Leadership, Research, and Policy, PhD

This program is designed to meet the personal and professional needs of educational leaders in school districts, higher education and non-governmental organizations through rigorous courses in leadership, research and policy. This innovative program combines challenging coursework with collaborative faculty and student participation in research labs that prepare students for successful completion of the dissertation and professional application of skills and knowledge.

The three-year program for working professionals prepares graduates to:

Engage in scholarly inquiry and culturally responsive practice
Synthesize diverse research perspectives in facilitating educational excellence
Lead others in continuous improvement through implementation and evaluation
Communicate successfully through oral and written professional discourse

Faculty

Sylvia Mendez, Ph.D., Department Chair, and Associate Professor with Tenure
Andrea Bingham, Ph.D, Assistant Professor
Dick Carpenter, Ph.D., Professor
Tacy Killingsworth, M.A., Instructor
Al Ramirez, Ed.D., Professor
Margaret Scott, Ed.D., Assistant Professor
Dallas Strawn, Ph.D., Senior Instructor
Marcus Winters, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Patricia Witkowsky, Ph.D., Instructor, SAHE Program Coordinator

Application and Admissions Process

Visit our website for requirements.

Course Requirements

Leadership and Policy Content (21 Credit Hours)

Research Content (57 Credit Hours)

Dissertation Credits

Candidates must be enrolled for 3 credits of Doctoral Dissertation each semester of doctoral coursework. Candidates must be continuously enrolled in a minimum of 1 credit hour of dissertation credit per semester during completion of the dissertation. Five credits of dissertation credit must be taken during the semester of the oral defense. No more than 10 dissertation credits can be taken in any one semester. A total of 30 credits of Doctoral Dissertation must be earned to complete degree requirements.

See our Ph.D. Student Handbook for detailed information on dissertation guidelines.