Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

The Doctor of Education (EDD) in Educational Leadership emphasizes a practical approach to leadership development, incorporating theory and research, and accentuating the servant leadership model. The accelerated program is offered in an inventive delivery system that allows students to complete the degree while continuing to live in their current location. Individuals who intend to utilize their skills through positions of leadership in higher education institutions, educational ministry organizations or churches, and a host of other endeavors may benefit from a terminal degree in leadership. DBU’s purpose is to provide a transforming Christ-centered quality education to produce servant leaders who are trained to develop other leaders through the practical knowledge and skills gained through this doctoral program.

The program offers three concentration tracks:

• Higher Education Leadership - provides cognate studies in higher education administration and leadership.

• Educational Ministry Leadership – provides cognate students specific to leadership in the church or a Christian education organization.

• General Leadership – provides cognate studies for professionals in a range of leadership positions.

The Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership is a 60-hour program with twenty (20) credit hours of core studies in educational leadership, twenty (20) credit hours of studies in a selected cognate area, eight (8) credit hours of research studies, and twelve (12) credit hours in dissertation research and writing. A primary goal of the EDD in Educational Leadership program is that the integrated curriculum and praxis-based experiences create significant transforming personal growth within each student, who will emerge well-equipped to contribute to his/her field.

The program is academically rigorous and practical in design. Students from other countries, diverse cultures, and different higher education institutions enrich this degree program. In addition to semester courses, the program includes two summer institutes. The first summer institute includes a trip to Washington, D.C. with a special emphasis on servant leadership and political and organizational leadership. The second summer institute includes a trip to Oxford, England with an emphasis on global leadership in the context of higher education, educational ministry, or general leadership.

All students will progress through the hybrid courses and research as a cohort, completing the program in 34 months. Cohort programs begin in August of each year, with classes offered each spring, summer, and fall. Students enroll for two (2) classes of four (4) credit hours each term. The hybrid design provides significant learning experiences through the online component of each class, along with face-to-face interaction as students participate in on-campus seminars for one week, three (3) times each year. The dissertation process is interwoven throughout the class structure, allowing students to complete the entire program in less than three years.

PROGRAM LEARNER-CENTERED OUTCOMES

• 1.1 Students will demonstrate understanding of Christ-centered servant leadership by the evaluation of a current organization and development of a comprehensive plan to enrich schools, colleges and universities, churches, denominations, or other organizations that facilitate student or employee success as evidenced by research, presentation of papers, and other scholarly activities.

• 1.2 Students will participate in acts of service to the community and world beyond the graduate's specific educational setting in order to contribute to the good of the greater society

• 2.1 Students will create a personal purpose statement that expresses the integration of faith and learning and includes biblical principles relevant to their calling and a model for development of strong character and ethical leadership practices.

• 2.2 Students will demonstrate the integration of faith and learning as it applies to the content of courses, through the content research presentation and other course assessments.

• 3.1 Students will analyze educational and leadership theories and explain the relationship of selected theories to the preparation for effective leadership in churches, denominations, Christian organizations, higher education settings, corporate, business, educational, non-profit, and other organizations

• 3.2 Students will identify specific knowledge and skills necessary to effectively lead as they relate to selected courses, as well as provide a list of the knowledge and skills acquired during the course

• 4.1 Students will develop a dissertation that demonstrates an ability to think critically and solve problems based upon the research and inquiry of knowledge coupled with the analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of that knowledge for the purpose of offering new solutions for use in churches, denominations, Christian organizations, higher education institutions, corporate, business, non-profit, and other organizations.

• 5.1 Students will demonstrate the knowledge and utilization of effective communication techniques and skills in order to create a sense of teamwork and positive morale among the stakeholders in churches, denominations, Christian organizations, higher education institutions, corporate, business, non-profit, and other organizations.

DOCTOR OF EDUCATION IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP CURRICULUM

*Courses are part of the Washington Institute, Washington, D.C.

**Courses are a part of the Oxford Institute, Oxford, England.

***Requisite: Master’s level Statistics with a grade of B or higher.

†  Indicates cross-listed courses.

Refer to individual course descriptions for course requisites.

(S-L)=Course(s) with field-based service-learning component.

Course Descriptions

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