PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Program is a 90-quarter credit (post-master's) interdepartmental degree offered by the SPU School of Education . It is designed for educators from a variety of settings, including public and private schools, and institutions of higher education. It can be tailored to meet varied professional needs and interests. This degree is for active professionals interested in leadership and teaching positions in all fields and levels of education.

COURSE OF STUDY:
Using the educational benefits of collaborative and cooperative learning combined with continued professional association, the program uses a cohort approach for core doctoral classes. Students admitted to the program proceed though these cohort courses as a group, following a defined schedule and sequence. Cohort courses are noted with an asterisk in the following listings.

Because this is an interdepartmental degree, the student selects courses and learning experiences, with the assistance of the director of doctoral studies, from a variety of areas and opportunities in the School of Education, or from other schools within Seattle Pacific University (subject to approval by the School of Education Doctoral Committee) .

AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION:
The specialization/elective component provides the opportunity to develop an area of expertise appropriate to the student's professional and academic goals. Areas of specialization include curriculum and instruction, school counseling and school psychology, educational leadership (superintendent and principal), reading/literacy, educational technology, special education or a self-designed specialization.

Earning certification as a principal, superintendent, or school counselor is also possible while working on the doctorate degree.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
(90 quarter credits, post-M.S./M.A. degree; 135 quarter credits post-B.A./B.S.)

Specialization/Electives (39 credits)
These courses are to be decided by the program advisor and approved by the director of doctoral studies. They may be comprised of the following:

1. Courses
2. Internship/Practicum
3. Independent Studies (EDU 7900)
4. Graduate Seminars (EDU 6950)

Prerequisite Coursework
The three classes that are prerequisites to certain requirements for the doctoral degree are as follows:

1. EDU 6975 Interpreting & Applying Education Research I
2. EDU 6976 Interpreting & Applying Education Research II
3. EDU 6655 Human Development & Principles of Learning

For non-education majors, three additional courses may be required:

1. EDU 6524 Approaches to Curriculum Design
2. EDU 6526 Survey of Instructional Strategies
3. EDU 6613 Standards-Based Assessment

LEADERSHIP COLLOQUIUM AND COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS:
After approximately one year of coursework (24 credits), students may register for the leadership colloquium (EDU 7990). This requires the student to write a scholarly paper and present that paper in a formal setting to the educational community. Graduate faculty of the School of Education conduct an evaluation of the scholarship and colloquium. The leadership colloquium must be taken before the student can take the comprehensive exams.

Upon completion of all courses, the student must pass written comprehensive examinations. These examinations will cover the foundations, professional and research components of the core, and the student's area of specialization. Successful completion of the comprehensive examination advances the student to the doctoral candidacy.

THE DISSERTATION:
The doctoral dissertation is the culminating experience in the Doctor of Education degree. It is a scholarly inquiry into an area of professional and intellectual interest, and it is a highly individualized experience. Working with faculty throughout the coursework and with a dissertation advisor, the student develops a research question and proposal. Using the expertise and knowledge developed in the research core courses (EDU 7972, 7973, 7974) and under the direction of a faculty dissertation advisor and committee, the student conducts the research and produces a quality report of the findings. As a final demonstration of scholarly competence, the student conducts an oral presentation and defense of the research.

While it is expected that the dissertation will follow standard accepted research methodologies and format, the topic of the research may vary depending on the professional goals and area of specialization of the student and the expertise of the faculty.

SUGGESTED THREE-YEAR PROGRAM SEQUENCE:

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
Because the Doctoral Program requires considerable faculty time and resources, a limited number of students will be admitted to the program each year. It is expected that all applicants will have at least a bachelor's degree (135-credit doctorate) or a master's degree (90-credit doctorate) from a regionally accredited college or university. Admission decisions will be based on the following:

1. Previous academic preparation and areas of study
2. Overall undergraduate and graduate GPA
3. GRE or MAT scores
4. Professional experience
5. Future professional plans
6. Letters of recommendation
7. A formal interview with School of Education faculty

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
Cohort classes begin each summer. Screening applicants for admission is an ongoing process and students may be admitted to the program throughout the year so they can begin needed prerequisites, foundations and elective courses.

The following items are to be submitted to the School of Education.

1. Submission of the doctoral degree application with the application processing fee.
2. Official transcripts from any institution where an academic degree was conferred, including postmaster's degree graduate coursework.
3. A personal statement discussing future professional plans and goals. This should not exceed 300 words and should also include the rationale for pursuing a doctoral degree.
4. Scores from the GRE or the MAT. Test scores must be less than five years old.
5. Four recent letters of recommendation. Two of these must be of an academic nature (i.e., from graduate professors. Two must be of a professional nature - from supervisors).

PROGRAM AND ENROLLMENT POLICIES:
At the time of admission, a student may transfer up to 15 post-master's degree credits into the Doctoral Program with the approval of the director of doctoral studies. Courses transferred must be graduate level, from a regionally accredited institution and relevant to the student's course of doctoral study. They must have been taken within the three years prior to admission and must have been part of a planned program leading to a graduate degree or a professional certificate. Courses with grades below a 3.0 ("B"), or those receiving "pass" or "satisfactory" grades cannot transfer into the program. Finally, transferred classes may be substituted for degree requirements if the student can document in writing that they are comparable to required courses offered through SPU. Modifications to these transfer policies may be made at the discretion of the director of doctoral studies in consultation with the Doctoral Admissions Committee.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT:
Students are expected to complete the required cohort courses (7000-level) in sequence during the first two years of the program. Once students begin their classes, continuous enrollment must be maintained throughout the program. Students who interrupt the residency requirement may be dropped from the program.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE:
A 3.2 overall GPA is required for graduation.

DEGREE COMPLETION:
All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within five years from the quarter the first post-admission course was taken. Students needing more than five years to complete the degree must file a time-extension petition with the director of doctoral studies.