The primary, though perhaps not the only audience for this Ed.D. program consists of educational professionals who wish to improve the quality of their work in their current roles or to prepare themselves for new roles. This Ed.D. program is uniquely designed to link theory with practice and is not based on traditional assumptions about the relationships of theory with practice or on conventional notions about the status of practitioners and theorists. To be a practitioner is to make decisions about what to do and to take action; but professional practitioners — in education as in other areas — make reasonable decisions and act responsibly and ethically in the light of theoretical and professional knowledge.
· Professional educators are leaders as well as managers; they are not limited to making decisions according to rule or “by the book.” They must use discretion and judgment as they seek to find the most defensible course of action in specific, complicated, and perhaps idiosyncratic circumstances. These situations are not merely instances of abstract concepts.
· Although decisions are made in the light of theoretical knowledge, theoretical knowledge cannot be applied to practice in the same way as principles are applied to cases. No single theory is able to encompass the complexities of all aspects of learning or schooling. Professional educators understand the principles and terms that characterize and limit a variety of theories and can select amongst them in order to better understand the situations in which they are involved.
· Decisions also are made in the light of professional knowledge, learned on the job as well as from more formal sources. Professional educators can articulate the informal, often tacit knowledge that they develop from practice so that it engages with and modifies the more formal theories learned from other sources.
· Professional educators not only make decisions, they act upon them responsibly. They examine the value commitments implicit in their actions; they question the appropriateness of the ends that they seek; they connect their educational contexts to broader social contexts; and they assess the effects of their actions on the achievements, dispositions, and propensities of students, colleagues and community members.
Degree Program
· Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Concentrations
· Curriculum Studies
· Educational Leadership
Certification
· Type 75-Superintendent Endorsement (available in the Educational Leadership Concentration)
Admission Requirements
Candidates must provide evidence that they:
· Possess a Master’s Degree from an accredited institution
· Have experience in an educational role
· Have demonstrated leadership or leadership potential
· Are willing and able to make the necessary commitment of time to the program
· Are likely to be successful in a challenging doctoral program
· Welcome the opportunity to interact with university faculty, peers, and colleagues in a search for effective answers to troubling problems in education
Admissions Process
The admissions process reflects and enacts the principles and values of the program regarding engagement, reflection, the exercise of agency, working for change, and a commitment to professional development and learning. The admissions process includes the following components.
· Attend an orientation session as part of the application process. This session covers the philosophical framework of the program, values, and expectations. Other activities to help potential applicants make an informed decision about applying include a dialog with current students and program faculty.
· Submit a written piece (approximately 3 pages), in the form of a personal statement, discussing why the applicant is interested in further study and articulating an issue or problem of interest or concern.
· Applicants invited for an interview will be asked to present a 2-3 page reflective response to an article given to the applicant at the time the interview is scheduled. Articles are selected by the Curriculum Studies, Educational Leadership, and Social and Cultural Studies Programs.
· Dialogue with two or three faculty members of the Ed.D. program — a conversation that will provide an opportunity for candidates to become familiar with the program and the faculty, as well as an opportunity for faculty members to get to know prospective candidates. Applicants living outside the Chicago area will engage in an appropriate, reciprocal substitute for this dialogue.
· Submit three letters of recommendation: one personal from someone outside of the immediate workplace, and two additional letters from colleagues, administrators, or supervisors
· Submit all transcripts of undergraduate and graduate work to document the nature of previous educational experiences, course work, and areas of specialization.
· A completed School of Education graduate application.
Students will be selected from the pool of qualified applicants by the Ed.D. Admissions Committee.
Degree Pre-Requisites
Curriculum Studies Concentration
· Master’s Degree in a related field
· At least one course in curriculum studies
Educational Leadership Concentration
· Graduate level course work in:
School Administration
School Law
School Finance
Doctoral Dissertation
The doctoral dissertation is written to fulfill the requirements of the program. An oral defense of the dissertation is required.
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School of Education Departments 
