COEHS at UNF: Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Graduate Programs

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Program of Study: Ed.D in Educational Leadership

UNF Graduate Catalog for Educational Leadership

Graduate Program Application Procedures

Educational Leadership Forms and Guides

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." M. Gandhi

Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Advanced graduate studies support the development of educational leaders with knowledge, vision, and skills. To support the improvement of education through a variety of leadership roles, the College of Education and Human Services at the University of North Florida offers a program leading to the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in educational leadership. The interdisciplinary program draws from a number of departments and other instructional resources of the university and incorporates advanced techniques in individual assessment.
The doctoral program reflects the following convictions about effective leadership in educational organizations:

Leaders must be able to articulate a vision of where their organization is going and a plan for getting there.
Leaders must understand how to bring about change by taking risk themselves and by encouraging people to challenge their models about how things work.
Leaders work effectively within existing organizational structures while they seek to improve them.
Leaders foster human development and value and protect differing interests.
Leaders value learning, for themselves and for all other members of the organization.
Leaders foster communication, collaboration, and community building.
Leaders model what they expect of others.
Admission Requirements
Minimum criteria for admission to the program are:

a master's degree from a regionally accredited institution;
three years of successful teaching experience or related work in training and development;
demonstrated leadership or leadership potential;
demonstrated academic ability and potential to complete the course work and a dissertation successfully;
recommendation of the Doctoral Admissions Committee.

Admission Procedures

Admission to the program requires admission to Graduate Studies at the University of North Florida as well as admission to the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership. Admission procedures include all of the following:

complete application for admission to graduate studies at the University of North Florida;
provide official copies of all transcripts of previous college work;
provide official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores; and
provide other specific data as identified in the admission packet for the program.

Admission packets may be requested from the Doctoral Program, Department of Counseling and Educational Leadership, (904) 620-2990, or email Withers, Janet n00006093@unf.edu . Applications for the Doctoral Program beginning in August must be in by March 1.
Special Enrollment Requirements
Students complete most of the required course work during the first two years of study as a cohort. Course offerings are structured such that each member of the cohort enrolls for the same required courses in each term of the program. The doctoral program is designed for part time students who are fully employed professionals. Classes are scheduled on Thursday evening and Saturdays.
Program of Study
The program consists of course work in interdisciplinary foundations, leadership, research methodologies, and a cognate (or minor) area and completion of a dissertation. Students will register for a minimum of six credit hours each semester (fall, spring, and summer) and will complete the majority of their course work together. Each student will select a minimum of 12 semester hours of study in a cognate area.
Program requirements are:

a minimum of 76 graduate credits while enrolled in a doctoral program;
no more than 24 hours of dissertation credit may be used to satisfy the 76 credit minimum requirement;
no more than 6 (six) graduate transfer credit hours may be used to satisfy the 76 credit minimum requirement providing they have not been included in a degree awarded by UNF or any other educational institution;
graduate credits transferred into the doctoral program must have been completed no more than five years prior to the semester in which the student is admitted into the program and must have been earned at a regionally accredited educational institution that offers post-master's degree programs;
five thousand level courses may count as graduate credit only when students take them within an academic unit other than their major area;
students will complete at least 61 credit hours toward the Ed.D. at UNF and should expect to maintain continuous enrollment until they complete their degree. Exceptions to this policy are subject to approval as described in the doctoral program policies and procedures.
Upon completion of course work the student must pass a written and oral comprehensive examination in order to be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree.
The student is admitted to candidacy upon the recommendation of the dissertation committee.

Multi-Term Schedule of upcoming classes.

Once admitted to candidacy, doctoral candidates will register for at least three hours of dissertation credit each term and be registered at the University of North Florida until all requirements for the degree are completed. A minimum of 24 dissertation credits is required. The dissertation will be a practice-centered inquiry that attests to scholarly inquiry about an issue related to the improvement of educational practice. Research conducted in partnership with schools and school districts is encouraged. Each student will complete a final oral examination in order to defend the research conducted and to demonstrate the ability to use critical thought and judgment.
More specific information concerning the doctoral program is available by contacting:
Doctoral Program
Educational Leadership
University of North Florida
Department of Counseling and Educational Leadership
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224
Telephone (904) 620-2990 or
E-mail: Janet Withers - Senior Secretary at n00006093@unf.edu

Additional information on the program and courses can be found in the University of North Florida catalog.

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