PhD in Educational Administration

Application for admission to the Ph.D. program will be made to the Graduate Division, and the student must meet the requirements of both the College of Education and the department. Applicants must

1. Present evidence of an outstanding scholastic record in a MEd program, or its equivalent, from an accredited graduate school;
2. Have potential capacity for leadership in the field of education and administration, as attested to by at least three letters of recommendation from former professors, immediate superiors in employment, and/of close associates;
3. Have had employment in the field of education (documentary evidence of employment must be submitted;
4. Present scores on the following examinations:
   • GRE verbal, quantitative, and writing;
   • TOEFL (for applicants from foreign countries where English is not the usual means of communication).

Applications for admission will generally only be considered for Fall semester.

The program includes courses required of all doctoral students in the college, courses in an area of specialization (K–12 or higher education), courses taken outside the department, a field experience, and the dissertation.

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION CORE

All Ph.D. students must complete the College Inquiry Core. The requirements for completing the College of Education Inquiry Core will be to complete at least one course in the first category, two courses in the second category, and one course in the third category. The categories and courses are:

1. Multiple Perspectives on Educational Research (one course):
   • SPED 642
   • EDEA 602
   • EDUC 797 (currently experimental)
2. Individual Paradigms (one qualitative course from each group):
   • EDCI 632 or EDEA 604 AND
   • EDEP 601 or EDEP/EDEA 629
3. Advanced Methods for Dissertation Research (one course):
   • SOC 605
   • SOC 705
   • SOC/EDEA 608
   • EDEA 780D
   • EDEA 704
   • EDEP 606
   • EDEP 608
   • PH 754
   • EDCI 732
   • ANTHRO 710
   • HIST 602
   • PHIL 600
   • SPED 740

ADMINISTRATION K-12 CORE

If students have completed a master's degree in educational administration (or closely related field) or the academic requirements for certification as a school administrator, they have met the specialization core requirements for the doctoral degree. Evaluation of previous coursework will be made by the specialization's graduate chair.

Before advancement to candidacy, the candidate in Educational Administration must demonstrate competency, which may be met by coursework, in each of the following areas

1. Knowledge of both general and educational theory, policies and leadership in organizations (6 credits minimum)
   • EDEA 601--Introduction to Educational Administration (3)
   • EDEA 645--Principles of School Management (3)
   • EDEA 650--Human Factors of Organization (3)
2. Knowledge of policy and governance (6 credits minimum):
   • EDEA 610--School-Community Relations (3)
   • EDEA 620--Education Finance (3)
   • EDEA 630--Education Law (3)
3. Knowledge of administrative applications (6 credits minimum):
   • EDEA 640--Systems Approach: Program Planning (3)
   • EDEA 642--Information Systems in Education (3)
   • EDEA 652--Conflict Management in Education (3)
   • EDEA 670--School Supervision (3)
   • EDEA 780F--Seminar in Curriculum Administration (3)

EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION HIGHER EDUCATION CORE

Before advancement to candidacy, the candidate in Educational Administration (HE) must demonstrate competency, which may be met by course work, in each of the following areas:

1. Knowledge of both general and educational theory, policies and practices, and ability to analyze and generalize from the principles of educational administration: EDEA 657-- Introduction to Higher Education (3).
2. Knowledge of human factors from the behavioral and social sciences and the manner in which these affect administrative operations (6 credits minimum):
   • EDEA 646--American College Student (3)
   • EDEA 650--Human Factors in Organization (3)
   • EDEA 662--Curriculum in Higher Education (3)
   • Approved course equivalent
3. Knowledge of the legal/financial factors which affect education and the manner in which these factors influence administrative operations (6 credits minimum):
   • EDEA 620--Education Finance* (3)
   • EDEA 630--Education Law* (3)
   • EDEA 605--Collective Negotiations in Education (3)
   • Approved course equivalent.

   *Higher Education focus

4. Knowledge of program planning and management and ability to conduct management operations effectively (6 credits minimum):
   • EDEA 640--Systems Approach: Program Planning (3)
   • EDEA 642--Information Systems in Education (3)
   • EDEA 660--Management & Leadership in Higher Education (3)
   • EDEA 661--Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education (3)
   • EDEA 663--Community College Leadership (3)
   • Approved course equivalent

SPECIALIZATION IN EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION

Each student will prepare a proposed program of study in consultation with the interim adviser, to be approved by the student's doctoral committee. This program of study will identify the nature of the field experience and the nature of the research problem or dissertation. A minimum of four (4) advanced doctoral seminars (excluding EDEA 780D) is required of all candidates:

1. General Administration (4 courses minimum):
   • 780B--Seminar in Policy Formulation (3)
   • 780C--Seminar in Organizational Change (3)
   • 780G--Seminar in School Governance (3)
   • 780J--Seminar in Administrative Theories (3)
   • 780K--Seminar in Administrative Problems & Issues (3) (e.g., Ethics, Critical Reflection, Socialization)
2. Higher Education Administration
   (4 courses from the following):
   
   • 780B--Seminar in Policy Formulation (3)
   • 780C--Seminar in Organizational Change (3)
   • 780G--Seminar in School Governance (3) (Higher Education Topic)
   • 780H--Seminar in College Student Affairs Administration (3)
   • 780I--Seminar in Higher Education Administration (3)
   • 780J-- Seminar in Administrative Theories (3)
   • 780K-Seminar in Administrative Problems and Issues (3) (e.g., Ethics, Critical Reflection)

   2 courses from the following (or approved course equivalent)

   • 620-Education Finance
   • 630-Education Law

COGNATE FIELD

In addition to the College Core and the Specialization, each student is required to have a cognate field. The cognate field may be in education or in a discipline outside of education.

In consultation with the adviser, each student shall identify a cognate field, which normally will include a minimum of 12 semester hours of coursework. The cognate field faculty will be a member of the student's doctoral committee and will determine the student's program of study as well as provide the questions for the cognate area in the comprehensive examination.

FIELD EXPERIENCE

Each candidate for the Ph.D. degree in Educational Administration is required to complete a one-semester field experience for 3 credits (EDUC 740--Internship/Field Project) or 6 credits (EDEA 720--Administrative Internship).

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

Each student must pass a comprehensive examination. This examination, which is both oral and written, will test the student's knowledge in the area of specialization, the cognate field, and in research methodology. Generally, the Comprehensive Examination is given when the student's doctoral committee feels he/she is ready. All committee members must be present at the oral examination.

The doctoral dissertation is expected to be a scholarly presentation of an original contribution to knowledge resulting from independent research and should be suitable for publication. It is the culminating effort of the doctoral program and as such should be a highly personal and unique experience that will demonstrate the ability to carry out scholarly research in a particular area of educational administration. A demonstrated aptitude in research design and statistics is required. This requirement is met by enrolling in EDEA 800, Dissertation Research.

FINAL ORAL EXAMINATION

A final oral examination on the research study or dissertation is required of all candidates for the Ph.D. degree. The examination in conducted by the candidate's doctoral committee and all committee members must be present. It is never less than one hour in length.