Doctor of Education

1. Submit an online application, a $40 application fee, and a list of 3 references (names, relation to you and email address). One must be an employment supervisor and the other two must be professional references.
2. Upload the following to your application account. 
   • A current resume/curriculum vitae. The file should be a PDF and use the following naming convention: First Name Last Name EdD resume.pdf (example: Joe Smith EdD resume.pdf).
   • A second PDF answering the following questions:
     • How do you foresee this program positively impacting your community?
     • What do you perceive as a major social justice issue in your field? How do you hope to address it?
     • How will your work contribute to equitable outcomes in education?
     • Imagine yourself in 5 years from now/after you graduate, what do you see yourself doing professionally and with whom will you be working with?
3. Submit official transcripts to Graduate Studies.
   • Official electronic transcripts are preferred and can be emailed from the previous institution to Graduate.Studies@usi.edu
   • Mailed transcripts can be sent to this address:
     Graduate Studies
     University of Southern Indiana
     8600 University Blvd.
     Evansville, IN 47712
4. International applicants may be required to submit additional information.

Graduate Application

The program is designed for P-12 educators. P-12 education is a common theme throughout the program. However, the knowledge, skills, and dispositions addressed in the program are transferable to education-related positions in other institutions and agencies. Prospective students who do not have previous degrees in education may be conditionally accepted into a cohort. The condition of acceptance is successful completion of the following two courses prior to beginning the doctoral program: EDUC 682 Issues in Educational Leadership and EDUC 604 Equity Education. These two master's level courses are intended to provide the student with an introductory background to educational issues, theories, and language.

Courses within the EdD are offered entirely online using a learning management system and videoconferencing. Classes meet on Wednesday evenings 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. CST. Access to a reliable computer with internet access, microphone, speakers and a camera are required. 

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at the University of Southern Indiana is a cohort program based on a practitioner-scholar, community-based model. The purpose of the program is to transform leaders, organizations, and communities through focused, flexible study addressing real-world problems and issues. A unique characteristic of the program is a curriculum in which each course is community-based, i.e. course content is connected to the graduate student's community. Academic study is connected to concepts, issues, and content that are familiar, understandable, accessible, and personally relevant to each student. In each course, students will apply learning in practical real-life settings. The program of study includes an 18-hour leadership core, a 12-hour research sequence, the choice of a 15-hour concentration in administrative leadership or pedagogical leadership, and a 15-hour dissertation sequence. Both concentration areas include an internship.

The Educational Leadership Core is comprised of the following two (2) 3 credit-hour courses.

• EDLE 725 - Becoming a Community-Based Educational Leader 
• EDLE 731 - Analyzing Race, Class, and Gender Dynamics in American Schooling 

Research Methods is comprised of the following four (4) 3 credit-hour courses.

• EDLE 705 - Introduction to Educational Research 
• EDLE 706 - Statistical Literacy for Educational Leaders 
• EDLE 707 - Survey of Qualitative Research Methods 
• EDLE 708 - Advanced Research Methods and Design

The Pedagogical Leadership specialization requires 27 credit-hours.

• EDLE 732 - Creating Community-Based Curricular Change
• EDLE 744 - Technology & Organizational Innovation
• EDLE 762 Curriculum Theory
• EDLE 763 Community-Based Curriculum and Instruction
• EDLE 770 Internship in Pedagogical Leadership*

*EDLE 770 Internship in Pedagogical Leadership is taken Summer, Fall, and Spring for 1 credit hour for a total of 3 credit hours.

Students may then choose 4 courses (12 credit-hours) from the following pairs:

• EDLE 723 The History and Leadership of Higher Education OR
  EDLE 728 Evaluating School Effectiveness through a Community Lens
• EDLE 724 Policy and Practice in Higher Education OR
  EDLE 727 Special Education Policy and Practice
• EDLE 726 Legal and Ethical Issues for Educational Leaders OR
  EDLE 742 Legal and Ethical Issues in Higher Education
• EDLE 748 The College Student Experience OR
  EDLE 764 Literacy and Technology in Twenty-First Century Schools

The Dissertation requires 15 credit-hours.

• EDLE 800 - The Research Proposal 
• EDLE 805 - Seminar in Community-Based Educational Research 
• EDLE 899 - Dissertation Research - A total of 9 credits is required.