Program Overview
College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Chair: Linda R. Vogel, Ph.D.
Location:McKee 418
Telephone: 970-351-2119
The University of Northern Colorado has a long history of preparing individuals to assume leadership roles in education. Over the years, superintendents, principals, deans, program directors, professors, presidents and other persons in leadership positions in Colorado and across the nation have received academic degrees from the University. The current focus of the Ed.D. is preparing P-12 leaders for public and private schools and other educational organizations.
The purpose of the Ed.D. program is to engage educators in P-12 and other education-related settings in the advanced study of educational leadership so they can critique and improve their own practice. The program focuses on problems of practice - studying practice, engaging in constructive critique of practice, and improving one’s practice. Coursework in the program is designed to be highly relevant to the participants’ jobs and careers.
Features that make this program attractive to current and aspiring educational leaders:
- Collaborative and collegial learning community;
- Challenging, provocative, research-based knowledge;
- Cohort approach to learning for 3 semesters of enrollment;
- Instructional techniques emphasizing practices of adult learning;
- Emphasis on problems of practice;
- Professional networking with area P-12 educational leaders;
- National and internationally recognized university faculty and affiliates;
- Faculty and cohort commitment that all participants successfully complete the program.
Program of Study. The nature of doctoral studies implies a blend of required learning experiences and individualized program development to reflect the personal, professional, and academic goals of each student. Each doctoral student admitted to the program works with an advisor and program coordinator to develop a plan of study.
Students may work concurrently on the principal's license and/or administrator (district-level leadership/superintendent) license as part of their Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. To obtain a Colorado principal or administrator license, students must have a master's degree or higher, complete a principal and/or administrator license program, and satisfactorily pass the appropriate PRAXIS exam. Students desiring a principal's or administrator's license must work with the UNC licensure office for program verification when they have completed their coursework.
Program Requirements:
Admission materials for review by the faculty include a current resume, copies of educator licenses, scholarly writing sample, and a statement of goals in addition to the other information in the online UNC application system for graduate student admission. Students are admitted each fall semester. Applicants may be asked to complete an online interview with the Educational Leadership program faculty.
Students who complete the application process by February 15 are given priority screening for fall admissions of that year and have increased opportunities for financial assistance.
The doctoral program expands upon the foundation gained in study for the master's, specialist, and/or licensure programs. It provides opportunities for candidates to develop breadth in understanding leadership, policy, and research methodologies, and also depth in one or more areas of specialization. The focus of this program is the refinement of students' understandings of leadership and policy development and analysis, ultimately culminating in the dissertation. The dissertation is meant to address a problem of practice in educational leadership.
Entering doctoral students who already possess a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership or a related field complete a minimum of 64 semester hours of graduate credit beyond the master's degree. Students with an Educational Specialist's degree enroll in a minimum of 42 semester hours beyond the specialist's degree. These semester hour requirements are minimum expectations for students' performance. Credit requirements are a function of the types of learning experiences needed by students to achieve their goals.
Admission
Location: Online
Start Term: Fall
General Doctoral Degree Admission Requirements
Educational Leadership Ed.D.
Admission Deadline
Begins Each Fall Term
Students who complete the application process (including the interview) by March 1 are given priority screening and have increased opportunities for financial assistance.
Initial review of completed applications will take place in March, and applications received after that date will be considered with a final review by May/June as needed. Contact the Program Coordinator for advising.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must apply to the Graduate School at the University of Northern Colorado before the program area reviews the applicant’s request for admission. Failure to submit all required materials will delay the evaluation and screening of your application.
Each applicant must:
- Possess a master’s or specialist degree from an Institutionally Accredited college or university or a comparable degree from a foreign institution.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better (on a 4.00 scale) for the most recent degree earned.
- Have completed two years of experience working with students in a school setting.
Applicants can combine this degree with:
- Licensure: Principal (K-12) Endorsement
- Licensure: Administrator Endorsement
If you have any questions about the program or eligibility, please contact Linda Vogel. Ph.D., at linda.vogel@unco.edu.
Take the following steps to be considered for admission:
Step 1: Complete the Application
Complete the online application.
- Answer the application questions.
- Send your requests for letters of recommendation.
- Request three (3) academic or professional letters of recommendation from those who can attest to your academic potential and abilities. You will be asked to supply information for your recommenders in the application.
- Submit the application and pay the non-refundable application fee.
- Domestic Students: $50 non-refundable application fee
- International Students: $50 non-refundable application fee
- The Graduate School is waiving application fees for all current UNC students and alumni! (The waiver applies only to the UNC Graduate School application.) Click for details.
Once you submit your application you will be assigned an Admissions Portal, allowing you to upload supplemental items, as listed below, and track your application through the admissions process.
Step 2: Request Transcripts
Request one official transcript from any Institutionally Accredited college or university where a bachelor’s degree or higher was earned or is in progress (if you have earned multiple degrees, bachelor’s level or higher, an official transcript is required from each college or university where a degree was conferred). If you received a degree from UNC, you do not need to request a transcript from UNC. The Office of Admissions reserves the right to request that applicants provide official transcripts from other colleges or universities as needed. Applicants who have earned or are directly pursuing a higher degree from a regionally accredited institution without receiving a bachelor’s degree (e.g., PharmD) may be eligible to apply to the Graduate School without the conferral of a bachelor’s degree.
Exceptions: If an applicant intends to use Veteran’s Education Benefits, an official transcript from all colleges or universities attended will be required in order to maintain compliance with Veteran’s Affairs policies.
Official transcripts from U.S. institutions should be sent via mail directly from the educational institution in an unopened, sealed envelope or through an electronically secure digital program from the issuing institution.
Mailed transcripts should be sent to:
University of Northern Colorado
Office of Admissions
Campus Box 10
501 20th St
Greeley, CO 80639
Electronic transcripts from U.S. institutions should be sent directly from the educational institution to: grad.admissions@unco.edu.
The Office of Admissions does not accept email, scanned or PDF transcripts directly from applicants. All official transcripts, submitted as part of the application process, are retained by UNC and not returned to applicants or admitted students.
UNC retains submitted transcripts, from institutions other than UNC, for admitted students for up to five years after graduation or date of last attendance at UNC. Transcripts provided by applicants who were not admitted, denied admissions or did not complete their application are destroyed after one (1) year. The Office of Admissions will make every attempt to use previously submitted transcripts if they are within these timeframes. However, if the Office of Admissions cannot locate previously submitted transcripts, the transcripts fall outside the timeframes listed above or they are considered illegible, applicants must provide new transcripts.
Applicants with academic credentials from outside the U.S. will need to follow the requirements for submission of foreign transcripts. Click on the Transcripts tab for information about international transcripts.
Step 3: Note About the GRE
This program does not require GRE scores.
Step 4: Supplemental Items
Log back into the Admissions Portal to submit the following:
- Detailed statement of goals which describes your:
- Demonstrated commitment to education
- Contributions to professional education
- Immediate and long-range personal, professional and academic goals
- Rationale for pursuing the Ed.D. degree
- Strengths and weaknesses as they apply to educational leadership
- Current vita or resume which documents professional experiences in education.
- Documentation of publications or completed research projects.
- A copy of K-12 related license(s).
Background Information Sheet
Submit the Background Information Sheet by clicking on the "Background Information Sheet" link in your Admissions Portal.
Finalists for admission may be asked to attend a Zoom interview to assist faculty in making admission decisions.
Once you apply to the UNC Graduate School and your application packet is complete, your application will be reviewed by the Graduate School and then sent to the faculty/program for an admission recommendation. The timing of the admission decision depends on each individual program’s deadline and review process.
International applicants (non-U.S. citizen/non-U.S. Permanent Resident) please refer to the International Admissions Requirements page for further information about submitting transcripts, English proficiency scores, passport copy and financial documentation.
For More Information
For more information about the admission process, please email the Office of Admissions at grad.admissions@unco.edu or call 970-351-2881.