Northern Cohort Ed.D. Handbook
for students entering summer 2004
The EdPA Department
Mission, Purpose, and Goals
Program Tracks
- Educational Administration (K-12)
- Higher Education
- Comparative and International Education
- Evaluation Studies
EdPA Faculty and Staff
- Program personnel
- Department Faculty
- Faculty & Staff Directory
Affiliated Centers
- Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI)
- Institute on Community Integration (ICI)
- Minnesota Postsecondary Education Research Institute (Minnesota PERI)
- National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)
- Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP)
Administration and Management of Programs
- Administrative Committee
- Graduate Studies Committee
- Grievance Committee
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. The
Department is in a land-grant and urban university where scholarly and
artistic activities, teaching and mission-related services are
qualified by a realization that its programs should both contribute
to, and be unique within, the State of Minnesota. 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 areas: Educational
Administration (PreK-12), 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 program 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
organized education. The department prepares administrators, scholars,
and analysts for leadership roles in education through the four
complementary but distinct program tracks.
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 governance and management. All of the
above illustrate the commitment of the department to bridging the
fields of practice and theory.
The four program areas in the department work closely together
sharing budget, space, office staff, and graduate assistants. Faculty
members 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 of Wulling
Hall (86 Pleasant Street, SE) on the University’s East Bank campus.
The College of Education and Human Development dean’s offices are
located in Burton Hall, also on the East Bank campus; the offices of
Student Services are on the first and second
floors of Wulling Hall.
The Department of Educational Policy and Administration is organized
in four distinct program tracks, briefly described below: Educational
Administration (PreK-12); Higher Education; Comparative and
International Development Education; and Evaluation Studies. Educational Administration (PreK-12)
The Educational Administration (EdAd) program track offers an array
of learning opportunities for individuals interested in making a
difference in educational systems and settings that involve PreK-12
children and youth. More specifically, the Educational Administration
program track is committed to supporting the development of leaders
who work to continuously improve educational quality and effectiveness
so that young people graduate from secondary education well prepared
to continue their learning and to contribute to their communities.
Specific degree, licensure, and certificate programs are tailored to
meet the learning needs of educators with different academic and
professional goals. For example, some Educational Administration
graduates provide leadership within formal and informal educational
settings, such as schools, school districts, and community-based youth
development programs. Others develop, analyze, and evaluate
educational policies and programs. Still others teach and conduct
research at colleges and universities. A significant number of
graduates rise in their areas of specialization to become leaders at
state and national levels.
Students in the Educational Administration track engage in
rigorous, engaging, and supportive learning experiences. Faculty
ground these learning experiences in theoretical frameworks to promote
understanding and emphasize application to varied contexts of
educational practice. The Educational Administration faculty bring a
wealth of experience and expertise to their teaching, research, and
advising. Areas of faculty expertise include: K-12 school
administration and leadership, educational law and policy, school
finance, technology leadership, staff development, collaborative
models of educational service provision, K-12 program evaluation,
special education, youth development, educational futures, and the
historical, sociological and ethical foundations of education. In
recent years, the program track’s established and nationally
recognized faculty members have been joined by some of the most
accomplished new scholars in the field. The breadth and depth of
faculty expertise provides students with access to a range of content
specialties, educational perspectives, and instructional styles and
modalities.
Higher Education
The Higher Education program track addresses problems and issues in
higher education institutions and systems. The program track attracts
students preparing for roles as future leaders, administrators, policy
analysts, faculty members, and researchers in the field of higher
education. The core curriculum includes intensive studies of
leadership, organization, and policy in higher education institutions
and systems. In addition to taking core courses in higher education
and methodology, students select an area of focus aligned with their
professional interests and career goals. Student colleagues contribute
a wide array of experiences with and interests in diverse
institutions, creating classroom environments with a range of
perspectives and insights. Internships in University offices and
off-campus provide students with opportunities to research and analyze
current issues on-site and to apply their developing leadership skills
and knowledge.
Recent graduates of the M.A. program serve in such positions as
associate director of student affairs, adviser in career services
office, administrative assistant to the registrar, disability
specialist, director of a college computing center, and labor
relations administrator. Graduates of the doctoral programs typically
pursue careers in administration, research, and policy analysis.
The core faculty of the higher education program track has
extensive experience working with colleges and universities as deans,
department heads, chairs of curriculum committees, student affairs
staff, policy analysts, and institutional researchers. Their expertise
includes organizational theory, management, finance, psychology,
economics, public policy and sociology.
The Higher Education program track is also home to the Minnesota
Postsecondary Education Research Institute (Minnesota PERI). Created
in 1999 as a research and service center, Minnesota PERI works to
raise public awareness of critical policy issues in postsecondary
education, critique existing and proposed policies, foster better
understanding of policy implications, and facilitate discussions about
policy development through research and dissemination activities. For
example, the center hosts an on-campus lecture series open to students
on diversity and multiculturalism in Higher Education.
Comparative and International Education
The Comparative and International Development Education program
track (CIDE) provides an opportunity for intensive study in
comparative education, international development education, and
international educational exchange. CIDE uses an interdisciplinary
approach to the study of education's role in economics, political, and
socio-cultural development; international educational exchange; and
the internationalization of education. Graduates of the CIDE program
track, which attracts a considerable number of international students
from Asia, central Asia, South America, and other regions, pursue
careers in teaching, administration, consulting, and counseling in
universities, government agencies, foundations, and private non-profit
organizations.
Foundational coursework in CIDE incorporates relevant knowledge
from the behavioral and social sciences and the humanities, focusing
in the following three areas of inquiry:
- Comparative education examines historical, philosophical and
cross-national perspectives of education through the use of
descriptive and comparative studies of education systems and
outcomes.
- International development education addresses issues of
socio-cultural, international, and community development, academic
achievement, and social stratification, whether in formal systems of
K-12 and higher education or non-formal adult education. Studies in
this area also can include issues of gender equity and multicultural
education.
- International education and exchange education includes study of
the following areas: internationalization of K-12 or higher
education, study abroad program administration and programming,
international education administration at K-12 or higher education
levels, international educational exchange programs, intercultural
education and training, and cultural adjustment and learning.
Coursework in methodology provides students with the analytical
techniques and skills necessary for disciplined inquiry and policy
analysis. Methodology courses are usually selected from statistics,
measurement and evaluation, research methods, computer analysis of
data, psychometrics, and econometrics.
Evaluation Studies
The Evaluation Studies program track offers a unique course of
study to those seeking to inform decision-making processes in a
variety of fields, including education, business, and the social
services. Evaluation Studies students build upon a foundation of
knowledge in evaluation theory and practice, supplemented with
coursework in such areas as organizational development education
systems, and conflict resolution. Evaluation Studies students take a
range of qualitative and quantitative methods courses, and become
versed in such areas as survey design, statistical data analysis, and
qualitative inquiry. Most importantly, students apply new knowledge in
real-world settings through internships and assistantships. Our
graduates leave with a portfolio filled with evidence of their
expertise with the tools of the evaluation trade—qualitative and
quantitative inquiry methods, communication skills, and computer
database analysis experience. Evaluation knowledge and skills are
gleaned not only from time in the classroom but also from internships
and collaboration with evaluation professionals in real-world
settings.
Evaluation Studies students have access to some of the best
evaluators in the field. One of the program track's faculty members
recently received the American Evaluation Association’s Myrdahl Award
for Evaluation Practice. Other faculty members and regular speakers
have written books on their areas of expertise. In addition, the
Minnesota Evaluation Studies Institute, held each summer in the Twin
Cities and sponsored by the Department of Educational Policy and
Administration, provides students with an opportunity to learn and
reflect on relevant issues in evaluation with other national experts
and practitioners.
EdPA Faculty and Staff
Department Faculty
For a complete list of department faculty, including contact
information, areas of research and interest, and recent publications,
please see the EdPA
department faculty page.
Faculty & Staff Directory
A quick reference
directory of faculty and staff is also available.
Affiliated Centers
Center
for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI)
The Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement
(CAREI) creates connections between the College and Minnesota's schools to reform
educational practice and improve overall effectiveness, disseminate research
results, provide incentives and technical assistance for collaborative school-based
research, and address educational issues of state and national importance.
(612-624-0300; www.cehd.umn.edu/CAREI) Institute on Community
Integration (ICI)
The Institute on Community Integration (ICI) is committed to
preventing and reducing the limiting effects of disabilities. ICI applies its
resources to improve the quality and community orientation of professional services
and social supports available to individuals with disabilities and their families.
The Institute is a University Affiliated Program on Developmental Disabilities,
supported in part by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. (612-624-6300, www.ici.umn.edu)
Minnesota Postsecondary
Education Research Institute (Minnesota-PERI)
The Minnesota Postsecondary Education Research Institute was created
in 1999 to raise public awareness of critical policy issues in
postsecondary education, critique existing and proposed policies,
foster better understanding of policy implications, and facilitate
discussions about policy development through its research and
dissemination activities. (612-625-0773, www.cehd.umn.edu/PEPSC)
National Center on
Educational Outcomes (NCEO)
The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) works with state
and federal agencies to identify important, measurable educational
outcomes for children and youth from birth to adulthood and conducts
research on outcome assessment.
Education Policy Fellowship
Program (EPFP)
The Minnesota site of the Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP)
is in its 26th year. This year long professional development program
has helped over 285 individuals effect change in education and human
services systems. EPFP is affiliated with the Institute for
Educational Leadership, Inc. in Washington, D.C.. (202-822-8405,
www.iel.org/programs/epfp.html)
Administration and Management of Programs
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., Doctoral
Examinations Committee, Ed.D. Curriculum Committee. Administrative Committee
Administrative Committee is chaired by the Department Chair and
composed of the DGS 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
Graduate Studies Committee is chaired by the DGS and composed of the
four program coordinators. The committee recommends standards for
admissions, reviews applications, and makes recommendations to the
Graduate School regarding admissions. This committee also provides
oversight, direction, and recommendations regarding all of the EdPA
degree programs. Grievance Committee
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.
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Updated 4/4/04
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