The Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership with a major in Strategic Educational Leadership prepares professionals to serve in leadership roles in organizations with missions that include elements of training, education, and teaching-and-learning programs. The Doctorate of Education in Strategic Educational Leadership seeks to develop the program candidate’s graduate-level knowledge and skills in Leadership Theory & Practice; Curriculum Design and Data Fluency; Cultural Proficiency in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and Resource Use in Education. The program offers a wide range of elective course choices from NLU’s broad array of professional disciplines, enabling candidates to customize and personalize their advanced leadership credentials. Completers of this program build a graduate transcript and receive a diploma presenting a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership with a major in Strategic Educational Leadership.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Strategic Educational Leadership major, candidates will demonstrate mastery of the following forms of knowledge, skills, and dispositions.
PLO-1 Content Knowledge. Candidates evaluate and create specialized content knowledge as applied to leading learning communities and organizations with educational components within their missions.
PLO-2 Leadership Dispositions in Action. Candidates evaluate and employ leadership dispositions to articulate and model cognitive habits of mind and social-emotional habits of heart to promote safe and stimulating learning cultures for learners, staff, faculty, and community stakeholders.
PLO-3 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Capacities. Candidates integrate and employ diversity, educational equity, inclusion, and social justice through cultural proficiency and opportunities to advance the overall well-being of learners, staff, and other educational stakeholders.
PLO-4 Engagement and Networking. Candidates engage in an organization’s development and improvement plan for collaboration among stakeholders to develop effective learning communities and promote academic success.
PLO-5 Scholarly Proficiencies. Candidates evaluate and exhibit scholarly habits as they create theory, research and practice to their coursework and dissertation.
PLO-6 Self-Directed Learning. Candidates develop and meet one or more personalized learning objective/s tailored to achieving the individual’s professional and a doctoral dissertation goals related to program pursuit.
Required Courses
Foundational Courses - 12 SH
| EDL 517 | Leadership Concepts and Applications in Education | 2 |
| EDL 520 | Leading Diverse Schools | 2 |
| EDL 525 | Decision-Making for Educational Systems and Organizations | 2 |
| EDL 526 | Realizing Vision through Technical, Human, and Financial Resources | 2 |
| EDL 625 | Scholarly Writing for Practitioners | 1 TO 4 |
Note: EDL 625 must be taken for 4 semester hours.
Major Electives - 12 SH
Leadership Theory and Practice- Students choose 3 SH
| CAP 602 | Curriculum Theory: Contemporary Issues and Practices | 3 |
| CCD 625 | Critical Policy Analysis | 3 |
| EDL 605 | Leading Change | 3 SH |
| EDL 620 | Understanding the Dynamics of Political, Legal, and Ethical Issues in Education | 3 |
| HED 626 | Legal Issues in Higher Education | 3 |
Curriculum Design and Data Fluency - Students choose 3 SH
| CAP 600 | Curriculum Theory: Historical, Philosophical, and Political Issues | 3 |
| CAP 601 | Cultures of Schools and Communities | 3 |
| EDL 622 | Developing Curriculum and Evaluating Programs | 3 |
| EDL 624 | Improving Instruction through Professional Development and Evaluation | 3 |
| EDL 626 | Leading Instruction to Advance Student Learning | 3 |
| EDL 628 | Analyzing and Using Data for Systemic Improvement | 3 |
| EDL 632 | Utilizing Data to Inform Decision Making | 3 |
| PTIL 605 | Postsecondary Teaching in Content Specializations | 3 |
Diversity Equity and Inclusion - Students choose 3 SH
| CCD 630 | Education in a Global World | 3 |
| DEE 605 | History of Disability and Education | 3 |
| EDL 604 | Fostering Cultural Proficiency, Opportunity and Equity | 3 |
| HED 600 | Higher Education in the United States | 3 |
| OBD 651 | Diversity and Inclusion in the Organizational Culture | 3 |
Resource Use in Education - Students choose 3 SH
| EDL 546 | Educational Policy Studies: Conceptualization, Administration, and Evaluation of Educational Reform | 3 |
| EDL 608 | Communicating and Engaging with Staff, Families, and Communities | 3 |
Research and Dissertation - 21 SH
Introduction to Research - 3SH
| EDL 630 | Understanding and Using Educational Research | 3 |
Advanced Research - Students choose 6 SH
| CCD 604 | Data Analysis, Interpretation, and Presentation | 3 |
| EDL 632 | Utilizing Data to Inform Decision Making | 3 |
| ESR 612 | Statistical Methods in Research | 3 |
| ESR 614 | Interpretive and Critical Research Methodology | 3 |
| ESR 616 | Mixed Methods Design | 3 |
| HED 652 | Quantitative Research Methods in Education | 3 |
| HED 654 | Qualitative Research Methods in Education | 3 |
Dissertation - 12 SH
| CCD 699S | Dissertation: Strategic Educational Leadership | 1 OR 2 |
Note:
CCD 699S must be completed for the total of 12 SH.
General Electives - 15 SH
Choose 15 SH of NLU graduate courses listed below in consultation with the Academic Advisor.
Curriculum Design and Data Fluency
| CCD 604 | Data Analysis, Interpretation, and Presentation | 3 |
| EDL 622 | Developing Curriculum and Evaluating Programs | 3 |
| EDL 628 | Analyzing and Using Data for Systemic Improvement | 3 |
| EDL 632 | Utilizing Data to Inform Decision Making | 3 |
| ESR 616 | Mixed Methods Design | 3 |
| ESR 618 | Interpretive and Critical Research Design | 3 |
| HED 651 | Data-driven Decision Making in Education | 3 |
| RES 640 | Survey Research and Intro to Statistical Software | 3 |
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
| CCD 630 | Education in a Global World | 3 |
| DEE 605 | History of Disability and Education | 3 |
| DEE 606 | Applied Disability Studies: Advocacy Through Consulting | 3 |
| DEE 690 | Seminar: Special Topics in Disability and Equity in Education | 1 TO 12 |
| DEE 693 | Disability Studies in Education Seminar | 3 |
| EDL 604 | Fostering Cultural Proficiency, Opportunity and Equity | 3 |
| OBD 651 | Diversity and Inclusion in the Organizational Culture | 3 |
Leadership Theory and Practice
| EDL 605 | Leading Change | 3 SH |
| EDL 624 | Improving Instruction through Professional Development and Evaluation | 3 |
| HED 620 | Leadership and Governance in Higher Education | 3 |
| HED 634 | Quality Assurance in Higher Education | 3 |
| OBD 650 | Culture of Learning Organizations | 3 |
Other (Teaching and Learning)
| CAP 600 | Curriculum Theory: Historical, Philosophical, and Political Issues | 3 |
| CAP 601 | Cultures of Schools and Communities | 3 |
| CAP 602 | Curriculum Theory: Contemporary Issues and Practices | 3 |
| CAP 603 | Curriculum Planning, Organization, and Evaluation | 3 |
| CAP 605 | Professional Development and School Change | 3 |
| CCD 615 | Sociology of Education | 3 |
| CCD 620 | Epistemology of Learning, Teaching and Inquiry | 3 |
| CCD 690 | Seminar: Special Topics in Education | 3 |
| ECE 600 | Early Childhood Higher Education Faculty Internship I | 3 |
| ECE 601 | Early Childhood Higher Education Faculty Internship II | 3 |
| EDL 626 | Leading Instruction to Advance Student Learning | 3 |
| HED 632 | Student Development Theory | 3 |
| HED 695 | Special Topics in Higher Education | 1 TO 6 |
| PTIL 601 | Instructional Design in Higher Education | 3 |
Note: Additional 500- and 600-level courses in ECA, ECE, EDL, CIC, CIL or other elective topics may be accepted with dissertation chair approval.
Resource Use in Education
| CCD 625 | Critical Policy Analysis | 3 |
| EDL 546 | Educational Policy Studies: Conceptualization, Administration, and Evaluation of Educational Reform | 3 |
| EDL 620 | Understanding the Dynamics of Political, Legal, and Ethical Issues in Education | 3 |
| HED 600 | Higher Education in the United States | 3 |
| HED 622 | Strategic Marketing and Enrollment Management | 3 |
| HED 626 | Legal Issues in Higher Education | 3 |
| HED 630 | Academic Affairs: Faculty, Curriculum, and Assessment | 3 |
| EDL 601 | Analyzing Resource Allocation and Equity in Educational Financial Management | 3 |