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Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

The Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership program operates with a cohort model that incorporates the use of asynchronous and synchronous technologies to promote student-student collaboration and enhance the cohort experience. The program also provides regular opportunities to engage with program faculty who consists of award-winning researchers and practitioners who are actively engaged with schools and community agencies and model best practices to their students in the university classroom and in the field. Graduates of the EdD program will be prepared for careers and advancement as leaders at the school, district, and state levels.

Please contact Dr. Ashley Wicker at [email protected] or [email protected] for information regarding upcoming cohorts.

 

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Future Cohorts

Fall 2025

  • Apply by July 15: $20 Non-Refundable Application Fee
  • Apply between July 16 – August 1: $20 Non-Refundable Application Fee & $50 Late Fee
  • No applications accepted after August 1**

** Deadline is for submission of the initial application. Supporting materials may be uploaded to the admissions portal after this deadline. However, priority review will be given to applications and supporting materials received by this deadline.

Program Overview

The mission of the EdD program in Educational Leadership is to enhance the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of candidates to allow them to become educational leaders who promote effective school improvement.

The EdD in Educational Leadership program is designed to provide the following:  

  1. To enhance the knowledge and competencies of leaders so they provide optimal leadership for the education of all learners, both youth and adult.
  2. To prepare leaders who are inquiring, reflective practitioners.
  3. To prepare leaders who are competent in identifying and solving complex problems in education.
  4. To prepare leaders who understand the multitude of leadership and management theories and practices techniques related to their professionalsettings.
  5. To prepare leaders who value, encourage, and facilitate the professional development of self and others in their organization.
  6. To prepare leaders who demonstrate effective communication skills in both school and non-school settings.
  7. To prepare leaders who value, understand, and support diversity in their school organizations.
  8. To prepare leaders who make contributions to the profession.
  • The doctoral program is NOT designed to lead towards initial Administrative Certification for the State of Louisiana.
  • Students who do not have a master’s degree in school administration or the equivalent, may be required to complete three to nine hours of course work in educational administration, either before or during the doctoral program.
  • Students who have not completed a course in graduate statistics must include this course in their program of study.

Program Admission Requirements

Application Process

The prospective student must submit a completed application to study at Southeastern Louisiana University and satisfy all University graduate admission requirements including a completed immunization form, non-refundable fee, and official copies of all transcripts. The University application must be submitted online at: Graduate Application.

Applicants for Regular Admission must have a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average on the undergraduate degree, verified by official transcripts. Cumulative grade point averages below a 3.0 will be considered on an individual basis and may receive Provisional Admission. The official transcript must also verify that the applicant earned a Master’s degree from an accredited university and has satisfactory standing at the last institution attended.

In addition to the grade point average requirement, applicants must submit the following documents through the University application portal:

  1. Professional resume that identifies at least three (3) years of appropriate professional experience
  2. A writing sample that the applicant believes is indicative of their ability to write
    on an academic or professional subject;
  3. A formal letter of application that must provide:
    1. An introduction of the applicant to the admissions committee, including career goals, and
    2. Reasons why the applicant seeks admission to the doctoral program in educational leadership.
  4. Names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of the following three individuals (may be included on resume):
    1. An individual who has direct knowledge of the applicant’s work ethic;
    2. An individual who has direct knowledge of the applicant’s leadership ability, and;
    3. An individual who has direct knowledge of the applicant’s academic ability.

Program Admission Process

After all application materials have been received, the Educational Leadership Doctoral Admissions Committee will jointly review the applicant’s materials. The Committee will determine which applicants will move forward in the application process. Applicants who are selected by the committee to continue in the application process will:

  1. Draft an extemporaneous writing sample in response to a writing prompt that will be provided.
  2. Participate in at least one interview with members of the admissions committee.

Upon receipt of a letter of official acceptance into the program, the individual may enroll in the initial courses for the program.

Program Elements

Graduate Assistantship/Fellowship:
Students who take six (6) or more hours per semester are eligible to be awarded a graduate assistantship and/or graduate fellowship. Please see the Doctoral Program coordinator for more information.

Coursework Requirements and Transfer of Credits:
Subject to approval by the doctoral advisory committee, a maximum of 6 hours of appropriate course work completed as part of another doctoral program may be transferred from other accredited institutions. 

Academic Expectations:
Students must maintain a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.00 in all doctoral course work. No more than two courses in which a grade of “C” has been earned may be applied toward the fulfillment of degree requirements. 

Continuous Enrollment:
The continuous enrollment requirement necessitates that candidates are enrolled each academic term including summer, fall, and spring until completion of all degree program requirements.

Residency Requirement:
The residency requirement in graduate programs is intended to ensure that candidates become integrally involved in the academic life of their program and of the university. During the course of study for the Ed.D. degree offered by the Consortium, candidates are required to have an enrollment period of three (3) consecutive academic terms with a minimum of six (6) credit hours per academic term.

Admission to Candidacy and Time Limits:
All degree requirements must be completed within six calendar years following admission to candidacy. An extension may be granted if approved by the Dean of the College of Education. Prior work applied to the degree (including transfer and locally-earned credits) must have been completed within nine calendar years immediately preceding the date on which the degree is conferred.

Prospectus Defense:
All candidates are required to successfully defend their Prospectus before their committee.

Dissertation:
All doctoral candidates are required to complete a dissertation which represents a significant contribution to the body of knowledge in the discipline. Doctoral candidates must (a) form a dissertation committee, (b) prepare and successfully defend a dissertation proposal before the dissertation committee, (c) complete data collection and analysis, and (d) prepare and successfully defend the final dissertation before the dissertation committee. All candidates must be officially enrolled for dissertation credit, whether the candidates are on or off campus.

Additional Requirements:
Prospective and enrolled graduate students are reminded that the general academic, financial, and student conduct policies and rules as stated in the University catalog remain in force and effect unless specifically modified by graduate rules and policies included in the graduate section of the catalog.

Doctoral Program Curriculum

The EdD degree program in Education Leadership requires a minimum of 60 semester credit hours as follows:

Research Core: 18 credit hours (of 18 offered)

Educational Leadership: 30 credit hours, to be selected from the following course work:

Doctoral Dissertation Seminar: Minimum of 12 credit hours

For more information on the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, please
contact the program coordinator or main office: 

Dr. Ashley Wicker
Department of Educational Leadership and Technology
Southeastern Louisiana University
SLU BOX 10549
Hammond, LA 70402
(985) 549 5713
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

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