The Doctorate of Education Degree (Ed.D.) in Educational Administration has been designed to meet the needs of aspiring administrators in urban and metropolitan school districts and colleges/universities.  There are two focus areas within the Ed.D. program:  P-12 school administration and higher education administration.

Doctor of Education:

Coordinators:

Loyce Caruthers , (816) 235-1044, caruthersl@umkc.edu (P-12)

Bonita Butner (816) 235-2325, butnerb@umkc.edu (Higher Education)

Focus in P-12 Administration

The Doctorate of Education in P-12 Educational Administration program is designed to expand the content competencies and applied leadership skills of candidates in educational leadership careers in elementary, middle, and secondary school settings, as well as in central office administration.  Curriculum focuses on current and future educational challenges to enhance the knowledge and skill development of public school leaders in their positions, incorporating strategic planning, collaborative problem solving, interpersonal and inter-group functioning, technological proficiency, and effective communication.

Criteria for Admission to P-12 focus:

1. Completed UMKC application and Educational Leadership, Policy and Foundations supplemental application.
2. Official transcripts from each college attended.
3. Master's degree or Educational Specialist degree or equivalent from an accredited institution with G.P.A. of at least 3.65 in Education Administration. (Master's in other fields may be provisionally accepted.) 
4. Graduate Record Examination within the last five years: verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing.
5. Four professional or academic letters of reference.
6. An autobiographical statement that includes your professional goals and how the doctoral degree will help you in achieving these goals, and a description of some of your leadership accomplishments.
7. A writing sample, which gives evidence of your writing ability. The sample may be a previous course paper, a chapter from thesis, a published article, etc. Send copies for documents will not be returned.
8. Successful completion of three hours or equivalent of Statistical Methods 1 (EDRP 5505) -and- three hours or equivalent of Principles and Methods of Research (EDRP 5508) with a grade of B or higher.

Curriculum

The Doctorate of Education program will consist of 33 hours of inter-disciplinary course work and a 9 hour Applied Research Dissertation Project. The Doctoral Applied Research Study will include the identification of a study to be conducted that is grounded in educational policy in the public arena. A theoretical construct for the study will be developed including a research design, a review of the literature, and a presentation of the findings of the study in a public setting as well as to the doctoral committee. It is expected that students will complete this program during a four year period of time.

 

Focus in Higher Education Administration

The doctoral program with a focus in Higher Education Administration is designed to prepare administrative leaders for positions in community colleges and four-year colleges and universities.  The program may also be appropriate for individuals working in government agencies and business and industry.  Therefore, students may come to the program from a variety of fields, backgrounds, and types of higher education institutions.

Criteria for Admission to Higher Education focus:

Admission to the Higher Education doctoral program is a separate procedure from admission to the Graduate School and is based on successful acceptance into the University of Missouri-Kansas City graduate School and the Higher Education program.  This requires submission of the following:

1. Completed UMKC application and Higher Education supplemental application.
2. Official transcripts from each college attended.
3. Graduate Record Exam:  quantitative, verbal and writing portion
4. A letter of intent including a brief statement of the reason for pursuing a doctoral degree in Higher Education and a brief discussion about the match between the applicant's needs and the program offering.
5. A vita or resume providing a summary of leadership activities, work experiences, and scholarly activity. 
6. Three letters of recommendation (on forms provided in application packet) are required.  One letter may be from a personal reference; two letters must be professional references.
7. An interview will be scheduled with at least two faculty members as the final step in the admission process.  Interview topics will be wide-ranging, including personal goals and objectives, current issues in education, and successful college experiences.  The interview is designed to acquire information concerning the applicant's oral skills and critical thinking skills.  The applicant will also have the opportunity to garner additional information about the program.

Curriculum

The program consists of 90 semester hours beyond the baccalaureate degree inclusive of the dissertation.  The Ed.D. is an applied degree designed for the advanced student who wishes to achieve a superior level of competency in his/her professional field with emphasis on practice and leadership in an urban setting.  The degree requires students to demonstrate proficiency in independent research in higher education and make original contributions to the body of knowledge related to higher education.  The program is structured on a cohort model with admission every three years.  Admitted students must agree to take courses as prescribed in order to complete all courses in a three year timeframe.