EdD Admissions Information

The Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD) degree is designed to prepare you for senior level leadership positions in the PK12 and Higher Education environments. This advanced level of preparation fosters your development of knowledge, skills and abilities to resolve complex educational issues and problems. Program studies include leadership theory, human resource development, organizational theory, policy analysis, planning studies, curriculum and instructional leadership, and political systems analysis.

A minimum of 60-semester hours beyond the master’s degree and the successful completion of a dissertation is required to earn the degree. This unique degree program enables you to complete the program, including the dissertation requirement, in three years. The program follows a cohort structure and students are required to follow the prescribed curriculum to remain within the cohort structure.

The EdD program includes two concentrations, PK12 Administration and Higher Education Administration, that will allow you to be engaged in coursework and activities relevant to your identified spectrum of educational leadership. The dissertation requirement is based upon ECU’s Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations’ membership in the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctor (CPED) using the Dissertation in Practice Framework.

Upon completion of the program, PK12 school leaders who hold a North Carolina administrative and/or supervision license(s), are eligible to upgrade those license(s). Note: Individuals seeking the North Carolina Superintendent license (011) will be required to meet the North Carolina Standards for the Superintendent via student artifacts generated with the oversight of a local superintendent and LEED faculty members.

Candidates for the EdD program must have a minimum of:

• a master’s degree in an education-related area
• 3-5 years of proven educational leadership and/or supervisor experience

The next cohort will begin during 2nd Summer (end of June). The application for this cohort will be available in late summer on the Graduate School website. The application and all required materials are due on February 15.

Following the initial review of the completed applications and required materials, faculty identify applicants they wish to bring to campus for face-to-face interviews.

Additional EdD Program Details

Start of Program: once per year — during the 2nd summer term (last week in June)

Length of time required: three years/60 credit hours

Delivery method: hybrid model with coursework delivered approximately 90% online and 10% face-to-face. Students are required to attend all course meetings, both face-to-face and online. Online course meetings take place synchronously via Microsoft Teams. (We do not offer a completely online program option.)

Number of students admitted: the EdD is a very competitive program and receives more applications than seats available for each cohort. LEED evaluates the number of current EdD students to determine the number of available seats for each incoming cohort. Cohorts for each concentration are typically between 10 and 12 students.

Tuition: approximately $18,300 (in-state tuition). Courses are classified as Distance Education at approximately $305 per credit hour (about 1/3 the cost of on-campus courses). All courses are 3 semester hours, which equates to approximately $915 per course.

Schedule: students take 2 courses per semester in the evenings, typically 5:30-8:30pm. The courses are approximately 10% face-to-face and 90% online, which equates to approximately 4-5 virtual, synchronous meetings per course during the semester. Courses for each cohort are typically held on the same night of the week throughout the entire program.

Dissertation work: Students begin dissertation work immediately within the first course, so admitted students are encouraged to be prepared with a problem of practice relative to their current sphere of influence that they would like to study. Students are matched with faculty dissertation chairs during the first fall semester. This allows students the opportunity to work with and collect feedback from their course instructors, as well as dissertation chairs, throughout the entirety of the program.

Tuition and Fees

Graduate Student Rate Per Credit Hour – Off Campus (Distance Education)

• NC Resident: $304.84
• Out-of-State Resident: $1071.84

Tuition and fees are subject to change based on legislative and university action.

EdD Application and Admission Information

All application materials must be submitted through the ECU Graduate School online application process. The application will be available late summer on the Graduate School website.

Application deadline: February 15

EdD Application Requirements:

• Online application – Complete the online application for Educational Leadership – EdD Summer II found on the Graduate School application website (available late summer).
• Application fee – Submit the non-refundable $75 application fee.
• Transcripts – You are required to submit official transcripts from all institutions attended within the last 5 years and anywhere you earned a degree. Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted. All documents must be submitted directly to ECU from your institution.
  • Electronic transcripts from your institution can be sent to the Graduate School via the following email address: gradschool@ecu.edu or hard copies via the following mailing address:
    ECU Graduate School
    Mendenhall, Suite G27
    Mail Stop 570
    Greenville, NC 27858
• Current Teaching/Administration License (PK12 applicants only) – PK12 Administration concentration candidates must upload their current North Carolina teaching and school administration license.
• Current Resume/CV – Upload your current resume/CV highlighting school/school system or higher education leadership experiences.
• Statement of Purpose – The statement of purpose should describe your motivation for pursuing the EdD and how it will help you achieve your long-term professional goals.
• Three References – As indicated in the online application, submit the names and email addresses of 3 professional references (one should be from current supervisor).
• Writing Sample – Academic writing is a major component of the EdD program. We are seeking to verify your ability to compose an analytical document supported by appropriate sources and utilizing accurate APA style for citations. Upload an analytical essay that presents a clear argument about an issue in your current workplace where you seek to lead positive change to benefit key stakeholders (500-1000 words). Use at least three peer-reviewed resources to support your claim and cite the sources utilizing APA style.

EdD Sample Course Schedule*

PK12 Administration

Higher Education Administration

*Sample Course Schedule — subject to change as necessary

**Superintendent Licensure Courses

EdD Course Descriptions

Core Courses (21 s.h.)

• LEED 8010. Organizational Theory and Culture. Application of organizational theory in educational administration to social systems in education.

• LEED 8020. Politics and Power in Education. Formal process for developing educational policy through federal, state, and local governments. Involvement and power of elected officials and political parties. Impact of social issues, economics and other forces on educational policy development.

• LEED 8025. Doctoral Seminar in Political and Social Issues in Educational Leadership. Process through which political and social issues affect education. Analysis of some contemporary issues that affect NC.

• LEED 8030. Educational Planning. Concepts, strategies, and practices of educational planning utilized for school and school district leadership.

• LEED 8035. Doctoral Seminar in Educational Leadership. Advanced study of theory, research, and exemplary practice in changing nature of educational leadership.

• LEED 8050. Ethics in Educational Leadership. Applied ethics.

• LEED 8060. Program Evaluation. Theory and research on program evaluation. Techniques used in designing, implementing, and reporting program evaluations.

Research Courses (15 s.h.)

• LEED 8045. Cases and Concepts in Educational Leadership. Key concepts of educational leadership examined primarily through case study analysis.

• LEED 8410. Advanced Research in Educational Leadership. Evaluation and use of quantitative and qualitative research in the practice of educational leadership.

• LEED 8420. Quantitative Research in Educational Leadership. Descriptive and inferential quantitative methods used in educational research.

• LEED 8430. Qualitative Research in Educational Leadership. Philosophy and methodology of various forms of qualitative research used in educational leadership.

• LEED 8440. Applied Research Design in Educational Leadership. Knowledge and skills needed to plan and implement a major independent research project in educational leadership.

Dissertation Courses (6 s.h.)

• LEED 9000. Dissertation.

• LEED 9000. Dissertation.

Concentration Courses (18 s.h.)

Higher Education Administration

• LEED 8027. Seminar in Higher Education Law & Public Policy. Legal system and how constitutional and case law impact higher education practices. Analysis of educational policy development at federal, state, and institutional levels.

• LEED 8047. Student Development in Higher Education. Historical and philosophical foundations of student development theory. Application of theory to best practices.

• LDHE 8070. History and Philosophy of Higher Education. History and philosophy of the development / sustainment of higher education systems

• LDHE 8080. Finance in Higher Education. How higher education is funded, issues, and challenges related to funding

• LEED 7520. Special Topics Seminar in Educational Leadership. Advanced topics in educational leadership depending on student interest and current educational priorities.

• LEED 7520. Special Topics Seminar in Educational Leadership. Advanced topics in educational leadership depending on student interest and current educational priorities.

PK12 Administration

• LEED 7408. Public School Administration. Advanced course based on administrative principles and techniques encountered by superintendents in NC schools. This is one of the courses designed to meet the NC Superintendent’s License requirement.

• LEED 7429. Problems in Educational Supervision. Advanced research of selected problem in supervision and presentation of results for critical analysis and discussion. This is one the courses designed to meet the NC Superintendent’s License requirement.

• LEED 7470. School Business Management. Background necessary for efficient school system operations to facilitate instruction. This is one of the courses designed to meet the NC Superintendent’s License requirement.

• LEED 8015. Doctoral Seminar in Human Resource Development. Advanced study of theory, research, and exemplary practice in developing human resources in educational organizations. This is one of the courses designed to meet the NC Superintendent’s License requirement.

• LEED 8991. Doctoral Internship: Leadership Practicum. Advanced internship. Participation in series of structured and supervised field experiences at local, regional, and state levels. This is one of the courses designed to meet the NC Superintendent’s License requirement.

• LEED 8992. Doctoral Internship: Research Practicum. Advanced internship. In depth practical experience in educational organization. Completion of field

Additional EdD Program and Application Information Contact

Heidi Puckett, Ed.D.
Teaching Associate Professor
Director of Outreach & Leadership Development
202 Ragsdale
Greenville, NC 27858
pucketth14@ecu.edu
edd@ecu.edu