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Graduate Learning Outcome Statement
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.

Mission
The Educational Leadership doctoral program provides a unique learning opportunity for experienced educators who aspire to be leaders in their chosen clinical and administrative settings. The curricula and learning experiences are grounded in the Educational Leadership knowledge base and guided by the following tenets:

• Leaders work effectively within existing organizational structures while seeking to improve them.
• Leaders foster human development.
• Leaders value and protect differing interests.
• Leaders develop and convey a vision.
• Leaders value learning, for themselves and for all other members of the organization.
• Leaders model what they expect of others.

Learning outcomes
The Educational Leadership doctoral student will:
• Demonstrate knowledge of both traditional and emerging paradigms of leadership and the leader's role in planning, directing, assessing outcomes in successful learning organizations.
• Develop and articulate personal leadership commitments grounded in principles of moral and ethical leadership.
• Demonstrate understanding of the nature of education, its role in society and the socio-cultural and psychological factors that influence success in educational institutions.
• Show competence in using both qualitative and quantitative methods of disciplined inquiry including the selection and evaluation of appropriate theoretical and empirical works.
• Be knowledgeable in a cognate/minor area of concentration that extends her/his knowledge base for the practice of educational leadership.
• Conduct original, independent, publishable research that exemplifies practice-centered inquiry.

Assessment Strategies
Learning outcomes are assessed in several ways. At the end of year one (18 credit hours) and year two (36 credit hours) Academic Progress Audits are completed. The APA requires the student to document mastery of content and then conference with his/her faculty advisor to collaboratively assess personal and professional growth to date. Successful performance on the written and oral comprehensive examination, as certified by a faculty examining committee, advances the student to candidacy in the 3rd year of study. Approval of a major independent research proposal, completion of the research project, and successful defense of the dissertation are certified by the dissertation committee which includes three faculty members from the College faculty and a member of UNF Graduate faculty from outside the College. The dissertation is also reviewed and approved by the Department Chair, College Dean, and Dean of the Graduate School.