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Program Details

Graduate Program: Educational Leadership (EDD)

General Information

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Program/Degree
Educational Leadership (EDD)  
Program Description

Please note: Beginning with the 2022 cohort, the EdD program will start during the Summer term. 

The Educational Leadership and Policy program (EDLP) is designed to advance knowledge and address enduring and future problems of schools by:

  • Exploring the issues of social justice for the educational equity and opportunities of all students,
  • Engaging in research that is in the foreground current socio-cultural, economic, and political contexts (i.e., market-based reform, turning around failing schools, building capacity, controversies of globalizing educational policy, school safety),
  • Addressing the significance of the changing and challenging school contexts, and
  • Following ethical principles

 

Graduates will have the skills and research background, be able to challenge existing systems that discriminate against people, adapt to a changing world, predict the consequences of proposed action, and sustain continuous education improvements over time. The development of skills and qualities that will enhance the ability of leaders to empower, inspire, and guide the performance of others in achieving the desired goals of a school, a school district or a community will be the focus of this program.

 

 
Department/Academic Unit(s)

Educational Policy Studies and Practice

The Department of Educational Policy Studies and Practice (EPSP) includes Educational Leadership & Policy and the Center for the Study of Higher Education. The EPSP department combines the PK-12 focus with postsecondary education to create a P-20 perspective that taps into the dominant discourse of education and policymakers today.

EPSP prepares graduate students at the doctorate and master's levels. Graduate programs in HED include Ph.D. and M.A. degrees. Graduate programs in EDLP include an Ed.D., Ph.D., M.A. and M.Ed. The M.A. degree has a focus on policy. The M.Ed. degree is a standards-driven curriculum leading to both a degree and state certification for the principalship.

The Educational Leadership, M.Ed., program is designed for aspiring educational leaders who are seeking administrative certification. This cohort-based, 36-unit program can lead to principal certification in the state of Arizona and can be completed within two years. The cohort concept has been used successfully by the University of Arizona Educational Leadership Program for several years. In this model, students develop formal and informal relationships with other students that support their journey to successful completion of an advanced degree. It also provides a solid foundation for leaders considering doctoral work at the elementary and secondary levels. In fact, some of the core courses may be applied toward the doctoral program in educational leadership.

The traditional M.Ed. course sequence consists of two courses each fall semester and two courses each spring semester. There are also four courses offered in the summer of the first year of participation in the program.  Courses are held in the evenings once per week and are generally offered on the university campus.  Off-campus locations may also be utilized at times.

Courses in the program are delivered in a variety of formats, including completely online, hybrid (meaning a combination of in-person and online classes), and in-person. Core coursework of the program includes classes like EDL 560 (Foundations of Educational Leadership: Theory, Research & Practice), EDL 561 (The Principalship), and EDL 562 (Arizona Education Law).

Both the Center for the Study of Higher Education (HED) and Educational Leadership & Policy (EDLP) maintain their core functions and curriculum, consistent with professional career paths and state standards for certification leading to licensure. However, the combined unit more broadly facilitates and encourages research, instructional, and service and outreach initiatives consistent with a policy development and analysis focus.

 
College

College of Education

 
Campuses where offered

Arizona Global Direct - Online

Arizona Online - Online

 
Contacts
Admissions Contact
Lukretia Amanda Beasley-Knecht
520-621-7313
Graduate Program Coordinator
Erika Marie Lopez
520-621-7313
Director of Graduate Studies
Keiron D Bailey
520-621-1652
Graduate College Degree Counselor
Megan Jia Mcnulty-Luoma
520-626-9962
 
Tuition and Fees
Please refer to the UA Bursar's Office Tuition and Fees Calculator for up-to-date information about tuition and fees. 
Please refer to the UA Registrar's's Office Special Course Fees for up-to-date information about special course fees. 

Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

  • Master's Degree
  • Current employment as an administrator or previous leadership experience
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.5 for graduate work
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Statement of purpose
  • Writing sample
 
Standardized Tests

GRE is not required.

International Applicants ONLY:

Minimum TOEFL: 79
Minimum IELTS: 7

 
Funding Opportunities

None available.

 
Admissions Deadlines

Domestic Applicants:

  • Summer Admission ONLY: February 1.

International Applicants:

  • Summer Admission ONLY: February 1.
 
International Conditional Admission

International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.

Other Information
The GRE Institution Code for The University of Arizona is 4832

Completion Requirements

Minimum Credit Units

63 

Core Coursework Requirements

Each course is offered in 7.5 week terms.

Year 1:

Summer (6 units)

  • EDL 620: Advanced Foundations in Educational Leadership: Theory, Research & Practice
  • EDL 605: Qualitative Methods in Education 

Fall (6 units)

  • EDL 626: Leadership for Social Justice: Ethics and Law
  • EDL 696: Quantitative Research Methods 

Spring (6 units)

  • EDL 522: Critically Evaluating Education Policy Research
  • EDL 622: Research and Data-Based Decision Making

 

Year 2:

Summer (9 units)

  • EDL 623: Curriculum and Instructional Leadership
  • EDL 602: Culturally Responsive Leadership and Policy
  • EDL 606: Policy Analysis in Education

Fall (6 units)

  • EDL 625: Leadership for the School and the Diverse Community
  • EDL 608: Advanced Qualitative Methods (new course) 

Spring (6 units)

  • EDL 558: Market-Based Educational Reforms 
  • EDL 676: Proposal (new course)

 

Year 3:

Summer (6 units)

  • EDL 562: Arizona Education Law 
  • EDL 604: Leadership for Educational Change

Fall (9 units)

  • EDL 920: Dissertation Hours (9 credits) 

Spring (9 units)

  • EDL 920: Dissertation Hours (9 credits)

 

 
Elective Coursework

See Core Coursework Requirements.

 
Additional Requirements

Milestones

Year 1:

Conceptual Paper

Year 2:

Proposal Defense

Year 3:

Final Report/Dissertation Defense

 
Minor Requirements for Doctoral Students in this Program

EDL 522: Critically Evaluating Education Policy Research (3 units)

EDL 602: Culturally Responsive Leadership and Policy (3 units)

EDL 606: Policy Analysis in Education (3 units)

 
Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.

 

Program StatisticsInformation about these numbers

Program-level Information
Application Acceptance Rate 100%
Med. Time-to-degree (years) 3.50
 
Department-level Information
Enrollment Percent Male 33.02%
Enrollment Percent Female 66.98%
Enrollment Percent International 3.77%
Enrollment Percent URM 59.43%

Back to statistics
  • All application, admit, and enrollment data are from Fall 2020.
  • Median Time to Degree calculates how long graduates in the last 5 years (2015-2019) took to complete their degrees, counting back to the first semester entering their program. This measure uses the methodology established in the 2011 Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs by the National Research Council.
  • Underrepresented Minorities (URM) includes domestic students of ethnic groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education: African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders.

Persistent link: https://grad.arizona.edu/catalog/programinfo/EDLEDD
Last revised 27 Jun 2022
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