EdD Urban Education Leadership: Degree Requirements

Incoming students must complete either 88 credit hours to obtain the EdD or 112 hours to obtain the EdD with Superintendent Endorsement. In both cases, these credits include coursework that covers research, policy, and practice. Coursework is integrated with field experiences to develop leadership capacities consistent with the EdD. A Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) is available for those who do not complete the EdD but who have completed the residency, 76 credit hours of prescribed course work and exams.

EdD Program Requirements Heading link

Program Coordinator Heading link

EdD Program Requirements Heading link

  • EDPS 556: Leading Classroom Diagnostics & Interventions (4 hours)
  • EDPS 551: Cycles of Inquiry for Improving Schools (4 hours)
  • EDPS 568: Education and the Law (4 hours)
  • EPSY 535: Human Development for School Leaders (4 hours)
  • EDPS 557: Developing Organizational & Leadership Capacity (4 hours)
  • EDPS 558: Leading Improvement of Mathematics Learning (4 hours)
  • EDPS 559: Internship in Educational Leadership (8 hours)
  • EDPS 548: Leading Improvement of Literacy Learning (4 hours)
  • EDPS 550: Improving Education Organizations (4 hours)
  • EDPS 586: Practitioner Inquiry for School Leaders (8 hours)
  • EDPS 592: Professional Career Training in Education Policy Studies (16 hours)
  • EDPS 571: The Education Policy Process (4 hours)
  • EDPS 579: Organization Theory in Education (4 hours)
  • EDPS 544: Research Design in Education Policy Studies (4 hours)
  • EDPS 591: Professional Capstone Inquiry (8 hours)

Illinois Superintendent Endorsement Heading link

Required:

EDPS 553: Leading Urban School Systems (4 hours)

EDPS 589: Administrative and Leadership Theory in Education (4 hours)

EDPS 592: Professional Career Training in Education Policy Studies (12 hours /3 semesters of Internship)

Choose one additional course selected in consultation with the Superintendent Endorsement Coordinator:

EDPS 581: Collective Bargaining in Education (4 hours)

EDPS 470 Collective Bargaining Practice and Policy in K-12 and Higher Education (4 hours)

Certificate of Advanced Study Heading link

A Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) is available for those who do not complete the Ed.D., but who have completed the residency, 76 credit hours of prescribed coursework and exams.

Required coursework:

  • EDPS 552: Leading Urban Schools (4 credit hours)
  • EDPS 556: Leading Classroom Diagnostics & Interventions (4 hours)
  • EDPS 551: Cycles of Inquiry for Improving Schools (4 hours)
  • EDPS 568: Education and the Law (4 hours)
  • EPSY 535: Human Development for School Leaders (4 hours)
  • EDPS 557: Developing Organizational & Leadership Capacity (4 hours)
  • EDPS 558: Leading Improvement of Mathematics Learning (4 hours)
  • EDPS 559: Internship in Educational Leadership (8 hours)
  • EDPS 548: Leading Improvement of Literacy Learning (4 hours)
  • EDPS 550: Improving Education Organizations (4 hours)
  • EDPS 586: Practitioner Inquiry for School Leaders (8 hours)
  • EDPS 592: Professional Career Training in Education Policy Studies (16 hours)
  • EDPS 571: The Education Policy Process (4 hours)
  • EDPS 579: Organization Theory in Education (4 hours)

Additional Items for All Specializations Heading link

Annual Reviews

Students and advisors are required to submit an Annual Review in compliance with the college policy on doctoral programs to show evidence of academic and professional progress. The annual review will include faculty members reviewing students’ academic and professional development progress in the program. Faculty will provide written feedback to each student and then will submit the annual review report to the Program Coordinator informing the student how well they are doing, what is missing, what needs improvement.  If a student fails to follow through and the program sees fit, they can opt to ask the Grad College for a dismissal.  If the student does not think they are being treated fairly they can opt to file a grievance. This process must be documented.  In addition the student must be consecutively enrolled, not missing more than one semester of non-registration for classes (summer semester is excluded).

Preliminary Examination (Capstone Proposal Hearing)

The preliminary examination is taken at the completion of all course work. The exam is an oral defense of a written Doctoral Research Project proposal, aka., the capstone proposal.  The capstone proposal is a thorough case study that describes how and why the EdD student led equity-focused school improvement efforts in their school, school district, or other education organization.

Successful completion of the preliminary examination leads to the student entering EdD candidacy.

Comprehensive Qualifying Exam

Successful completion of the comprehensive exam is required for completion of the CAS and entry into the capstone phase of the EdD program.

Doctorate Project Defense (The EdD Final Capstone Case Study)

The capstone is the culminating demonstration of professional expertise in lieu of a traditional dissertation for the EdD program. EdD candidates expound upon the case study they have written in their proposals  and analyze their work, using theoretical lenses that enable them to better understand why their improvement efforts evolved the way they did and how they can continue to improve and develop as equity-oriented school leaders.