Leadership and Professional Practice, Ed.D.

Dr. David W. Rausch, Program Director

Dr. Elizabeth K. Crawford, Program Advisor

Ms. Becca McCashin, Program Coordinator

(423) 425-5445 or by email at utclead@utc.edu

 

The multidisciplinary Leadership and Professional Practice Doctoral Program (EdD) is designed to develop reflective practitioners in a variety of organizations/institutions; and focus on the interwoven nature of leadership, decision-making, and learning; emphasizing the proficiency that individuals will need as they pursue the challenges of ever-changing processes and practices. Participants will demonstrate competency in the following program domains: Learning, Leadership, and Professional/Instructional Practice; Measurement and Inquiry; and Communication. 

Each participant is required to successfully complete a foundational course during the initial Summer semester. All required courses are offered via online delivery (Virtual Classroom). Following successful completion of the foundational course, each participant is required to enroll in sequence of core courses (6 credit hours per semester) year-round (Fall, Spring, and Summer) until the core is completed. Once the core program has been completed, each participant works to complete elective requirements, the Comprehensive Assessment, Pre-Research Project of Practice Seminar, and Research Project of Practice. The Comprehensive Assessment is the culminating assessment event that must be successfully completed prior to advancement to candidacy and to beginning work on the Research Project of Practice. 

The Doctor of Education: Leadership and Professional Practice degree requires a minimum of 66 credit hours:

1. Learning and Leadership: Induction and Integration: 1 credit hour
2. Core (cohort experience): 24 credit hours 
3. Electives: 24 credit hours
4. Pre-Research Project of Practice Seminar: 5 credit hours
5. Research Project of Practice: 12 credit hours minimum 

Admission Requirements

Applicants are required to meet two levels of admission: admission to the Graduate School and admission to the doctoral program.

Admission to the Graduate School requires:

1. Receipt of a master’s degree (or equivalent) from a regionally accredited institution
2. Grade point average of 3.0 on all graduate coursework

Graduate Application Process

1. A completed Graduate Application
2. Payment of a $35 Domestic; $40 International nonrefundable application fee
3. An official transcript from each college or university previously attended, even if a degree was not awarded. These transcripts must be sent directly from the institutions to the Graduate School Office.
4. Statement of Purpose Essay
5. Current Resume/CV
6. Three (3) recommendations

*Applicants who reach the second phase of the application process will be invited to a video conference interview.

 

Applicants whose native language is not English will also need to provide certification of English proficiency. Official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) must be submitted. A TOEFL score of 550 (213 on the computer-based test, or 79 on the Internet-based test) or above, or an IELTS score of 6.0 or higher, is required unless the applicant meets the conditions outlined in “Graduate Admission Tests” under “Admission Requirements” to apply for an exemption to the TOEFL/IELTS requirement.

Admission to the Doctoral Program

The Leadership and Professional Practice Doctoral Program requires a minimum of two years of professional experience in an organizational/institutional setting, preferably in a leadership role.

Application Review Process

The Admission Committee considers all required items holistically in the admission process. A select group of applicants who reach the second phase of the application review process will be invited to a video conference interview. Upon completion of the admissions interview, the Admission Committee will recommend to the Program Director the approval or denial of the applicant. The Program Director will submit the admission recommendations to the Graduate School. Applicants will be notified of their admission status by the UTC Graduate School.

Program of Study

The participant will file the Program of Study upon successful completion of the following requirements:

1. Successful completion of 13 credit hours
2. Successful achievement of a cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0 or above in the doctoral program with no more than two grades below a “B”

Admission to Candidacy

The participant will be admitted to degree candidacy upon successful completion of the following requirements:

1. Academic good standing 
2. Successful completion of all required and elective credit hours (except LEAD 7750r Pre-Project of Practice Seminar)
3. Successful achievement of a cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0 or above in the doctoral program with no more than two grades below a “B” 
4. Successful completion/defense of the Comprehensive Assessment

Graduation Requirements

1. Successful completion of 42 required credit hours and 24 credit hours of electives
2. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in the doctoral program with no more than two grades below a “B”
3. Successful completion/defense of the Comprehensive Assessment
4. Successful completion/defense of the Research Project of Practice and approval by the Graduate School

Program Time Limit

There is a ten-year limit for completing all degree requirements for the doctorate in Leadership and Professional Practice. All doctoral course work and the successful defense of the Research Project of Practice must be completed within ten years. The ten year time frame begins with the earliest course applied to the doctoral program of study, including any applicable transfer credits.

Maintaining Active Enrollment

In the doctoral program, each participant must remain continuously enrolled in course work from the start of the program (cohort experience) through the successful defense of the Research Project of Practice and acceptance of the Research Project of Practice by the Graduate School. Continuous enrollment in the doctoral program applies to the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Failure to remain continuously enrolled will result in program dismissal.

Each participant is required to successfully complete a foundational course during the initial Summer semester. Following successful completion of the foundational course, each participant is required to enroll in a minimum of six (6) core credit hours as described in the core course sequence. Enrollment in more or less than 6 core credit hours (at UTC or other institution) requires Program Director/Advisor pre-approval in writing.  

Once the core program of study has been completed, the participant is required to remain continuously enrolled in elective course work (between 3-6 elective credit hours per semester). If a participant enrolls in approved elective coursework at another institution and does not enroll at UTC for the given semester, the participant must provide the LEAD Program Office with official proof of enrollment by the end of the UTC registration period in order to satisfy continuous enrollment standards.

Upon admission to candidacy, the candidate is required to enroll in LEAD 7750r Pre-Research Project of Practice Seminar. Upon successful completion of LEAD 7750r Pre-Research Project of Practice Seminar, the candidate is required to continuously enroll in a minimum of three (3) and maximum of six (6) LEAD 7889r Research Project of Practice credits every semester through the successful defense and acceptance of the Research Project of Practice by the Graduate School. Failure to remain continuously enrolled will result in program dismissal.

Requesting a Leave of Absence

After successful completion of the foundational course, a participant may request a one-time leave of absence. If approved at the program level, the request will be submitted for review to the Graduate School. The leave of absence may not exceed one calendar year (maximum of three semesters). If the participant has not yet advanced to candidacy prior to the leave of absence, s/he will not be permitted to enroll in any course work during the leave of absence (core, elective, or transfer credits). If the participant has advanced to candidacy prior to the leave of absence, s/he is not permitted to conduct any material work on the Research Project of Practice or collect any data during the leave of absence. The participant’s academic standing will not be affected by the leave of absence. If a participant fails to enroll once the leave of absence has expired, the participant will be dismissed from the program. The complete Leave of Absence policy, including the pregnancy/childbirth/adoption leave policy, is available in the Graduate School Academic Policies.

Request to Withdraw

If a participant elects to withdraw completely from the doctoral program, s/he must notify the Program Director in writing of his/her intent to withdraw and drop any currently enrolled courses. The participant is accountable for fulfillment of any outstanding financial or academic responsibilities. Once withdrawn (or dismissed), a participant would need to apply to the doctoral program in order to return. Readmission would require full participation in the program admission process and all regulations in effect at the time.

Elective Courses

Each doctoral participant is required to complete a minimum number of elective credits. Elective courses may only be taken during the core program of study with approval from the participant’s Program Director/Advisor. The participant, with Program Director/Advisor approval, will identify and successfully complete coursework in subject matter related to his/her professional practice. All elective courses (LEAD and non-LEAD) must meet minimum eligibility requirements and must be approved by the Program Director/Advisor.

Minimum Elective Courses Requirements:

• Credits must be taken for graduate credit (5000-level or above) from a regionally accredited institution
• Credits must have documented objectives or outcomes that are consistent with the graduate level learning (higher order thinking skills)
• Credits must be academic in nature (not internship, practicum, continuing education, etc.)
• Credits must be assigned a letter grade of “B” or higher
• Credits used for a previous Master’s degree cannot be used for elective credit hours
• Credits must be approved by the Program Director/Advisor and Graduate School Dean as part of the Program of Study

Transfer Credit Policy

• Any transfer credit cannot exceed 24 graduate hours and are limited to elective credit
• Any transfer credit requests for previous coursework should be submitted to the Program Director/Advisor along with the course syllabus(i) from the semester the course was taken. 
• Previous transfer credits must have been taken within five years of entrance to the program
• Any additional transfer credit must be approved in advance and requests must be accompanied by a course syllabus (the most recent version available, no more than a year old) and an official transcript must be submitted upon completion and approved courses

The following types of courses will not be accepted as elective credit toward the doctoral program:

• Courses designed as bridging or leveling work for Master’s programs (Foundations of…, Concepts in…, etc.)
• Courses that are very similar in scope to core coursework 
• Courses offered at the undergraduate level (4000) with a graduate (5000) option

Project of Practice

Each participant will complete and defend a Research Project of Practice. The Research Project of Practice represents the culminating project for the degree. In the completion of the Research Project of Practice, the candidate will show evidence of competence in conceptualizing, carrying out, and reporting research. Doctoral candidates are required to be continuously enrolled in a minimum of 3 LEAD 7899r Research Project of Practice credits (maximum of 6 credits) every semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer) until the Research Project of Practice has been successfully defended and approved by the Graduate School. Failure to meet continuous enrollment standards will result in program dismissal.

Project of Practice Committee Formation

The Research Project of Practice committee is comprised of three members: the Project Chair, one faculty committee member, and two committee members, one of whom could represent the participant’s organization/institution (External Reviewer). The Project Chair must be a member of the LEAD faculty and possess full graduate faculty status. All members of the committee must hold graduate faculty status at UTC. It is the responsibility of the Project Chair to guide the learner in the selection of the committee. Members of the committee should include individuals whom the Project Chair and learner believe can make substantive contributions to the learner’s project. All members of the Project of Practice committee agree to utilize the Research Project of Practice course space, hosted on the university’s Learning Management System (LMS) UTC Learn. The Program Director and the Dean of the Graduate School shall approve the membership of the Research Project of Practice committee.