Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership (PSAP)
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership (PSAP)
The Ed.D in Educational Leadership (PSAP) is a highly collaborative, 3-year doctoral program for systems-level educational leaders. Guided by the program鈥檚 distinctive approach to leadership and practical wisdom, you'll bring an equity-minded lens to decision-making and advocate for policies and practices that solve educational inequities.听
Through a unique collaboration with the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS), the program also offers an optional Superintendent licensure track.听
Key Features
Cohort-Based Learning
Our students bring diverse professional backgrounds, perspectives, and expertise that foster a rich learning environment in a dedicated cohort. Cohort members develop lifelong relationships that enrich learning and professional growth now and into the future.听
Professional Mentorship
Partnering with a community of mentors who graduated from the program and are accomplished scholar-practioner leaders, doctoral candidates are assigned a mentor who provides personalized guidance throughout their academic journey.
Executive Format
Online and in-person course experiences provide valuable opportunities to engage meaningfully with cohort members and faculty. The program鈥檚 executive format allows working professionals the flexibility to manage the demands of their busy schedules.听
At a Glance
Curriculum
Through a cohort model that emphasizes collaborative learning and support, the curriculum bridges scholarship and practice, equipping leaders with expertise in evaluation and research, resource management, finance, community-building, and instructional leadership. You'll apply these skills by leading and evaluating a real-world systems change initiative.听听
Requirements
- Courses: 16
- Credits: 48
- Dissertation in Practice (DIP)
- Comprehensive Exam
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| ELHE8819 | Human Resource Administration听听 Addresses fundamental school personnel functions such as hiring, retention, socialization, rewards and sanctions, and performance appraisal. These functions, however, are situated in a broader approach to the human and professional development of school personnel in a learning organization. Situates human resource development within the larger agenda of increased quality of student learning and teacher development. | 3 |
| 贰尝贬贰7740听 | Ethics for District Leaders听 The course explores how schools are used as a vehicle of the state to de-culturalize various communities of people throughout the country's history. Students will explore how schools can more appropriately promote respect for valuing diversity as a generative source of the country's vitality and its relationship to the global village. The role of educators is not only to act ethically in the many individual situations of their daily professional lives, but more importantly to see that the institutional structures and processes of the school system are themselves reflections of a system of justice and care. | 3 |
| ELHE7703 | Education Law for District Leaders This course addresses the political and legal aspects of the role of education in our democratic society. Provides an introductory survey of public policy issues and laws governing preschool, elementary, and secondary school with a specific focus on the role of school district leadership. Included are such topics as religious freedom, free speech, and due process; the liability of educational institutions and educators; the legal distinctions between private and public institutions; student and parent privacy rights; disability rights; and the promotion of educational equity among all groups regardless of gender, sexual orientation, language, race, religion, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background. | 3 |
| ELHE7780 | Theories of Leadership: District Focus This course is an introduction to and survey of major historical and contemporary theories of educational leadership. Through this course, you will learn about these different theories of leadership, each of which can be of use when researching or evaluating district-level dilemmas, problems, and critical incidents you will encounter in your sites of professional practice. One of the overarching objectives of this course is to help you enter into research-based conversations about educational leadership (as emerging researchers of educational leadership) by understanding how 鈥渕ajor thinkers鈥� have thought through the essential questions defining educational leadership as a field of study. The other overarching objective is to provide you the space to enhance your practical wisdom by thinking through how to enact a grounded theory of leadership in your site of professional practice. | 3 |
| ELHE8833 | Leadership for Social Justice: District Focus听 This course introduces students to the theory and practice of leadership for social justice at the school and district level. Definitions, approaches, and controversies in this emerging field will be examined. Readings, films, class discussions, and case studies related to the topics of race, ethnicity, culture, language, gender, social class, religion, sexual orientation, and disability will focus on how these issues affect educators, students and their families in today's K-12 schools. In particular, students will learn about leadership which is culturally and linguistically responsive; strengthens parent-community-school relationships; and formulates diversity policies to promote educational equity for students from diverse groups. | 3 |
| ELHE9903 | District Level Instructional Leadership听 Introduces students to many of the contested issues in the field of supervision, such as the relationship between supervision and teacher development, teacher empowerment, teacher alienation, learning theories, school effectiveness, school restructuring, curriculum development, and scientific management. Supervision will be viewed also as a moral, community-nested, artistic, motivating, and collaborative activity. Will stress the need for a restructuring of supervision as an institutional process. | 3 |
| ELHE7760 | Seminar on Education Reform This interdisciplinary seminar addresses the role of law in education reform and the relationship between law and social science in efforts to promote educational attainment in the nation's elementary and secondary schools. The primary focus will be contemporary education reform issues, including educator quality, access to meaningful opportunity to learn, curriculum control, and student, teacher, administrator, and parental rights. The focus of the course will be inquiry on the role of law in school reform, the limits of law-based education reform, and the consequences of statutory requirements for scientific evidence-based approaches to education programs. | 3 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| ELHE8820 | Research Design I听 This course introduces students to the fundamentals of designing and reporting research. Our level of focus is the skills and knowledge necessary for conceptualizing and crafting research projects. This includes developing familiarity with a variety of methods and designs, selecting researchable problems, and prototyping study designs in accord with particular theoretical lenses. | 3 |
| ELHE8821 | Research Design II听 This course builds on Research Design I to provide tools and training to support the dissertation-in-practice. The course will deepen students鈥� understanding of key concepts in education research and how to use research in educational leadership to transform schools and systems of schools. As part of this specialized course for PSAP candidates, students will carefully examine the parts of a dissertation proposal, developing both their group and individual proposals. Students will critically examine the processes of empirical inquiry, including (a) formulating research questions from literature reviews, (b) articulating conceptual frameworks, and (c) formalizing methodology. | 3 |
| ELHE8823 | Research Design III This course focuses on the skills of analyzing and reporting qualitative research findings. It is organized as a graduate seminar or workshop: students will learn by doing. In such a setting, the instructors and students work together as colleagues, offering each other individualized feedback or assistance. By the end of this course, students should have: (a) conceptual knowledge about data analysis; (b) practical knowledge about analyzing and reporting research; and (c) a summary of findings for their independent research projects. | 3 |
| ELHE8703 | Dissertation in Practice Seminar Dissertation seminar related course work for advanced doctoral students.听 | 3 |
| ELHE8704 | Dissertation in Practice Direction Dissertation related course work for advanced doctoral students.听 | 3 |
| ELHE8706 | Dissertation in Practice Group Direction Dissertation related course work for advanced doctoral students.听 | 3 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| ELHE9901 | Doctoral Comprehensive Exam An important program milestone is the individual qualifying paper, also known as the 鈥渃omprehensive exam鈥� or 鈥渃omp.鈥� This paper is completed in the Spring of Year 2. The purpose of the comp is to propose the individual empirical study that the student intends to complete as a part of their Dissertation-in-Practice (DIP).听In this paper, you must demonstrate your skills in conceptualizing, articulating, and designing the study you intend to complete for your DIP.听 | 0 |
- Cultivate wisdom by balancing individual and community needs, navigating uncertainties, learning from feedback, and reflecting critically on your own leadership and growth.
- Implement equity-centered leadership practices to navigate and dismantle barriers to justice in educational settings.听
- Promote organizational and professional cultures that are ethical, culturally responsive, and that prioritize community, collaboration, and advocacy.听
- Design and evaluate systemic changes that can address challenges and their underlying causes within organizations听
- Approach relevant research, policies, and data as scholar-practitioners, shepherding systemic solutions to persistent problems in education.听
- Use highly effective communication skills and data analysis when reporting to community actors, managing conflict and crises, negotiating, and engaging with various audiences.听听
- Effectively manage school and district-level operations and resources in ways that are data-informed and mission-aligned, ensuring continuous evaluation and improvement.听
- Strengthen educator professional capital by integrating collaborative inquiry and strategic retention efforts with a rigorous culture of academic excellence
Tuition & Aid
Education should level the playing field. We feel the same way about听financial听aid.
The Lynch School of Education and Human Development provides more than听$13.8 million in financial aid to students each year. As a result, the quality of 51茶馆鈥檚 instruction, the benefit of our alumni network, and the impact a 51茶馆 degree will have on your employment options is both affordable and invaluable.听
Careers
Roles and Organizations
- Partner - School Design Services, Transcend Education
- Leadership Coach, Lynch Leadership Academy听
- President, Mission Grammar School
- Director, Catholic School Teacher Corps, Seattle University
- Deputy commissioner, DESE听
- Head of Schools, KIPP Massachusetts Public Charter Schools
- Deputy Superintendent of Community and Family Advancement, Boston Public Schools
- Executive Director, Shah Family Foundation
- Head of School, Codman Academy Charter Public School
Research in Practice
Throughout the program, Students prepare听brief practitioner oriented reports to demonstrate meaningful impact on practice.
Apply
PrintApplication & Deadlines
The next cohort begins July 2027. Application and Deadline information will be available by September 1, 2026.听听
Prerequisite Information: To be eligible for the EdD program, applicants must already hold a Master's degree.听To finalize the admissions process, applicants must supply a letter from their supervisor confirming that they will be released to attend classes.听
A non-refundable application fee of $75 is required. The fee is waived for select applicants.
Resume
To be uploaded to your online application.
In addition to your academic history and relevant volunteer and/or work experience, please include any licenses currently held, any social justice-related experience, any language skills other than English, and any research experience or publications.
Personal Statement
To be uploaded to your online application.
PSAP students are outstanding administrators and have diverse backgrounds, experiences, and interests. Together, cohort members collaborate with and challenge each other intellectually. Your personal statement provides an opportunity to get to know you, your hopes for your doctoral experience, and what you might bring to the cohort. In 1,000-1,500 words, please tell us about some of your aspirations, research interests, and any challenges or experiences that shed light on you as a leader or potential cohort member.听
Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation are required in total. These letters help provide an overall picture of you as a leader, collaborator, and potential graduate student. Ideally, at least one letter should assess your potential for doctoral-level work, from someone well-situated to provide that assessment, such as a professor or researcher in education or a related field.听
Tip from the Admissions Team: Reach out to recommenders early to share your graduate school goals and confirm they can meet your deadline. Make sure to enter your recommender's contact information correctly on the application, as it can't be edited after you submit. Taking these steps generally leads to stronger letters and less stress.
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Transcripts
Transcripts from all college/university study are required.
For degrees from the United States and Canada, unofficial transcripts may be used for application review. Official transcripts will be required upon enrollment.
Applicants who have received degrees from institutions outside the United States should view the "International Students" section for additional credential evaluation requirements.
Please begin your online application before submitting your transcripts. Details on how to submit transcripts and international credential evaluations can be found听. In order to ensure your transcript reaches our office, it is important to review and follow the instructions.
Standardized Tests
GRE scores are not required. If you wish to send GRE scores, the Lynch School GRE code is 3218.
Please view the "International Students" section for information on English Proficiency test requirements.
Writing Sample
To be uploaded to your online application.
All applicants to this program are required to submit听one writing sample demonstrating their ability to effectively communicate at the graduate level. Applicants should be the sole author of the sample, and it should reflect (a) critical thinking and/or synthesis of ideas, and (b) effective organization, logic, and argumentation. Often, an academic term paper or master鈥檚 thesis is the most appropriate choice, regardless of how long ago the paper was written. However, other genres of writing (e.g., journal article, op-ed, district evaluation report) may also be appropriate.听
International Students
Applicants who have completed a degree outside of the United States must have a course-by-course evaluation of their transcript(s) completed by an evaluation company approved by the . Submission of falsified documents is grounds for denial of admission or dismissal from the University.
Applicants who are not native speakers of English and who have not received a degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction must also submit a TOEFL or IELTS test result that meets the minimum score requirement.
Please click the link below for full details on these requirements.
Requirements for International Students
Tip from the Admissions Team: Order your credential evaluation and submit all documents to the evaluator at least one month before your program鈥檚 deadline. During peak application times, delays are common and can lead to missed deadlines.
Quick Links
Contact Us
听 gsoe@bc.edu
听 617-552-4214