CLEMSON UNIVERSITY DOCTORAL PROGRAM

GENERAL PROGRAM INFORMATION

PROGRAM STATEMENT

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Leadership is designed to provide students with a strong background in two basic academic areas: educational research and educational leadership. It provides students with competencies and skills needed for effective functioning in a formal leadership capacity in an educational (or related service) organization.

As the highest academic degree granted by Clemson University, the Ph.D. is designed to prepare students to become scholars who can discover, integrate, and apply knowledge. Furthermore, the intent is to produce effective administrators. This preparation enables students to understand and critically evaluate existing knowledge in educational leadership. This is accomplished through close association with and apprenticeship to faculty members experienced in research, teaching, and administration.

A student admitted to the Educational Leadership doctoral program must begin course work within one year from the semester of acceptance or re-apply for admission. Students are discouraged from taking more than six (6) hours of doctoral course work prior to being admitted to the program.

Program Objectives

• To prepare student affairs practitioners to effectively work with faculty, students, administrators, and other members of the academic community.
• To prepare individuals to be employed in higher education settings in a variety of roles.
• To train student affairs practitioners to act as consultants throughout the higher education setting.
• To provide student affairs practitioners with the understanding and skills related to counseling and developmental needs at the post-secondary level.
• To provide student affairs practitioners with a high degree of self-understanding.
• To facilitate student affairs practitioners to effectively communicate with all cultural groups.
• To facilitate student affairs practitioners in developing a high degree of sensitivity and acceptance of diversity in thought and action.
• To foster an awareness of the responsibilities of student affairs practitioners to the developmental needs and maintenance of quality experiences for students, faculty members, administrators, and staff.
• To expect ethical practices of student affairs practitioners.

PROGRAM MISSION

(encompassed above)

PROGRAM UNIQUENESS

Strengths of the PhD program and its faculty include:

1. allowing students to emphasize course work in either administration or counseling
2. practical hands-on experience through field experiences
3. close collaboration of the program faculty with the Division of Student Affairs and other administrative staff
4. a demanding academic program integrating theory, research and practice
5. numerous opportunities for professional and persona growth and development
6. blending of theoretical background in leadership in higher education, student development and counselor education

NATIONAL STANDARDS
Meets ACPA Professional Preparation Commission Standards: YES
Meets CAS Standards: YES
Other/Comments:

APPLICATION AND ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

1. A completed application form (Form GS1, available at http://www.grad.clemson.edu)
2. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work.
3. Three letters of recommendation that address the applicant's professional experience and scholarly potential.
4. Current test scores (within 5 years of the application date) for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
5. A two (2) page letter in which you discuss your reasons for pursuing the Ph.D. degree. This letter will be evaluated as a writing sample.
6. A current curriculum vita listing educational background, work experiences, professional service experiences, and other related experiences. (For applicants interested in the P-12 concentration, evidence of principal certification is required for admissions.)
7. October 1 application deadline for Spring admission
8. March 1 application deadline for Summer or Fall admission

CURRICULUM INFORMATION

Program Curriculum:

Program Requirements

These required courses represent a basic body of knowledge in Educational Leadership. A student must demonstrate a proficiency in this material through the comprehensive examination. The following is a list of core courses:

I. Program Core - 15 hours

• EDL 910 Introductory Doctoral Seminar
• EDL 900 Principles of Educational Leadership
• EDL 905 Theory and Practice in Educational Leadership
• EDL 989 Advanced Seminar in Educational Leadership
• EDL 990 Clinical Research in Educational Leadership

All courses must be approved by the committee.

• Experimental/Non-experimental Research Methods in Education
• Qualitative Research in Education
• EDL 995 Directed Research
• EX ST 801 Statistical Methods

The field of specialization may be either Public School Administration or Higher Education. The courses for specialization should be selected in close consultation with the student's Advisory Committee. These courses allow the student and Advisory Committee to tailor the program to the unique needs of the student within the overall philosophy and structure of the program. An 18-hour minimum is required from the following listing of courses. Other courses may be approved by the department.

• ED L 765: Assessment in Higher Education
• ED L 805: Advanced Educational Leadership: Theory and Practice
• ED L 820: Politics of Education
• ED L 839 Research Methods in Educational Leadership
• ED L 935: History of Higher Education
• ED L 950: Educational Policy Studies
• ED L 955 (VT ED 955): The Two-Year College
• ED L 960: Legal Principles in the Administration of Institutions of Higher Education
• ED L 965: Higher Education Finance
• ED L 970: Foundations of Higher Education
• ED L 972: Ethics in Educational Leadership
• ED L 976: External Effectiveness in Higher Education
• ED L 980: Current Issues in Educational Leadership
• EDC 804 Student Development Theory

The student is required to complete six semester hours of internship experiences which will be supervised by a practicing educational leader and by a faculty member. The internship experience is designed to acquaint the student with the practical applications of education theory. Based on a written description of activities, the internship experience must be a planned, extensive, and closely monitored opportunity for the student to work in a setting which reflects the student's long range goals. The student's Advisory Committee chair must approve the internship experience prior to beginning the program.

• EDL 985 Internship in Educational Leadership

Cognates are courses from another area of study. As part of the program of study, each student must complete six graduate semester hours in a field outside education. All six hours must be from the same discipline and approved by the student's graduate committee.

VI. Dissertation- 18 hours

• EDL 991 Doctoral Dissertation Research

Is a thesis required?

STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION - Students in student affairs or higher education administration programs (2005-2006):

PROGRAM FACULTY (Name, title, typical number of coursed taught annually, interests)

Last modified December 11, 2006
Information submitted by: Tony Cawthon

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