Higher Education-Community College Leadership, Ed.D.

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Objective

The Community College Leadership Doctoral Program is designed to prepare students for senior level leadership roles and professorial positions within the community college setting. The intense program of study leading to a Doctor of Education Degree focuses on training professionals for the unique situations encountered by senior administrators and faculty in community colleges. A major emphasis of the program is research relevant to the issues and concerns of community colleges.

Program Foundation

The Community College Leadership Doctoral Program offers students a stimulating and highly structured year-round program of study. The Program is designed for working professionals who are committed to attaining a Doctor of Education Degree. Morgan’s mission is to serve a multiethnic and multiracial student body and to help ensure that the benefits of higher education are enjoyed by a broad segment of the population. To help fulfill the University’s mission, the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program provides a program of study that prepares students to emerge from the program equipped to handle the unique and diverse leadership challenges associated with leading and teaching in 21st century community colleges. The College Leadership Doctoral Program is based on the belief that community college leadership requires the following specific knowledge base and competencies (American Association of Community Colleges, 2005):

Community College Advocacy
Organizational Strategy
Leadership Development
Resource Management
Communication
Collaboration
Professionalism

Educational Learning and Cohort Model

The Educational Leadership Learning and Cohort Model used in the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program creates an environment that prepares students to take advantage of many professional opportunities available in the nation’s community colleges. Throughout the program of study, the learner investigates and works on issues relevant to community college leadership and teaching. Students work collaboratively in teams to research trends and issues and their focus is to aid in the resolution of problems relating to current community colleges. Courses are offered year-round with classes meeting on Friday evenings and all day Saturday. Cohorts can complete the program requirements in approximately three years by following the prescriptive course design. The program of study promotes diversity and equity in all entities of the community college environment

Admission Portfolio

Admission to the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program is approved each fall semester. Students are selected based on the following multiple criteria:

A complete application.
A statement of application indicating career goals, including information on the need for a Doctor of Education degree in meeting stated goals.
Official transcripts reflecting all academic work completed at a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
Scores on the Miller Analogies Test or the Graduate Record Examination (Test scores may not be more than five (5) years old from the date of application to the program).
Three letters of recommendation from people who are familiar with the applicant’s scholarship and leadership potential.
A personal interview with the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program Admissions Committee.
Completed supplemental application.
Willingness to matriculate through the program of study as a member of a cohort group.

Residency Requirements

Students enrolling in the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program must commit to participating in a Cohort Program. Participating in the first year of the program of study satisfies residency requirements.

General Requirements for Degree

All candidates for the Community College Leadership doctoral program must enter as a member of a cohort. Members of the Cohort must commit to this collaborative experience throughout the entire program of study.

All candidates must complete a minimum of sixty-three (63) credit hours at Morgan after admission to the program. Previously completed credits may not be used to reduce the minimum requirements.

All candidates must select a specialized internship or practicum in a community college. The internship must be approved by the Program Coordinator prior to beginning the internship.

After completion of twelve (12) credits, all new doctoral students in the Community College Leadership doctoral program will receive a 12 credit review. This review consists of a personal meeting with the Program Coordinator to review the student’s academic progress. At this time, the student and the Program Coordinator will make a determination as to the student’s academic standing and the student’s continuation in the program. All candidates for the EdD degree in Higher Education must complete the requirements of the Community College Leadership doctoral program’s foundation courses before continuing in the program of study.

The Community College Leadership Program has a curriculum that follows a structured sequence. Students who are not able to take a course or may have to drop a course must register for the course the following year. Please note that taking a course out of sequence may affect candidacy for the comprehensive examination and graduation since courses are only offered once a year.

All candidates must pass both a written and oral comprehensive examination during the scheduled date(s) set by the program coordinator. These comprehensive examinations may be repeated only once. To be eligible to take the comprehensive examinations, the student must have completed a minimum of 45 credit hours, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and have no “I” or “F” grades.

Each candidate participating in the Community College Leadership doctoral program must submit a dissertation concept paper by the end of the second year of study. This paper initiates the final set of requirements of the program including the internship, concept paper, written and oral comprehensives, proposal, IRB, and final defense of dissertation. The dissertation committee must be named at this time, including a committee chair; this committee will oversee the final stages of student work toward dissertation completion.

All candidates in Community College Leadership doctoral program must write and submit a dissertation. When the dissertation has been completed to the satisfaction of the committee chairperson (and the DASLP department chair), a dissertation defense will be scheduled during which the students must orally defend his or her work before the entire dissertation committee.

All requirements for the EdD degree in Higher Education must be completed within a period of seven consecutive years. The granting of a leave of absence by the School of Graduate Studies does not automatically extend the time limit.