DOCTOR of EDUCATION in EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP  2005-07 Catalog
College
of Education
Education Bldg. (02), Room 120
(805) 756-2126

The College of Education at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara offer a field-based Ed.D. in Educational Leadership for working professionals. The program is designed to prepare and support exemplary educational leaders who will demonstrate the abilities to:

·   Engage in scholarly research and effectively use extant data to make sound, information-driven decisions;

·   Critically examine current educational practices and policies from a variety of relevant theoretical perspectives;

·   Formulate and implement effective leadership, managerial, and instructional practices that will improve student achievement and organizational productivity; and

·   Engage in reflective praxis to assess personal and professional leadership effectiveness.

Graduates will typically pursue employment in leadership and administrative roles in K-12 schools, community colleges, universities, government agencies, and other allied organizations.

The program takes advantage of the unique strengths of each institution (research and field-based practice) to provide innovative programmatic features including a focus on non-urban schools, an accelerated time to degree, research in K-14 Professional Development Districts (PDDs), the inclusion of reflective praxis in all elements of the program, and annual dissemination of student research findings at summer institutes. The program is built upon a tripartite relationship among universities, local K-12 school districts, and community colleges. For additional information, please contact Dr. Jim Gentilucci and visit our web site: http://www.education.ucsb.edu/program/jointdoc

ADMISSION CRITERIA

Prospective students must meet UCSB admission criteria. Information about these requirements can be found at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/academic/handbook/admissions. Faculty will admit only those applicants who possess the highest potential for successful graduate study and who, with the benefit of doctoral education, will contribute substantially to their academic or professional field through teaching, research, and professional practice. Successful applicants must have:

·  Received a master’s degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited university prior to the quarter for which they seek admission;

·  Maintained an upper-division grade point average of 3.0 or above;

·  Earned Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores that indicate sufficient ability for successful doctoral study;

·  Shared research and/or practice goals with program faculty;

·  References indicating their ability to work productively with others; and

·  Writing and speaking ability appropriate for doctoral study.

PROGRAM OF STUDY

The program consists of 72 quarter units (minimum) of coursework, field-based research, practicums, summer institutes, and dissertation research and writing. Because the program is time delimited (expected completion within 36-42 months) there are no electives offered in the program. Students are expected to enroll in a minimum of 12 consecutive quarters (fall, winter, spring, summer) and satisfy all requirements for the degree in no more than four years plus two additional quarters after admission. The curriculum is divided into five parts:

1)      Three core courses that ground students in the theoretical and empirical work that defines the field;

2)      Four methods courses that teach students how to frame research questions and seek answers using a variety of methodological tools;

3)      Five specialized seminars and practicums that focus on the application of theory to problems of educational practice;

4)      Two summer institutes that provide opportunity for independent study and the presentation of research during the institutes; and

5)      A dissertation that is concerned with the application and development of research-based knowledge in the field of educational leadership.

FEES AND RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS

Students are considered UC students for the purposes of academic residency and fee requirements and must pay UC graduate fees for the duration of the program. They must also complete three consecutive quarters of residency in regular session at UCSB before they will be permitted to advance to candidacy for the degree. Note: The residency requirement can be satisfied by enrolling as a part-time (8 units) graduate student. Students can remain fully employed and meet the UC residency requirement.

DISSERTATION

Students are required to research and write a dissertation that integrates theory with practice. Unlike the Ph.D. dissertation that is largely theoretical in nature, the goal of the applied dissertation is to improve educational practice within students’ professional work environment and normally represents the culmination of their prior field-based research in PPDs.