are to:

Focus on issues, practice, and research in the field of educational leadership.
Foster scholarly inquiry in areas of professional and intellectual interest.
Provide highly individualized experiences that meet individual career goals.
Foster analysis and problem solving skill and expertise.
Prepare leaders who effectively deal with the real issues of school policy and improvement, including best practices in teaching and learning.
Encourage ethical service in a framework of Christian values.

The outcomes and statement of purpose emphasize commitment to service in education within a framework of Christian ideals, the essence of the institution’s mission and purpose. The program outcomes become much more specific when delineated as objectives in individual course syllabi. The P-12 School Administration specialization is based on a set of national standards developed by the Educational Leadership Constituent Council of the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Areas of Concentration

The P-12 School Administration degree program has three areas of concentration:

Instructional Leadership (IL). The IL concentration offers a license program that can earn the graduate the Tennessee Instructional Leadership License. Through this concentration, which includes a practicum that is closely supervised and directly related to the student’s individual needs, doctoral students can earn licensure as a principal or supervisor under standards approved by the Tennessee Department of Education.
Teacher Leadership (TL). The Teacher Leadership concentration is identical to the IL concentration; however, the Teacher Leadership concentration does not require the practicum course necessary for Tennessee Instructional Leadership License (Teacher Leadership students take EDU 702 instead). This area of concentration is for doctoral students who desire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of a school leader without the licensure.
Leadership in School Reform (LSR). The purpose of the Leadership in School Reform concentration is to create and actualize a vision for leadership in 21st century schools, embodying the best of research and practice in policy, child development, learning, teaching, and leadership within the context of school reform.

Course of Study

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership P-12 School Administration degree requires completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours with a maximum of 12 hours allowable for transfer by petition from regionally accredited masters programs and an additional transfer of 15 hours permissible from regionally accredited education specialist programs. Thirty-six of the first 39 hours (EDR 707 enrolls only Ed.D. students) of Union’s doctoral program are cross listed with the Union Education Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership. Ed.S. and Ed.D. students enroll in common courses in cohort style, with Ed.D. students meeting doctoral-level expectations in research and reflection in all courses.

Students who have completed the Union Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S.) and desire to return to complete the Ed.D., after having met doctoral admission standards, must complete a set of two “bridge” doctoral seminar courses before enrolling in the final 21 hours of doctoral research courses. The courses are EDR 707, Leadership Research Seminar, which includes the Qualifying Paper, and EDU 711, Seminar in Politics, Policy, and Instruction. To be eligible for the bridge option, students must have completed their Ed.S. from Union University within the last 10 years of application date. Those who have held the Union Ed.S. for longer than 10 years may still apply but qualify for only the maximum number of 15 transfer hours from the Union Ed.S. into the Ed.D. Program.

Ed.D. in Educational Leadership Specialization: Higher Education

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Higher Education is the second area of specialization, along with P-12 School Administration, to be offered by Union University’s School of Education. The doctorate in Higher Education is designed to prepare college and university professionals to serve as administrators and teachers, with special attention to the needs of smaller independent institutions of higher education. It prepares graduates to assume leadership positions in the fields of education, especially higher education, as well as government, business, and research. The degree program is delivered in a combination of campus residency and fully online courses to ensure service to a national community. The primary purpose of the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Higher Education is to provide experienced educators a broad and systematic understanding of educational theory, inquiry, and practice, and an ability to create and apply current research to educational problems.

Program Outcomes

The six outcomes of the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Higher Education are to:

Focus on issues, practice, and research in the field of higher education;
Foster scholarly inquiry in areas of professional and intellectual interest;
Provide highly individualized experiences that meet individual career goals;
Foster analysis and problem solving skill and expertise;
Prepare leaders who effectively deal with the challenges facing higher education, including evidence-based practices in teaching and learning;
Encourage ethical service in a framework of Christian values.

Course of Study

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership Higher Education degree requires completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours with a maximum of 9 hours from regionally accredited graduate programs applied in transfer by petition and upon approval of the Ed.D. Program Director. A waiver of up to 12 hours is possible for students who graduated from a related master’s program with a formal articulation agreement. A maximum of 15 hours of transfer credit is possible for students who have earned an Education Specialist degree in Higher Education from a regionally accredited institution. The degree program begins a new cohort each June on the Jackson campus and is delivered in a combination of summer residency and fully online courses to ensure service to a national community. Program goals include the university’s guiding principles of academic excellence, Christian values, development of the whole person, and future-driven scholastic agendas. For a schedule of courses in the Higher Education specialization, please visit the Union University website at www.uu.edu/edd/he.

Ed.D. with P-12 School Administration Specialization and Instructional Leadership Concentration—60 hours

Ed.D. with P-12 School Administration Specialization and Teacher Leadership Concentration—60 hours

Ed.D. with P-12 School Administration Specialization and Leadership in School Reform Concentration—60 hours

Ed.D. with Higher Education Specialization—60 hours