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  • Research
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About

This program is designed to meet the personal and professional needs of educational leaders in school districts, higher education, and non-governmental organizations through rigorous courses in leadership, research and policy. This innovative program combines challenging coursework with collaborative faculty-students research labs that prepare students for successful completion of the dissertation and professional application of skills and knowledge.

Student Handbook

>> PhD in Educational Leadership, Research & Policy Student Handbook

>> Course Descriptions

Admissions

The following are minimum requirements for admission into the Ph.D. program in Leadership, Research, and Policy. The application deadline for this program is April 1.

The Applicant must:

1. Hold a master's degree from an accredited college or university.
2. Submit scores of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) taken within the past five years. Scores from the Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical subtests are required. There are no cut­off scores for the GRE subtests or composite score. GRE scores will contribute to an index score, which will be considered in admission decisions.
3. Submit three letters of recommendation: one from a former graduate instructor, one from a current supervisor, and one from a professional colleague. The requirements for the letters are described in the admission packet. Letters from current UCCS faculty in the Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundations (LRF) will not be accepted.
4. Exhibit a history of professional leadership experience that demonstrates high motivation and a significant contribution to the field of education. This criterion should be reflected in the required Career Goals Statement described in the admission packet.
5. Describe a pattern of professional experience that exhibits a trajectory of increased leadership responsibilities over time. This criterion will be reflected in the Career Goals Statement described in the admission packet.
6. Submit an up­to­date resume or academic vitae. Acceptance decisions will be based upon an overall index score generated from all admission requirements.

Program Goals

The 3-year program for working professionals prepares graduates to:

• Engage in scholarly inquiry and culturally responsive practice
• Synthesize diverse research perspectives in facilitating educational excellence
• Lead others in continuous improvement through implementation and evaluation
• Communicate successfully through oral and written professional discourse

Courses

Research (57 Credits)

Dissertation

Candidates must be enrolled for 3 credits of Doctoral Dissertation each semester of doctoral coursework for a total of 18 credits. Candidates must be continuously enrolled in a minimum of 1 credit hour of dissertation credit per semester during completion of the dissertation. Five credits of dissertation credit must be taken during the semester of the oral defense. A total of 30 credits of Doctoral Dissertation must be earned to complete degree requirements.

Leadership (18 Credits)