Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development

The College of Education and Human Development offers a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) with an emphasis in P-12 Administration. The programmatic mission is to develop and support a community of ethical, reflective and scholarly leaders who will improve the success of K-12 students. Graduates from this program understand, apply and commission research related to elementary and secondary schools. Doctoral students and their faculty tackle tough issues related to educational leadership at the school- and district-levels, improving organizational outcomes, and addressing the needs of persistently low-performing schools. As a student in this program, your knowledge, skills and abilities will be strategically strengthened to better prepare you to meet these challenges.

Apply Now

Why Choose U of L's Ed.D. program?

• Highly ranked research institution in education.
• Work alongside research faculty and practitioners that address pressing social justice issues and problems of practice in schools and districts.
• Cohort-based programs.
• Opportunities to participate in international learning programs.
• Proud member of:
  • University Council for Educational Administration, a consortium of higher education institutions committed to advancing the preparation and practice of educational leaders for the benefit of schools and children. U of L is one of only two Kentucky institutions to have this designation.
  • Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, a consortium of colleges and universities working together to undertake a critical examination of the doctorate in education (Ed.D.) through dialog, experimentation, critical feedback, and evaluation.

GRE Testing Now Online!

At Home Testing Available Worldwide for the GRE® General Test

ETS has expanded the availability of at home testing for the GRE® General Test to everywhere the computer-delivered GRE General Test is normally available, with the exception of Mainland China and Iran. In Mainland China, ETS is working closely with NEEA to accommodate test takers impacted by test cancellations, including adding test dates once regular testing resumes. ETS is working to offer at home testing to Iran as soon as possible.

At home testing for the GRE General Test is for students who have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19). Monitoring of the test will be conducted using live remote proctors and artificial intelligence technology by ProctorU®, the leading proctoring solution for online testing.

The test is identical in content, format, on-screen experience and scoring to the GRE General Test taken at a test center. It is monitored online by a trained human proctor from start to finish to maintain test security.

https://www.ets.org/s/cv/gre/the-americas

Program Information

The doctoral faculty tackles tough issues related to school achievement in the areas of reading, science, and mathematics as well as addressing persistently low-performing schools. As a student in this program, your knowledge, skills and abilities will be strategically strengthened to better prepare you to meet these challenges.

Related

• Doctoral Student Handbook
• Educational Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development
• UofL Course Catalog

Featured Ed.D. Alumni

Marco Munoz, Ed.D.
Priority Schools Director
Jefferson County Public Schools

Katy DeFerrari, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent of
School Culture and Climate
Jefferson County Public Schools

Marty Pollio Ed.D.
Superintendent
Jefferson County Public Schools

For more details about program curriculum, visit the Graduate Catalog.

This program is designed for those who have or do not need administrative certification. Pre-requisite: master's degree and three years teaching experience. The program allows up to 12 hours of transfer credit from a regionally accredited university that offers advanced degrees.

Credit Hour and Residency Requirements

EdD students complete 6 credit hours together per semester (planned format). Limited substitutions or modifications may be permitted based upon previous coursework, career goals, or individual schedule needs. Note: Students need to contact the Program Coordinator to discuss.

Students must be enrolled at UofL for a minimum of 18 hours within a 12-month period to meet the residency requirement. These hours are built into the planned format but must be considered when making program modifications.

Time Limits for Completion of Degree

• Cohorts begin in fall of each year.
• The Ed.D. program will take 3 years at minimum for completion.
• Students must complete all coursework and pass the comprehensive exams within five years.
• Students must complete all other requirements for the degree within four years after passing the comprehensive exams and being admitted to candidacy.

A doctoral student must have been admitted to candidacy no later than the end of the month prior to awarding of the degree; that is:

• August graduation: November 30 of preceding year
• December graduation: March 31 of the same year
• May graduation: August 31 of preceding year

See the Doctoral Student Handbook for more information.

EdD in ELOD JCPS Graduates

Admission Documents and Pages

• Graduate School on-line application
• Form for recommendations for Graduate School [PDF]

Students apply for the EdD in ELOD each spring, with enrollment each fall.

Applicants must submit the following credentials to:

Graduate Admissions Office
Houchens Building
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40292

Potential students for the program must meet the minimum requirements for admission to the University of Louisville Graduate School
Additionally, the following is required by the Doctor of Education (Ed.D) program:

1. Letter of Introduction - no more than two pages highlighting your career accomplishments to date, your reason for considering doctoral level work, and your anticipated areas of interest for action research project(s).
2. Current Resume or Curriculum Vita - Submit a current resume or curriculum vita. The program faculty expects applicants to have prior professional experience in P-12 education. The Ed.D program is practitioner-based and intended for experienced professionals in the field.
3. Three Letters of Recommendation - Select three individuals who are familiar with your background as a professional or graduate student and have them complete the Recommendation Form [PDF]. At least one of the recommendations must come from someone familiar with your work ethic and work products, A letter from an immediate supervisor is encouraged.
4. Official copies of all collegiate transcripts (undergraduate and graduate). Graduates of the University of Louisville need not provide a transcript.
5. Master's degree in education or related field
6. GPA of at least 3.5 for prior graduate coursework.
7. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores taken within the last five years. When submitting GRE scores through ETS, have scores sent to the general University of Louisville code, 1838.

Special Note: At Home Testing Available Worldwide for the GRE® General Test · ETS has expanded the availability of at home testing for the GRE® General Test to everywhere the computer-delivered GRE General Test is normally available, with the exception of Mainland China and Iran. In Mainland China, ETS is working closely with NEEA to accommodate test takers impacted by test cancellations, including adding test dates once regular testing resumes. ETS is working to offer at home testing to Iran as soon as possible. · At home testing for the GRE General Test is for students who have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19). Monitoring of the test will be conducted using live remote proctors and artificial intelligence technology by ProctorU®, the leading proctoring solution for online testing. · The test is identical in content, format, on-screen experience and scoring to the GRE General Test taken at a test center. It is monitored online by a trained human proctor from start to finish to maintain test security.
· https://www.ets.org/s/cv/gre/the-americas

8. GRE Exception will be granted if the student has been awarded an EdS from the University of Louisville or other accredited institution
9. Applicants submitting foreign transcripts must submit transcript to either the World Education Evaluation Service (WES) or Education Credentials Evaluators (ECE) for evaluation. If you have a master's degree from the U.S., this requirement is waived.
10. TOEFL score. This exam is required of foreign students where English is not the native language. The minimum scores are as follows: 213 or higher on the computer-based test, 550 or higher on the paper-based test, 79 or higher on the Internet-based test.
    OR
    IELTS score with a band score of 6.5 or above. UofL also accepts the IELTS and it can also be taken from home during this COVID time. https://www.ielts.org/
11. Submission of a writing prompt provided when the application materials are received and to be submitted prior to the interview.
12. Interview with Program Faculty - Program faculty reserve the right to request additional information to resolve admission status including, but not limited to, GRE scores, additional letters of recommendation, professional references for consultation, etc

All application materials are reviewed by the program faculty and are considered holistically when determining admission status. Students will be notified in writing of their admission status.

Note: Once all credentials have been submitted to the Graduate Admissions Office, they will automatically be forwarded to the Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development for review. The materials assist the committee in deciphering the:

• Success potential in a doctoral program
• Applicant's levels of professional expertise
• Viable match for applicant's goals

Applicants will be notified in writing if they will be invited to interview in May - June.

Estimated Time to Completion

• minimum 3-year commitment (60 hour program)
• 2 classes per semester
• 6 - 27 hours per week preparation

Contact

Keith Davis, Ed.D.
Clinical Associate Professor
Educational Leadership, Evaluation, & Organizational Development
The University of Louisville
1905 South 1st Street
Porter Building, Room 337
Louisville, Kentucky 40292
(502) 852-6451
bkeith.davis@louisville.edu

OR

Deb Powers, Ed.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor
Educational Leadership, Evaluation, & Organizational Development
The University of Louisville
1905 South 1st Street
Porter Building, Room 369
Louisville, Kentucky 40292
(502) 852-6428
debbie.powers@louisville.edu

Janet Olson, Administrative Assistant, 502-852-6475

Program Faculty

• Mary Brydon-Miller, Ph.D.
• Keith Davis, Ed.D.
• Jason Immekus, Ph.D.
• W. Kyle Ingle, Ph.D.
• Deb Powers, Ed.D.

Opportunities for Graduates

Are you considering the next step in your career? If so, consider the Doctorate of Education at UofL!

The EdD in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development (ELOD) develops and supports a community of ethical, reflective, and scholarly activists who will improve the success of K-12 students. Graduates are educational leaders at the school, district, state, and national levels. They may also work in related organizations (education cooperatives or education associations) as well as in higher education.

Scholarships, Fellowships and Financial Aid

• UofL Student Financial Aid Office
• Graduate Assistantships
• CEHD Scholarships and Financial Aid
• May also use KTIP/Student Teacher Tuition Credit [PDF]

Tuition

UofL regular cost graduate tuition = $571 per credit hour

Your graduate tuition rate = $270 per credit hour

* Excludes books, materials and fees