Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Leadership Admissions

The College of Education and Human Service's offers programs of advanced graduate study leading to a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Leadership. Both program include course work in specific areas of study and completion of a dissertation. Students are admitted as part of a cohort who complete the majority of their course work together.

Advanced graduate studies support the development of educational leaders with knowledge, vision, and commitment to work for the improvement of education through a variety of leadership roles. The interdisciplinary programs draw from a number of departments and other instructional resources of the university and incorporate advanced techniques in individual assessment.

Admission Requirements

Admission to either of the programs require admission to The Graduate School at the University of North Florida as well as admission to the Doctoral Program in Curriculum and Instruction or Educational Leadership. 

Applications are accepted for the fall term only of each year.

University Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or its equivalent from a foreign institution with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all work attempted in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate study.

Program Requirements

• Official transcripts from all attended institutions.
• A Master's degree earned from a regionally accredited institution or an equivalent international university with a minimum 3.25 GPA
• Three years successful teaching experience or related work in training and development
• Resume
• Three letters of references from individuals who know your academic and professional work. After you've completed the reference section and submitted your online application, your references will receive an email from the Graduate School with a link to complete an online reference letter for you.
• TOEFL score if applying as a foreign student without a degree from an English-speaking institution.
• Letter of Intent : please see below for prompts for writing your letter of intent:
  • Include a statement that you meet the minimum criteria for admissions, i.e. Master's degree and three years of teaching or comparable leadership experience. Indicate whether you have completed a course related to educational or social science research methods. This is a pre-requisite and must be taken before the planed doctoral program begins. Also, tell us whether you are familiar with computer-based word processing or you will commit to develop competence in computer-based word processing skills during your first semester of registration.
  • Please ensure that you submit written answers to the following 3 questions as part of your letter of intent.
    • What personal and professional goals do you hope to meet through earning a doctorate, and why do you think the UNF Doctorate in Educational Leadership is a good fit for your goals?
    • What special knowledge, skills, and experiences would you bring to the program that would be of value to your classmates?
    • What personal, professional and financial resources do you have to support your success in the program? How are friends and family able to be supportive? What support might you receive from your employer? Describe any dependency on scholarships and financial aid that are necessary to support your work in the program.
  • In addition, please attach a sample of your professional writing, such as a published article in a professional journal, or a 6 to 8 page paper you have written for a graduate course, or other professional materials for which you have had primary responsibility.

The application to the doctoral program is an online process. Please visit the UNF Graduate School to begin your application process online. Applications for the upcoming doctoral program beginning each August must be submitted to the Graduate School.

Special Notation - Students complete most of the required course work during the first three 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 may be completed on a part-time basis for students who are fully employed professionals. Others, including international students, will complete the program as full-time students.

For further questions, please contact the program directors below:

Curriculum and Instruction: Dr. Kim Cheek; k.cheek@unf.edu; 904-620-2794

Educational Leadership: Dr. David Hoppey; david.hoppey@unf.edu; 904-620-5326