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Doctor of Education Ed.D.

The doctor of education in learning and leading (Ed.D.) program prepares the next generation of leaders through innovative coursework with a focus on applied research and best practices. The Ed.D. is a 51 semester hour program with four area of concentration options: School Leadership and Development, Organizational Leadership and Development, Neuroeducation, and Higher Education and Student Affairs. Note: Only the Organizational Leadership and Development area of concentration is offered off-campus. Completion of a master’s degree in education or a related field is required for admission to the program. Candidates admitted to the Ed.D. program participate in a rigorous program with support from faculty and staff. For candidates who are able to complete the coursework portion of the Ed.D. program but are not recommended to advance to dissertation candidacy, an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree may be proposed as a completion alternative.

Ed.D. Core Principles and Learning Outcomes

The professional doctorate in education:

  1. Is framed around questions of equity, ethics, and social justice to bring about solutions to complex problems of practice.
  2. Prepares leaders who can construct and apply knowledge to make a positive difference in the lives of individuals, families, organizations, and communities.
  3. Provides opportunities for candidates to develop and demonstrate collaboration and communication skills to work with diverse communities and to build partnerships.
  4. Is grounded in and develops a professional knowledge base that integrates both practical and research knowledge, that links theory with systemic and systematic inquiry.
  5. Emphasizes the generation, transformation, and use of professional knowledge and practice.

Source: The Carnegie Project on the Educational Doctorate, which align with the Canadian Degree Qualifications Framework.

School Leadership and Development Concentration Learning Outcomes

  1. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by sustaining a positive school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
  2. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by ensuring management of the organization, operation and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
  3. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources in order to demonstrate and promote ethical standards of democracy, equity, diversity, and excellence, and to promote communication among diverse groups.
  4. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.
  5. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

Source: Oregon Educational Leader/Administrator Standards and Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards.

Organizational Leadership and Development Concentration Learning Outcomes

  1. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by sustaining a positive school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
  2. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by ensuring management of the organization, operation and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
  3. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources in order to demonstrate and promote ethical standards of democracy, equity, diversity, and excellence, and to promote communication among diverse groups.
  4. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner. 
  5. An education leader integrates principles of cultural competency and equitable practice and promotes the success of every student by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

Source: Oregon Educational Leader/Administrator Standards, which are based on the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards and align with the Alberta Principal Quality Practice Dimensions.

Neuroeducation Concentration Learning Outcomes

  1. Identify the core anatomy and physiology of the brain including cellular systems and structures of the central nervous system including the sensory and perceptual systems of integration, inhibition, and feedback.
  2. Identify and apply brain based interventions using various theoretical frameworks including the bio-physical model (nutrition, genetics, environment interaction); the biological model (brain differences in anatomy and function); the neuro-semantic model (meaning of the neuroanatomy and the outcomes); and social-construct model (assigning meaning physically and neurobiologically).
  3. Develop an educational infrastructure for application of brain-based models of learning including learning models based on the biological framework of the brain and apply to the learning differences in various populations including autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit disorders, mood disorders, conduct disorders, both DSM and IDEA definitions.
  4. Define the cultural and linguistic assumptions used to interpret, analyze, and evaluate neuroscience research applied to education (e.g., contextual or field sensitive cultures verses non-contextual, non-sensitive cultures).
  5. Describe and apply core cognitive psychological processes related to neuroscience foundations such as an explanation of the competing memory systems; the processes of decision making related to brain functions; and the development of motivation related to limbic system function.

Higher Education and Student Affairs Concentration Learning Outcomes

  1. The H.E.S.A. professional has knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to providing counseling and advising support, direction, feedback, critique, referral, and guidance to individuals and groups.
  2. The H.E.S.A. professional has the ability to use, design, conduct, and critique qualitative and quantitative Assessment, Evaluation and Research (AER) analyses; to manage organizations using AER processes and the results obtained from them; and to shape the political and ethical climate surrounding AER processes and uses on campus.
  3. The H.E.S.A. professional has the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to create learning environments that are enriched with diverse views and people and to create an institutional ethos that accepts and celebrates differences among people, helping to free them of any misconceptions and prejudices.
  4. The H.E.S.A. professional has the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to understand and apply ethical standards to one’s work, specifically the integration of ethics into all aspects of self and professional practice.
  5. The H.E.S.A. professional has the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to connect the history, philosophy, and values of the profession to one’s current professional practice.
  6. The H.E.S.A. professional has the knowledge, skills, and attitudes used in the selection, supervision, motivation, and formal evaluation of staff; conflict resolution; management of the politics of organizational discourse; and the effective application of strategies and techniques associated with financial resources, facilities management, fundraising, technology use, crisis management, risk management, and sustainable resources.
  7. The H.E.S.A. professional has knowledge, skills, and attitudes relating to policy development processes used in various contexts, the application of legal constructs, and the understanding of governance structures and their elect on one’s professional practice.
  8. The H.E.S.A. professional has the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of a leader, whether it be a positional leader or a member of the staff, in both an individual capacity and within a process of how individuals work together effectively to envision, plan, effect change in organizations, and respond to internal and external constituencies and issues.
  9. The H.E.S.A. professional has the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to maintain emotional, physical, social, environmental, relational, spiritual, and intellectual wellness; be self-directed and self-reflective; maintain excellence and integrity in work; be comfortable with ambiguity; be aware of one’s own areas of strength and growth; have a passion for work; and remain curious.

10. The H.E.S.A. professional has the ability to apply theory to improve and inform student affairs practice, as well as understanding teaching and training theory and practice.

Source: American College Personnel Association/National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Professional Competencies.

Ed.D. Admission Requirements

  1. Doctor of Education essays
  2. Current resume
  3. Two Doctor of Education Recommendation Forms and letters
  4. Official transcripts (from all previously attended academic institutions)
  5. A master's degree or its equivalent in education or related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the University of Portland
  6. International Applicants: 
    1. All foreign degrees will be evaluated by International Student Services prior to an admission decision
    2. Proof of financial support will be required to attend the University of Portland, but is not required for application review
    3. An official score from either the TOEFL (minimum score of 88) or IELTS (minimum score of 7.0) exam is required 

Edmonton Ed.D. Cohort Program Approval in Alberta:

The Ed.D. in Learning and Leading program in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is offered pursuant to the written approval of the Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education, effective July 2015, having undergone a quality assessment process and been found to meet the criteria established by the Minister.  Nevertheless, prospective students are responsible for satisfying themselves that the program and the degree will be appropriate to their needs (for example, acceptable to potential employers, professional licensing bodies, or other educational institutions).

Ed.D. Degree Requirements - 51 hours

Core Requirements—21 hours

ED 600Introduction to Doctoral Research

3
ED 601Advanced Qualitative Research

3
ED 602Advanced Quantitative Research

3
ED 603Research for Evaluation and Action

3
ED 610Cultural and Institutional Perspectives on Education: Individual, Community, and Society

3
ED 611Essential Ideas in Education: History, Philosophy and Change

3
ED 614Adult Learning, Group, and Organizational Dynamics

3

Concentration Area Requirements—15 hours

School Leadership and Development Concentration Requirements

ED 544Human Resource Development and Management

3
ED 545Leadership and Organizational Change

3
ED 546Policy, Ethics, and the Law

3
ED 547Resource Allocation, Finance, and Management

3
ED 548Supervision for Instructional Improvement

3

Organizational Leadership and Development (On-Campus) Concentration Requirements

ED 552Leadership for Sustaining the Vision

3
ED 553Leadership for Instructional Improvement

3
ED 554Leadership for Effective Data Driven Decision Making

3
ED 556Effective Leadership and Management in the Socio-Political Context

3
ED 557Ethical Leadership and Moral Imperative for Inclusive Practice

3

Organizational Leadership and Development (Off-Campus) Concentration Requirements

ED 545Leadership and Organizational Change

3
ED 552Leadership for Sustaining the Vision

3
ED 553Leadership for Instructional Improvement

3
ED 554Leadership for Effective Data Driven Decision Making

3
ED 585Foundations of Cognitive Processes in Learning

3

Neuroeducation Concentration Requirements

ED 585Foundations of Cognitive Processes in Learning

3
ED 586Neuroscience and Learning

3
ED 587Neurobiological Aspects of Learning

3
ED 588Neuroeducation: A Cultural-Linguistic Translation

3
ED 593Readings and Topics in Neuroscience and Education

3

Higher Education and Student Affairs Concentration Requirements

ED 520History, Organization, and Student Personnel in Higher Education

3
ED 521Student Career Development and Planning

3
ED 522Legal Issues in Higher Education

3
ED 523Developmental Theory, Identity & College Population

3
ED 528Foundations of Counseling and Student Affairs

3

Prospectus and Dissertation Requirements—15 hours

ED 622 and ED 699 require two semesters each.
ED 621Dissertation Prospectus

5
ED 622Dissertation Seminar

2
ED 698Dissertation Defense

0
ED 699Dissertation Research

3