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Doctoral Programs

Educational Leadership Studies Doctoral Program

The Educational Leadership Studies Doctoral Program can be divided into two categories:

Public Education

Higher Education

• On-Campus Program
• Off-Campus Program

The doctor of education degree (Ed. D.) is offered in educational leadership studies with emphasis areas in public schools, in higher education, or in related organizations—e.g. state departments of education. Consistent with the regulations of West Virginia University, the College of Human Resources and Education, and the Educational Leadership Program unit, each emphasis area is individually designed by the doctoral student, the student’s advisor, and the doctoral committee.

The course of study for the doctoral degree may be completed through regular on-campus classes that typically meet once per week. Students who enroll in the cohort programs may meet either on- or off- campus offer once per month (usually Friday evenings and Saturday). On-campus classes may meet once per week. Students who enroll in the cohort programs typically take at least two courses per semester and through continuous enrollment, they often complete the program on a more timely basis. Students selecting the regular on-campus program design their individual courses of study conjointly with their advisors and their dissertation committees. Students selecting the Cohort Program must complete their programs of study as members of the cohort group to which they are admitted. Information about program options is available from the appropriate EDLS Program Coordinator, or the Program Secretary.

Doctoral Program Requirements

A minimum of 72 credit hours post baccalaureate, excluding dissertation hours, is required. A minimum GPA of 3.25 is required for all course work beyond the master’ s degree.

The academic program consists of three required components: major, minor, and foundation; and it is designed by the student and presented for approval to the doctoral committee in a specially convened meeting with all members present. If a member of the committee is unable to attend the meeting, he or she must notify the major advisor and the student in advance and forward in writing all recommendations to be considered at the program approval meeting. No fewer than three members of the committee must be present at the meeting, two of whom must be from Educational Leadership Studies.

1. Major Component. Consists of 24 to 36 hours of work taken in Educational Leadership Studies. Students take formally approved courses, seminars, special topics, independent study, and internships. The more limited the education and experience in administration, the greater the number of credit hours that will be required. All students must take the Foundation Courses as listed in the Higher Education Leadership or Public School Administration programs. A minimum of 24 hours exclusive of dissertation in the major must be taken following admission into the program. A minimum of 12 hours of dissertation research is required.
2. Minor Component. Consists of 18 to 24 hours of work in a stated area. This must be developed with the minor area committee member(s) and approved by the committee.
3. Foundation. The doctoral committee will decide which foundation courses are most appropriate for the student’ s program of study in the research, social, and psychological areas. A minimum of three courses will be required in the foundation. These are: statistics, research methods, and other advanced research courses. If a student can demonstrate competence in these areas, the committee may waive these course requirements.

Doctoral Committee

An important part of the doctoral program for the student is choosing the doctoral committee. Members approve the program, write and evaluate the comprehensive examination questions, approve the dissertation prospectus, and approve the dissertation. The student should take the first 12-18 hours in Education Leadership Studies from several faculty members. This will help the student to decide upon the choice for chairperson. Students are not required to choose the temporary advisor as the major advisor for their doctoral committee.

The temporary advisor must be a member of the graduate faculty from the major program area and must be willing to accept the advising assignment. The role of the temporary advisor is to assist the student in selecting an initial program of study that will cover no more than the first 18 hours of formal doctoral course work. Before the student has completed 18 hours of doctoral course work, the student must select a major advisor and a doctoral committee. The temporary advisor and/or the permanent major advisor shall assist the student in the selection of the student’s doctoral committee which must meet the following minimum standards.

1. The doctoral committee must be composed of a minimum of five members, at least three of whom shall be regular members of the graduate faculty.
2. The committee must contain two faculty members from the major ELDS program, one from the minor area, one additional member from the Advanced Educational Studies Department, and one additional member who may be a practicing administrator from outside the department. All committee members must hold a terminal degree.
3. The student’ s major advisor must be from the major program area and must be a regular member of the graduate faculty. No more than two other members may be from the major program area of study.
4. No more than one person may be a non-member of the graduate faculty.

In cooperation with the major advisor, the other committee members will be chosen. Each person agreeing to serve on the committee shall sign the doctoral committee form. This form also requires the signatures of the EDLS Program Coordinator, the Department Chair, the Dean of Human Resources and Education, and the doctoral student. The approved program of study and any approved changes shall be filed in the Center for Student Advising and Records after all required signatures have been affixed.

A change in committee membership may be initiated by the student with the approval of the student’s major advisor. This change must be agreed to by the member being replaced (if still available to serve), the student, the major advisor, the new committee member, the Program Coordinator, Department Chair, and the Dean’s Office. After approval, a record of the new committee composition shall be filed in the Center for Student Advising and Records.

Comprehensive Examination

Evaluative procedures for assessing student competency are required in specific areas of the academic program. The comprehensive examination shall include written components. This examination must cover all areas specified in the program of study, including the major, minor, and foundation courses. It is to be administered after most formal studies have been completed. The method(s) of assessment must be listed on the academic program form before it is signed. The comprehensive examination may be taken separately on the major and minor. The committee member writing each component is responsible for grading the student’s product. Scheduling and results of the examination must be reported to the Center for Student Advising and Records.

It must be the consensus of the doctoral committee that the student has passed the examination, although the committee may permit one dissenting vote. A single portion of the examination may be repeated at the discretion of the committee, but if two or more questions are not answered satisfactorily, the entire examination must be repeated. The student must petition through the doctoral committee in order to be permitted to repeat the comprehensive examination, and it is anticipated that a waiting period will be specified by the committee during which the student will have opportunity to correct deficiencies. Academic tradition does not allow for a comprehensive examination to be administered more than three times.

Higher Education Doctoral Comprehensive Exams

The Higher Education Doctoral Comprehensive Exams are administered at the beginning of Autumn and Spring Semesters. A two-page form is required for submission to sit for the exam. To request the form, please contact Program Secretary Gwen Adkins at 293-5928.

Admission to Candidacy and Time Limits to Complete the Degree

The student is admitted to candidacy for the doctorate upon successful completion of the comprehensive examination . Doctoral candidates are allowed no more than five (5) years beyond admission to candidacy to complete the remaining degree requirements. In the event a student fails to complete the doctorate within five years after admission to candidacy, an extension of time (not to exceed one year) may be obtained only by repeating comprehensive examinations and meeting other requirements specified by the student’ s committee.

Students admitted to candidacy must register for 797, every fall and spring semester until degree completion or they may be dropped from the program. Students not yet admitted to candidacy may be dropped from the program if they fail to enroll for at least one course in any two year period. After being admitted to candidacy. All students must enroll for at least 12 credit hours of dissertation research credit (797) before graduation.

Dissertation Prospectus

The culminating activity of the doctoral program is a dissertation of a significant and specific area of research that contributes to the knowledge base in the field of educational administration. The prospectus is the examination of the proposed project in careful detail before the student begins any data collection. The prospectus should make clear what is already known about the question(s) to be investigated and what doubtful points remain. It should include:

1. An introduction.
2. Statement of the Problem. This should be a very specific problem sentence which lucidly and succinctly presents the main thesis of the study. It may be followed by a series of hypotheses or sub-problem statements.
3. Justification of the Study. This section should explain the purpose and rationale for the study. It should specify reasons as to why the problem is worthy of study, including a statement of the theoretical and practical need for the study. This will include logic and a brief review of the literature relating to the problem.
4. A critical review of literature supporting the study and demonstrating the need for the dissertation.
5. Research Questions, Objectives, and/or Hypotheses.
6. Research Procedures. This should be summarized in a conceptual model and followed by an expanded narrative. Quantitative studies should include the following as appropriate: a) population, b) sample, c) needed return, d)statistical treatment, e) methodology for securing data, f) sample tables. Qualitative or non-empirical studies should assume a format appropriate to the nature and design of the study.
7. Bibliography.

Close cooperation with the major advisor is essential in developing a prospectus. Most students will develop several drafts before one is accepted. When the major advisor and the student believe the prospectus is ready, a meeting of the doctoral committee will be held at which time the student presents and defends the prospectus. All committee members must be present for the meeting. When approved, a copy of the prospectus signed by each of the committee members is filed with the Center for Student Advising and Records and a copy provided for each member of the committee.

The student must apply for and receive human subjects approval from the associate dean before conducting the research.

It is strongly recommended that in the development of a prospectus the student consult one of these publications, using the most current edition of the style manual.

American Psychological Association. Publication Manual, Washington, DC.

Campbell, William G. and Steven V. Ballou. Form and Style, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Castetter, William B. and Richard S. Heisler. Developing and Defending a Dissertation Proposal, Philadelphia University of Pennsylvania Center for Field Studies.

Dissertation

The dissertation advisor may be other than the doctoral major advisor. All dissertations completed by students in the Department shall follow “Regulations Governing the Preparation of Dissertations and Theses.” In conducting the research, analyzing the data, and preparing the initial draft, the student works closely with the major advisor and any other committee members deemed necessary. After the major advisor reviews and approves a draft, copies are distributed to all committee members. The application for a shuttle sheet is signed by each committee member indicating approval for the defense, and the date, time and place of the defense. This should be done at least one month before the defense.

Before the defense, the student should check with the major advisor to make sure the shuttle sheet has arrived and that two original copies of the dissertation signature page are in the chairperson’ s possession. All members of the committee must be present for the defense. If a committee member cannot attend the dissertation defense, permission from the student, the program coordinator, the chair, and the dean (or designee) are required for approval of a substitute member to serve at the defense. There can be no substitute for the major advisor. Only one substitute is allowed, and the request for the substitute must be made in writing before the examination. The request for a substitute should be signed by both the original faculty member and the substitute. A substitute must have the same or higher graduate faculty status as the original faculty member and represent the same academic discipline or specialization.

The dissertation must bear the original signatures of at least all but one of the committee members. If more than one member of the committee, whatever the size of the committee, dissents from approving the dissertation, the degree will not be recommended. If a substitute attends the final defense, the substitute signs the shuttle sheet; however, the original committee member must sign the dissertation.

After the defense, the shuttle sheet is signed (pass or fail) by every committee member and is sent to the Center for Student Advising and Records. The student is responsible for making all required changes in the dissertation and for completing all required forms. The professional expectation is that every dissertation will be published in whole or in a series of articles. Major advisors are available to assist in the project.

Residency Requirements

Residency requires two consecutive semesters of full-time work (at least 9 hours per term) after being admitted to the doctoral program. The two consecutive semesters may be Fall-Spring, Spring-Fall, Spring-Summer, or Summer-Fall. Courses taken for non-degree credit will not count for graduate residency.

It is also recognized that experiences of equal value may be obtained in situations other than those available on a university campus. Therefore, an individual’ s program of study may include an alternative residency program. Such an alternative must be described and attached to the program of study form and must be approved by the doctoral committee, the Academic Affairs Committee, and the College of Human Resources and Education.