Candidates may choose a concentration in one of the following areas: P-12 Administration and Higher Education. Candidates complete designated course work to satisfy the concentration area requirement. Superintendent and principal certifications are offered at the Master’s degree level. The PhD level courses are not listed as the Texas administrator certification courses. Although PhD graduates are preferred by school districts for many central office administrative positions, Texas does not require a PhD for superintendent and principal certifications. The certification courses are Masters level courses. Additionally, applicants for certification must take and successfully pass the TExES #64 (Superintendent) and/or #68 (Principal) exams.

Please contact the College of Education for information about administrative certification.

PhD in Educational Leadership Program Requirements

Core Courses		15
EDUL 7301	Strategic Planning in Educational Leadership
EDUL 7304	Organizational Development and Change in Education
EDUL 7305	Diversity in Educational Institutions
EDUL 7310	Educational Research and Evaluation
EDUL 7322	Governance in P-20 Institutions
Research Courses		12
EDUL 7336	Advanced Qualitative and Quantitative Research
EDUL 7360	Quantitative Research Design and Analysis
EDUL 7361	Qualitative Research Design and Analysis
EDUL 7363	Educational Statistics
Dissertation Courses		15
EDUL 8301	Dissertation Seminar
EDUL 8300	Dissertation (Minimum 12 hours)
Concentration (Select one from below) 1		21
Total Hours		63

¹

See your advisor to ensure you take the course that is appropriate for your concentration.

P-12 Concentration Core Courses		12
EDUL 7314	Educational Technology and Organizations
EDUL 7321	School Law and Policy
EDUL 7328	School Curriculum Leadership
EDUL 7330	Public School Finance and Resource Allocation
Internship		3
EDUL 7308	Internship I Observation and Field Experience
Electives (Select two courses from below):		6
EDUL 7307	Special Topics
EDUL 7317	Data-Driven Decision Making
EDUL 7324	School - Community Relations
EDUL 7350	Human Resources Administration in Education
EDUL 7352	Teacher Supervision, Evaluation and Professional Development
Total Hours		21

Higher Education Concentration Core		12
EDUL 7314	Educational Technology and Organizations
EDUL 7370	Higher Education Administration
EDUL 7371	Higher Education Finance and Management
EDUL 7375	Assessing Higher Education Environments
Electives (Select three courses from below):		9
EDUL 7374	Higher Education Policy and Analysis
EDUL 7376	Institutional Effectiveness, Assessment and Accreditation
EDUL 7307	Special Topics
EDUL 7308	Internship I Observation and Field Experience
EDUL 7372	The Role of Student Affairs in Higher Education
EDUL 7377	College Teaching Theories, Models and Strategies
Total Hours		21

Time Limit

Students attending full-time should be able to complete the formal doctoral course work within 2 – 2 ½ years if they attend during both regular sessions and summer. Students who only enroll full-time during regular semesters require longer than two full years. Each student will be given seven (7) years to complete the doctoral program. Students who earn two “C’s” may be dismissed from the doctoral program.

Note: See Program Handbook for Additional Information.

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership Degree Sequence

First Year
Fall - Semester 1	Hours	Spring - Semester 2	Hours	Summer	Hours
EDUL 7310	3	EDUL 7363	3	EDUL 7301	3
EDUL 7304	3	EDUL 7322	3	Concentration	3
EDUL 7305	3	Concentration	3
Total	9	Total	9	Total	6
Total Hours: 24

Second Year
Fall - Semester 1	Hours	Spring - Semester 2	Hours	Summer	Hours
EDUL 7360	3	EDUL 7361	3	Concentration	3
Concentration	3	Concentration	3
Concentration	3	Concentration	3
Total	9	Total	9	Total	3
Total Hours: 21

Third Year
Fall - Semester 1	Hours	Spring - Semester 2	Hours	Summer	Hours
EDUL 7336	3	EDUL 8300	3	EDUL 8300	3
EDUL 8301	3	EDUL 8300	3	EDUL 8300	3
Total	6	Total	6	Total	6
Total Hours: 18

Academic Deans

Name	Unit
Total Semester Credit Hours: 63

Marketable Skills

Marketable skills, as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30TX Plan, include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas, are valued by employers, and can be either primary or complementary to a major. Marketable skills are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities. 

PhD Educational Leadership

Degree Skills

1. Research
2. Interpersonal relationships
3. Communication 

Co-curricular and Extracurricular Skills

1. Cultural competency
2. Planning and managing change
3. Identifying, producing and utilizing research