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Ed.D. in Educational Administration
(HEGIS 0827) 60 credits

The Doctor of Education Degree (Ed.D.) in Educational Administration is designed to train leaders for educational and social organizations in several emerging areas: the power and application of information technology, the creative management of resources, and the implementation of strategies for continuous personal improvement. As such, the degree will facilitate 1) providing the communication and network access to widespread information resources; 2) researching and evaluating field work; 3) utilizing assessment processes to evaluate organizational process; and 4) providing students with opportunities for publishing scholarly work. Graduates will find themselves prepared to lead in the demanding educational and social organizations of the 21st century.

The majority of students seeking the Ed.D. will have completed either a post-master's Advanced Certificate in Educational Administration with a broad base of knowledge in leadership and administration or a Master's degree in a related social discipline plus 12-15 additional credits in administration approved by the Department Chairperson of Educational Administration.

Admission to the doctoral program requires the following:
  1. A transcript confirming a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or its approved equivalent;
  2. An earned post-master's Advanced Certificate in Educational Administration or a Master’s degree in a related field with 12-15 credits in administration approved by the Department Chairperson;
  3. A GPA of 3.0 or better;
  4. A portfolio assessment if the student attended a graduate program which utilized a portfolio assessment;
  5. Two letters of recommendation;
  6. Completion within the past three years of a graduate study admission examination at one of the following performance levels: a minimum score of 550 on the Verbal section and 1500 cumulative score on the Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical section of the GRE (Graduate Record Exam); or a minimum score of 140 on the LSAT (Law School Admission Test); or a minimum score of 375 on the Miller Analogy test; or equivalent experience in professional leadership;
  7. A minimum of two years of successful professional experience;
  8. Completion of a series of individual and group interviews with the graduate program faculty;
  9. A statement of professional aspirations;
  10. A current resume; and
  11. A Dowling College School of Education doctoral degree application.


The program faculty will review the supporting materials submitted with the application for admission. The applicant will be notified of the admission decision and will progress to matriculated doctoral student status. Matriculated students have a limit of seven calendar years from the date of initial matriculation in the program within which all requirements for the doctorate must be completed. Students who are accepted will agree to the cohort concept and will continually register for courses with the cohort of students with which they enter the program.

Incorporating the use of authentic assessment, the students will maintain portfolios that progressively and cumulatively provide evidence that they have addressed and met the performance standards for the Ed.D. The portfolio represents the sum total of successfully completed graduate work leading toward the doctoral degree.

Following a portfolio review, the doctoral candidate must fulfill the requirements of the dissertation proposal. Upon approval of the proposal, one copy of the proposed abstract and the completed proposal form will be filed with the School of Education. After the proposal defense, students will be required to maintain matriculation status by registering for EDE 9862, 9863, and 9864. Individual dissertation advisement after EDE 9864 occurs by registration in EDE 9870 until the oral defense of the completed dissertation is scheduled. Continuing education advisement EDE 9870 requires additional tuition for one course (3 credits) each semester.

Doctor of Education Degree 60 credits

I. Basic Core (36 credits)

A. Organizational Theories (9 credits)
EDE 9810 Theories of Social Organizations  
EDE 9811 Theories of Social Organizations II  
EDE 9808 Planned Change in Organizations  

B. Research Methods (9 credits)
EDE 9800 Basic Research  
EDE 9803 Quantitative Methods of Admin. I  
EDE 9804 Quantitative Methods of Admin. II  

C. Policy Studies (9 credits)
EDE 9816 Ethical Issues in Organizations  
EDE 9817 Politics and Implementation of Policy  
EDE 9829 Multicultural Social Organizations  

II. Collaborative Leadership (9 credits)
EDE 9821 Community Relations  
EDE 9822 Conflict Resolution  
EDE 9828 Collective Negotiations  

III. Field and Research Experiences (15 credits)
In concert with their faculty advisor, students will develop a rationale for a concentration of courses and field/research experiences for the development of a professional specialization in their interest area.

EDE 9801 Survey Research  
EDE 9802 Experimental Research Methods  
EDE 9806 Ethnography and Case Study Design  
EDE 9850 Professional Seminar I Portfolio  
EDE 9851 Professional Seminar II Curriculum Theory  

IV. Dissertation
EDE 9860 9861 Dissertation Proposal Seminar  
EDE 9862 9863 9864 Individual Dissertation Advisement  
EDE 9870 Continuing Dissertation Advisement