Adult Learning and Leadership Doctorate
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Adult Learning and Leadership Doctorate
Create a pathway to future success as a researcher or practitioner in adult learning with the online adult learning and leadership doctorate program.
This program provides a broad and human-centered curriculum that will allow you to select courses that best meet your professional goals. You’ll have the opportunity to choose from more than 25 elective courses or create a specialization in leadership, teaching and learning, technology, community development, training or workforce development.
You can choose to complete this program as a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.). In the Ed.D. program, you will be required to complete a clinical experience.
*This estimate is for illustrative purposes only. Your hours and costs will differ, depending on your transfer hours, course choices and your academic progress. See more about tuition and financial aid.
Admission Requirements
All students are required to meet the general university admission requirements.
Additional Requirements
- Master’s degree
Program-Specific Application Deadlines
- S. Applicants
- Fall semester (begins in late August): March 1
- Spring semester (begins in late January): Oct. 1
- International Applicants
- Fall semester (begins in late August): Jan. 1
- Spring semester (begins in late January): Aug. 1
Additional Documentation
Your application must include the following:
- Professional history and goal statement that is typewritten, double-spaced and no more than 10 pages. It will be used to provide background information about you, determine the appropriateness of your experience and interests in relationship to the academic focus of the program, and assist in making major professor assignments. Describe your contributions to and experience in the practice of adult learning and leadership or another field of educational practice, as well as any contributions you have made to the scholarship of adult learning and leadership or another field of educational practice. In addition, discuss how you foresee this program will contribute to the attainment of your future professional goals and anticipated contributions to the field. If research topic is known, include this information along with any preference for major professor.
- Resume/curriculum vitae
- Writing sample. Select one of the articles below and prepare a typewritten, double-spaced, five-page essay which (1) summarizes the key points of the article, (2) analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the research, (3) discusses if the author's conclusions are supported by the research, and (4) identifies the implications of the work for the field of adult education. In addition to reviewing the content of each applicant's response, the criteria used to evaluate the essay will cover (1) the thesis focus (originality and clarity); (2) the organization of the essay and thought process; (3) supporting reasons (ideas and details); (4) appropriate APA style (http://www.apa.org/); (5) documentation of other sources included, (6) audience awareness; (7) sentence (sentence diction/syntax/tone/voice) and writing (grammar/spelling/usage/ punctuation) conventions; and (8) overall presentation.
- Erickson, D.M. (2007). A developmental re-forming of the phases of meaning in transformational learning. Adult Education Quarterly, 58(1), 61-80.
- Kasworm, C. (2010). Adult learners in a research university: Negotiating undergraduate student identity. Adult Education Quarterly, 60(2), 143 -160.
- Niewolny, K.L., & Wilson, A.L. (2009). What happened to the promise? A critical (re)orientation of two sociocultural learning traditions. Adult Education Quarterly, 60(1), 26- 45.
- Ponton, M.K., Derrick, M.G., & Carr, P.B. (2005). The relationship between resourcefulness and persistence in adult autonomous learning. Adult Education Quarterly, 55(2), 116-128.
- Zacharakis, J., & Flora, J. (2005). Riverside: A case study of social capital and cultural reproduction and their relationship to leadership development. Adult Education Quarterly, 55(4), 288-307.
- Three professional references with name, institution or company, position and email address
- Unofficial transcripts from each institution attended
- Failure to list any colleges or universities from which you received a degree or enrolled in graduate coursework may result in dismissal from the university.
- If your transcripts are not in English, you must furnish a translation by an appropriate authority.
- You will be asked for official transcripts after notification of admission.
Careers
The adult learning and leadership doctorate will prepare you for a career in:
- education
- corporate and nonprofit sectors
- college or university faculty or administration
- corporate learning and development
- military
Ph.D. Curriculum
Required Academic Core Courses (18 credits)
(If you do not have a master's degree in adult learning and leadership, you must take these courses in addition to the 90 credit hours in the doctoral degree, as determined by the supervisory committee.)
- EDACE 780 - Introduction to Adult Education (3 credits)
- EDACE 790 - Characteristics of the Adult Learner (3 credits)
- EDACE 818 - Social Foundations of Adult Education (3 credits)
- EDACE 830 - Program Planning in Adult Education (3 credits)
- EDACE 847 - Adult Learning and Motivation (3 credits)
- EDCEP 816 - Research Methods (or an equivalent research methods course) (3 credits)
Required 900-Level Doctoral Courses (12 credits minimum)
- EDACE 880 - Significant Literature (3 credits)
- EDACE 916 - Foundations of Adult Education (3 credits)
- EDACE 937 - Organization and Administration of Adult Education (3 credits)
- EDACE 940 - Adult Development Theory (3 credits)
- EDACE 986 - Scholarly Writing (3 credits)
- EDACE 986 - The Dissertation Process (3 credits)
Required Research Courses (15 credits minimum)
- EDCEP 817 - Statistical Methods in Education (3 credits)
- EDCEP 917 - Experimental Design in Educational Research (3 credits)
- EDLEA 838 - Qualitative Research in Education (3 credits)
- EDLEA 938 - Advanced Data Analysis in Qualitative Research Methods (3 credits)
- EDLEA 948 - Data Representation and Writing in Qualitative Research Methods (or an equivalent advanced quantitative/qualitative research course) (3 credits)
Electives
Select electives appropriate to the area of emphasis that satisfy the minimum 90 credit hours for the program. Choose from electives with the EDACE prefix, additional quantitative or qualitative research courses or other disciplines.
Doctoral Research (12 credits minimum)
- EDACE 999 - Doctoral Research
Ed.D. Curriculum
Required Academic Core Courses (18 credits)
(Students without a master's degree in adult learning and leadership must take these courses in addition to the 94 credit hours in the doctoral degree, as determined by the supervisory committee.)
- EDACE 780 - Introduction to Adult Education (3 credits)
- EDACE 790 - Characteristics of the Adult Learner (3 credits)
- EDACE 818 - Social Foundations of Adult Education (3 credits)
- EDACE 830 - Program Planning in Adult Education (3 credits)
- EDACE 847 - Adult Learning and Motivation (3 credits)
- EDCEP 816 - Research Methods (or an equivalent research methods course) (3 credits)
Required 900-Level Doctoral Courses (12 credits minimum)
- EDACE 880 - Significant Literature (3 credits)
- EDACE 916 - Foundations of Adult Education (3 credits)
- EDCI 910 - Multicultural Curriculum Programming (3 credits)
- EDCEP 912 Psychological Bases of Educational Thought and Practice (3 credits)
- EDACE 937 - Organization and Administration of Adult Education (3 credits)
- EDACE 986 - Advanced Seminars in Adult Education (3 credits)
Required Research Courses (15 credits minimum)
- EDCEP 817 - Statistical Methods in Education (3 credits)
- EDCEP 917 - Experimental Design in Educational Research (3 credits)
- EDLEA 838 - Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods (3 credits)
- EDLEA 938 - Advanced Data Analysis in Qualitative Research Methods (3 credits)
- EDLEA 948 - Data Representation and Writing in Qualitative Research Methods (or an equivalent advanced quantitative/qualitative research course) (3 credits)
Electives
Select electives appropriate to the area of emphasis that satisfy the minimum 94 credit hours for the program. Choose from electives with the EDACE prefix, additional quantitative or qualitative research courses or other disciplines.
Clinical Experience (12 credits)
- EDACE 991 - Internship in Adult Education (or equivalent)
Doctoral Research (12 credits minimum)
- EDACE 999 - Doctoral Research