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| Graduate Catalog 2002-2004 |
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION PROGRAM
Leadership in Administration
Leadership in Curriculum and Instruction
About the Doctorate in Education
The College of Education offers two doctoral degree programs: Leadership
in Administration and Leadership in Curriculum and Instruction. These programs
emphasize the development of expertise in professional practice and are intended
for individuals pursuing careers as school and district administrators, program
administrators, staff developers, curriculum developers, teacher educators,
and classroom teachers. In addition, the Doctoral Program has a Superintendent
Fellows Program. This program is designed for those doctoral students in Leadership
in Administration who have firm career goals to be school district superintendents.
The program may be completed in three years and must be completed in six years. The first two years are devoted to coursework and the remaining time to completing the dissertation.
Each fall a new cohort of approximately thirty students is admitted, fifteen in each degree program. Each student becomes part of a stable cohort of students. Faculty make an effort to create a collegial, friendly and collaborative environment that supports rigorous study. The cohort stays together for the three years of the program.
The full-time faculty in the Ed.D. Program are all professors with considerable expertise in their subject area. Because they teach only in the doctoral program, they are able to give extensive professional and academic advisement to students. Other professors in the College of Education and clinical faculty will teach courses in the curriculum; these professors are also recognized leaders/experts in their subject area.
The curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive program for students. The courses and assignments are carefully coordinated and sequenced to facilitate student growth from course to course. Graduates will possess broad understandings of curriculum and instruction or administration as well as individual areas of specialization.
The Ed.D. Program will always offer the courses as they are laid out in the curriculum - students can count on course offerings not being cancelled. Courses are offered at the same times each year so students can plan their personal schedules.
The Ed.D. program has the purpose of developing better practitioners. This is accomplished by melding theory, academic study and practice in course readings, assignments and dissertations.
All candidates receive a strong grounding in research and inquiry. It is possible to specialize in quantitative or qualitative methods; historical, philosophical, linguistic and theoretical methods of inquiry can be accommodated. Candidates are expected to conduct research in areas relevant to their practice and to apply research appropriately.
Superintendent Fellows Program
The Superintendent Fellows Program is a feature of the Doctoral Program
for those who desire to become school district superintendents. It is sponsored
by the College of Education of Aurora University with advisors from the public
and private sectors. Specifically, the chief executives of the school districts
in Kane County, Illinois will serve as advisors and assist in the selection
and placement of the Superintendent Fellows at the conclusion of their program.
The program that will select its first class of fellows for the 2003-2004 academic year expects to attract the most talented potential superintendents from a pool of quality applicants. Individuals who seek the Superintendent Fellows Program are those who strive to become superb instructional leaders; politically astute coalition builders; expert managers of human and financial resources; and scholar practitioners who add to the knowledge base through their own research. Additionally, they will have a desire to increase their own knowledge of best practices and engender continuous improvement in the instructional leadership of teachers and principals.
The target population for recruiting fellows will be Kane County and the surrounding areas. However, applicants from across the state of Illinois are welcome to apply. It is assumed that the natural pool of applicants will reside within reasonable commuting distance of Aurora University.
Four to six Superintendent Fellows will be competitively selected each year through a nominations and application procedure followed by an intense screening and examination process. The Kane County chief executives, the superintendent of the Kane County Regional Office of Education, professional members of the University's department of educational leadership and a principal of a private placement firm will participate in the lengthy selection process. It is assumed that typical Superintendent Fellows will be holding responsible positions in local school districts.
The fellows will receive didactic instruction, field study, and clinical laboratory study in the doctoral program at the University. They will be a part of the regular doctoral cohort for the year selected, but will receive enhanced experiences and learning unique to the superintendency. A clinical and field component will be acquired through job related experiences at cooperating institutions. Mentoring provided by practitioner scholars, superintendent shadowing, school visits and attendance at state and national conferences will enhance the core and specialization areas.
At or near the completion of the doctoral program, the fellows will be assisted by Aurora University and its partners in their placement as superintendents across the state of Illinois and beyond.
Individuals interested in applying for the Ed.D. Superintendent Fellows Program should submit an application for admission to the Doctoral Program. In addition to the basic application, the applicant must submit a typed explanation of why he/she feels that he/she possesses the qualities to become a successful superintendent of schools. The document should be no longer than three typed pages.
Applications for the Superintendent Fellows Program will be evaluated by the panel as earlier stated, including discussion with the references listed in the application. All applicants (including those from Kane County) need to list references when applying for this program. A select number of applicants will be invited to interview with the panel, from which a final decision will be made as to which candidates will be accepted.
Admission Procedures for
the Doctoral Program
The candidate must complete the admission portfolio and submit it to
Aurora University. The admission portfolio will be assessed for the following:
leadership, ability, communication ability, and scholarship. Approximately thirty
students will be accepted each year, about fifteen into each of the two strands
of the program. The required content for the admission portfolio includes:
Annual Portfolio
Each year, in August, candidates submit to the Doctoral Studies committee
a portfolio, with examples such as papers, projects, etc., that addresses the
progress made toward achieving the ten learning outcomes expected of candidates
who complete the doctoral program. The annual review of portfolios replaces
the comprehensive examination that is commonly a requirement of a doctoral degree.
Candidates who are pursuing endorsements will also address the progress they
have made toward meeting the requirements for the endorsement.
Degree Requirements for the Ed.D. Program
Curriculum/Schedule
Candidates who seek to complete their degrees in three years will complete
seven courses each year as follows. Candidates on the lengthened program would
take one course in the fall and winter terms completing all coursework by the
end of the third year. All courses are taught on Wednesday evening and Saturday
morning except during the first term when the classes are taught on Monday evening
and Saturday morning.
Leadership in Educational Administration
Year 1:
EDU711/811 School Reform/School
Renewal
EDU712 Policy Analysis/Research
EDU713 The Dynamics of Educational
Organizations
EDU701/801 Introduction to
Educational Research
EDU714 Seminar in Advanced
Education Law
EDU715 Administration I: Advanced
Human Resources Administration
EDU716 Administration II:
Internal and External Relations
Year 2:
EDU723 The Dynamics of Organizational
Change
EDU710/810 Quantitative Research
OR
EDU719/819 Qualitative Research
EDU717 Administration III:
Administration of Educational Facilities
EDU722 Administrative IV:
Economics of Education
EDU725/825 Principles and
Practices of Program Evaluation
EDU726 The Modern Superintendency
EDU724 Administration of Technology
and Technology for Administration
Year 3:
No specific courses have been designated for this year. Candidates complete
six hours of directed/other studies, a proposal and a dissertation (EDU790/890).
Leadership in Curriculum and Instruction
Year 1:
EDU711/811 School Reform/School
Renewal
EDU812 Leadership for the
Professional Educator
EDU813 Curriculum I: Foundations
for Curriculum Studies
EDU701/801 Introduction to
Educational Research
EDU816 Clinical Supervision
and Teacher Development
EDU821 Curriculum II: Curriculum
for Diversity
EDU815 Technology for Educators
and Education for Technology
Year 2:
EDU814 Curriculum III: Principles
and Practice of Curriculum Design
EDU710/810 Quantitative Research
OR
EDU719/819 Qualitative Research
EDU822 Teaching: Current Research
and Theory
EDU823 Language and Learning
EDU725/825 Principles and
Practices of Program Evaluation
EDU826 Urban Education
EDU824 Assessment in Education
Year 3:
No specific courses have been designated for this year. Candidates complete
six hours of directed/other studies, a proposal and a dissertation (EDU790/890).
Doctoral Program Faculty