Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

GRADUATE PROGRAM

Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

SCAN TO VIEW THE CURRICULUM FOR THIS PROGRAM

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at the University of St. Francis brings together practitioner-scholars to support doctoral candidates in learning and scholarship. The program is a combination of research, experiential learning, and shared knowledge about the key skills needed to lead, inspire, and educate. There are two concentrations in the program:

• The Leadership, Learning & Stewardship concentration is designed for middle and upper-level leaders across a broad scope of business and educational disciplines. This concentration program serves life-long learners who want to pursue a degree in leadership and educators seeking an advanced degree without an administrative certificate.

• The Superintendent Endorsement concentration is an Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) approved program with coursework based on the National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) standards. This program concentration prepares educators to assume school district leadership positions, including the superintendency.

Wilsando Seegars ‘20, Program Graduate

“Whether drawing from the rich intellectual resources of a cohort, gaining firsthand insight from practicing professionals, or spending quality one-on-one time with professors to help safely navigate the depths of the workload, this program delivers prepared graduates. The cohort structure reduces the burden of traveling the journey alone. You enter as individuals. You leave as family.”

FEATURES

Coursework for USF’s Educational Leadership program is offered in a blended format (sitebased and online). The Leadership, Learning & Stewardship concentration is available 100% online. Candidates can expect to complete the full program in three and a half years with a provision to take additional time to accommodate personal needs.

BENEFITS

Field-based dissertation research begins early in the program to encourage direct and meaningful application for candidates and the organizations they serve. A strong focus on servant leadership, as viewed through a Catholic/Franciscan lens, ensures that professionals completing the program are highly qualified to assume leadership positions and affect positive organizational change.

OUTCOMES

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Lead, design, and implement an organizational mission, vision, and process for continuous improvement.

• Advocate for ethical decisions and cultivate professional norms.

• Create and maintain a supportive, equitable, responsive, and inclusive culture.

• Evaluate, design, and implement coherent systems.

• Grow stakeholder relationships, lead collaborative decision making, and advocate for the needs of an organization.

FINANCING YOUR EDUCATION

Students are eligible for financial aid in the form of student loans, payment plans and tuition reimbursement deferment. All students should submit the Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov. USF’s code is 001664.

ACCREDITATIONS

The University of St. Francis is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, and is authorized to operate as a post-secondary institution by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (ibhe. org). College of Education programs are further approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (isbe.net).

QUESTIONS?

stfrancis.edu/coe | admissions@stfrancis.edu | 800-735-7500