Educational Leadership
Learn to lead, serve and transform your educational environment when you complete your Doctor of Education at East Carolina University.
Educational Leadership Program Overview
Do you aspire to advanced leadership positions in a K–12 organization or at an institution of higher education? Are you eager to find solutions in educational settings?
The EdD degree in educational leadership is designed to prepare administrators for senior-level leadership positions in public schools or in higher education. This advanced level of preparation fosters the development of skills and abilities for individuals to resolve educational issues and problems. The program uses the Dissertation in Practice model aligned with the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate that focuses on actionable research driving improvement within your own institution. Graduates of the program move into senior leadership roles — from district superintendents to college presidents — with the skills and credibility to lead confidently.
ECU Advantage
At East Carolina University, the Doctor of Education in educational leadership isn’t just a degree - it’s a transformative professional experience designed for today’s education leaders who want to make a real difference.
The program emphasizes solving real problems of practice grounded in your own work environment. Through applied research and methodologies, you can learn to lead change and innovate in both pre-K–12 and higher education settings. Unlike many programs that can extend beyond four years, ECU's EdD enables you to complete both coursework and your dissertation in just three years, allowing you to advance professionally without unnecessary delay. The program follows a hybrid format, with most coursework offered online so you can continue your career while earning your doctorate. You will join a close-knit cohort of peers in your concentration, fostering collaboration, networking and long-lasting professional support throughout your journey.
What You Will Study
Program Coordinator: Travis Lewis (222 Ragsdale Hall; 252-328-5485; edd@ecu.edu)
The Educational Leadership, EdD is a research doctoral degree designed for leader practitioners to develop the necessary skills and abilities to resolve systemic educational issues and problems. Program studies include leadership theory, human resource development, organizational theory, policy analysis, planning studies, curriculum and instructional leadership, and political systems analysis. The degree prepares administrators for senior level leadership positions in PK-12 schools or in higher education.
Degree requirements include successfully designing and conducting an improvement science-based dissertation in practice under the direction of an appropriate faculty member and a dissertation committee.
The program offers two concentrations. Students select either the K-12 administration concentration or the higher education concentration.
Candidates seeking the EdD with a focus on PK-12 public school administration must hold Level I licensure in administration or supervision. Upon completion of the program, individuals are eligible to upgrade previously held licenses. Individuals holding the administration license (012, class M or class AP) and/or (011, class AS) are eligible for (012, class DP) and superintendent license (011, class DS). Individuals holding supervision license (113, class S) are eligible for curriculum-instructional specialist (113, class D). Candidates seeking the EdD with a concentration in higher education administration are not required to hold a previous license and are not eligible for a North Carolina PK-12 license in school administration or supervision upon completion of the program. In addition, it is required for all EdD program candidates to have a minimum of three years of successful leadership experience.
The program has two degree pathways to obtain the degree. The Post-Master's Pathway requires a minimum of 60 s.h. The Post-EdS Pathway is for students that earned the Educational Administration and Supervision, EdS from ECU. Students in this pathway double-count 27 s.h. toward the 60 s.h. required in the EdD program.
The degree requires a minimum of 60 s.h. as follows:
Core Requirements:
I. Post-Master's Pathway - 60 s.h.
The Post-Master's Pathway requires a minimum of 60 s.h. as follows:
A. Core - 21 s.h.
- LEED 8010 - Organizational Theory and Culture
- LEED 8020 - Politics and Power in Education
- LEED 8025 - Doctoral Seminar in Political and Social Issues in Educational Leadership
- LEED 8030 - Educational Planning
- LEED 8035 - Doctoral Seminar in Educational Leadership
- LEED 8050 - Ethics in Educational Leadership
- LEED 8060 - Program Evaluation
B. Research - 15 s.h.
- LEED 8045 - Cases and Concepts in Educational Leadership
- LEED 8410 - Methods of Inquiry in Educational Leadership I
- LEED 8420 - Methods of Inquiry in Educational Leadership II
- LEED 8430 - Methods of Inquiry in Educational Leadership III
- LEED 8440 - Applied Research Design in Educational Leadership
C. Concentrations - 18 s.h.
(Choose one concentration.)
1. Pre K-12 administration
- LEED 7408 - Public School Administration
- LEED 7429 - Problems in Educational Supervision
- LEED 7470 - School Business Management
- LEED 8015 - Doctoral Seminar in Human Resource Development
- LEED 8991 - Doctoral Internship Leadership Practicum
- LEED 8992 - Doctoral Internship Research Practicum
2. Higher education administration
- LDHE 8070 - History and Philosophy of Higher Education
- LDHE 8080 - Finance in Higher Education
- LEED 8027 - Doctoral Seminar in Higher Education Law and Public Policy
- LEED 8047 - Student Development in Higher Education
- Select 6 s.h. of electives in consultation with the program director.
D. Dissertation - 6 s.h.
- LEED 9000 - Dissertation (Must be taken twice for a total of 6 s.h.)
II. EdS to EdD Pathway - 33 s.h.
The EdS to EdD Pathway requires a minimum of 33 s.h. as follows:
A. Core - 12 s.h.
- LEED 8020 - Politics and Power in Education
- LEED 8025 - Doctoral Seminar in Political and Social Issues in Educational Leadership
- LEED 8035 - Doctoral Seminar in Educational Leadership
- LEED 8050 - Ethics in Educational Leadership
B. Research - 15 s.h.
- LEED 8045 - Cases and Concepts in Educational Leadership
- LEED 8410 - Methods of Inquiry in Educational Leadership I
- LEED 8420 - Methods of Inquiry in Educational Leadership II
- LEED 8430 - Methods of Inquiry in Educational Leadership III
- LEED 8440 - Applied Research Design in Educational Leadership
C. Dissertation - 6 s.h.
- LEED 9000 - Dissertation (Must be taken twice for a total of 6 s.h.)
Licensure/Certification Requirements in North Carolina
The curriculum for all ECU Certificates, Degrees, and other Graduate Programs have been designed to meet the licensure/certification requirements in North Carolina and prepare students to sit for licensure/certification exams in North Carolina. The various licensure boards in each state are responsible for setting requirements for licensure/certification in their state. Other states have their own requirements, and you'll want to make sure your program meets criteria in your home state (or state where you intend to work) before you apply.
For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
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