Educational Leadership, EdD

Program Coordinator: Travis Lewis (222 Ragsdale Hall; 252-328-5485; edd@ecu.edu)

The Educational Leadership, EdD is a doctoral degree designed for leader practitioners to develop the necessary skills and abilities to resolve systemic 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. The degree prepares administrators for senior level leadership positions in PK-12 schools or in higher education. 

Degree requirements include successfully designing and conducting an improvement science-based dissertation in practice under the direction of an appropriate faculty member and a dissertation committee.

The program offers two concentrations. Students select either the K-12 administration concentration or the higher education concentration. 

Candidates seeking the EdD with a focus on PK-12 public school administration must hold Level I licensure in administration or supervision. Upon completion of the program, individuals are eligible to upgrade previously held licenses. Individuals holding the administration license (012, class M or class AP) and/or (011, class AS) are eligible for (012, class DP) and superintendent license (011, class DS). Individuals holding supervision license (113, class S) are eligible for curriculum-instructional specialist (113, class D). Candidates seeking the EdD with a concentration in higher education administration are not required to hold a previous license and are not eligible for a North Carolina PK-12 license in school administration or supervision upon completion of the program. In addition, it is required for all EdD program candidates to have a minimum of three years of successful leadership experience.

The program has two degree pathways to obtain the degree. The Post-Master’s Pathway requires a minimum of 60 s.h. The Post-EdS Pathway is for students that earned the Educational Administration and Supervision, EdS  from ECU. Students in this pathway double-count 27 s.h. toward the 60 s.h. required in the EdD program.

The degree requires a minimum of 60 s.h. as follows: