Graduate program offered by the UNT College of Education

About

The Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Innovation prepares scholar practitioners as change agents, to lead the transformation of complex systems and organizations through scholarly inquiry and the resolution of problems of practice and policy in educational settings. 

The Doctor of Education degree is designed for students who plan careers as school or district-level leaders. This degree emphasizes the application of educational research related to problems of practice in the field of educational leadership.

Graduates of the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Innovation:

  • Are scholarly practitioners committed to the improvement of learning organizations at the local, regional, state, national, and international level, resulting in sustained educational achievement for all learners.  
  • Engage in scholarly inquiry in their educational settings to solve complex problems of practice and policy through innovation.  
  • Work within and across communities to build strategic partnerships at the local, regional, state, national, and international levels. 
  • Empower communities and stakeholders through effective communication and collaboration.

Contact Information

For more information about the Educational Leadership Doctoral program, contact Dr. Robert Voelkel.

Admission Requirements

Application Deadline

Domestic and International students: January 7 for a program start in the Fall semester of the same calendar year.

GRE Requirement

The GRE is NOT required.

TOEFL Requirement

International applicants whose native language is not English must have a score of at least 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

GPA Requirement

Graduate Applicants are evaluated holistically, based on specific departmental and program requirements. In the past, successful candidates usually had a 3.50 GPA in master’s-level studies for admission to the doctoral program. However, the program will still review applications with GPAs lower than 3.5.

Experience

Evidence of

  • at least two years of successful teaching experience in either a public or private school
  • principal certification
Apply

For step-by-step instructions on the application process, please visit the Graduate Admissions website. This will include details on how to submit materials including transcripts, letters of recommendation and other items. Start your application here.

Supplemental Documents

Applicants must also submit an application portfolio directly to the Educational Leadership program office including the following:

Personal Statement

A three-page double-spaced personal statement describing the applicant’s (a)  two most important professional achievements, (b)  future career goals related to educational leadership and administration, (c) a problem of practice the applicant would like to investigate during their time in the program, and (d) how completing the degree in educational leadership will relate with those goals.

Problem-Solving Scenario

A three-page double-spaced response to a problem-solving scenario, where the applicant will develop a leadership plan of action and explain both the rationale and the expected result(s). Please request the scenario from the program administrator via email (Stanley.Sam@unt.edu) or phone call (940-565-2175).

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation from three people who can provide evidence of the applicant’s reading, writing and critical thinking skills. One of the letters should be from a college or university professor familiar with the individual’s academic strengths, and one letter should be from a supervisor or mentor familiar with the individual’s professional work.

Resume/Curriculum Vitae

A curriculum vitae demonstrating prior educational and professional experience. 

Evidence of Teaching and Administration

Documentation of at least two years of teaching experience in either a public or private school. Documentation of principal certification.

Interview

After your application is received, the Admissions Committee will be in touch to schedule a short interview. Committee members will have questions for applicants. Applicants are encouraged to ask the committee questions, as well.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships in this program are competitive. For information on how to apply for one, please contact the department.

Courses

The EdD in educational leadership requires 54 semester hours of course work. The following are minimum degree requirements for students in the EdD program.

Core courses, 15 hours

  • EDLE 6000 – Introduction to Scholarly Inquiry and Practice 
  • EDLE 6580 – Innovation in Learning Systems
  • EDLE 6160 - Leadership for Learning  
  • EDLE 6130 – Social and Cultural Context in Educational Leadership  
  • EDLE 6100 – Change Leadership in Complex Systems and Organizations

District Office Leadership/Superintendent concentration, 12 hours

  • EDLE 6510 - Educational Law and Policy - Required 
  • EDLE 6450 – School Finance and Business Forecasting - Required
  • EDLE 6590 - Systems Change and Leadership - Required 
  • EDLE 6530 - Politics and Design of Educational Facilities – Option 1 
  • EDLE 6520 - Strategic Leadership of Human Capital – Option 2 

Elective Courses

  • EDLE 6032 – Practicum or Field Problem  
  • EDLE 6150 - Equity, Ethics, and Policy in Change Leadership
  • EDLE 6200 – Current Issues in Educational Administration  
  • EDLE 6310 – Research Practicum  
  • EDLE 6540 – Leadership to Empower Diverse Communities through Communication    
  • EDLE 6900 – Special Problems  
  • EDLE 6910 – Special Problems or Related Topics

Research Courses, 6 hours

  • EPSY 6000 – Applied Design & Analysis 
  • EPSY 6001 – Action Research & Evaluation 

Inquiry Courses, 6 hours

  • EDLE 6105– Inquiry in Educational Leadership – Students are introduced to a problem of practice & different ways to solve the problem of practice – taken at the beginning of the program 
  • EDLE 6110 – Advanced Inquiry in Educational Leadership - students propose a problem of practice for their qualifying exam 

Dissertation in Practice, 6 hours