Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

The purpose of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership (DPEL) is to enhance the talents and skills of individuals who plan to devote their lives to the implementation of educational practices informed by research. The program provides students with a broad view of educational problems and a strong background in social science theory. In addition, the program prepares students to conduct and interpret inquiries on which sound educational policy and practice can be anchored. Students in the program benefit from the teaching and research expertise of established scholars and practitioners. The faculty hail from a number of academic disciplines including educational administration, teacher education, and business and public administration, as well as from surrounding school districts and community colleges. All courses are taught in Bakersfield and are held on Saturday to accommodate full-time working professionals. There are two specializations within the program: one for students who hope to apply their leadership knowledge and skills in P-12 educational settings, and the other for students who hope to apply their knowledge and skills to community collegehigher education settings.

The following minimum requirements must be met to be eligible for admission to the program:Master’s degree from an accredited institution.Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in upper-division undergraduate and master’s degree coursework.Sufficient preparation, graduate training, and experience in educational leadership to benefit from the program.Demonstrated educational leadership potential and skills including successful experience in school, postsecondary, community, and/or policy leadership.Demonstrated academic excellence, problem-solving ability, and interest in critically assessing and bringing about improvements in current educational policies and practices.Positive review of other application materials including three letters of recommendation, a written statement of purpose, a statement of support from the applicant’s employer, and a personal interview with the program admissions committee.