Graduate Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
College of Education
Website: https://education.fsu.edu/elps
Chair: Toby Park-Gaghan; Associate Chair: Christine Mokher; Professors: Akiba, Herrington, Hu, Milligan; Associate Professors: Bertrand Jones, Cox, Guthrie, Iatarola, Khurshid, Mokher, Park-Gaghan, Perez-Felkner, Rutledge, Zuilkowski; Assistant Professor: Beatty, Ecton, Gilzene, Harbatkin, Miglani, Moraguez, Wofford; Teaching Faculty: Forehand, Ludwig, Small, Watkins; Faculty Emeriti: Beckham, Bender, Dalton, Easton, Funk, Irvin, Jahns, Kannwischer, Kunkel, Lick, Mann, Milton, Schroeder, Schwartz, Shargel, Stakenas, Thomas
The department affirms and strives to fulfill the mission of Florida State University and the College of Education by providing for advanced professional preparation and continuing development of persons who are committed to educational improvement at all levels of education. The department offers educational programs on interdisciplinary perspectives that shape theory and inform practice at the local, state, national, and global levels. Through collaboration, innovative approaches, and a commitment to partnerships, we engage in research that shapes both policy and practice. We prepare scholars and leaders committed to using critical inquiry and research evidence to create learning environments focused on excellence and social change.
The department governs itself and conducts its professional work in accordance with the ideals of a democratic community. It respects human diversity, the ethical foundations of democratic leadership, and the knowledge base for professional practice shared by high-performing educational leaders. It is committed to advancing the theories and practices of policy and leadership in the field of education, both domestic and international. This is achieved through the research, service, and teaching roles of its faculty and through the maintenance of an environment in which students and faculty cooperatively and collegially contribute to scholarship and the application of knowledge to the improvement of education.
The department offers graduate degree programs in educational leadership and policy, foundations of education, and higher education as described in the sections that follow. In addition, the department offers graduate certificates in Institutional Research and Program Evaluation, as well as an undergraduate certificate in Leadership Studies.
Admission Requirements
An application for admission, application fee, official transcript from each college attended, and an official transcript of Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores should be submitted with the University application, available at https://admissions.fsu.edu/gradapp. The GRE requirements for master's and specialist programs have been waived through Fall 2026. Some doctoral programs within the department also offer GRE waivers for highly qualified applications with prior experience in the field. Foreign nationals whose native language is not English must present a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based TOEFL examination or a score of 80 on the Internet-based version. Students should visit https://education.fsu.edu/graduate-programs for specific admission information for each program.
Educational Leadership and Policy
Two majors are offered within Educational Leadership and Policy degree program: (1) Educational Leadership/Administration and (2) Educational Policy and Evaluation.
Educational Leadership/Administration
Website: https://education.fsu.edu/EDA
The major in Educational Leadership/Administration offers a master's, a specialist, and two doctoral programs of study focusing on one central goal: to develop and enhance dynamic, high-performing leadership for the renewal and improvement of schools and school systems. The master's and specialist programs are distance learning (online) degree programs that prepare students for entry-level administrative positions in schools, school districts, and educational agencies, while the doctoral programs are face-to-face on campus and provide much more advanced study opportunities geared toward higher-level administrative roles. The two doctoral programs are differentiated by their purposes. The Doctor in Education (EdD) major is designed for the professional practitioner, while the Doctor in Philosophy (PhD) is intended for those wishing to enter academic research roles. The EdD is offered fully online.
A separate program offered through educational leadership, the modified program for education leadership (Level I), allows students to partially fulfill state Department of Education requirements for Educational Leadership Certification in the State of Florida. Available through FSU's distance learning (online) program, it operates much like a degree-seeking program but has been modified specifically for the purpose of Level I preparation. Applicants must possess an earned master's degree, licensure as a professional educator, and two years of experience. Information is available at https://cehhs.fsu.edu/.
Education Policy and Evaluation
Website: https://education.fsu.edu/EPE
The major in Education Policy and Evaluation offers a master's and a doctoral program aimed at preparing individuals for policy-related careers that involve designing, developing, implementing, analyzing, and evaluating federal, state, and local educational policies. The doctoral program can also prepare students to conduct research and teach at the university level. The program incorporates a core of policy and evaluation courses with classes in the social sciences and basic research methods. At the doctoral level, students are required to complete a rigorous core of courses in advanced research methods in addition to policy and evaluation courses. The master's degree in education policy and evaluation; graduates of the doctoral program are prepared for advanced positions in these areas and for academic appointments.
The Certificate in Program Evaluation provides training in the basic concepts and skills necessary to conduct formative and summative evaluations of educational or social service programs and program improvement efforts. Information is available at https://education.fsu.edu/program-evaluation.
Foundations of Education
Two majors are offered within Foundations of Education degree program: History and Philosophy of Education and International and Multicultural Education.
History and Philosophy of Education
Website: https://education.fsu.edu/hpe
The major in History and Philosophy of Education emphasizes the examination of educational issues from the disciplinary perspectives of history and philosophy at the master's and doctoral degree levels. Students are expected to acquire skills in research methods in history or philosophy, participate in inquiry and debate on policy issues in education, and complement their work within the program with courses in the cognate disciplines in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. Graduates of the program often enter teaching and research positions in history or philosophy of education, and many pursue policy-making or administrative positions in schools, governmental agencies, and other organizations.
International and Multicultural Education
Website: https://education.fsu.edu/ime
The International and Multicultural Education major prepares students for professional, administrative, research, and teaching roles in the fields of international and multicultural education, both in the United States and overseas. Particular attention is given to the role of educational programs in achieving socio-economic development in Asia, Africa, and Latin America and in promoting socio-cultural equity and diversity in industrialized nations like the United States. The master's degree is professionally oriented and provides a solid grounding in the practice of international and multicultural education, along with disciplinary perspectives and technical skills in evaluation, action research, and planning. The doctoral degree offers a more extended program of study culminating in the dissertation and leading to high levels of investigative and analytic competence appropriate for future academics, policy-makers, and researchers. Faculty, alumni, and students are active in educational development, research, and planning around the world. Graduates of the program are found in numerous positions including academic research and teaching, educational planning, project design and evaluation, program management in foundations, non-governmental organizations, governmental organizations, as well as private and public educational institutions.
Higher Education
Website: https://education.fsu.edu/higher-education
A national leader in the field, the program in Higher Education offers study at the master's and doctoral levels, as well as a graduate certificate program in Institutional Research. The Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Higher Education is designed to prepare professionals for entry-level administrative, management, and leadership positions in higher education, particularly within Student Affairs. The program also offers a Doctor in Philosophy (PhD) programs in which students develop a rich understanding of the academic literature, theoretical frameworks, and methodological approaches relevant to the study of higher education. Students also develop the skills to conduct independent research and apply scholarly insights to the policies and practices that shape college student experiences and outcomes. The online Certificate Program in Institutional Research is offered to master's and doctoral students who wish to gain more specialized knowledge in institutional research.
Definition of Prefixes
CGS—Computer General Studies
ECT—Education: Career/Technical
EDA—Educational: Administration
EDF—Education: Foundations and Policy Studies
EDG—Education: General
EDH—Education: Higher
EME—Education: Technology and Media
SDS—Student Development Services
Graduate Courses
CGS 5310. Technology in Schools for Educational Leaders (3). This course offers opportunities for modern educational leaders and those interested in reforming K-12 education to enhance learning, teaching, and assessment with technology, and promote and model effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders using digital age tools.
EDA 5069. Ethics in Educational Leadership (3). This course examines educational leadership as an ethical endeavor; covers the assumptions, values, and beliefs that inform school practice and policies. Discusses systemic constraints to educational leadership, and also covers social-justice concerns in education.
EDA 5107. Educational Leadership and Change (3). This course is designed to teach aspiring educational leaders how to lead change in an educational setting. Students are exposed to comprehensive tools that are grounded in research that lead to the transformation of schools.
EDA 5191. Leadership for Diversity (3). This course integrates DOE requirements of ESOL Standards for School Administrators with a) an understanding of the Consent Decree, accountability and equity issues related to LEP students; b) an understanding of compliance with federal and state regulations; and c) an understanding of cultural proficiency in the school environment.
EDA 5192. Educational Leadership (3). This course covers basic leadership theories, motivation, group dynamics, planning, and change processes in educational settings. The course emphasizes knowledge, analysis, and applications that draw from multidisciplinary perspectives, including organizational analysis, psychology, anthropology, and sociology.
EDA 5219. Resource Management for Educational Leaders (3). This course examines public education as an economic institution, emphasizing the relationship between the purposes of schooling and the human and fiscal-resource allocation role of the principal. The principal's role in selected strategies and techniques in critical thinking and problem solving as applied to school improvement are presented. Procedures involved in school funding are examined, as well as the role of the principal in implementing statutes, audits, procedures, and policies. Recruitment, selection, retention of school personnel, and collective bargaining are examined as they relate to state and federal law.
EDA 5231. Applications of Policy (3). This course explores the roots of the educational process, the role of different stakeholders in policy formation and implementation, and applications of these educational policies in schools for the purpose of improving teaching and learning.
EDA 5232. Legal Aspects of Public School Administration (3). This course is designed to enable students to identify and apply legal principles that place limits on authority, define individual and corporate liability and inform standards of educational practice in public school settings. It emphasizes knowledge, analysis, and application that explores a range of leadership competencies, including concept formation, organizational sensitivity, problem solving and decisiveness. The course includes readings offering an overview of key legal and ethical issues for school administrators and case scenarios designed for small group and individual analysis.
EDA 5242. School Finance (3). This course examines public education as an economic institution. The sources and methods of distribution of public school revenue at the various levels of government. The social-economic-political context in which public finance decisions are evolved and their relationship to current educational issues.
EDA 5288. The Politics of Education (3). This course is an introduction to the study of the nation's largest social institution, public education. Using concepts based in the discipline of political science, the course explores how ideologies, institutions, and social groups have interacted to shape formal schooling in the United States. Class discussions and readings focus on the distribution of power and leverage in the political process of American society and the utilization of communication and analytic skills by educational administrators and policy analysts.
EDA 5423. Data Driven School Improvement (3). This course builds expertise in using data for a variety of school-improvement purposes, including instructional decision-making in grades K-12. Collaborative action-research skills are developed to solve school-based problems.
EDA 5501. The Assistant Principal (3). This course provides an overview of research on the position of the K–12 Assistant Principal. The course addresses issues of role ambiguity, socialization, ethics, discipline, instruction, and various aspects of personnel management.
EDA 5503. The Principalship (3). This course provides a systemic approach to leadership and management roles, responsibilities, opportunities, and challenges of school principals.
EDA 5504. Instructional Leadership (3). This course is designed to provide an understanding of the ways that school leaders bring multiple resources such as teachers, parents, the community, programs, professional development, the schedule, and supervision together to focus on curriculum, instruction, and academic achievement.
EDA 5507. Planning Effective Instruction (3). This course explores the components and relationships that make up effective classroom instruction. Working on the assumption that effective classroom instruction is a necessary foundation for student achievement, school leaders need to know how to coach and monitor teachers' use of effective instructional practices.
EDA 5508. Teacher Leadership Development (3). This course is based on the increasingly important role of a school leader in identifying and developing teacher leaders in K-12 schools. School leaders need to be able to work with teacher teams effectively as well as cultivate the talents of teachers as leaders in various aspects of school life. This course explores the dynamics of teacher leadership development in schools today and how school leaders can be prepared to cultivate this important resource.
EDA 5569. State Education Policy (3). This course examines the development of education policy through the state legislature, state boards of education, and the state budgeting process. Emphasizes eclectic research methods in the conduct of limited scope educational policy studies at the state level.
EDA 5906r. Directed Individual Study (1–3). (S/U grade only). May be repeated to a maximum of five semester hours.
EDA 5931r. Special Topics in Educational Administration (1–3). This course content varies to provide opportunity to study current issues in educational administration and topics not offered in other courses. May be repeated as topics vary to a maximum of twelve semester hours.
EDA 5941r. Supervised Teaching (1–4). (S/U grade only). May be repeated to a maximum of five semester hours. A maximum of three hours may apply to the master's degree.
EDA 5942. Practical Experiences in Educational Leadership (3). This practicum course's primary purpose is to provide students an experiential orientation into the components for fulfilling certification requirements in Educational Leadership/Administration toward Level I Educational Leadership Certification. The practicum provides the infrastructure that bridges leadership practice with leadership theory as students acquire the skills, knowledge, and dispositions to make a positive impact on improving schools and student achievement.
EDA 5945. Practicum in Educational Leadership I (1). This course integrates Department of Education requirements of experiential learning through field experiences, school-based mentoring from an expert in the field, and the Florida Leaders Website for professional development for aspiring school leaders.
EDA 6061. Educational Administration and Organizational Practice (3). This course provides an introduction to educational administration and organizational practice for graduate students interested in education and policy. The course is composed of a social-systems model of which critical elements such as structure, motivation, culture and politics are covered. Opportunities and constraints for schools are explored along with key administrative processes and contemporary research on the effectiveness of schools.
EDA 6068. Education Policy to Practice for Educational Practitioners (3). This course provides a broad overview of the field of K-12 educational policy. Students will learn central theories that have been used to understand the goals and mechanism of different state and federal policy efforts aimed at improving schools and schooling.
EDA 6101. Organizational Theory (3). This course is an overview of organizational concepts and theories to enable the advanced graduate student to develop alternative bases for utilizing organizational theory in future study and practice within educational settings.
EDA 6102. Perspectives on Leadership Theory (3). This course examines traditional and non-traditional education leadership theories, including analyses of purposes and meanings inherent in formal and informal perspectives.
EDA 6105. Laboratory of Practice I (3). Prerequisite: EDA 6485. In this course, students return to the "problem of practice" they identified in Professional Learning for Educational Practitioners I, explore their intuitive theories of action on the topic, identify a preliminary research question for their dissertation, and enter their research site to explore the viability of their topic. In addition, students learn about the Instructional Review Board, identify a local mentor, and learn about the different types of dissertations. Finally, they reflect on what is entailed in being a researcher and leader in their research context.
EDA 6108. Laboratory of Practice II (3). This course facilitates students' ability to engender original thinking and research on important educational issues as they relate to issues of human rights and social justice in local and global contexts.
EDA 6207. Leadership for School Renewal (3). This course assists students in developing catalytic leadership for creating a vision description of total quality school/school district and a strategic plan for realizing that vision.
EDA 6425. Literature Review for Educational Research (3). Prerequisite: EDF 6486. This course is designed to guide advanced doctoral students through the research process, including identifying and developing a research interest, refining research questions, and writing a review of the literature.
EDA 6930r. Seminar in Literature, Research and Professional Writing (1–3). This course is a weekly seminar on current educational problems. May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours.
EDA 6968. Diagnostic Exam (0). This diagnostic exam appraises the student's ability to pursue the EdD doctoral degree and to facilitate advising in the development of the student's program of studies. The diagnostic exam is taken during the second semester or after a doctoral student has completed nine to twelve hours of EdD coursework.
EDA 6980r. Dissertation (1–12). (S/U grade only). Prerequisite: Admission to doctoral candidacy. This course consists of research on the dissertation topic. A minimum of twenty-four credit hours is required. May be repeated within the same term.
EDA 8964r. Preliminary Doctoral Examination (0). (P/F grade only.) This preliminary examination determines if students have mastered the content area and are prepared to plan and conduct independent and scholarly research. Upon successful completion of the preliminary examination, students are admitted to candidacy and may begin taking dissertation hours. May be repeated within the same term. May be completed two times.
EDA 8966r. Master's Comprehensive Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)
EDA 8967r. Specialist in Education Comprehensive Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)
EDA 8985r. Dissertation Defense (0). (P/F grade only.)
EDF 5089. Black and Latino Education: History and Policy (3). This course explores factors that have impeded academic achievement at the K-12 and university levels, in addition to examining programs that foster success. This course provides an understanding of the history and socio-economic context of the educational experience of African-Americans and Latinos, the two largest minority groups in the United States.
EDF 5414. Introduction to Large Data Sets (3). This course focuses on identifying, managing, analyzing, and interpreting findings from existing large databases specific to the field of education. Students are introduced to the major existing databases and given the opportunity to analyze these data using Stata, a statistical software package popular in the social sciences.
EDF 5449. Survey Research Methods (3). This course introduces the design, use, and analysis of questionnaires for data collection; significant research questions and strengths and weaknesses of various methodologies are discussed. Hands-on practice in questionnaire design.
EDF 5461. Introduction to Program Evaluation (3). This course is an overview of current evaluation theory and models; emphasis on role evaluation in needs assessment and planning phase of program development.
EDF 5462. Evaluation of New Educational Programs and Practices (3). Prerequisite: EDF 5461. This course is an advanced level seminar on the theoretical and pragmatic aspects of program evaluation. Students begin with an overview and understanding of evaluation theoretical roots and the philosophical premises shaping evaluation theory. This leads to further understandings about the application of different research designs to the practice of evaluation, as presented in evaluation cases.
EDF 5464. Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods (3). This course explores the foundations and basic methodological approaches to qualitative research in education (and, more broadly, the social sciences).
EDF 5481. Methods in Educational Research (3). This course is a survey of selected types of educational research and appropriate related techniques; emphasis on criteria of validity.
EDF 5517. History of Education in The United States (3). This course examines the evolution of public and private schooling in the United States from the Spanish and British colonial eras to the modern reform period of the late 20th century. It includes the social history of American teachers, and a critical examination of issues surrounding race, ethnicity, social class and gender in the development of formalized structures of schooling.
EDF 5519. History of Higher Education (3). This course provides an in-depth overview of the history of higher education in the role of higher education in society over the last two centuries, the expansion of higher education in the twentieth century to include various groups such as women, African-Americans, and the working-class; tensions between the traditional, liberal arts curriculum and multicultural offerings; and governmental roles in the transformation of modern higher education.
EDF 5543. Introduction to Philosophy of Education (3). This course is a survey of contemporary approaches to philosophy of education, such as neo-pragmatism, post-structuralism, feminist theory, critical theory, existentialism and analytic philosophy, emphasizing their perspectives on current educational problems and practices and their methods of investigation.
EDF 5548. Philosophy of Teaching and Learning (3). This course introduces the comparative analysis of conceptions of teaching and learning in competing philosophies of education and their implications for education in a culturally diverse democratic society.
EDF 5551. Social Philosophies and Education (3). This course examines social and political philosophies such as liberalism, communitarianism, functionalism, critical theory, pragmatism and feminism and their implications for educational policy and practice in a democratic society.
EDF 5612. Anthropology of Education (3). This course focuses on the applications of anthropology in the study of education. Focuses on transmission of culture; cultural factors that promote and inhibit in-school learning; bilingualism and language policy; factors affecting development and policy in education.
EDF 5624. Economics of Education (3). This course applies basic economic theory and methods to policy issues arising in schools and universities, including both domestic and international settings. Examples of specific issues include the supply and demand for education, the external benefits of education, the labor market for educators, and the effect of market competition on the performance of educational institutions.
EDF 5625. Education and Economic Development (3). This course explores the relationship between education and economic development, especially in the developing world. Students examine theoretical and empirical arguments for human-capital theory, as well as alternative viewpoints challenging the human-capital perspective. Students also evaluate empirical evidence regarding the most effective and efficient educational inputs in developing countries.
EDF 5626. Economic Evaluation of Education Programs (3). This course examines how economics can be used to improve resource decisions made by administrators and policy makers. It provides theory and applications of cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis.
EDF 5630. Sociology of Education (3). This course introduces students to the sociology of education designed for graduate-level students. Examines empirical evidence related to current educational problems and related issues in educational practice and policy.
EDF 5641. Introduction to Policy Studies in Education (3). This course provides an introduction to the concept and practice of policy in the field of education with special focus on the use of social knowledge in policy formation. It highlights policy as a multidisciplinary field of study.
EDF 5649C. Applied Education Policy Analysis (3). Prerequisite: EDF 5400. This applied policy analysis course will build on students' introductory knowledge of basic statistics, economics and education policy. Specifically, this course teaches graduate students how to apply econometric theory to research, policy, and evaluation issues with a focus on P-20 education policy analysis.
EDF 5652. Policy Development in Education (3). This course explores the United States' policymaking process in all its stages including problem identification, agenda setting, policy formation, policy adoption, implementation and evaluation. In so doing, it surveys a broad range of K–12 and postsecondary education policies.
EDF 5656. Design and Management of International Development and Education Projects (3). Prerequisite: EDF 5850. This course takes students hands-on through the process of project design and explores the practical "how to" issues involved in managing projects in international educational development. Course content includes the development of actual proposals for projects by students, including the development of technical narrative and implementation plans, monitoring and evaluation plans, staffing and management sections, organizational capacity statements and budgets.
EDF 5706. Gender and Education in Comparative Perspective (3). This course explores the relevance of gender to various aspects of education, including formal, nonformal, and informal education. Research and issues from various regions of the world are included for analysis. Students develop their ability to analyze gender in educational settings and to incorporate gender analysis into educational planning in a variety of contexts.
EDF 5743. Foundations of Education (3). This course provides an overview of the social, cultural, philosophical, political, historical, and economic foundations of education. It examines the relationship between schools and the society in which they exist. Students examine the influences of culture, history, and economy on educational beliefs, policies, and practices.
EDF 5850. International Development Education (3). This course is an overview of the roles of education in national development and in promoting social, economic, and cultural improvement. Emphasis given to less developed countries and "Third World" communities at home.
EDF 5853. Comparative Education (3). This course examines what may be learned from comparisons of educational policy and practice among different countries and cultures around the world and how to go about comparative education research most effectively. Objectives are that students discover what may be learned from comparison of teaching, learning, and educational administration in different settings and practice good methods of comparative research.
EDF 5887. Multicultural Education (3). Prerequisite: Graduate standing. This course offers an introduction to the history and philosophy of educational policies and practices that respond to the realities of cultural diversity in the United States and abroad.
EDF 5890. Sociology of Nontraditional Approaches and Innovation in Education and Development (3). This course critically reviews theories and research on the role of educational innovation in the development process.
EDF 5907r. Directed Individual Study (1–3). (S/U grade only). Course topics may vary. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) credit hours; repeatable within the same term.
EDF 5911r. Supervised Research (1–4). (S/U grade only). May be repeated to a maximum of five credit hours; may be repeated within the same term.
EDF 5935r. Special Topics in Foundations of Education (1–3). This course offers topics not covered in regular courses; e.g., advanced quantitative research, Black and Latino education, economics and education, religion and diversity in public education, school choice policy issues, and urban educational policy. Offered on a student demand basis. Topics deal with policy and research issues in the foundations of education. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve semester hours.
EDF 5941. Institutional Research Practicum (3). (S/U grade only). Prerequisite: EDH 5055. This course is the capstone course for the Certificate in Institutional Research. In this course, students use theory and knowledge from previous courses in the Certificate Program to address a practical issue or problem in Institutional Research.
EDF 5971r. Thesis (1–6). (S/U grade only). A minimum of six semester hours is required. May be repeated to a maximum of six credit hours; may be repeated within the same term.
EDF 5974r. Thesis (3–6). (S/U grade only). A minimum of six semester hours is required. May be repeated to a maximum of six credit hours; may be repeated within the same term.
EDF 6417. Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis (3). Prerequisite: EDF 6475, EDF 6476, EDF 6479, or another course in qualitative methods. This course focuses on using computer assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) for the introduces analysis, interpretation, and reporting of qualitative data collected during research. Students utilize a variety of approaches to qualitative data analysis by applying them to observations, interviews, visual images, and/or documents.
EDF 6455. Data Use in Educational Settings (3). This course introduces the theoretical and practical application of data-driven decision making for educational leaders from the school-building level to the state level. This class focuses on how to collect, analyze, review, and present data and information to educational decision makers.
EDF 6471. Quasi-Experimental Data Analysis (3). This advanced course prepares students to conduct quasi-experimental methods appropriate for education policy analysis.
EDF 6474. Foundations of Practice Models (3). Prerequisite: EDF 6485. This course introduces students to different Dissertation-in-Practice research models that are applicable for investigating a problem of practice situated within an educational organization.
EDF 6475. Qualitative Methods in Educational Research (3). This course introduces methods of data collection: qualitative, participant observation, and ethnographic interviews. Attention is given to strengths and shortcomings for use in educational research and evaluation.
EDF 6476. Advanced Qualitative Research Seminar (3). Prerequisite: EDF 5464 or EDF 6475. This course explores the theoretical and pragmatic aspects of qualitative research. It is intended for students who already have a foundation in qualitative methods and are planning to use this methodological approach in their dissertation research. Students develop a "conference-ready" research paper that draws on a set of existing qualitative data and different theoretical perspectives.
EDF 6477. Qualitative Data Analysis for Educational Research (3). Prerequisite: EDF 5464. This course explores the foundations of data analysis in qualitative research; students review and practice various techniques for data coding, analysis, and triangulation. In this course, students build upon the work that they did in Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods.
EDF 6479. Qualitative Data Analysis (3). Prerequisite: EDF 5464 or EDF 6475. This course focuses on the analysis, interpretation and reporting of qualitative data collected during interpretive research.
EDF 6480. Applied Quantitative Methods for Educational Practitioners (3). This course focuses on applied statistics in the social sciences and how to use these tools to construct research reports specific to education. The goal of the course is for students to be more comfortable working with applied statistics and begin to apply the skills acquired to their own research.
EDF 6485. Professional Learning for Educational Practitioners I (3). This course develops student's identities as scholarly practitioners through identifying individual research interests and preparing participants for continued studying applied education research.
EDF 6486. Applied Research Methods in Educational Leadership and Policy (3). This course introduces students to the role that educational and empirical research, in particular, can play in solving educational problems.
EDF 6493. Professional Learning for Educational Practitioners II (3). Prerequisites: EDA 6105 and EDF 6485. This course introduces students the critical components of practice-based research in the formats of program evaluation, action research, and policy analysis.
EDF 6547. Philosophical Foundations of Education Research (3). Prerequisite: Graduate standing. This course provides a historical and philosophical survey of educational research emphasizing the epistemological and ontological assumptions underlying different theories of and approaches to contemporary educational inquiry.
EDF 6558. Seminar on John Dewey's Educational Philosophy (3). This course is an advanced seminar providing coverage of Dewey's educational thought. Studies Dewey in the context of American pragmatism and educational progressivism.
EDF 6576. Policy to Practice: District, School, and Classroom Policy Implementation (3). This course focuses on the implementation of educational policy at the district, school, and classroom levels. The course covers the central theories that have been used to understand the goals and mechanisms of different state and federal policy efforts aimed at improving schools and schooling; reviews research on how districts, schools, and teachers in classrooms respond to state and federal policies; and also covers three different "cases" representing dominant trends in educational policy, providing a multi-level perspective on how state and federal policies shape district, school, and classroom practices.
EDF 6619. Advanced Qualitative Data Analysis (3). Prerequisites: EDF 6475 and EDF 6476. This doctoral seminar covers approaches to qualitative data analysis and writing. It introduces students to the logics undergirding data analysis as well as different steps, strategies, and approaches that researchers use as they collect, organize, analyze and write their findings.
EDF 6629r. Advanced Seminar: Selected Topics in Education and Economic Development (3). Prerequisite: EDF 5625. This course is an analysis of selected topics and policy issues related to education and economic development. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.
EDF 6648. Policy Analysis in Education (3). Prerequisite: EDF 5641. This course provides a comprehensive study of the policy analysis process. It illuminates and clarifies theoretical concepts in policy analysis through the discussion of cases and issues pertinent to the field of education.
EDF 6666. Teacher Policy and Reform (3). This course introduces teacher policy and reform topics based on theoretical and empirical literature in the U.S. and global contexts. The roles and influences of policy actors at global, national, sub-national (state/province), and local levels are discussed, and policy assumptions, contexts, designs, implementations, and outcomes are examined.
EDF 6960. Diagnostic Examination (0). (P/F grade only.) This diagnostic exam appraises the student's ability to pursue the doctoral degree and to facilitate advising in the development of the student's program of studies. The diagnostic exam is taken during the second semester or after a doctoral student has completed nine to twelve hours of coursework.
EDF 6981r. Dissertation (1–12). (S/U grade only). Prerequisite: Admission to doctoral candidacy. Course topics are subject to student's dissertation topic and research.
EDF 8965r. Preliminary Doctoral Examination (0). (P/F grade only.) This preliminary examination determines if students have mastered the content area and are prepared to plan and conduct independent and scholarly research. Upon successful completion of the preliminary examination, students are admitted to candidacy and may begin taking dissertation hours. May be taken up to two times; may be repeated within the same term.
EDF 8967r. Master's Comprehensive Examination (0). (P/F grade only.) May be repeated up to ten times; may be repeated within the same term.
EDF 8970r. Specialist in Education Comprehensive Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)
EDF 8977r. Master's Thesis Defense (0). (P/F grade only.)
EDF 8987r. Dissertation Defense (0). (P/F grade only.) May be taken up to six times; may be repeated within the same term.
EDG 5250. Curriculum and Instruction for School Leaders. (3). This course provides the student with an in-depth view of curriculum and instruction as well as a knowledge base for planning, designing, organizing, and implementing an effective instructional program.
EDH 5005. Sociology of Higher Education (3). This seminar course covers higher education at multiple levels.
EDH 5041. Intentional Interventions (3). This course is designed to explore techniques and resources available to support and assist higher education and student affairs practitioners in counseling and advising individuals and groups in contemporary colleges and universities.
EDH 5042. Student Success In College (3). This course examines the theories and research on student success and explores effective policies, programs, and practices that can be adopted to promote student success in higher education.
EDH 5045. Student Development Theories for College Student Personnel Work (3). This course discusses young adult development tasks, college student and adult development theory, and application of theories by student affairs and higher education professionals.
EDH 5046. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Higher Education (3). This course is designed to increase student's knowledge about and capacity to operate within the diverse society in which they live through critical reflection, dialogue, and self-exploration in relation to the world around them. Students will learn about multicultural issues and acquire the skills necessary to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
EDH 5051. Higher Education in America: Basic Understandings (3). This course examines the history, philosophy, policies, practices, and problems of America's community colleges, senior colleges, and universities.
EDH 5054. The American Community College: History and Development (3). This course is designed to introduce students to the philosophy and historical evolution of the American Community College. The focus is on the social, economic, political, and educational forces that influence the community college, as well as the programs, services, and current issues.
EDH 5055. Introduction to Institutional Research (3). This course provides an introduction to institutional research as discipline in higher education. Course content is addressed within the context of organizational, administrative, political and ethical issues in institutional research. Practical experience with research databases and insights from currents practitioners in the field are integrated into the course content.
EDH 5068. Outcomes of Undergraduate Education (3). This course develops a historical and theoretical foundation for conceptualizing outcomes of undergraduate education. The course considers theoretical, technical, and policy issues in the assessment of these outcomes.
EDH 5078. Outcomes Assessment in Higher Education I: Study Design (3). This course prepares students to assess and evaluate postsecondary education outcomes. Students learn to define and identify specific outcomes of higher education, both inside and outside of the classroom. Outcomes related to students, faculty, student services, institutions, and state and federal policy issues are discussed and evaluated in the course.
EDH 5079. Outcomes Assessment in Higher Education II: Analysis & Dissemination (3). Prerequisite: EDH 5078. This course trains higher education professionals primarily undertaking research in the form of assessment. The course places attention on applications of educational research and assessment within the context of the practice of higher education administration.
EDH 5305. College Teaching: Instruction in Higher Education (3). This course examines classroom and individualized instruction including objectives-oriented instruction, evaluation, student motivation, and media utilization in the college curriculum.
EDH 5362. Leadership Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (3). Leadership education is an integral part of student development. Higher Education administrators are often asked to develop co-curricular and curricular programs to develop future leaders. Theory-to-practice guides this course where students are introduced to leadership theory and pedagogical practices for leadership education and leadership learning.
EDH 5405. Legal Aspects of Higher Education (3). This course is a comprehensive analysis of legal concepts, procedures, and considerations relevant to higher education.
EDH 5406. Ethical Leadership in Higher Education (3). This course allows students to build on and integrate moral reasoning skills with professional leadership skills by analyzing ethical problems in situated contexts that future higher education policy makers and administrators often face. Central to this course is the acquisition of skills and knowledge that allows for (1) introspective and reflective examination of the relationship between moral values, beliefs and decision making; (2) critical application of professional expertise and moral judgment in situated practice; and (3) identification of ways theoretical frameworks, leadership models and practice, and educational policies help to frame the role of higher education as contributor to the public good.
EDH 5504. College and University Institutional Advancement (3). This course provides an overview of comprehensive institutional advancement including planning, institutional relations, educational fund-raising, alumni, government relations, foundations, and corporate relations.
EDH 5506. College and University Business Administration (3). This course addresses the enterprise of college and university business administration in the United States and the roles and responsibilities it plays in the overall higher educational process. Students are introduced to emerging trends and challenges faced by practitioners and also gain an understanding of how finance and business administration departments affect different consistency groups on and off campus. Departments explored include Police, Information Technology, Human Resources, Contracts and Grants, Facilities, Environmental Health and Safety, Purchasing and Auxiliary Enterprises.
EDH 5507. College and University Budgeting (3). This course facilitates development of the knowledge and skills needed to become a constructive participant in a college or university budgeting process. Students are exposed to representative institutional budgets and budgetary processes, the budget's role in policy making, the broader economic and political context of budgeting, the role of institutional culture in the budgeting process, and budgetary planning for reallocation and retrenchment.
EDH 5630. Capstone in Higher Education (3). This course analyzes the development and operation of programs and projects at the unit level in American higher education. Particular attention is given to the financial and planning aspects of program management.
EDH 5632. College and University Presidency (3). This course allows participants to examine the role of the college and university president by addressing this complex leadership role from a variety of perspectives. Case studies, theoretical constructs, and empirical research are surveyed to discover key themes and unique characteristics of institutional presidents in a range of postsecondary institutional forms and organizational cultures. The instructor's goal is to facilitate understanding of the role and responsibilities of the college and university president, the structures and processes that influence and are influenced by the institutional president, and the diversity of stakeholders to which the president is linked.
EDH 5639. Management in Higher Education (3). This course provides theoretical grounding in management and link theory to practice and introduces students to performance competencies related to essential management skills in organizing, planning, and understanding their work environment. Students have an opportunity to utilize management tools and techniques for decision making, structuring and coordinating work groups, and for implementing change in higher-education organizations.
EDH 5645. Data Driven Decision Making for Institutional Researchers (3). This course provides an introduction to the theoretical and practical application of data-driven decision making for institutional researchers. This course focuses on how to collect, analyze, review, and present data and information to decision makers.
EDH 5646. Data Mining (3). This course introduces the basic theories and practice of data mining, a process which allows for large amounts of data to be analyzed in a sequential, logical process.
EDH 5647. Data Analysis for Institutional Research (3). Prerequisite: EDF 5400. This course focuses on key functions in Excel and SPSS for an IR office. In particular, students learn pivot tables, t-tests, regression, and commonly used formulas in Excel. Assignments are in Excel and replicated on SPSS so that students could perform the analysis in either software. Using institutional research data from IPEDS or other data sources, students learn how to complete and interpret an analysis that is appropriate for an IR office and campus stakeholders. Access to SPSS is required and is the student's responsibility. A prerequisite to this course is a basic understanding of statistics as statistics is not taught.
EDH 5664. Politics of Higher Education (3). This course introduces students to the systematic study of the relationship between political actors, institutions, and processes and higher education policy outcomes in the American political system, with special emphasis on the American states–an area of emerging interest to many social scientists. Likewise, students are introduced to some of the major policy issues and problems facing state and federal governments. A primary purpose of the course is to help students develop the capacity to conduct independent scholarship on public policy, politics and higher education policy.
EDH 5906r. Directed Individual Study (1–3). (S/U grade only). Course topics may vary. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) credit hours; repeatable within the same term.
EDH 5915r. Supervised Research (1–4). (S/U grade only). May be repeated to a maximum of five semester hours. A maximum of three hours may apply to the master's degree.
EDH 5931r. Special Topics in Higher Education (1–3). In this course, content varies to provide opportunity to study current issues in higher education and topics not offered in other courses. May be repeated as topics vary to a maximum of twelve (12) credits; repeatable within same term.
EDH 5941r. Field Laboratory Internship (1–8). May be repeated to a maximum of twelve semester hours.
EDH 5942r. Internship (1–8). (S/U grade only). May be repeated to a maximum of twelve semester hours. Doctoral candidates.
EDH 5943r. Supervised Teaching (1–4). (S/U grade only). This course is designed to provide an opportunity for graduate students to engage in experimental teaching situations under the guidance of a faculty member. May be repeated to a maximum of five semester hours. A maximum of three hours may apply to the master's degree.
EDH 5944r. Internship (1–8). (S/U grade only). Prerequisite: Master's candidacy. May be repeated to a maximum of twenty-four semester hours.
EDH 5946. Internship in College and Community College Teaching (3). Prerequisite: Approval of area in which internship is to be completed. Supervised teaching in lower-division college courses.
EDH 5971r. Master's Thesis (1–6). (S/U grade only). A minimum of six semester hours is required.
EDH 5973r. Specialist in Education Thesis (1–6). (S/U grade only). A minimum of six semester hours is required.
EDH 6040. Research on College Students (3). This course is designed to cover major areas related to the research on college students and discuss the challenges in conducting such types of research. The first part of the course reviews the major theories and conceptual frameworks related to college students, from transition to, experience in, and outcomes of college. The second part discusses methodological issues and other challenges in conducting research on college students.
EDH 6059r. Proseminar in Higher Education and Education Policy (0). (S/U grade only). This proseminar is designed to address key aspects of the doctoral curriculum and advising issues including the selection of an advisor, the doctoral committee, programs of study, the need for Scholarly Engagement for doctoral students, and the transition points in the doctoral process, e.g. courses to take, research requirements, the proposal defense, dissertation defense, and graduation.
EDH 6064. Women in Higher Education: A Historical Perspective (3). This seminar course explores the role and activities of women in American higher education, beginning in the 1800's. It begins with an exploration of women's exclusion from higher education and the gradual inclusion of women over time. Viewing the role of women in higher education from a historical perspective brings to light new ways of thinking about colleges and universities as well as new ways to think about women.
EDH 6067. International Perspectives in Higher Education (3). This course introduces learners to the international and comparative dimensions of higher education. Various topics covered in this course include comparison of higher education systems and the historical roots of the similarities and differences; comparison of the major participants in higher education across nations, with a special focus on the academic professoriate and college students; exchange of people and ideas in the global age; and salient policy issues in higher education from a global perspective, such as access and finance, accountability and quality assurance, and the emergence of entrepreneurial universities.
EDH 6081. Leadership and Change in Higher Education (3). Prerequisites: EDH 5051 and EDH 6635. In this course, students are introduced to current problems and future opportunities for higher education and develop competencies as higher education leaders, researchers, and practitioners in order to lead higher education in the future. Particular emphasis is placed on the application of change strategies and organizational transformation. Students are introduced to collaborative approaches through the application of synergy, learning teams, and learning communities.
EDH 6085. Social Justice in Higher Education (3). This course explores issues surrounding various social identities, examines epistemologies that attempt to explain the role these identities play in higher education settings, and critically analyzes previous and existing higher education policy and practice to greater understand the influence of social justice, diversity, and multiculturalism on higher education.
EDH 6401. Public Policy in Higher Education (3). Prerequisite: EDH 5051. This course gives graduate students a greater understanding of the process of public policy-making and the impact of public policy on higher education. Topics include the interaction between the states and the federal government and the interconnections between K–12 and higher education.
EDH 6505. Finance in Higher Education (3). Prerequisite: EDH 5051. This seminar examines major issues in the financing of higher education in the United States, including major policy issues in higher education finance; the roles of the federal government and states; and institutional budgeting and financial management.
EDH 6635. Organization and Governance of Higher Education (3). This course, through case studies, contemporary research, and concepts drawn from the literature of organizational theory, introduces students to management and leadership in higher education and theoretical models applicable to these institutions. Students examine the organizational structure and culture of higher education and the functional attributes of administrative roles, processes of decision making and models of governance and policy-making internal and external to colleges and universities.
EDH 6935r. Seminar: Literature, Research, and Professional Writing in Higher Education (3). (S/U grade only). This course is the capstone for the doctoral research sequence. The focus of the course is on issues related to the development and refinement of the doctoral dissertation prospectus, including problem statement, literature review, and research design and method. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.
EDH 6936. Seminar in Student Development Theories (3). This course gives doctoral students an opportunity to examine leading theories of college student development and the research literature supporting these theories. Students develop the ability to critique and evaluate student development theories and apply theory in higher education settings.
EDH 6980r. Dissertation (1–12). (S/U grade only).
EDH 8964r. Preliminary Doctoral Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)
EDH 8966r. Master's Comprehensive Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)
EDH 8968r. Specialist in Education Comprehensive Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)
EDH 8976r. Master's Thesis Defense (0). (P/F grade only.)
EDH 8978r. Specialist in Education Thesis Defense (0). (P/F grade only.)
EDH 8985r. Dissertation Defense (0). (P/F grade only.)
SDS 5040. Student Personnel Work in Higher Education (3). This course is a review of current policies and practices of selected areas of student personnel and selected administration.
SDS 5624. The American College Student (3). This course is a developmental study of the contemporary college student and the campus climate.
SDS 5804. Practicum in Student Personnel Work (3). This course provides opportunity for supervised practical experience in college student personnel work.