Doctor of Education in Instructional Leadership, Management, and Innovation
College of Education and Human Performance
Dr. Sherri Theaker, Interim Dean
Dr. Richard Whitehead, Chair of the Department of Graduate Teaching and Learning, richard.whitehead@westliberty.edu
West Liberty University offers a 60 credit-hour course of study leading to a Doctor of Education degree (Ed.D.). The Ed.D. program is open to graduate-level students and is designed to provide doctoral-level work in a three-year, accelerated Doctor of Education in Instructional Leadership, Management, and Innovation with a culminating dissertation requirement. Each cohort for the program begins with the year one summer term and doctoral students will enroll consecutively in summer, fall, and spring terms for the full three years. The program will require the completion of coursework and a successful dissertation defense to meet the requirements for graduation.
Coursework includes 27 credit-hours in the area of emphasis in leadership, management, and innovation content courses. Additionally, Ed.D. candidates will complete 18 credit-hours in dissertation-based application courses and 15 credit-hours of research-based studies. There is also a built in and required on campus seminar within summer term II in years two and three of the program.
Courses are scheduled in two eight-week terms during the fall and spring semesters, and two six- week terms during the summer. Courses are in an online format. During the last semester of coursework, all Ed.D. candidates will complete a semester-long (16-week) dissertation experience in which they will be expected to present their results and defend their dissertation.
This program is developed to support working professionals in a variety of occupations by implementing research-based practice to create positive change and innovative methods of teaching, learning, and leading. This includes managers and leaders in the workforce and professionals who wish to pursue collegiate or other high-level teaching and administrative positions.
Admission Requirements
General application requirements:
▪ Submit official transcripts.
▪ Students must have a graduate G.P.A. of 3.5 preferred and 3.25 required from a regionally accredited institution.
▪ Submit an up-to-date résumé
▪ Submit three reference contacts
▪ Submit a writing prompt, prompt to be determined by the committee
▪ Complete interview with application committee
▪ Complete the online application form
Graduation Requirements
To ensure competent graduates, the following graduation qualifications for the Ed.D. Program
have been established:
● Cumulative 3.0 GPA in Ed.D. courses;
● Completion of 12 credit-hours in Education Common Core with at least a B in each course;
● Completion of 18 credit-hours in specific area of emphasis with at least a B in each course;
● Successful completion of Ed.D. Professional Dispositions forms in DISS courses;
● Completion of all Ed.D. Benchmark requirements, including successful dissertation
defense
A graduate student must fulfill the requirements listed in the WLU Graduate Catalog that was in
effect at the time of his/her original entrance to WLU. After consulting with his/her assigned
academic advisor, a graduate student may request a change to a more recent Graduate Catalog if
20 it is in his/her best interest to do so. If a graduate student is not enrolled at WLU for at least one
fall or spring semester and decides to reenroll the following academic year, he/she will be
required to complete the graduation requirements of the WLU Graduate Catalog in effect at the
time of reenrollment.
Course Requirements
| EDLM 610 | Orientation to Research & Doctoral Studies | 3 |
| EDLM 611 | Literature Review of Leadership in Management | 3 |
| EDLM 612 | Qualitative Research Methods | 3 |
| EDLM 613 | Quantitative Research Methods | 3 |
| EDLM 614 | Dissertation I: Developing the Strategic Research Plan | 6 |
| EDLM 615 | Cultural Leadership & Organizational Management | 3 |
| EDLM 620 | Research Design & The Prospectus | 3 |
| EDLM 621 | Advanced Research and Leadership Studies I: Seminar | 3 |
| EDLM 622 | Approaches to Data Assessment and Critical Analysis | 3 |
| EDLM 623 | Ethical Issues and Obligations of the Leader | 3 |
| EDLM 624 | Dissertation II: Formalizing the Research Proposal | 6 |
| EDLM 625 | Theory and Practice of Leadership in a Diverse Workplace | 3 |
| EDLM 630 | Budgeting and Management of Finances | 3 |
| EDLM 631 | Advanced Research and Leadership Studies II: Seminar | 3 |
| EDLM 632 | Instructional Management & Innovation of Change | 3 |
| EDLM 633 | Strategic Planning and Forecasting | 3 |
| EDLM 634 | Dissertation III: Application of the Research Results | 6 |
| EDLM 640 | Dissertation IV | 1 |
| EDLM 641 | Dissertation V | 1 |
| EDLM 642 | Dissertation VI | 1 |
| EDLM 643 | Dissertation VII | 1 |
| EDLM 644 | Dissertation VIII | 1 |