Educational Leadership & Administration (Ed.D.)

Are you a current or aspiring educational leader in a K-12 school, college or university, or industry? Do you want to improve your skills in effective leadership, collaborative practice, and organizational improvement? If so, East Stroudsburg University’s Doctorate of Education (Ed.D) in Leadership and Administration may be the career booster that you are looking for.

Grounded in a belief that effective leaders play a key role in advancing their institutions, the Ed.D. program centers on developing leaders’ ability to both envision innovative improvement strategies and build collaborative professional relationships with the goal of improved student and organizational outcomes. Both research-based and clinically oriented, ESU’s executive cohort model provides the scheduling flexibility and collegial support required by working education professionals.

Why ESU?

• Cohort based: Students support one another through the process. PhD work is a challenge since most students are currently vested in their careers. The cohort encourages students to share strategies to overcome obstacles to success. Students sharpen each other to become the best that each can be in their domain.
• Designed for working professionals Executive Model: Courses meet 5/semester over the weekends based on dates agreed on by the cohort. Students choose the dates and so have agency over the schedule. Courses are taught at the ESU Campus in downtown Bethlehem for convenient access.
• 4 Retreats: Retreats provide an in-depth and intense focus on topics that develop a strong depth of knowledge.
• Expedited: Students take 2 classes a semester. They can work on their dissertation throughout the process. Coursework is completed in 3 years with dissertation defense occurring after coursework completion.

What You'll Learn

The ESU doctoral program prepares leaders for innovation and improvement. Action Research is the paradigm that supports being a leader of change, and so, our doctoral program will focus on the action research paradigm and methods throughout course progression to facilitate the dissertation process.

Coursework focuses on the application of leadership theory to practice as well as the development of effective research and academic writing skills.

Career Opportunnities

In a variety of settings, graduates of ESU’s doctoral program in Educational Leadership and Administration provide transformational leadership in their school districts, colleges and universities, and corporate educational settings, improving the knowledge and skills of countless students and colleagues.

• The cohort approach provides a built-in network of professional colleagues that support each other throughout the doctoral program and beyond.
• Cohort retreats and workshops supplement the coursework by building collegial professional relationships, fostering collaboration among cohort members, and enhancing problem-solving skills.

Research Opportunities

Dissertation research culminates with students’ scholarly work by systematically investigating an original research problem, potential findings, and defending their thesis before an expert panel.

When the students investigate a problem or question, they analyze past works that could contribute to the understanding of the problem, and study potential answers.

The student becomes the expert on the topic through rigorous study, implementation, defense, and finally, publication.

There are multiple methods that could be used including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research designs that align with the problem being studied.

To prepare for dissertation studies, coursework embeds opportunities to practice various methodologies in a real-world setting, including an action research project related to the student's dissertation topic.

Application Requirements

Applications to the Ed.D. program are accepted in the year before a new cohort begins. We are currently accepting applications for the Fall 2025 cohort. The application process for this program is divided into two phases.

1. Application Phase:
   The Graduate College coordinates the application process for the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration. All doctoral candidates must complete a Graduate School Application Packet including the following items:
   1. On-line Application
   2. Official Undergraduate Transcript(s)
   3. Official Graduate Transcript(s) – must include a minimum of a completed master’s degree
   4. Two (2) Letters of Recommendation
   5. Professional Resume
   6. Professional Goals Statement
2. Acceptance Phase:
   

   The acceptance phase of the application process is competitive. As such, the Professional and Secondary Education Department (PSED) faculty will review each application and select candidates to participate in two additional screening activities:

   1. Interview at the ESU Lehigh Valley Campus in Bethlehem or through the Zoom videoconferencing software.
   2. Writing prompt submitted to the PSED department for their review by the date specified.

Upon completion of the application and acceptance phases, the Graduate Office will notify successful candidates of their admittance to the program. Doctoral students accepting the offer of admission will attend an orientation session prior to the start of coursework.

Common Forms and Resources