Educational Leadership

• Doctor of Education in Leadership

The Doctoral program in Educational Leadership has been designed to develop excellent scholar-practitioners who solve authentic educational problems and promote equity and social justice through the integration of theory, research, and practice. These doctoral students are drawn from multiple sectors, including education, community-based organizations, and other agencies focused on K-12 education. When selecting students we are very interested in understanding the particular dreams, aspirations, and career goals of each candidate. In assessing an applicant’s suitability we find it useful to review available evidence of the applicant’s past professional and academic accomplishments. Furthermore, we would like all candidates for the Doctor of Education in Leadership to begin their program with a tentative focus for their dissertation.

Application Timeline for Summer 2012

Application deadline: March 1, 2012
Application review process begins: April 1, 2012
Admissions notification begins: May 1, 2012
Classes begin: July 2, 2012

Doctor of Education in Leadership Scholarship application due: March 15, 2012. Click here for scholarship application requirements.

Prerequisite

To be considered for admission to the Ed.D. in Leadership an applicant must meet the following prerequisite:

Earned a master’s degree plus a minimum of 14 post master’s, degree applicable, semester credits (19 quarter credits).

All credits and graduate degrees used to meet this requirement must have been earned at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States, or the foreign equivalent of such degree. Generally, credits earned for practica cannot be applied towards this requirement. Up to 14 graduate semester credits may be transferred into the doctoral program to be counted as electives. The program faculty will determine the applicability of all transfer credits.

Application Requirements

To be considered for admission, the application form and all supporting materials must be received by the Graduate Admissions office on or before the published application deadline.

All applicants to the Ed.D. in Leadership must submit the following:

1. Application Form
   You may use our online application or our paper application (pdf.). You may also contact the Graduate Office of Admissions to receive an application packet by mail.
2. Application Fee
   A $50 nonrefundable application fee is required. Online application: the fee is payable with a credit card or electronic check. Paper application: submit a check payable to “Lewis & Clark College”. Alumni of the graduate school will have the opportunity to request an application fee waiver.
3. Four Essays
   Candidate are required to write four essays. The doctoral program essay topics and instructions are listed below. Essays may be submitted electronically (email attachment or as part of the online application) or in paper format (hand delivered, mailed or faxed).
4. Three Letters of Recommendation
   Please give a copy of our Recommendation for Admission form (pdf.) to three individuals. (See Statement on letter of recommendation for the Ed.D. program.)
5. Official Transcripts
   Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree and a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or the foreign equivalent. Official, sealed transcripts must be submitted from each post-secondary institution attended regardless of the length of study or the number of courses taken. Faxed transcripts are not considered official by the Graduate School. Graduates of a non-U.S. university system are required to provide officially evaluated and translated copies of all their college transcripts. Official evaluations and translations are done by outside agencies. Information regarding three such agencies can be found by going to Information for International Students.
6. Grade Point Average (GPA)
   All applicants must hold a minimum 2.75 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in their undergraduate degree and a minumum graduate GPA of 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale). Students who graduated from an institution using a 5.0 scale must have earned a minimum of 3.75 GPA  in their graduate degree and a 3.4 GPA for the undergraduate degree.
7. Resume
   Submit a current professional resume listing positions that you have held for three months or longer including your current position.
8. Interview
   Qualified applicants may be invited to interview with members of the Graduate School faculty.

Ed.D. in Leadership Essay Questions

The essays are an opportunity for you to share with us why the pursuit of an Ed.D. in Leadership at Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling will help you realize your goals.

Please write an essay on EACH of the following four topics. Each of your essays should not exceed 500 words:

1. The Lewis & Clark doctoral program is designed to assist in the development of educational leaders with a commitment to social justice and equity. Share your understanding of the concept of leadership for social justice and equity. Include references to literature and research that you deem relevant and have helped shape your perspective on this concept. Describe how you have already demonstrated leadership and a commitment to social justice and equity in your professional life and how you plan to do so in the future. 

2. Discuss an ethical dilemma in leadership you have dealt with professionally. As you faced this dilemma, what were your options? How did you resolve this dilemma and what did you learn from the experience? How did this experience help shape you as a leader? 

3. Explain what aspect of educational leadership or policy you plan to make the focus of your advanced study and dissertation research. Why have you selected this focus? Why have you selected Lewis & Clark’s doctoral program for your study?

4. Describe a significant personal or professional accomplishment that required hard work and perseverance. Share what made this a source of pride as well as what challenges you had to overcome to achieve your goal(s). What values and concerns represented in this accomplishment motivate you to pursue advanced study in educational leadership? How do you anticipate this study will shape your future career?

Statement on Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are among the most important aspects of a doctoral application. The Educational Leadership faculty and Graduate Admissions Committee use recommendations to assess a candidate’s past accomplishments and determine potential for success. To present a well-rounded portrait of yourself as a candidate and a professional, we suggest that you request references from a former professor who is familiar with your academic ability, a supervisor who is knowledgeable about your leadership and professional work, and a colleague who can provide a composite picture of you as a professional.

Alumni of the Graduate School

Alumni of Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling who are applying to the Doctorate program must complete ALL application requirements for admission to the Ed.D. program. The $50 application fee is waived.

Decision Notification

The Graduate School of Education and Counseling will confirm the receipt and status of your application packet. Any outstanding items will be noted. after the application deadline has passed, completed applicant files will be reviewed by program faculty. Applicants will be notified of an admissions decision in writing. No information regarding admission decisions can be given over the phone. 

Reapplicants

Application files for the Doctor of Education in Leadership program are kept for one year. If reapplying for the following year, you will need to submit a new application form and the $50 application fee (fee is waived for Lewis & Clark graduate school alumni). If you would like us to use the essays, resume, and/or letters of recommendation that were submitted with your old application please notify us of this in writing. If you wish to submit new essays, resume, or letters, send these in with your new application form. The Admissions office will notify you of any additional required documentation. If you are reapplying more than a year from your previous application, you will need to resubmit all required application materials. 

Technology Requirements

Candidates accepted into the program are expected to have their own computer and access to the Internet.

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