Doctor of Education in Leadership, Curriculum, and Instruction (EdD)

Program Requirements

• Admissions Requirements

  An applicant with a master’s degree in any field from a regionally or nationally accredited institution can apply for entrance into Westcliff University and a minimum GPA of 2.5. Master’s degrees obtained outside of the United States will only be accepted if they have been evaluated by a member in good standing of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or another nationally recognized credentialing service. In this case, the listed U.S. degree equivalency will be used.

• Graduation Requirements

  Students must complete 60 total credit hours, composed of 18 credit hours of core courses (15 lecture, 3 practicum), 14 credit hours of research courses (12 lecture, 2 practicum), 12 credit hours for concentration courses (students choose either Leadership or Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment; 10 lecture, 2 practicum), and 16 credit hours of dissertation courses (14 lecture, 2 practicum). Students must also publish by the end of Year 3 and attend a conference/presentation. Internal options are available.

  Credit hours for some EDU 700-level courses completed at another institution may be transferred into the EdD program at Westcliff University in accordance with the university’s Transfer Credit Policy. 

• Practical Learning Experience Requirements

  Westcliff University requires all students enrolled in the Doctor of Education (EdD) in Leadership, Curriculum, and Instruction in the College of Education to successfully complete a Practical Learning Experience (PLE) as a graduation requirement. Westcliff University degrees and certificates are designed to prepare students for the professional workforce, and the knowledge and skills learned throughout their program are directly applicable to the industries to which they are associated. Practical learning allows students to further refine the associated knowledge and skills through guidance, oversight, and feedback from industry experts and professionals while also building a stable network and gathering references to support their career needs. Students are encouraged to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded to them in practical learning and maximize their potential career placement or advancement upon graduation.

  The EdD PLE requirement is satisfied by completing embedded practical learning in every course within the EdD program, which is assessed on a Credit/No Credit basis. During practical learning, students engage in empirical experiences, in addition to participating in assigned course activities. This practice reflects Westcliff’s commitment to a practical and relevant education and the value of applied, experiential learning. Students who have this experience demonstrate a more successful transition into a new career or career advancement.

  EdD students engaged in practical learning are responsible for developing and demonstrating the skills necessary to be successful in a PLE. In addition to contemporary and growing industry knowledge, students should also be prepared to demonstrate professionalism, effective communication (written, oral and digital), and integrity while engaged in practical learning. The faculty facilitating internship courses associated with Practical Learning Experience assess these qualities and provide valuable feedback regarding their development to students throughout each experience. Students may reach out to Career Services with any questions about practical learning in the EdD program.

EdD Courses

• Required Courses

  60 credit hours

  Core - Year 1 (18 credits)

  EDU 710 Effective Teaching and Learning Strategies (3 credit hours)

  EDU 711 Educational Leadership in Theory and Practice (3 credit hours)

  EDU 712 Curriculum Theory and Design (3 credit hours)

  EDU 830 Online Blended Learning and Teaching Methodologies (3 credit hours)

  EDU 831 Classroom Technology Integration (3 credit hours)

  EDU 833 Managing Human and Fiscal Resources as an Educational Leader (3 credit hours)

   

  Year 2 (19 credits)

  Choose a concentration: Leadership or Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment 

  • Leadership

  • • EDU 713 Critical Analysis of Problems and Issues for Educational Leaders (3 credit hours)
    • EDU 800 Leading and Managing Choice in Education (3 credit hours)
    • EDU 801 Program Evaluation Methods for Academic Leadership (3 credit hours)
    • EDU 821 Advanced Supervision of Curriculum and Instruction (3 credit hours)
  • Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment 
    • EDU 810 Classroom Pedagogical and Andragogical Approaches (3 credit hours)
    • EDU 811 Instructional Design for Equitable Education (3 credit hours)
    • EDU 812 Student Assessment Methods (3 credit hours)
    • EDU 820 Advanced Instructional Design (3 credit hours)

  Begin research courses:

  RES 700 Identifying and Planning a Research Project (4 credit hours)

  RES 801 Quantitative Research in Education (3 credit hours)

   

  Year 3 (23 credits)

  Complete research:

  • RES 800 Educational Research Literature Review (4 credit hours)
  • RES 802 Qualitative Research in Education (3 credit hours)

  Dissertation:

  • EDU 900 Dissertation Course I (4 credit hours)
  • EDU 901 Dissertation Course II (4 credit hours)
  • EDU 902 Dissertation Course III (4 credit hours)
  • EDU 903 Dissertation Course IV (4 credit hours)
• Program Concentrations

  Students are required to choose one of the following two concentrations: 

  Leadership - The concentration in leadership prepares professionals to positively impact organizations and transform learning environments by examining educational issues and trends. Strategies are presented to address problems through strategic planning, response to diverse needs, and the analysis and synthesis of political, social, economic, legal, and cultural contexts that shape educational discourse. Advancing education through innovation, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, students are equipped with leadership skills to manage change effectively and interpret data for programmatic review, accreditation,  evaluation, and efficient use of human and fiscal resources. Leveraging individual strengths, students cultivate the dispositions of ethical leaders and promote success for all.

  Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - The Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Concentration applies the theories of curriculum design with instructional practice. Setting learning objectives and aligning outcomes with assessment strategies are fundamental to learning and design frameworks. Applying practical solutions with technological integration fosters accessibility and inclusive methods to meet the needs of diverse learners. Using a variety of assessments including informal, formal, formative, and summative provides data-driven evidence of comprehensive learning experiences closing gaps and improving achievement for all.

• Benchmark Courses

  RES 700 Identifying and Planning a Research Project and RES 800 Education Research Literature Review are benchmark courses in the EdD program. While most courses in the EdD program allow students three total attempts to successfully complete, benchmark courses only allow for two total attempts. Students who do not pass RES 700 in the first attempt are required to retake RES 700 while concurrently taking EDU 780 Writing for Research and Scholarly Publications I before progressing further in their program. Failure to pass RES 700 in the second attempt results in dismissal from the Doctor of Education in Leadership, Curriculum, and Instruction program. Similarly, students who do not pass RES 800 in the first attempt are required to retake RES 800 while concurrently taking EDU 781 Writing for Research and Scholarly Publications II before progressing further in their program. Failure to pass RES 800 in the second attempt results in dismissal from the program. Students must meet all academic and financial requirements to apply for graduation.

• Course Catalog and Student Handbook

  Student Handbook/Catalog

Scholarship Opportunities

• Scholarship Application

  As a Westcliff student, you have access to a powerful network of support from staff, faculty, alumni, and many others who take pride in investing in you. Scholarships are made possible by generous benefactors who are passionate about supporting your success.

  Apply Now
• Scholarship Application Deadlines

  Semester	Session	Scholarship Deadline	Start Date	End Date
  FALL	Session 1	07/29/22	Start: 8/29/22	End: 10/23/22
  	Session 2		Start: 10/24/22	End: 12/18/22
  SPRING	Session 3	12/03/22	Start: 01/03/23	End: 02/26/23
  	Session 4		Start: 02/27/23	End: 04/23/23
  SUMMER	Session 5	04/01/23	Start: 05/01/23	End: 06/25/23
  	Session 6		Start: 06/26/23	End: 08/20/23