2005-06 Ed.D. Handbook

The EdPA department

Department mission, purpose, and goals

The mission of the Department of Educational Policy and Administration is guided by the missions of both the University and the College of Education and Human Development, and is directed by an awareness of being part of a University that is responsive to its national and international opportunities in scholarship.

Three related purposes give direction to departmental activities. A priority of the department is to initiate, sponsor, and support research and development activities that will enhance the body of knowledge and techniques that constitute the four program tracks: educational administration, evaluation studies, higher education, and comparative and international development education.

Central to the purpose of the department is the development and provision of professional preparation programs for persons seeking positions in the four areas. The Department of Educational Policy and Administration is committed to the study of educational policy and to the preparation of leaders who can act effectively and ethically within the structures, processes, and cultural contexts of education. The department prepares administrators, scholars, and analysts for leadership roles in education through the four complementary but distinct program tracks: higher education, comparative and international development education, educational leadership and administration, and program evaluation.

The department also seeks to provide mission-related service through disciplined study of the needs of educational and human service organizations and to provide leadership in the solution of current problems in educational leadership, governance and management. All of the above illustrate the commitment of the department to bridging the fields of practice and theory.

The four program tracks in the department work closely together sharing budget, space, office staff, and graduate assistance. Faculty sometimes teach in more than one area in the department as well as in other departments. The Department of Educational Policy and Administration is housed on the third and fourth floors and some offices are also located on the first floor in Wulling Hall on the University’s East Bank campus. The College of Education and Human Development‘s Dean’s offices are located in Burton Hall.

Administration and management of programs

Governance
The department chair is responsible for leadership of the department and management of resources. The director of graduate studies (DGS), elected by the department faculty, chairs the Graduate Studies Committee and represents the department to the University administration. The committees described below support the functioning of the Department of Educational Policy and Administration. Other ad hoc committees are established as issues evolve, e.g., the Examinations Committee.

Administrative Committee is chaired by the department chair and composed of the DGS, coordinator of graduate studies (CGS), and coordinators of each of the four program tracks. The committee addresses general policies and procedures of the department and considers any special issues that arise.

Graduate Studies Committee is chaired by the DGS and composed of the four program coordinators and the coordinator of graduate studies. The committee recommends standards for admissions, reviews applications, and makes recommendations to the Graduate School regarding admissions.

Grievance Committee is composed of faculty members, students, and civil service staff. The committee is an advisory committee that confers with the College Grievance Review Officer to resolve issues when informal attempts have not succeeded.

Advising
Students are assigned a faculty adviser upon entry into their program. The faculty co-coordinators of the Ed.D. program for international school educators serve as advisers until a dissertation adviser is determined (usually after the second year of enrollment in the program). The initial faculty adviser serves as a program adviser providing information and guidance to the student in course selection, filing of program, and general progress.

Once students identify the area of their dissertation research and have become acquainted with department faculty, students may want to select a different faculty member to serve as their dissertation adviser. It is important to note that the initial program faculty adviser is not necessarily intended to continue for the duration of the graduate student’s program. To find a good adviser match for their thesis topic, students are encouraged to meet and become acquainted with various program faculty over the first year of their study. The faculty believe that the match of a regular adviser and student should be mutually acceptable, ultimately resulting in the advisement or co-advisement of the Ed.D. thesis. Change of adviser form [.pdf]

Students who elect to add a program minor will have a minor adviser in addition to their major adviser. The minor adviser must be a member of the student committee and serve on the examining committee.

Annual Student Progress Review
Each spring the department reviews the program progress of all students. This review process is viewed as a way of supporting our students in their professional development, and in their progression and completion of the benchmarks towards their degree. This annual review assures that any progress problems are identified early so that students receive timely guidance when appropriate.

If applicable, faculty will identify a timeline by which benchmarks should be completed. Students are responsible for contacting their advisers to develop plans for making satisfactory progress by the deadlines. Students are strongly urged to develop an electronic portfolio to track their professional development and progress through their graduate program. An electronic portfolio, e-folio, is available at no cost to university students.