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Academic Policies

Time Limit

The doctoral degree must be completed within ten years of the date of admission. The time period is calculated from the date of the first course that is to count toward the degree, including transfer credit. Within this time frame, a doctoral candidate is expected to make regular and consistent progress, which is subject to periodic review. Extensions may be granted by the Program Chair and document via the exception form. Denied extensions can be appealed to the Academic Policies Committee.

Transfer of Credit Completed at another Institution

In addition to the university-wide requirements, the following criteria apply to non-institutional graduate transfer credit in the National College of Education:

  • Courses can be transferred at any time after admission until finalization of the degree
  • For graduate degrees, there is a six-year limit between the first course and the last course used for the degree, including any transfer credit. Extensions beyond six-years require the Program Chair approval (for 6-10 years) and are completed through the exception form initiated by an advisor. Extension beyond 10 years require petition to the Academic Policies Committee (APC). Graduate degrees include the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), Master of Education (M.Ed.), Educational Specialist (Ed.S.), and certificates.
  • Transfer credit is limited to nine semester hours of graduate credit for those pursuing the M.Ed., or M.A.T degrees
  • Those who are pursuing an Ed.S. degree may transfer a maximum of nine semester hours; certain exceptions apply
    • Ed.S. degrees that require master’s degree for admission must transfer a post-master’s degree coursework (Curriculum and Instruction with Advanced Professional Specializations, Educational Leadership, Learning Sciences, Reading, Teacher Leadership, Higher Education Leadership, Teaching and Learning);
    • Ed.S. degrees that do not require master’s degree may transfer any graduate level coursework (School Psychology).
  • Doctoral students (Ed.D.) may apply up to 12 hours of graduate coursework completed after the first master’s degree, doctoral candidates completing Ed.S. degrees at institutions other than NLU, the reduction must not exceed 18 semester hours. Acceptance of all transfer credit is dependent on the approval of the program chair.
  • Doctoral students (Ed.D.) in the Strategic Education Leadership Program may use six semester hours at the master’s level of equivalent foundational educational leadership courses with approval of the SEDL program chair
  • Any additional transfer credit (above what is allowed by each program) must be approved by the APC

Enrollment Requirements and Leave of Absence

It is expected that doctoral students will be continuously registered until the completion of their degrees. When unforeseen circumstances require a student to temporarily withdraw from his or her doctoral studies, the student must submit a Request for a Leave of Absence form in the first quarter of becoming inactive (see the Doctoral Handbook). A leave of absence may be approved for up to one year. Please note that doctoral candidates who are granted a leave of absence must still complete the program within the original eight-year time limit.

Doctoral candidates who have been inactive for four consecutive quarters and are not on an approved leave will be considered withdrawn from the doctoral program. Students who wish to be reinstated must file a re-entry form to the Office of the Registrar and receive approval from the Program Chair (documented on the exception form initiated by the advisor).

Application of NLU Credits to Subsequent Degrees (Applicable to M.Ed., Ed.S. and Ed.D. degrees)

NLU Programs designed with stackable credentials may apply the number of credits specified below to the next level degrees in the program.

  • Teaching and Learning Ed.D: up to 12 SH of graduate level course- work post the first master’s degree can be applied to the Ed.D. with approval from the chairs of the doctoral program, all credits from the Ed.S. in Teaching and Learning may be applied to the Ed.D. The Ed.D is distinguished from the Ed.S. by the dissertation and the dissertation coursework.
  • Education Leadership (Florida): up to 9 SH of post-master’s coursework from another institution, can be applied to the Ed.S., and up to 12 SH of post-master’s coursework from another institution, can be applied to the Ed.D. No more than 10 SH from NLU Master’s Level programs can used towards the Ed.S and Ed.D degrees combined (this includes 4 SH from EDL 573, 6 SH of EDL 598 or 10 SH from another NLU masters' degree program). Up to 39 SH from the Ed.S. in Ed Leadership can be applied to the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership.
  • Education Leadership (IL District): up to 12 SH of graduate level course-work post the first master’s degree can be applied the Ed.D. with approval from the chairs of the doctoral program, 44 SH from the Ed.S in District Leadership can be applied to the Ed.D. in District Leadership
  • Strategic Education Leadership: 12 SH from the Strategic Education Leadership Certificate can be applied to a M.Ed in Education Leadership (SEDL), 12 SH from the Strategic Education Leadership Certificate can be applied to a Ed.S. in Education Leadership (SEDL). 12 SH from NLU M.Ed. in Education Leadership, SEDL major or 15 SH from the M.Ed. in Early Childhood Administration, Early Childhood Higher Education Concentration can be applied to the Ed.D. in Strategic Education Leadership. 26 SH from an Ed.S in Education Leadership (SEDL) can be applied to the Ed.D in Strategic Education Leadership, up to 12 SH of graduate level course-work post the first master’s degree can be applied to the Ed.D. with approval from the chairs of the doctoral program.

Application of Non-NLU Credit toward Ed.S. and Ed.D. Degrees

Nine semester hours of non-institutional, post the first master’s degree, transfer, workshop and professional development credit may be applied to the Ed.S. degree if approved by the student’s program chair.

For doctoral candidates completing Ed.S. degrees at institutions other than NLU, the reduction of credits in the doctoral program must not exceed 18 semester hours (from the prior completed Ed.S.). Approval for transfer credit beyond the maximum listed above may be obtained through petition to the Academic Policies Committee. Credit for courses taken more than six years prior to when the student was admitted to the doctoral program must also be approved by the chair. Final approval for the program reduction must be obtained from the doctoral program chair and submitted to the registrar's office.

Grade Policies/Credits

Programs will monitor student academic progress at the end of each term. Any student who receives one or more grades of “C” or lower in any program, research or doctoral core courses in any one term will be placed on probation in coordination with NLU's Academic Advising Center. Doctoral students on probation, their respective program chairs, their dissertation committee chairs, and their Graduate Academic Advisor will receive official probation notification from the NCE Doctoral Office. Students will then be provided appropriate resources, academic counseling and information pertaining to recovery from probation. Probation continues until the student completes all doctoral coursework. A student who receives one or more grades of “C” or lower in two terms will be evaluated as a candidate for withdrawal from the program. If the student has already registered for the next term, the student will be charged tuition in accordance with published University policy. Students may appeal such decisions to the individual program chair and then to the Academic Policies Committee following the University Policy on Academic Appeals. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher to fulfill their degree requirements. Courses in which the student has received grades of “D” or lower will not apply toward the degree. 

A student who accumulates one or more in-progress/incomplete (“I”) grade for two consecutive terms will not be allowed to register for a subsequent term until in-progress course requirements are completed and the “I” grades are updated. When the “I” grades for at least one quarter are updated to letter grades and posted, the student should contact his or her program chair to have the registration hold lifted. “I” grades are issued following the In-Progress Grade Policy.

Comprehensive Qualifying Examinations

In most programs, a doctoral student must successfully complete a comprehensive examination prior to beginning formal work on his or her dissertation. Each of the doctoral programs determines the format and scope of the comprehensive exam. Students must register for CCD 697 Comprehensive/Qualifying Doctoral Exam Continuation for each term in which they have no other registration, but have not yet passed their comprehensive exams. At least two faculty members and the program chair (or designee) of the respective program evaluate the exam. The program chair notifies the student in writing concerning the results of the exam. The program chair will inform the Office of the NCE Dean and the student’s advisor of the final outcome. Once a student has passed the comprehensive examination he or she is eligible to register for ESR 604 Dissertation Proposal Seminar and CCD 699 Dissertation. If a student fails the comprehensive examination, the student will not be allowed to proceed to dissertation.

Doctoral Core, Research and Dissertation

Substitutions for the doctoral core, research and dissertation courses must be approved by the program chair. In instances where a course is replaced, transfer credit or substitution of other approved coursework must be used to attain the minimum number of hours for the degree.

Dissertation Requirements

Doctoral students should demonstrate the competencies associated with a traditional dissertation including:

  • The ability to analyze, synthesize, interpret and discuss the implications of existing literature on a well-defined question
  • The ability to formulate, pose and justify a researchable problem or issue
  • The ability to develop an appropriate research design and methodology
  • The ability to interpret, analyze, synthesize and discuss the assumptions, contributions and limitations of existing as well as one’s own research

Continuous registration is required until the written dissertation is complete. Students who have been inactive for three consecutive quarters and are not on an approved leave will be considered withdrawn from the doctoral program. Students who wish to be reinstated must file a re-entry form with the Office of Admissions and Records and submit a written petition to the Academic Policies Committee stating the reason for their inactivity.

Dissertation Completion

Students planning to complete all doctoral requirements prior to the June, September, December, or April degree dates must adhere to the following time-line:

  • Final dissertation hearing must take place no fewer than four weeks prior to the degree date
  • Upon receipt of a completed Dissertation Signature Page, doctoral students submit an electronic copy of their dissertation to the Library via Digital Commons at NLU (Instructions are found here: http://libguides.nl.edu/dc/dissertations).
  • Students obtain approval from the program chair to schedule the final hearing, submit the Form to Schedule Dissertation Approval Meeting, and submit a copy of the final document to the Director of Doctoral Program and the Dean’s Representative, no fewer than three weeks prior to the final hearing date
  • Students should plan to complete a final draft of the dissertation and obtain approval for scheduling a final hearing no fewer than seven weeks prior to the degree date
  • Students wishing to participate in June commencement or hooding ceremonies must have their final hearing on or before April 30
  • Students who have their hearing after the April 30 deadline will be invited to participate in the June commencement or ceremony the following year

Doctoral Handbook

Additional procedures and policies regarding the doctoral programs are included in the Doctoral Handbook. Students are to consult both the University Course Catalog and the Doctoral Handbook to determine program requirements. The Handbook is available on the NCE website at https://nl.edu/national-college-of-education/current-students/program-handbooks-and-materials/teaching-and-learning-doctoral-programs/