Southeastern Louisiana University

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 professional settings.
   
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.

Applicants who have submitted completed applications, including all documents listed below, by the application deadline will be given priority for admission consideration.   Applications received after the deadline will be given consideration on a space available basis.  Incomplete applications will not be given consideration.  The deadlines are:

March 15      Fall Semester

October 15   Spring Semester

 

Applicants must meet the following requirements in order to be considered for the program:

1. The minimum combined score for the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination is 900.  Any combined score less than 900 or with less than 400 in either the verbal or quantitative sections will result in the application being considered on a case-by-case basis;
2. Master’s Degree from an accredited university;
3. GPA of at least 3.0 on the last 60 undergraduate hours;
4. GPA of 3.25 on all graduate-level course work;
5. For applicants whose native language is not English, a score on the English proficiency examination (TOEFL) of at least 24 on each of the components (Writing, Reading, Speaking, and Listening);
6. Verification of at least three (3) years of appropriate professional experience;
7. Have satisfactory standing in the last institution attended.

Tenured Consortium University faculty members above the rank of instructor may not be admitted into the doctoral program.

 
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 courses in graduate statistics and research methods must include these courses in their program of study.

Application to the Doctor of Education Program Process

An applicant must fully meet all of the Southeastern Louisiana University Graduate Admission requirements to be considered for admission for the Doctor of Education degree program in Educational Leadership.  Two sets of information and documents must be provided.

1. Mail official transcripts of all college coursework (both undergraduate and graduate) to:
   
   Alice Bonfiglio
   Office of Research & Graduate Studies
   Southeastern Louisiana University
   SLU 10809
   Hammond, LA 70402
   
   
2. Submit the following documents electronically via pdf files to the Office of Research and Graduate Studies (abonfiglio@selu.edu):
   1. Completed information form
   2. Professional resume or vita
   3. A formal letter of application that will serve as an indication of writing ability and must address the following questions.
      1. What is your purpose for joining the doctoral program?
      2. What are your career goals both short and long term?
      3. How do you believe that the doctoral program will help you in the performance of your professional duties and responsibilities?
      4. What specific qualities and characteristics do you bring to the doctoral program?
      5. How would your personal and professional environments be supportive in your quest for the doctoral degree?
   4. Names, addresses (office and e-mail) and telephone numbers of three individuals who can serve as references or provide a recommendation.
   5. One (1) letter of recommendation from a University professor who can attest to the candidate’s ability to successfully complete a doctoral program.
   6. Verification of at least three (3) years of appropriate professional experience.
   7. Copy of your Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores.  (NOTE: If you have not taken the GRE, please send your scores directly to Southeastern when you take the exam.)

Degree Program Policies

Statistics Requirement:                                                         
Candidates must have taken a graduate course in Statistics as a prerequisite for the coursework. If the course has not been taken, it may be taken concurrently with EDF 800.

Transfer of Credits:                                                        
Appropriate graduate course work may be transferred with prior approval by the candidate’s advisory committee and the campus Doctoral Program Coordinator.

Academic Expectations:
Candidates must maintain a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.25 in all doctoral course work. No more than one course 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 semester including fall, spring and summer semesters, 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 two consecutive semesters with a minimum of nine (9) credit hours per semester.

Admission to Candidacy and Time Limits:
The total duration of study for the doctoral degree may not exceed seven (7) years from admission to candidacy.

Qualifying Paper:
All candidates are required to complete a Qualifying Paper consisting of a comprehensive review of the literature on a selected topic and an Oral Examination.

Dissertation:
Each candidate for the doctoral degree is required to complete a dissertation which represents a significant contribution to the body of knowledge in the discipline. Doctoral candidates who have been admitted to candidacy must present a prospectus for the dissertation project, prepare a proposal, form a dissertation committee, present the proposal to the dissertation committee, defend the dissertation proposal, and defend the final research submission with the dissertation committee. A candidate actively engaged in work on a dissertation must be officially enrolled for dissertation credit, whether the candidate is on or off campus.

Additional Requirements:
Prospective and enrolled graduate students are reminded that the general academic, financial, and student conduct policies and rules of the Consortium Universities as stated in the university catalogs 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 doctoral degree program will consist of 60 credit hours of course work beyond the master’s degree, organized into core course areas and specializations as listed below. The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership has a variety of specializations including: Administration of Special Education, and Educational Technology Administration. Additional specializations will be developed shortly.

Course of Study

Research Core: 12 credit hours (of 12 offered)