Admission Requirements for Ed.D. Program

Application Timeline

Application instructions will be shared on December 1, 2025. The fall 2026 doctoral cohort application window will be open from December 1, 2025, to April 1, 2026.  

Application Requirements

  1. Online application form
  2. Application essay instructions
  3. $40 application fee
  4. Immunization form
  5. Official college transcripts indicating earned bachelor's and master's degrees.
  6. Resume or C.V.
  7. Programs defined as part-time or online are not eligible for I-20 issuance; therefore, our program cannot admit international students desiring student visas to our campus.

Contact Information

For additional information regarding the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program, please contact:

Doctorate in Educational Leadership Application Essay Instructions

The Department of Educational Leadership's mission is to study the intersectionality among race, cultural responsiveness, and social justice. We prepare racially conscious leaders who are resolute in serving ALL learners in various educational settings. The department is committed to developing educators with solid skills in racial equity and instructional leadership. We seek to build the capacity of leaders to eliminate predictable racial disparities through project-based learning and learner-centered programming.

Through attention to leadership studies, organizational theory, public policy, advanced ethics, and research, the Ed.D. program in Educational Leadership provides students. With the knowledge and skills to lead P-12 public schools, alternative educational organizations, charter schools, nonprofit organizations, experiential education organizations, and colleges and universities.

Essay Writing Sample

To better understand your research interests, educational aspirations, and academic writing skills, we ask you to submit one two-part essay in response to both prompts. Your work must meet the following requirements:

  • Your essay must be 1000 words or fewer, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins, and 12-point Times New Roman font.
  • Include a cover page with a title and your
  • Use at least three in-text citations in the body of your essay to support your
  • Provide a reference page with at least three recent articles or books to verify your in-text
  • The cover and reference pages are not counted toward your 1000-word

Questions for Essay Writing Sample

Please address the following two questions in your essay.

Part 1:

What question or topic might you research that demonstrates the intersection of education, leadership, and racial equity, and why?

Part 2:

In your personal and/or professional life, what have you done to educate yourself and/or address predictable racial disparities?

Writing Resources

All doctoral writing in this program uses the American Psychological Association’s 7th edition (APA 7). Academic writing is clear, concise, and supported by evidence or prior research. Use the following tools to aid your writing:

Note: You may not use any form of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI).  Please be aware that your essay will be reviewed using AI detection and plagiarism software. Upon completion, please upload your document to Element, the application management system. Based on the application and essay scores, decision letters will be sent in May.

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