Community-Based Leadership

The EdD in Community-Based Leadership prepares leaders from education, social work, law, and other related fields to lead cross-sector coalitions in service of the success and well-being of all of our children.  Graduates will have the necessary knowledge bases to support learning for all students; build capacity in the adults who serve students, including their families; manage resources in service of student learning; and to use methods of scholarly inquiry to inform their practices.

Retention Requirements

• GPA of 3.0 is required to maintain matriculation in the Program.

• Successful completion of the Research Practicum Project with defense of the Research Proposal  in Spring Year 2 is required to maintain matriculation in the program. Completion of Dissertation Studies I is required for continuation in the Dissertation Sequence.

• Candidates unable to complete the program with cohort may re-apply for subsequent cohort; re-admission at discretion of program faculty.

• Candidates who do not complete the Research Project by the end of Spring 3 may continue advisement maintaining 2 credits for independent study per semester up to 3 additional semesters.

Program Format

The Program will be formatted using the “Executive Development Model” with courses scheduled on weekends. Because the program also follows a cohort model, all courses are required in prescribed sequence.

A distinctive feature of the Program is close mentorship by faculty in Inquiry Groups. These small groups meet during the second year of the program, beginning in Summer 2 (Semester 4). Tri-semester meetings on line or face to face with a faculty mentor in groups of 4-5 for a total of six hours each of three semesters (Summer 2, Fall 2, Spring 2) will focus on emerging areas of interest for the Dissertation, allowing students to begin framing their research questions, conduct   a preliminary literature review, and choose a research method by the end of Year 2.

Where appropriate for providing students with access to experts and focused study of critical content, courses may include up to three 1-credit Special Topics Modules which are sub-topics within course content.