All students are required to meet the general university admission requirements.

Additional Requirements

• Master’s degree

Additional Documentation

• Official transcripts
• You must upload into the online application a scanned copy (PDF preferred) of the official transcript(s) from each college or university where you received your bachelor's degree(s) and completed any post-baccalaureate coursework or degrees. Transcripts become part of your records at K-State and cannot be returned. Please be aware that printouts from university student portals are not considered a copy of your official transcript.
• If you are admitted, you will be required to submit an official transcript for GPA and degree conferral verification from the institution(s) where you received your degree(s) and completed any post-baccalaureate credits.
• If your transcripts are not in English, you must furnish a translation by an appropriate authority. Failure to list any colleges or universities attended may result in dismissal from the university.

• Statement of goals and professional experience: You must upload into the online application a one- to two-page statement that includes the following information:
• career and professional goals and aspirations, and how being accepted to the program will benefit those goals and aspirations
• your reasons for seeking this degree
• any research interests
• past and present employment within education or related fields
• future professional plans
• If you have a request for a certain advisor, indicate that preference in the statement.

• Standardized test scores: No test scores are required for admission. You may choose to voluntarily submit either GRE or MAT scores if you believe a case for admission will be strengthened.
• Letters of recommendation: Three letters of recommendation are needed from college or university educators and/or colleagues or supervisors who are qualified to address your professional skills and your potential for success in the graduate program. Enter the names and email addresses of the recommenders into the appropriate area in the online application.
• A completed Ed.D. admission standards form: You must complete the Admission Standards Self-Survey (PDF). This is a self-assessment of your standing in relation to selected admission criteria. The form is available as part of the CollegeNet application process.
• Writing sample: A scholarly writing sample is required. Please download the Writing Sample Instructions (PDF).
• Interview: Once all the application materials have been received, the department will contact you to schedule an interview. Interviews are conducted once each semester (fall and spring only). Interview dates and a list of standard interview questions can be obtained in the department office (Department of Educational Leadership, 363 Bluemont Hall, 785-532-5535, foxksu@k-state.edu.)

• • Preparing for the interview: A two-step screening procedure is used in the educational leadership program. First, educational leadership faculty review the application materials provided. Second, if admission criteria are met, you will be required to attend a formal screening interview with the faculty. You should be prepared to discuss the following topics during the interview:
    • previous work experience, particularly experience in education
    • academic background
    • reasons for seeking admission to the educational leadership doctoral program
    • anticipated career goals
    • to the extent possible, areas of personal research interest
• English language proficiency:
  • To demonstrate competence in the English language, an official report of scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System academic exam (IELTS) or Pearson Test of English (PTE) must be sent to Kansas State University if your primary language is not English. Enter your scores in the online application and upload the report of your scores.
  • Learn more about English proficiency requirements.

Application Deadlines

• U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents –all required application materials need to be submitted by the following dates:Fall semester (begins in late August): March 1Spring semester (begins in late January): Oct. 1
• International Students – The online application, application fee, test scores, transcripts, financial documents, and all required application materials need to be submitted by the following dates:
  • January 1 for fall (August) enrollment
  • August 1 for spring (January) enrollment
  • December 1 for summer (June) enrollment

Graduates of the educational leadership Ed.D. program typically serve in K-12 administrative roles, such as principal or superintendent; as college or university faculty members; or as applied researchers in education-focused organizations. Our graduates are recognized as having the academic skills, technical capacities and cultural humility required to lead effectively in varied settings, to prepare aspiring leaders and to conduct empirical work that informs policy and practice.

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership requires a minimum of 60 post-baccalaureate, graduate credit hours. With the approval of the supervisory committee, up to 30 graduate credit hours earned as part of the master's degree may be used to satisfy the degree requirements.

Prerequisites (3 credits)

• EDCEP 816 - Research Methods in Education (or other approved course) (waived if in master’s degree) (3 credits)

Foundations (15 credits)

• EDLEA 801 - Ethical Dimensions of Educational Leadership (3 credits)
• EDLEA 810 - Historical and Philosophical Analysis of Leadership in Education (3 credits)
• EDLEA 828 - Scholarly Orientation to Graduate Studies (3 credits)
• EDLEA 845 - Leadership for Diverse Populations (3 credits)
• EDLEA 928 - Organizational Leadership in Education (3 credits)

Research (15 credits)

• EDCEP 817 - Statistical Methods in Education (or other approved course) (3 credits)
• EDLEA 838 - Qualitative Research in Education (3 credits)
• Advanced research methods concentration (9 credits)

Area of Emphasis (15 credits)

• EDLEA prefix, additional quantitative/qualitative research courses or other disciplines at K-State as approved by the supervisory committee (15 credits or as approved)

Clinical Experience (3 credits)

• EDLEA 991 - Doctoral Internship in Educational Leadership (3 credits)

Dissertation Research (12 credits)

• EDLEA 999 - Research in Educational Leadership (1-18 credits)

1. Purpose: Objectives, activities and outcomes for the clinical experience/internship are commonly determined by the major professor (advisor) in consultation with you. The supervisory committee may be involved as needed. The clinical experience is intended to provide you with the opportunity to apply the knowledge base in educational leadership to the problems of practice and to receive feedback and support for the improvement of individual performance. The clinical experience is individualized and is based on your previous training and experience, as well as future career plans.
2. Major Thrusts: The clinical experience may have one of three major thrusts:
• Training clinics: Clinics are direct and exacting efforts that are extensively coordinated and monitored. In-house activities could include micromanagement, case studies, assessment centers, conferences, programmed activities, film analysis, simulations, coaching, role playing, in-basket exercises or other activities.
• Research and development projects: Solving practical problems necessitates developing, adapting, testing, refining and re-testing procedures and/or products. This is the sort of activity usually described as research and development. University supervisors will facilitate the activities, including orientation, communication, adaptation and training.
• On-site practica: The practice of educational leadership at a selected location is referred to as a site practicum. The activity has four purposes: (1) to provide an opportunity for professional growth; (2) to provide an opportunity to assess your potential, the training university and other educational leadership practitioners; (3) to provide for articulation between the training institution and the practice of educational leadership; and (4) to provide career legitimization and socialization.
• Supervision: The major professor will serve as clinical supervisor and will work with you to ensure the institutional requirements for a successful experience are fulfilled.
3. Internship Guidelines
   To enhance the training experiences of prospective educational leaders, the Department of Educational Leadership has adopted the following guidelines addressing doctoral degree internships:
• Students seeking a doctoral degree through the Department of Educational Leadership shall serve an internship assignment conforming to current CAEP and Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) standards.
• Students seeking a degree through the department shall complete an internship containing at least the following requirements:
• For internship purposes, you shall complete a directed experience and shall complete the number of hours required by the internship block.
• Your total internship experience should contain exposure to a multicultural setting in which time spent in such location should comprise 25% or more of total required clock hours experience. An acceptable multicultural setting is any approved organization in which the ethnic/ racial/economic diversity composition is 25% or more.
• Your internship portfolio should contain evidence of the multicultural portion of the internship experience.
• The major professor shall review and approve all internship experiences.

If planned and desired, course selection in the doctoral degree program may simultaneously meet coursework requirements for the Kansas District Leadership initial license. Upon completion of these coursework requirements and the state licensure examination, a KSDE application for initial district licensure must be completed.

If you want to apply for this license, please contact Di Murphy, College of Education licensure officer, at dim@k-state.edu or 785-532-5524. For information about licensing, please see the Licensure and Endorsement Assistance webpage. After completing the coursework, you must also meet the following additional KSDE requirements:

1. Take the Praxis exam for the School Superintendent Assessment (i.e., District Leadership). Go to the PRAXIS: Kansas Test Requirements website for registration information. To have your score sent to K-State, enter code # 6334 when registering for this assessment.
2. Hold a master’s degree
3. Have a 3.25 grade point average in graduate coursework
4. Have a minimum of three years accredited teaching experience under a valid professional teaching license
5. Have recent teaching experience or coursework (i.e., at least one year of teaching or 8 credit hours within the last six years)

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership is characterized by three primary student learning outcomes (SLOs):

• SLO 1: Content Area in Educational Leadership
  The primary goal is to prepare educational leaders to acquire knowledge, establish beliefs and develop skills in the following areas:
• Vision for Learning
• Culture for Learning
• Management for Learning
• Community for Learning
• Ethics for Learning
• Context for Learning
• Internship for Learning

You will be able to promote the success of all students in each of these content areas. You will also acquire a breadth of knowledge in the historical, philosophical, socio-cultural and psychological bases for professional education practice.

• SLO 2: Internship
  You will be able to interpret theoretically-grounded and research-based information, adapt to changing situations, make complex decisions, solve problems and evaluate actions in a professional education setting.
• SLO 3: Research
  You will demonstrate a depth of knowledge across the broad discipline of educational research and apply a method of inquiry to your specific content field of choice through established research methods.