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**Review** Graduate Catalog 2025-2026

Educational Studies Ed.D.

Program Overview

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences

Director: Deborah Romero, PhD

Location: McKee 216

Telephone: 970-351-2908

Website: www.unco.edu/cebs/teacher-education/

The Ed.D. in Educational Studies prepares candidates to understand the relationship among research, policy, and practice in education in order to contribute to reforming educational systems. Candidates complete an educational studies core, a research core, an emphasis in Innovation and Reform, and a dissertation. The program prepares candidates to assume roles as university faculty members, educational leaders in school districts and state and federal agencies, district level curriculum specialists, and to assume leadership roles in nonprofit and private sectors.

 

A Mostly Online Doctoral Cohort Program for Educators

Earn your EdD in Educational Studies from Colorado's top-ranked institution for online graduate programs in education. This program is designed for working teachers and administrators, offering a flexible, mostly online format with cohort-based learning. The program includes three week-long summer research seminars at the scenic UNC Center in Loveland, Colorado, near the Rocky Mountains. Focused on Innovation and Education Reform, it prepares leaders to be informed, reflective and forward-thinking educators to implement and study educational change in today’s rapidly evolving educational systems.

 

In the Innovation and Education Reform Emphasis You Will Study...

  • Relationships between research, policy and practice in education
  • How to conduct, analyze and apply research of education
  • Issues surrounding curriculum, evaluation and implementation
  • Critical evaluation skills and perspectives of education and society
  • Ways to contribute to the improvement of education systems

 

Doctoral Minor

Students are encouraged but not required to pursue a doctoral minor. Many of the courses required for the program also count toward a minor. See Doctoral Minor Requirements for details. Those who wish to complete a quantitative or mixed methods dissertation are encouraged but not required to complete the minor in Applied Research and Statistics.

 

https://www.unco.edu/graduate-school/degrees-and-programs/doctoral-minors-licensure-endorsement-certificate-programs/

 

64 credits

Administered by the School of Teacher Education.

 

Admission

Location: Online + Summer Loveland Visits

Start Term: Summer

General Doctoral Degree Admission Requirements

Educational Studies Ed.D.

Admission Deadline

  • Starts each summer term (in late July)
  • Priority Application Deadline: April 15
  • Standard Application Deadline: After the priority application deadline, spots are filled on a first-come, first served basis for qualified applicants. Please contact the Enrollment Coach about available space after the deadline.
  • Please note for international applicants: The curriculum does not include sufficient face-to-face coursework to meet federal student-visa requirements.

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 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 or current degree in progress.

    • If you are still completing your master's degree at the time you apply, admission will be based on your current cumulative GPA, and you will need to re-submit your official transcript (showing your conferred degree and final GPA) during your first semester. If your final GPA fell below 3.00, you will be given additional requirements as defined by the academic program that must be met within one calendar year to remain enrolled at UNC.

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 therequirements 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:

  • Statement of Goals addressing your potential as a graduate student and future professional goals. The letter should be 500 words or less.
  • Writing Sample: An academic paper or publication, no more than 25 pages.

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

Please note: The curriculum for this program does not include sufficient face-to-face coursework to meet federal student-visa requirements.

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.

Degree Requirements — 64 Credits

Educational Studies Core — 12 hours

EDF 670Introduction of Research Literature

3

EDF 685Philosophical Foundations of Education

3

EDF 700Implementation and Evaluation of Curriculum

3

EDF 701Doctoral Seminar

1

EDF 701: Take 3 times (for a total of 3 credits)

Research Core: Qualitative Focus — 12 hours

(Coursework completed previously may be substituted for related research courses, within limits allowed by Graduate School)

SRM 680Introduction to Qualitative Research

3

EDF 795Comprehensive Seminar

3

Take 2 from the following as determined by Program Committee:

EDF 610Teacher Research

3

SRM 602Statistical Methods I

3

SRM 641Special Topics

1- 4

SRM 685Educational Ethnography

3

SRM 686Qualitative Case Study Research

3

SRM 687Narrative Inquiry

3

SRM 688Writing Qualitative Research

3

Innovation and Reform Emphasis — 24 credits

The following 21 credits are required.

EDF 720Foundations of Educational Research

3

EDF 775History of Education Reform and Change

3

EDF 785Contemporary School Reform

3

EDF 777Social Justice in Education Reform

3

EDF 778Social Theory of Learning and Change

3

EDF 781Perspectives on Curriculum

3

EDF 787Technology, Innovation, and Education

3

Innovation and Reform Emphasis — 3 credits

Take one of the following courses. Course will be chosen by the program committee.

EDF 640Psychological Foundations of Education

3

EDF 642Foundations of Environmental Education

3

EDF 664Instruction and Assessment

3

ELPS 665Policy Analysis and Development

3

Dissertation — 16 credits

Students work with their research advisor to determine timing of EDF 797 and EDF 799 credits. Students must have completed EDF 795 prior to taking EDF 797 and EDF 799 credits unless granted exception by the program committee.

EDF 797Doctoral Proposal Research

1- 4

EDF 799Doctoral Dissertation

1-12

EDF 797: Take 4 hours

EDF 799: Take 12 hours

Scholarly paper requirement

As a part of the comprehensive exam, students are required to submit for publication one paper to a professional journal. Other research endeavors prior to the dissertation are encouraged.

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