Doctor of Education in Leadership Studies, EdD

Overview

The Doctor of Education in Leadership Studies degree program is a 63-hour interdisciplinary doctoral degree designed for working adults interested in earning a practitioner’s terminal degree. The concentrations in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Health Communication and Leadership, and Leadership Studies allow graduate students to gain expertise in leadership as it relates to their specific career interests. This program is focused on leadership theory and practice and is open to persons with master’s degrees in all disciplines. The emphasis of the program is on the needs of practitioner-scholars, rather than research-scholars.

Admission Procedures

Applicants must complete and submit all required materials by the deadline posted on the EdD website in order to be considered for Fall admission. The EdD program is a selective admissions program and, as such, not all applicants who apply will be admitted.

• The following items should be sent directly to the LSUS Office of Graduate Admissions:
• The LSUS Graduate Studies Application for Graduate Admission, complying with all applicable guidelines and standards.
• Master’s degree from a college or university accredited by a USDE-recognized institutional accrediting agency with a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.50/4.00. Applicants with a cumulative graduate GPA between 3.00 and 3.49 may be considered for admission following the formal review process and an admission decision by the Chair of the Department of Leadership Studies.
• All official transcripts from institutions where coursework has been attempted.

The following items should be sent directly to the Director of the EdD program:

• Résumé/CV
• Professional recommendation letters from three sources
• Purpose statement from the applicant, including:
  • How the degree fits within the applicant’s professional and personal goals
• The applicant’s professional experience and how the applicant believes this will contribute to the program
• The coursework, professional experience, or other professional development that has prepared the applicant for conducting doctoral level research
• The applicant’s area of research where there is a strong interest (disaster preparedness and emergency management, health communication and leadership, or leadership concentration) and to explain the potential study that the applicant may want to develop

Applicants who are selected to continue to the next round of review will be contacted for an interview via Online Video Service (Zoom, Skype, Adobe Connect, etc.). Final notification of admission status will be provided upon the completion of reviews and selection of applicants.

Career Opportunities

The Doctor of Education in Leadership Studies degree program prepares graduates for leadership positions in local, state, and national agencies at the public, private, nonprofit, and corporate levels.

Catalog

If a student withdraws from the program for more than two sessions, he/she must re-apply to the Doctoral program and be admitted by the Ed.D. Program Director prior to continuing under the catalog in effect at the time of the re-application. Those students who are denied readmission by the Ed.D. Program Director may submit a new application for consideration during the next admission cycle.

Students admitted in or prior to the 2018-2019 academic year may not elect to move to any catalog inclusive of or following the 2019-2020 catalog without applying for consideration for admission by the Ed.D. Program Director.

Course Requirements

Graduation from doctoral programs is not a sole function of successful completion of coursework. The Doctor of Education in Leadership Studies program achieves program competencies through the successful completion of the four basic program elements listed below:

1. Seminar in Leadership Theory and Practice Courses
2. Leadership and Concentration Core Courses
3. Comprehensive Exams
   Students must successfully pass the written comprehensive exam in order to move forward with the dissertation or the research group prospectus and then on to registering for research/dissertation hours. The comprehensive exam may be scheduled following the completion of the Concentration Core Courses and the four Seminar in Leadership Theory and Practice Courses.
4. Leadership-Relevant Dissertation of Group Research Project
   Candidates will conduct original research regarding a problem area in leadership personally identified, with advisor approval, and supported by guidance of a committee of LSUS graduate faculty and researchers. A prospectus defense precedes the start of the dissertation or group research project. Transfer credit will not be accepted in this category.

Dismissal from the Ed.D. Program

Doctoral students may be dismissed from the Leadership Studies doctoral program for any serious infractions of the LSUS Student Code of Conduct. Students may also be dismissed for any one of the following: (a) failure to successfully pass the Comprehensive Examination; (b) failure to successfully pass the prospectus (also referred to as proposal) defense; (c) failure to pass the dissertation defense; (d) failure to maintain a 3.0 GPA; (e) failure to uphold the high standards of academic ethics and integrity; (f) failure to complete the degree within the maximum time limit; or (g) failure to adhere to the Ed.D. grad policy. Students may be provided two (2) opportunities to take the comprehensive exam, prospectus (also known as a proposal) defense, and dissertation/group project defense should the first attempt lead to a “no pass” or “fail”. In the event that the second attempt in any of the aforementioned activities leads to a second “no pass” or “fail” (in any combination of terms), the student will be removed from the doctoral program.

Dismissal Grade Policy

A cumulative LSUS GPA of 3.0 or higher is required for graduation from the Doctor of Education in Leadership Studies program. Candidates are expected to maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative LSUS GPA throughout the program. Due to the accelerated nature of the program, candidates are limited to two courses in which a “W” or withdrawal can be assigned before the candidate is removed from the Doctoral Program. Students who earn two grades of “C” or lower will be removed from the Doctoral program. A grade of “F” in any course will result in the candidate’s removal from the Doctoral Program.