Florida State University's online Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy will provide you with expanded knowledge and skills in educational leadership to address the most pressing problems in education. Mid-career education leaders and scholarly practitioners will become knowledgeable about organizational systems, actively engaged in research to improve policy and practice in their own contexts, and attuned to issues of equity. If you're a working professional with a master's degree and relevant professional experience, this program is for you. You'll work with outstanding faculty and develop the professional and analytical skills needed to address a variety of issues in education at either the K-12 or higher education levels.
FSU's Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies has been a member of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) since 2010, and FSU's online Ed.D. program in educational leadership and policy is recognized by CPED as an “experienced” program. The program was developed according to the CPED Guiding Principles of Design and driven by CPED’s 6 core values:
- Diversity: We value every learner and the different perspectives, skills, histories, and voices of members of diverse communities.
- Learning: We value continuous improvement, growth, practical application of knowledge, and inquiry.
- Partnership: We value solving authentic and critical problems of practice in partnership with others.
- People: We value the professional expertise and lived experiences of every educational professional.
- Social Justice: We value ethical, just, and inclusive practices.
- Students First: We value the success of every student.
Because this innovative program is designed for working practitioners engaged in the field of education, you'll be able to pursue your degree while maintaining your employment. Please note that this program does not lead to certification in educational leadership; if you're looking for a program that leads to certification, please see our online master's and specialists programs in educational leadership/administration.
In order to meet minimum University admission requirements, an applicant must have:
- A graduate degree with at least a 3.5 GPA – An earned graduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA)
- GRE test scores – Official test results are required from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The Educational Testing Service (ETS) does not retain scores longer than five years. If your test scores are older than five years, you may have to retake the test to have official scores sent directly to FSU from the testing agency. If you have the official report that was mailed to your home address for older scores, then FSU will accept that report. FSU Institution Code: 5219.
- Target Scores: Verbal – 149, Quantitative – 147, Analytical Writing – 3.5
- NOTE: The GRE requirement can be waived for outstanding applicants meeting ONE of the following criteria:
- 10 years of professional experience in an educational setting with at least 5 years in a leadership role. Applicants seeking a waiver under this condition are required to submit an additional document that provides specific details regarding their leadership experiences and the leadership skills acquired through these experiences. Further, applicants seeking a waiver under this condition are required to have at least one of the three letters of recommendation from a direct supervisor that provides specific details regarding their leadership experiences and the leadership skills acquired during these experiences.
- A completed doctorate degree in another field or discipline (e.g., J.D. or M.D.) with a 3.0 (or better) GPA from a North American accredited institution.
- A completed master’s degree or Ed.S. degree with a 3.75 (or better) GPA from a North American accredited institution.
- Applicants must provide evidence to satisfy the criteria being applied. Note: Applicants with a competitive GRE score will still be able to apply to the program and will not be held to these additional criteria. Please complete the GRE Waiver Request form at https://connect.fsu.edu/register/ELPSGREWaiver.
- Language proficiency test scores – International applicants whose first language is not English, and who have not studied in an English-speaking country for at least an academic year, must submit language proficiency test scores.
- Target Scores: TOEFL (paper-based) – 550, TOEFL (internet-based) – 80, IELTS – 6.5, MELAB – 77
- Transcripts – Official transcripts from each college/university attended should be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions electronically at graduateadmissions@fsu.edu or via mail in a sealed envelope:
- Florida State University
Office of Graduate Admissions
314 Westcott Building
P.O. Box 3061410
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1410
USA
- Florida State University
The following supporting documents must be uploaded to the Admissions Application Portal:
- Statement of purpose: Applicants should write a brief essay (roughly 1,000 words) in which they highlight their work as a practitioner, explain their decision to pursue an Ed.D. at FSU, and outline a potential problem(s) of practice that they would like to examine as part of their Dissertation in Practice. Problems should be situated in their local context and connected to broader issues or problems related to educational leadership, administration, or policy.
- Letters of recommendation (3 required) – Must be on official letterhead. Your letters of recommendation should speak to your ability to perform and succeed at coursework and research at the doctoral level.
- Resume/Curriculum Vitae (1 required)
- Unofficial Transcripts – Include transcripts from all colleges attended. Uploading a copy will expedite the review process, though you must still send official copies to the Office of Admissions.
Please note: The program code you will select in the application is EdD: LEADADMNED
February 1st (summer admission only)
Click here to learn more about our Educational Leadership and Policy faculty.
