Educational Leadership Doctor in Education (Ed.D.)
The Doctorate in Educational Leadership prepares accomplished school leaders ultimately to assume senior leadership positions in schools, districts, colleges, and universities. There are two tracks in Ed.D. degree program:
Concentration in PreK-12
Concentration in Higher Education
Some students also become faculty members in colleges or universities, using their educational leadership doctorate as a capstone for teaching in Colleges of Education either in the leadership program or in other areas of expertise such as curriculum and instruction. PreK-12 track Alumni include Principals, Superintendents, Intermediate Unit Directors and Senior Staff, and many other leadership positions in educational settings. Higher Education graduates become Directors, Deans, Provost, and event Presidents in wide range of higher education settings.
The program is designed to provide a rich intellectual and theoretical background combined with many applied experiences. Students are encouraged to identify their own interests and expertise to build a program and research agenda, which will lead directly to the development of leadership capacity in their specific area of interest. Temple University’s Educational Leadership Program is committed to Democratic Ethical Educational Leadership with a consistent focus on the creation of equitable opportunity and access. This commitment provides the values foundation of our work and is reflected throughout our research and courses.
Program Requirements:
The doctoral program in both tracks consist of 42 semester hours of graduate credit following an approved Master's degree. An additional 9 credits may be completed at Temple University prior to formal admission and applied toward the course requirements. All credits completed prior to formal admission must meet specific distribution requirements in order to be accepted and require advisor approval. A minimum of 42 credits in graduate courses are to be completed at Temple University and at least 33 of these credits are to be completed after admission. (Dissertation credits are in addition to the 42 semester hours.) For detailed course descriptions, please see the Graduate Bulletin.
Required Core Courses:
Program Core - 12 credits:
- EA 5653—Educational Leadership as Civic Leadership
- EA 8461—Ethical Leadership in Education
- EA 8635—Current Issues in Educational Policy
- EA 8775—Theoretical Perspectives/Organizational Dynamics in Educational Leadership
College Core - 9 credits:
- ED 5101—Research Design in Education
- ED 5262—Qualitative Research in Education
- ED 5325—Introduction to Statistics and Research
Advanced Quantitative OR Qualitative Course—3 credits (choose one):
- EA 5402—Action Research in Education
- EPSY 5529—Tests and Measurement
- EPSY 8625— Intermediate Educational Statistics
- ED 8102—Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis
Program Specialization
Students elect to specialize in one of two available program tracks: PreK-12 or Higher Education. Click the links below to see a complete list of course requirements by specialization.
Concurrent Superintendent Certification
Students in the PreK-12 Specialization Track may elect to complete the requirements for Superintendent Certification concurrently with the doctoral program (requires an additional 6 semester hours of coursework and 6 additional credit hours of fieldwork to complete both programs). For more information, see: Superintendent Certification program.
Admissions Requirements:
A completed application will include:
- A completed Graduate School Online Application
- Official transcripts from all colleges and graduate schools attended.
- Standardized test scores (Graduate Record Examination or Miller Analogies Test). Scores must be current within the past 5 years.
- TOEFLscore report for non-native speakers of English. Minimum TOEFL score needed to be accepted: 550 paper-based, 213 computer-based, and 79 internet-based.
- Three (3) letters of reference [pdf] from instructors or supervisors familiar with the applicant's professional and academic work.
- The Statement of Goals is typically 1 to 2 pages in length. It should contain the following items: the reason for seeking the degree, with a specific focus on the career to which the applicant aspires; the applicant's research interest; relevant academic and job-related experiences; and a description of personal motivation for becoming an educational leader. Prospective applicants should take the opportunity to discuss their goals and fit with the program coordinator prior to submitting their statement.
- A resume showing career development (leadership roles, professional activities, and volunteer involvement)
- An interview may be required. The interview is by invitation, approximately two months following the application deadline. All students are urged to meet with the program coordinator before applying.
Submitting Your Materials
See the Application Checklist for complete details on how to submit your application materials. Required supplemental materials should be sent attention to:
Graduate Programs Office
Attn. Application Processing
Temple University - College of Education
150 Ritter Annex
1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19122-6091
Please allow delivery and processing time before your application will be reviewed. For faster service, the College of Education at Temple University also receives supporting application materials for graduate admissions electronically via the Interfolio service.
It is the student's responsibility to see that everything is completed by the deadline date.
Application deadlines
To be considered for admission, your complete application, including all required supplemental materials, must be post-marked no later than:
- For Fall semester admission only: January 5 for university fellowship competition and February 1 for all applications.
Applications received after the stated deadlines will be reviewed on a space available basis. We will review applications as soon as they are complete and notify the applicant in as timely a manner as possible.
We strongly urge that applicants apply early and periodically check TUPortal (http://tuportal.temple.edu) as to the status of their materials.
