Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from this program will:

• Apply relevant educational leadership theories to professional issues.
• Promote supportive and rigorous school learning communities.
• Evaluate leadership practices and their ability to build organizational capacity.
• Align professional decisions with principles of inclusion, democratic schooling, and ethical practice.
• Use educational research methods to study problems of practice and evaluate educational programs.

Criteria for Admission to PK-12 Educational Administration Focus

The Ed.D. in PK-12 Administration program will provide opportunities for students to acquire content competencies and applied leadership skills following the completion of a master's or specialist degree (or equivalent) in the field of Education Administration. Students with master's in other degree programs may be provisionally accepted. 

Your application includes:

1. Completed UMKC application. Application fee waived for UMKC Alumni.
2. Official transcripts from each college attended.
3. Curriculum Vita/Resume.
4. Master's degree, Educational Specialist degree or equivalent from an accredited institution with GPA of at least 3.00 in degree area (Master's in other fields may be provisionally accepted).
5. Successful completion of 3 hours or equivalent of Statistical Methods 1 (EDRP 5505) and 3 hours or equivalent of Principles and Methods of Research (EDRP 5508), each with a grade of B or higher (may be admitted provisionally with expectation to complete coursework during the six semesters of coursework (i.e., preferably the first two semesters of coursework).
6. Three professional or academic letters of reference.
7. An autobiographical statement (500 words or less) that includes your professional goals, how the doctoral degree will help you in achieving these goals, and a description of leadership accomplishments.
8. A writing sample, which gives evidence of your writing ability. The sample may be a previous course paper, a chapter from thesis, a published article, etc.

Curriculum

The program consists of 42 hours of required courses (33 hours of course work and 9 dissertation hours), a comprehensive exam, and an Applied Dissertation Project. The cohort model allows students to complete required course work in the first six semesters of study. The  Applied Dissertation Project should be completed in the following three semesters which supports the completion of the degree program in three years.

The curriculum is guided by the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders and the Missouri Leader Standards Continuum.