Educational Leadership and Organizational Development (EdD)

Program Website 
Academic Plan Code(s): ELODEDD

Program Information

The doctoral degree is granted in recognition of scholarly proficiency and distinctive achievement in a specific field/discipline. All candidates for a doctoral degree in the College of Education and Human Development must successfully complete qualifying exams and a dissertation/professional portfolio that clearly indicates the candidate has mastered and can exhibit/articulate the content knowledge, skills and dispositions specific to their discipline, and can utilize appropriate research methodologies to contribute to the body of knowledge in their field.

Distinctive Characteristics of Doctoral Programs in the College of Education and Human Development

1. Social Justice and Equity
   Doctoral students in our program build experience and expertise in the issues of social justice and equity which aligns with our metropolitan mission and focus on student achievement.
2. Leadership
   Our doctoral students gain expertise in supervising and leading others to achieve organizational goals and missions, managing complex systems, addressing administrative issues and procedures, conducting research to enhance leadership and teaching others about the art of organizational leadership.
3. Practical Experience
   The doctoral program contains practicums, internships, or embedded field experience that aligns with program and career goals. These mentored experiences may include teaching, research, administration or other appropriate areas.
4. Scholarship/Research
   An emphasis on scholarship includes experience and mentorship in ethics, publications, presentation, grantsmanship, and other forms of creative activity. The research component is characterized by the development of vertical research teams: senior faculty, junior faculty, doctoral students, master's students, and in some programs, undergraduate students, working together on research projects and research areas. These may be bolstered by partnerships with local school districts, businesses, or community agencies.

Admission Requirements 

Potential students must meet the minimum requirements for admission to the University of Louisville Graduate School

Additionally, the following is required by the program:

1. Master's degree in education or related field
2. Letter of Introduction - No more than two pages highlighting your career accomplishments to date, your reason for considering doctoral level work, and your anticipated areas of interest for action research project(s).
3. Current Resume or Curriculum Vita - Submit a current resume or curriculum vita. The program faculty expects applicants to have prior professional experience in P-12 education. The EdD program is practitioner-based and intended for experienced professionals in the field.
4. Three Letters of Recommendation - Select three individuals who are familiar with your background as a professional or graduate student and have them complete the Recommendation Form [PDF] (the two letters required by the graduate school for admission may count in this total). At least one of the recommendations must come from someone familiar with your work ethic and work products, A letter from an immediate supervisor is encouraged.
5. Official copies of all collegiate transcripts (undergraduate and graduate). Graduates of the University of Louisville need not provide a transcript. 
6. GPA of at least 3.5 for prior graduate coursework.
7. Applicants submitting foreign transcripts must submit transcript to either the World Education Evaluation Service (WES) or Education Credentials Evaluators (ECE) for evaluation. If you have a master's degree from the U.S., this requirement is waived.
8. Students for whom English is not their primary language must show English language proficiency by successfully completing one of the following:
   • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination – minimum score: 6.5
   • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination – minimum scores: 550 on the paper-based TOEFL, 213 on the computer-based TOEFL or 80 or higher on the internet-based TOEFL
   • Duolingo English Test with Subscores – minimum score of 105 and exam must have been taken after January 1, 2020
   • Note: International students who have earned a degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S. are not required to complete the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo.
9.  Submission of a writing prompt provided when the application materials are received and to be submitted prior to the interview.  The writing prompt will focus on a contemporary issue in the P-12 education landscape and will require appropriate research tasks aimed to assess the capacity of the candidate for admission to process, analyze, and communicate (in written form) their response to the prompt.
10. Interview with Program Faculty- Program faculty reserve the right to request additional information to resolve admission status including, but not limited to, GRE scores, additional letters of recommendation, professional references for consultation, etc.

All application materials are reviewed by the program faculty and are considered holistically when determining admission status. Students will be notified in writing of their admission status.

Program Requirements

Master’s degree prerequisite + 60 credit hours minimum

The Student and Program Committee must develop courses, programs and experiences that clearly identify and address the specific themes of Leadership, Scholarship, Social Justice and Equity. These areas of emphasis must have descriptive competencies that the student should attain and the Committee can assess.

The doctoral degree is granted in recognition of scholarly proficiency and distinctive achievement in a specific field/discipline.  All candidates for a doctoral degree in the CEHD must successfully complete qualifying exams and a dissertation/professional portfolio that clearly indicates the candidate has mastered and can exhibit/articulate the content knowledge, skills and dispositions specific to their discipline and can utilize appropriate research methodologies to contribute to the body of knowledge in their field. 

Required Coursework         

¹

EdD students complete 33 credit hours of Specialty Component coursework and 27 credit hours of Research Methodology for a minimum total of 60 credit hours of eligible graduate work. Courses are selected with Program Committee Approval within program guidelines/framework.

²

Selected with Program Committee Approval within program guidelines/framework. Students have the opportunity to take courses in other disciplines. LEAD 600 may not be used to satisfy this requirement.