Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction (Ed.D.)

Students take courses in three core areas and an additional area of their choice:

• a curriculum and instruction core: four courses designed to provide graduates with a deep understanding of curriculum, instructional assessment, policy, and how to design professional learning
• a research core: six courses that introduce students to educational research, academic writing, quantitative and qualitative research methods; and enables students to complete their dissertation proposal during their course work
• a foundations core: three courses that situates the program within a framework for equity and social justice
• cognate: three courses in an area of the student's choice

Core Courses

EDG7359 Facilitating and Designing Professional Learning

This course introduces students to current theories and practices in professional learning and examines the role of leadership in professional learning. The course examines broader relationships between professional learning, education policy, and practice. Students will develop the pre-requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to facilitate, evaluate, and study effective professional learning through inquiry.

EDG7655 Policy and the Role of the Educational Leader

This course examines issues related to educational policy and reform from the perspective of educational leaders. Course topics include the history of educational policy development, frameworks for educational policy making, processes for analyzing educational policy, issues regarding the implementation of policy, and methods of policy research and evaluation.

EDG7351 Advanced Seminar in Instructional Assessment

This course focuses on evidence-based assessment of learning drawing upon learning and instructional theory and models, of effective teaching. Emphasis will be placed on the use of data for continuous improvement and program evaluation.

EDG7224 Advanced Perspectives on Curriculum

This course deepens students' understanding of curriculum and analyzes historical and contemporary theories, issues, and trends from multiple perspectives including social justice and equity.

Possible Cognate Choices Include:

• reading and advanced literacy
• elementary STEM education
• TESOL
• TESOL educational technology
• early childhood education
• teacher leadership and mentoring
• the whole child
• disability services
• exceptional student education
• educational leadership
• educational technology, training, and development
• higher education administration
• or create a customized cognate in consultation with the Program Director to fit your exact academic goal

Fall Year 1

EDF 7545 - Philosophy of Education

EDA 7420 - Foundations of Educational Research in Educational Leadership

Spring Year 1

EDF 7635 - Cultural and Social Foundations of Education

EDG7359 Facilitating and Designing Professional Learning

Summer Year 1

EDA 7426 - Academic Writing in Education: Framing Problems of Practice

EDF 7215 - Learning and Instruction throughout the Lifespan

Fall Year 2

EDA 7400 - Research in Educational Leadership: Quantitative Methods

2nd C&I core course - EDG7932 Advanced Seminar in Instructional Assessment

Spring Year 2

EDA 7410 - Research in Educational Leadership: Qualitative Methods

Cognate Course #1

Summer Year 2

EDG7224 Advanced Perspectives on Curriculum

EDG7282 Policy and the Role of the Educational Leader

Fall Year 3 - Finalize committee chair/committees and developing your pre-proposal

EDA 7979 - Research Design Seminar 1: Advanced Methods

COGNATE COURSE #2

Spring Year 3 - IRB and finalize proposals.

EDA 7421 - Research Design Seminar 2: Proposal Development

COGNATE COURSE #3

Summer Year 3 - Focus is on data collection/analysis

EDA 7980 Doctoral Dissertation Research (1-6 hours) - Students register for up to 6 dissertation credits with guidance from the chair of your committee and the program director.

Fall Year 4 - Focus is on data analysis and final dissertation preparation.

EDA 7980 Doctoral Dissertation Research (1-6 hours) - Students register for up to 6 dissertation credits with the chair of your committee.

Spring Year 4 and beyond (if necessary)

EDA 7980 Doctoral Dissertation Research (1-3 credit hours) - Students register for up to 6 dissertation credits with the chair of your committee.

A baccalaureate degree from an accepted institutional accreditor, 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.

Application and Fee

Prospective students are required to use our online system to create an account and submit an application. The application opens approximately one year in advance and is only good for the term and program in which it is submitted. Applicants who have submitted their application and wish to change their admission term or major/concentration may submit a new application and associated application fee. If you would like to cancel an open application, please contact us.

A $30 (USD) application fee is required regardless of previous enrollment. The application fee is non-refundable and cannot be waived. Undergraduate application fees cannot be used for a graduate application, and vise versa. The application fee must be submitted prior to the review of an application.

Current students who would like to add or change a major, concentration or certificate should submit the Change of Concentration or Major form.

College Transcripts

All applicants must provide transcripts from a U.S. institution accredited by an accepted institutional accreditor or its equivalent from a non-US institution that awarded the bachelor’s degree and master’s degree, if applicable, and transcripts from institutions where any post-baccalaureate and/or graduate credits were earned.

All admits must provide official transcripts.

All international transcripts will require a course-by-course evaluation by an approved third-party credential evaluation agency unless a graduate program has established an alternative credential evaluation procedure that is approved by the graduate school. To be accepted, the evaluation must be:

1. Translated to English and be the U.S. equivalent
2. Evaluated course-by-course
3. Include the overall academic GPA
4. Be from an approved third-party accredited evaluation service. Recommended evaluation agencies: 
   • SpanTran. They have created a custom application for UNF that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. You can access their application through the SpanTran Application - UNF Graduate School portal.
   • Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
   • World Education Services

• The UNF Graduate School cannot request transcripts on an applicants behalf.
• Unofficial transcript copies are accepted for admissions but must clearly state the institution name, student name, course information, terms, grades, and credits. Degree audits are not accepted. Admitted students will be prompted to provide official transcripts. 
• If currently enrolled in courses, an incomplete transcript must be submitted before the posted deadline. 
• Applicants who also have to apply through systems such as ATCAS or PTCAS, must submit separate transcripts to UNF. 
• Official transcripts must:
  • Must be less than one year old from the date of printing
  • Must be submitted in a sealed envelope from your institution, or emailed through official electronic means.
• When requesting college transcripts, please verify with your institution(s) whether or not they are able to submit electronic transcripts in the proper EDI format. Institutions can submit transcripts via e-mail to graduateschool@unf.edu from an approved vendor such as ScriptSafe, Credentials, or Parchment. 
• Former or current UNF students should not request UNF transcripts. After application submission, the UNF requirement will be updated to a "waived" status.

Where do I send transcripts?

UNF Graduate School
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224

graduateschool@unf.edu

• Resume
  • Three years of successful teaching experience, administrative experience, or related work in training and development required
• Letter of intent
  • Describe how minimum criteria for admission are being met (i.e. Master's degree and three years of teaching or comparable leadership experience);
  • In your letter also answer the following questions:
    1. What personal and professional goals do you hope to meet through earning a doctorate? Why do you think the a doctorate degree from UNF is a good fit for your goals?
    2. What special knowledge, skills, and experience would you bring to the program that would be of value to your classmates?
    3. What personal, professional and financial resources do you have to support your success in the program?
• Writing sample. This should include one of the following:
  • Published article in a professional journal;
  • Paper (6-8 pages) written for a graduate course that demonstrates academic writing; or
  • Other professional materials for which primary responsibility was held that demonstrates academic writing
• Three letters of recommendation
  • Address applicants academic and professional work
• A Master's degree earned from a regionally accredited institution or an equivalent international university

  • Minimum 3.25 GPA

Interview Process

Applicants that meet minimum program admission requirements will be invited to participate in an interview process with program faculty before being admitted to the program.

Deadlines and Documents

The program application deadlines below are for international students who are seeking F1/J1 visas. While these deadlines are not mandatory, we encourage students to complete their applications and submit all immigration documents at least two months prior to the regular program deadlines to ensure timely visa processing. For most programs, the international deadlines are:

• Fall: June 1
• Spring: October 1

For programs with fall deadlines earlier than June 1 and spring deadlines earlier than October 1, the international deadlines are the same as the program deadlines. Please direct questions to the International Center.

According to U.S. immigration regulations, immigration documents can only be issued for students who are fully admitted to a full-time, on-campus, in-person, degree-seeking program. F-1/J-1 students cannot pursue online degree programs, part-time enrollment, or certificate programs; please see the list of F-1 Non-Qualifying Degree Programs and contact the International Center for more information. This list is subject to change. 

English Language Proficiency

All international applicants, except those from an English-speaking country, are required to demonstrate English Language Proficiency by meeting the indicators listed on the English Language Proficiency page.

Affidavit of Financial Support and Bank Certification

The Affidavit is a legal document which is signed by the sponsor (the person who will be providing the funds) stating the amount of funds that she/he will provide for the educational expenses of the student applicant and then certified by a bank official that the sponsor does have that amount of funds in their account. This form represents an obligation on the part of the sponsor to provide the required amount of funds as indicated on the form. Please review the Estimated Cost of Attendance for International Students to determine the amount of funds needed to be written on the Affidavit.

All documentation and immigration inquiries should be sent to the UNF International Center.

Immunization Documentation Form and Health Insurance

All international students are required to submit proof of required vaccinations and health insurance. Please refer to the Office of Medical Compliance with any questions. 

The Holzendorf Urban Partnership (HUP) Award supports educational leaders committed to strengthening urban-focused teacher preparation, professional learning, and school partnerships. Designed for those working with Professional Development Schools (PDSs) and partnership schools connected to the Silverfield College of Education and Human Services at the University of North Florida, this award provides tuition for one Ed.D. course per semester—including summer—during the first three years of the program. Additionally, recipients who successfully defend their dissertation proposal before summer registration in year three will receive funding for three dissertation credit hours. Tuition support concludes after the summer of the third year.

Learn more about the recipients

The University of North Florida (UNF) Silverfield College of Education and Human Services proudly supports the L.E.A.D. Scholars Program. This prestigious fellowship is designed to foster exceptional doctoral students who aspire to become leaders in education, academia, and development. The program is committed to preparing scholars for influential roles where they can make significant contributions to educational practice and scholarship.

Learn more about L.E.A.D. Scholars