Mar 29, 2024  
2015-2016 Graduate Catalog 
    
2015-2016 Graduate Catalog [NOTE!!!! THIS IS AN ARCHIVED CATALOG. FOR THE CURRENT CATALOG, GO TO CATALOG.NIU.EDU]

Doctor of Education in Educational Administration


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The Ed.D. program in educational administration is intended to prepare individuals for administrative service and leadership positions in schools, institutions of higher education, or other agencies. The doctoral program provides instructional experiences designed for satisfactory development of conceptual, human, and technical skills and understandings required for successful leadership in various administrative roles with emphasis on educational research, the role of the leader in the social order, community power structure, and organizational theory.

In order to obtain the superintendent endorsement to a Professional Educator License (PEL) as part of the Ed.D. in Educational Administration degree, students must complete a state-approved course of study (see requirements below).

The student learning outcomes for this degree are located at http://www.niu.edu/assessment/clearinghouse/outcomes/index.shtml.

Admission


An applicant for admission to the Ed.D. program in educational administration must submit

  • evidence of having completed a master’s degree
  • all official transcripts from institutions of higher education
  • scores on the GRE
  • three letters of recommendation from professors and/or practicing school administrators who hold state licensure
  • Applicants who wish to obtain a superintendent endorsement must possess a Professional Educator License (PEL).

The faculty in educational administration select the most qualified applicants. Preference is given to experienced administrators who hold a master’s degree from an accredited university, with a minimum graduate GPA of 3.50. Faculty decisions are based on the total profile of each applicant. Any applicant who is denied admission may submit an appeal to be reviewed by the admissions committee and the faculty. Appeals must be in writing, explain the basis for the appeal, and include information not previously submitted.

Requirements


The doctoral program in educational administration requires a minimum of 60 semester hours of graduate work beyond the master’s degree as follows.

  • Course work constituting common requirements in research understandings and skills, learning and development theories, and sociocultural analyses of education (15)
  • Course work (excluding dissertation hours) in educational administration (27)
    • LEEA 786 -  Internship in Educational Administration (3)

    • LEEA 799 - Doctoral Research and Dissertation (15)

  • Successful completion of a candidacy examination. This examination encompasses the common requirements and the area of professional knowledge in educational administration. The exam process used ensures a common standard is used in evaluating students for candidacy and to ensure all program candidates are able to demonstrate a broad body of Educational Administration content knowledge. The requirements and content matter covered on the exam are reinforced throughout course work, and special exam review sessions and practice exam opportunities are made available during students’ final semester of course work. A student must be in good academic standing, both overall and in the Ed.D. program to be eligible to take this examination. See program Student Handbook for further information. A student who fails this examination may, with the permission of the major department, repeat it no sooner than the following academic term. A student who fails this examination a second time, or is not granted approval for a second attempt, shall not be permitted to continue work toward the Ed.D. degree, and admission to that program shall be terminated.

If beyond an NIU Ed.S. degree, the doctoral program in educational administration requires a minimum of 30 additional semester hours including

  • Course work in research understandings and skills, learning and development theories, and sociocultural analyses of education (15)
  • LEEA 799, Doctoral Research and Dissertation (15)

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