EdD in Leadership: PK-12 Concentration
This page covers the prerequisites and admissions requirements for Lewis & Clark’s Doctor of Education in Leadership Program, PK-12 Concentration. All Lewis & Clark graduate applicants are also required to fulfill the graduate school’s general admissions requirements for all programs. Please carefully review all admissions requirements as only complete applications will be considered for admission.
Admissions Requirements For All Graduate Programs Begin Your Online Application
Now accepting applications for Summer 2025
Application deadline: February 1, 2025 (priority)
Doctor of Education in Leadership Admission Expectations
The Doctor of Education in Leadership is designed for individuals whose work will impact organizations serving and supporting PK-12 students and families. Generally our students are employed full-time as professionals in schools, nonprofit agencies, 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.
Doctor of Education in Leadership Prerequisite
To be considered for admission to the EdD in Leadership an applicant must hold a master’s degree.
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 (the college or university must be regionally accredited at the time of enrollment and when the degree was conferred) or the foreign equivalent of such degree.
Doctor of Education in Leadership 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.
Admission to the graduate school requires the completion of all standard admissions requirements in addition to the program-specific admission requirements outlined below.
Candidates are required to write three essays. The essays are an opportunity for you to share with us why the pursuit of an EdD 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 three topics. Each of your essays should not exceed 500 words. You will be able to upload each essay through the online application process.
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. How have your life experiences enriched your perspective on diversity, equity, and inclusion? Can you share instances where you’ve harnessed your strengths and assets, or navigated challenges during your journey towards graduate education? How have these experiences influenced your aspirations and commitment to pursuing a degree with Lewis & Clark?
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?
We require letters of recommendation from three individuals who know you and are qualified to evaluate your academic competence, character and/or experience in professional or leadership roles.
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.
All applicants must hold a minimum 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale), or the equivalent in their graduate degree.
Applicants who have an GPA of less than a 3.0 on their graduate, degree-posted transcript are required to provide a statement that explains their previous academic record
Next Steps
The EdD program consists of 60 semester hours. Up to 14 post-master’s graduate degree-applicable semester credits may be transferred into the doctoral program to be counted as electives. The program director will determine the applicability of all transfer credits. The coursework portion of the 46-semester-hour cohort program takes two summers and four semesters (two calendar years) to be completed.
Candidates interested in learning more are encouraged to contact the program director, Dr. Mollie Galloway (galloway@lclark.edu).
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.
Additional Information
Graduate School Admissions is located in South Chapel Annex on the Graduate Campus.
MSC: 87
email gseadmit@lclark.edu
voice 503-768-6200
Director of Admissions Rebecca Sexton-Lee
Graduate School Admissions
Lewis & Clark
615 S. Palatine Hill Road
Portland OR 97219
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All graduate school programs leading to licensure or certification meet the State of Oregon’s requirements for licensure and certification. Additional information, including guidance on obtaining licensure or certification outside of Oregon, is available on our Career & Licensing web page.
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