EdD Advancement to Candidacy
EdD in Educational Leadership: Advancement to Candidacy
The Advancement to Candidacy process is intended to assess the doctoral student’s
preparedness to design and conduct a research project that contributes to the professional
field’s understanding of the practice of educational leadership. Once the following
requirements are completed, a student is (self)identified as a Candidate for the Degree
of Doctor of Education.
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Requirements
The Advancement to Candidacy process is intended to assess the doctoral student’s
preparedness to design and conduct a research project that contributes to the professional
field’s understanding of the practice of educational leadership. Once the following
requirements are completed, a student is (self)identified as a Candidate for the Degree
of Doctor of Education.
Coursework
Successful completion of two-thirds of the doctoral coursework (not inclusive of transfer
credits). “Successful completion” shall be defined as earning a minimum grade point
average of 3.25 out of a possible 4.0 GPA.
An electronic portfolio (ePortfolio) is a self-assessment that calls upon students to reflect upon and demonstrate knowledge
and application of content and skills reflected in program themes. Students will begin developing an ePortfolio during the first academic year using
Digication, the university’s platform for portfolio development. The ePortfolio will
include evidence of one's learning and growth, e.g., leadership philosophy statement,
epistemological and methodological development, and Capstone project.
Review of the ePortfolio
Review will occur annually, with first year reflection due by end of year one (as
part of EDAD 8170: Capstone 1); and final submission of ePortfolio will be by the
beginning of the third year of coursework (as part of EDAD 8171: Capstone 2).
At the end of a student's first year of coursework, each must submit a reflection
on what has been learned, through the coursework, about self, and about leadership.
Each student must submit the reflection essay to one's advisor and Program Director,
and upload a final copy of the essay to the ePortfolio as part of course requirements
in EDAD 8170 (Capstone 1). The prompt for this reflection is available HERE.
Successful Defense of Dissertation Proposal
The final requirement for Advancement to Candidacy shall be the formal acceptance
by the student’s faculty dissertation committee of the written dissertation proposal,
following defense of proposal. This typically occurs at the end of the second year
of coursework. During the student’s first year of coursework, s/he will write a 3-5
page research prospectus which is presented to one of the core faculty members as
an invitation to serve as chair of the dissertation committee.
The student shall consult with the dissertation committee chair to determine who will
be invited to serve as second and third members. It is understood that both the student
and chair may choose to veto the nomination of the second and third members. With
the committee membership determined, the student will draft and defend a full research
proposal. The proposal shall be defined as follows for each dissertation format option:
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In a five chapter dissertation: Chapter 1: Introduction; Chapter 2: Review of the
Literature; Chapter 3: Research Methodology
-
In the three article dissertation: Chapter 1: Introduction; Review of the Literature
as publishable article; with proposed Research Design (consistent with requirements
for IRB application).
Student Responsibility During the Dissertation Phase of the Program
The EdD dissertation is an exercise in the student’s independent application of theory
to a problem of practice. In sharp contrast to the doctoral coursework phase of the
program where the professor takes the lead responsibility for teaching a course, in
the dissertation phase the professor assumes the role of counselor or tutor, asking
questions of the student rather than providing direct guidance about how to conceptualize
and conduct the study.
Once the dissertation proposal development phase of the program begins and continuing
through to the final oral defense of the completed dissertation, the doctoral student
shall assume lead responsibility for conceptualizing the study, designing its methodology,
conducting the research, preparing the remaining dissertation chapters, and (in consultation
with the dissertation chair) scheduling the final defense. In the event that a student
fails to show evidence of assuming lead responsibility in either the proposal development
or research phases of the dissertation requirement, a majority of the dissertation
committee members may determine that the student does not possess the skills to complete
the dissertation and may counsel the student to withdraw from the program.
Successful final defense of the completed dissertation affirms the student’s competence
as a scholar-practitioner.
Adopted: July 2013
Revised: August 2015
Revised: June 2018
