Education, Ed.D.

Overview

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership degree program at Neumann University provides educators with the vision, skills, and values that are needed to continually improve American education for tomorrow’s world. Guided by the foundation principles of the Catholic Franciscan Intellectual Tradition, candidates for the Doctor of Education degree are prepared to link knowledge and research; address actual school-based and educationally oriented problems through application of theory; and develop a vision for public and/or religiousbased education as well as the network to implement that vision. Guided by the foundational principles of the Catholic Franciscan Intellectual Tradition, this degree program also offers curricular options for a student to obtain Principal K–12 Certification and/or a Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility Certification in accordance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Education standards.

Mission

Neumann University educates a diverse community of learners based upon the belief that knowldege is a gift to be shared in the service of others and that learning is a lifelong process.

The Division of Education and Human Services recognizes that learning, teaching, and collegiality are fundamental activities of all educational organizations, and that knowledge and active inquiry form the basis of teaching and administrative practice. The Division further affirms that these qualities and activities are inextricably linked to the moral and ethical imperatives that drive leadership behavior.

The mission of the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Degree Program is to help leaders develop the knowledge and understanding required to create and continually improve standards-aligned instructional systems, equitable learning opportunities, leadership for results, data-driven cultures, results-focused planning, targeted assistance, professional learning communities, and professional accountability.

Philosophy

“Knowledge is a gift to be shared in the service of others.” This excerpt from Neumann University’s Mission Statement is the philosophical foundation of the Doctor of Education degree program. This statement further reflects Neumann University’s original Franciscan mission in recognizing the value of intellectual excellence, professional competence, and strong community life. The Doctor of Education degree program is committed to the pursuit of truth and the development of personal and professional skills that serve the educational needs of local communities and the nation.

Program Design

A total of 60 credits of course work at the doctoral level is required to successfully complete the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership degree program. Additional credits for a Principal K–12 Certificate and/or a Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility Certificate are also available curricular options. In order to begin studies in Neumann University’s Doctor of Education degree program, a student is required to demonstrate satisfactory completion of the following prerequisite courses taken at the graduate level at a regionally accredited degree-granting institution: Research Design and Methods, Instructional Technology, and School Policy and Law.

The Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership degree program is cohort based; the University’s goal is to admit students annually. Neumann University operates on a semester schedule, and an accepted student is required to register for a minimum of six credits during the Fall, Spring, and Summer Session II and III semesters. The Fall and Spring semesters are 16 weeks in length, while Summer Sessions are comprised of two seven (7)-week terms. By following this stipulated curriculum sequence, it is expected that all degree requirements (course work, Comprehensive Examination, and dissertation) will be completed within a period of no more than four academic years (11 or 12 semesters).

The capstone elements of the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership degree program are the four courses, EDU 799 , EDU 810 , EDU 820  & EDU 900 ; these courses guide the preparation and defense of the dissertation.    

Program Outcomes

A successful graduate of Neumann University’s Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership degree program will be able to:

• Assume positions of leadership in schools and educational agencies.
• Demonstrate instructional leadership, grounded in research, which provides purpose and direction for student achievement.
• Exhibit organizational and leadership skills to design and implement school plans of action.
• Assess the needs and accomplishments of students, faculty, and staff.
• Direct curriculum development and evaluation.
• Articulate the principles of the Catholic Franciscan Intellectual Tradition.
• Conduct and have scholarly research published.

Admission Requirements

A new student cohort begins annually. Applications and all supporting documentation are accepted within a time frame established by Neumann University.

In conjunction with the general admission requirements of Neumann University, the following are required:

• Submit a completed Graduate Student Application for Admission, or apply online through the Neumann University web site at www.neumann.edu (Ed.D. Program).
• Verify the successful completion of undergraduate and graduate degree program(s) in education or a related field with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 in each by means of individual official transcripts from one or more regionally accredited, degree-granting institution(s).
• Document, by means of the above referred to official transcripts, the successful completion of the following prerequisite courses to the doctoral program: Research Design and Methods, Educational Technology, and School Policy and Law.
• Have official score reports for either the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) sent directly to Neumann University from the appropriate testing center. (Scores must be from testing that is within five years of the date of application to the program.)
• Submit three completed Reference Forms.
• Present a Curriculum Vitae which documents work experience and demonstrated leadership in education or a related field.
• Submit two separate essays, with one essay for each of the two following questions:
  • “What is your instructional leadership philosophy?”
  • “How does an administrator, in her/his role as instructional leader, foster successful teaching and learning in schools?”
• Attend, if invited, an interview with the Ed.D. Faculty Admissions Committee.
• Attend, if invited, an applicant Group Interview, at which time the composition of a writing sample on a topic offered during the Group Interview will be required.

Transfer Credit

The evaluation of transfer credit is considered on an individual basis, and in accordance with the University’s policy governing the acceptance of credit from other regionally accredited, degreegranting institutions. The Program Director makes the final decision regarding the acceptance of transfer credit into the doctoral program. That decision to award transfer credit is based upon when the course was originally taken, as well as the similarity of that course to those that are required in Neumann’s doctoral program. Any decision to award transfer credit is made only after a student’s acceptance into the program. A minimum grade of “B” is required for transfer credit to be awarded, and a maximum of nine (9) transfer credits is allowed.

Progression/Retention

Student Status: Students are required to enroll, for the duration of the program, in a minimum of six credits during the Fall, Spring, and Summer (I and II) semesters. Exception to this regulation is applicable only to the semester in which EDU 799 Comprehensive Examination , is taken.

Repeated Courses: Students who earn a grade of less than a “B” may repeat the course once and must repeat that course at Neumann University. The repeated earned grade replaces the original grade on both the student’s academic transcript and in the calculation of the student’s semester and cumulative GPA. To repeat a course more than once requires the approval of the student’s academic advisor, the Director of the Doctor of Education Program, and the Dean of the Division of Education and Human Services.

Probation: Students may be placed on probation if they fail to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.30 or if they receive one grade of “C” in any course. Students on probation are informed of such in writing by the Dean of Education and Human Services, with a copy sent to the Registrar for inclusion in the student’s permanent academic file. Upon receipt of the Dean’s letter, the student must immediately contact the Program Director for advisement. Recommendations to rectify a student’s probationary status are devised and communicated in writing to the student, with copies placed in the student’s file in both the Division Office and the Registrar’s Office. Failure to successfully fulfill these recommendations in the stipulated time frame results in the student’s dismissal from the program. Students on probation may not take the Comprehensive Examination or graduate from Neumann University.

Non-Continuation: In the case of continued unsatisfactory academic performance, unsatisfactory progress toward the degree, disruptive behavior within or outside of the program, or failure to complete the degree requirements in a timely fashion, the Program Director may recommend to the Dean of the Division of Education and Human Services either the temporary or permanent noncontinuation of a student in the program. Non-continuation means that a student’s acceptance to the Doctor of Education degree program is either temporarily suspended for the specified amount of time or permanently terminated. Students temporarily placed on non-continuation status are informed of such in writing by the Dean of the Division of Education and Human Services, with a copy sent to the Registrar for inclusion in the student’s permanent academic file. Upon receipt of the Dean’s letter, the student must immediately contact the Program Director for advisement. Recommendations to rectify the non-continuation status are devised and communicated in writing to the student, with copies placed in the student’s file in both the Division Office and the Registrar’s Office. Failure to successfully fulfill these recommendations in the stipulated time frame will result in the student’s dismissal from the program. Students in non-continuation status may not take the Comprehensive Examination or graduate from Neumann University.

Dismissal: Students may be dismissed from the program for any of the following reasons:

• Failure to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30.
• Receipt of two grades of “C” or one grade of “F.”
• Non-fulfillment of recommendations related to their probationary status or their temporary non-continuation status.
• Approval by the Dean of the Division of Education and Human Services for a student’s permanent non-continuation within the Doctor of Education degree program.

Readmission: Generally, students seeking readmission to the Doctor of Education degree program must complete the formal application process as described in the Admissions (Readmission)  section of this catalog.

Comprehensive Examination

When either all program requirements are met, or after the successful completion of at least 42 credits, a student must register for EDU 799 Comprehensive Examination . Registration must occur eight weeks before the testing date which is published by the University prior to the semester in which the examination is to be administered. The Comprehensive Examination Registration Form is available from, and must be submitted to, the Program Director.

Degree Candidacy

Degree candidacy is granted upon successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination.

Dissertation Process

Committee: The Program Director, in consultation with the Doctor of Education program faculty and the candidate, appoints a Dissertation Committee Chairperson and two committee members. One of the two committee members may be from outside of Neumann University. The candidate’s Chairperson and the committee members provide guidance and support to the candidate as he/she proceeds through EDU 810 Dissertation Seminar I , EDU 820 Dissertation Seminar II , and EDU 900 Doctoral Dissertation .

Proposal: The dissertation proposal demonstrates the candidate’s knowledge of a specific topic as well as his/her ability to conduct the proposed research for that topic. At a minimum, the proposal needs to contain the following items: the context and background surrounding a particular research problem; a survey and sufficiently thorough review of the pertinent literature; a detailed methodological plan for investigating the research problem; and a proposed timeline for the dissertation’s completion. EDU 810  and  EDU 820  are designed to assist the candidate’s progression through the proposal process to the beginning of the dissertation. The proposal, however, must first be approved by the University’s Internal Review Board (IRB) and then formally defended before, and approved by, the candidate’s committee.

Dissertation: After the completion of EDU 810  and EDU 820  and a successful defense of the candidate’s proposal, the student enrolls in EDU 900  where, in collaboration with the candidate’s Dissertation Committee Chairperson and committee members, the dissertation is developed. Throughout this course, the student conducts his/her research and writes his/her dissertation. When a candidate’s dissertation is completed and has received the Chairperson’s approval, the dissertation is defended before the committee and other members of the faculty.

Graduation Requirements

A candidate for graduation is expected to complete degree requirements within a maximum time frame of four years. In order to graduate, the candidate must:

• Complete all curricular requirements of the Doctor of Education degree program with a minimum GPA of 3.30.
• Submit a completed and approved dissertation.
• Complete the Application for Graduation form in accordance with the University’s policies, and submit that form to the Registrar’s Office.
• Demonstrate compliance with all pertinent University policies.

Class Schedule

Each cohort is expected to follow a required course sequence, which runs continuously until the cohort’s program is complete. The Doctor of Education degree program is designed to be completed within four years (11 or 12 semesters).

Curriculum

To be eligible for the Doctor of Education degree, students must complete all required courses and meet stipulated academic progression criteria. A minimum of 42 credits and the successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination are necessary for degree candidacy. During degree candidacy, a minimum of 18 credits are required for the completion and defense of the dissertation.