Doctor of Education in Leadership

Program Details

Credits: 60 semester hours
Program Start Date: Summer
Program Length: Approximately 3 years of part-time study (weekend, evening, and summer classes)
All classes are offered on the Lewis & Clark campus.
Faculty Coordinator: Carolyn S. Carr
View the current program of study in the course catalog

Our innovative, cohort-based doctoral program in educational leadership helps experienced educators committed to social justice and equity develop into extraordinary leaders. You can use your work within the program to immediately and directly improve conditions, programs, and learning structures for k-12 students.

Lewis & Clark is noted for preparation that makes clear and explicit the links between theory and practice. In addition, the Lewis & Clark Educational Leadership Program is regionally recognized for excellent administrative preparation. The faculty of the Graduate School of Education and Counseling is committed to developing the next generation of impassioned and inspired K-12 educational leaders (administrators, teachers, school counselors, and other professionals), and helping you positively impact the lives of students and adults who support students’ learning.

Major Features of the Program

The Doctor of Education in Leadership degree has several distinctive features that build upon the Graduate School’s strengths: inquiry-based degree programs, a nationally recognized writing program, and a tradition of preparing leaders as change agents.

Social Justice Focus

The mission of the Educational Leadership Program is to promote social justice and equity through k-12 education. The themes of social justice and equity run throughout the classes that constitute the Doctor of Education in Leadership Program.

Applied Knowledge and Action Research

The work of degree candidates through research directly and immediately improves conditions, programs, and/or structures in the schools where you work.

To achieve an effective integration of each candidate’s personal development with program goals and design, faculty have developed a curriculum that promotes powerful, timely, and targeted learning.

Cohort Learning Community

A select group of degree candidates is invited into each cohort. As part of the cohort you will progress through a planned curriculum that provides opportunities to test your knowledge in classroom as well as in work-site settings. The cohort learning community challenges and supports group and individual academic development. Cohort members also serve as critical friends who test and hold each other accountable for effective application of newly learned course content.

Three-Year Program

The doctoral program is designed to be completed in a minimum of three years. It is assumed that all students will be able to complete these studies in less than four years. It is offered during month-long intensive summer sessions and weekend seminars during the academic year. The cohort works in small learning teams with instructor guidance and support.

Northwest Writing Institute

The nationally recognized faculty of Northwest Writing Institute will work with candidates to develop more powerful communication and writing styles.

Communication Technology

New developments in communication technology make it possible to use the time between formal course sessions to enhance group and individual learning. Online technology adds value to individual learning by connecting cohort members between classes and, in turn, increases the time spent in discussion and debate

For more information please contact the Educational Leadership Office at 503-768-6080 or eda@lclark.edu.

Applying to the Program

The Doctorate of Education in Leadership is designed for individuals whose work will impact the K-12 educational system and other organizations serving K-12 students. Generally our students are employed full-time as professionals in K-12 schools or other educational organizations. Consequently, the faculty expects students to join the program with well-articulated professional goals. All of the doctoral classes are designed to build upon the professional goals and aspirations of each student.

Program Design and Transferring Credit

The Ed.D. program consists of 60 semester hours. Up to 14 hours of post-master’s work can be applied toward this total at the time of admission. Students who do not have 14 semester hours of post-master’s coursework to transfer must meet with the Ed.D. Program Director to plan a course of study to be completed prior to admission into the doctoral program. The coursework portion of the 46-semester-hour cohort program takes two summers and four semesters (two calendar years) to be completed.

Apply Now

To find out more about the admissions process, including application requirements and transferring credit, visit the Graduate School Office of Admissions doctoral program website or contact the Admissions Office at gseadmit@lclark.edu or 503-768-6200.

Scholarships

For additional information on the scholarships available for doctoral students, please check the link.

Current Students

Doctoral Handbook
Dissertation Information

Planning Worksheets

Cohort 5
Cohort 6
Cohort 7
Cohort 8