Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (Online)
Do you believe that purposeful change in education policy and practice is accomplished through meaningful engagement that is transformational in nature? That change promotes equity? That it improves policy and practice on a local, state, national or international level? Our online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies will prepare you to shape, lead and implement such change. We develop action-oriented scholarly practitioners who blend practical wisdom and professional skills with research and theory to impact problems of practice in formal and nonformal educational settings.
New cohorts are scheduled to begin every fall semester. Completed applications must be received by May 1 to be considered for fall admission.
- Master's degree from an accredited institution
- Preferred minimum graduate GPA of 3.50
- Preferred experience in educational administration
Application Process
Submit a degree-seeking application to the NIU Graduate School. You will be asked to provide the following items:
- Names and email addresses of three (3) professional references
- A personal statement
- Current résumé or CV
- Transcripts
The program is offered in a fully online (synchronous) format. Classes meet one night per week, and the meeting day will remain consistent for the duration of a cohort.
Students complete 42 credit hours comprised of 21 hours of core classes, 12 hours of dissertation research and nine hours of pre-approved electives. Students who completed the Ed.S. in Educational Administration program at NIU can use those credits to count toward the elective requirement.
| Term | Course | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | EPFE 714 - Ethical Approaches to Problems of Practice | 3 |
| LEEA 791 - Systematic Inquiry into Problems of Practice | 2 | |
| LEEA 792 - Introduction to Doctoral Studies | 1 | |
| 2 | LEEA 793 - Contemporary Approaches to Problems of Practice | 3 |
| ETR 592 - Special Topics in Research and Assessment | 3 | |
| 3 | LEEA 794 - Creating Environments for Learning and Growth | 3 |
| 4 | LEEA 795 - Advanced Doctoral Studies in Ed Leadership | 1 |
| LEEA 796 - Advanced Planning for Improvement in Education | 3 | |
| LEEA 798 - Research Seminar in Educational Leadership | 2 | |
| 5 (and beyond) | LEEA 799 - Doctoral Research and Dissertation | 12 |
Contact Us
Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations
David Snow, Graduate Advisor
815-753-1465
dsnow1@niu.edu
