Doctor of Education Ed.D.

The doctor of education in learning and leading (Ed.D.) program prepares the next generation of leaders through innovative coursework with a focus on applied research and best practices. The Ed.D. is a 51 semester hour program with four area of concentration options: School Leadership and Development, Organizational Leadership and Development, Neuroeducation, and Higher Education and Student Affairs. Note: Only the Organizational Leadership and Development area of concentration is offered off-campus. Completion of a master’s degree in education or a related field is required for admission to the program. Candidates admitted to the Ed.D. program participate in a rigorous program with support from faculty and staff. For candidates who are able to complete the coursework portion of the Ed.D. program but are not recommended to advance to dissertation candidacy, an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree may be proposed as a completion alternative.

Ed.D. Core Principles and Learning Outcomes

The professional doctorate in education:

1. Is framed around questions of equity, ethics, and social justice to bring about solutions to complex problems of practice.
2. Prepares leaders who can construct and apply knowledge to make a positive difference in the lives of individuals, families, organizations, and communities.
3. Provides opportunities for candidates to develop and demonstrate collaboration and communication skills to work with diverse communities and to build partnerships.
4. Is grounded in and develops a professional knowledge base that integrates both practical and research knowledge, that links theory with systemic and systematic inquiry.
5. Emphasizes the generation, transformation, and use of professional knowledge and practice.

Source: The Carnegie Project on the Educational Doctorate, which align with the Canadian Degree Qualifications Framework.

School Leadership and Development Concentration Learning Outcomes

1. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by sustaining a positive school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
2. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by ensuring management of the organization, operation and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
3. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources in order to demonstrate and promote ethical standards of democracy, equity, diversity, and excellence, and to promote communication among diverse groups.
4. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.
5. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

Source: Oregon Educational Leader/Administrator Standards and Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards.

Organizational Leadership and Development Concentration Learning Outcomes

1. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by sustaining a positive school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
2. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by ensuring management of the organization, operation and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
3. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources in order to demonstrate and promote ethical standards of democracy, equity, diversity, and excellence, and to promote communication among diverse groups.
4. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner. 
5. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

Source: Oregon Educational Leader/Administrator Standards, which are based on the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards and align with the Alberta Principal Quality Practice Dimensions.

Neuroeducation Concentration Learning Outcomes

1. Identify the core anatomy and physiology of the brain including cellular systems and structures of the central nervous system including the sensory and perceptual systems of integration, inhibition, and feedback.
2. Identify and apply brain based interventions using various theoretical frameworks including the bio-physical model (nutrition, genetics, environment interaction); the biological model (brain differences in anatomy and function); the neuro-semantic model (meaning of the neuroanatomy and the outcomes); and social-construct model (assigning meaning physically and neurobiologically).
3. Develop an educational infrastructure for application of brain-based models of learning including learning models based on the biological framework of the brain and apply to the learning differences in various populations including autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit disorders, mood disorders, conduct disorders, both DSM and IDEA definitions.
4. Define the cultural and linguistic assumptions used to interpret, analyze, and evaluate neuroscience research applied to education (e.g., contextual or field sensitive cultures verses non-contextual, non-sensitive cultures).
5. Describe and apply core cognitive psychological processes related to neuroscience foundations such as an explanation of the competing memory systems; the processes of decision making related to brain functions; and the development of motivation related to limbic system function.

Higher Education and Student Affairs Concentration Learning Outcomes