2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Education - Doctoral Studies

Courses

EDU 808. Ideas that Shape American Education. 3 Hours

Provides students the historical bases for policy decisions. The primary expectation is that students learn to use the history of education as a foundation for policy making. Also offered as EDU 908.

EDU 821. Organizational Theory. 3 Hours

Organizational theory.

EDU 841. History, Philosophy & Curriculum of Higher Education. 3 Hours

This course examines the evolution of higher education in the United States from the colonial era to the present. Particular attention is given to the purpose(s) and curriculum of higher education as they evolved in American society. Also offered as EDU 941.

EDU 842. Student Choice in Higher Education. 3 Hours

This course examines the factors that influence student choice in higher education, including decisions about attending college, which college to attend, program of study, persistence, and graduate education. The ways in which student choice research can inform the development and refinement of enrollment management, student support services, and academic program development will also be analyzed and discussed. Also offered as EDU 942.

EDU 843. Critical Reflection in Higher Education. 3 Hours

This course examines the convergence between the literature on reflective practice, leadership theory, and leadership in higher education. Particular attention is given to the role of critical reflection in improving the practice of leadership in higher education. Also offered as EDU 943.

EDU 844. Building Learning Communities in Higher Education. 3 Hours

This graduate course will explore concepts and theories related to increasing responsibility and productivity in administrative and academic units in colleges and universities through the development, administration, and assessment of learning communities.

EDU 845. Finance & Policy in Higher Education. 3 Hours

This course examines the literature on public policy, public finance of higher education, and critical social issues in higher education. It will explore the role of government agencies in the funding and regulation of financial and social issues in higher education. Also offered as EDU 945.

EDU 846. Legal Issues in Higher Education. 3 Hours

This course examines the literature on the law and higher education. It will provide a perspective on what active higher education administrators need to know about legal issues. Also offered as EDU 946.

EDU 847. The Professoriate. 3 Hours

This course explores the historical development and cultural foundations of the faculty role especially the socialization process, values, work styles, career patterns, and the labor market. Research on the issues that impact faculty at all types of academic institutions is discussed. Also offered as EDU 947.

EDU 904. Dissertation. 1-8 Hours

Course is designed to provide each Ph.D. candidate the opportunity to pursue, with faculty guidance and support, inquiry on a topic of personal significance which also promises to add to the knowledge base of the profession. Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of comprehensive examination.

EDU 908. Ideas that Shape American Education. 3 Hours

Provides students the historical bases for policy decisions. The primary expectation is that students learn to use the history of education as a foundation for policy making. Also offered as EDU 808.

EDU 914. Ethics in Educational Leadership. 3 Hours

In this doctoral seminar, students carefully examine the moral dimension of decision-making in educational leadership. Particular attention is given to the development of a model for the articulation of moral views and its application to case situations.

EDU 919. Independent Study. 1-3 Hours

By permission of the program director only.

EDU 921. Organizational Theory. 3 Hours

Development of organizational concepts that will help educational leaders become skilled organizational diagnosticians. Emphasis will be centered upon organizational behavior and how the leader can use the theories and research of the field in dealing with problems involving people.

EDU 922. Organizational Change & Development. 3 Hours

Development of the fundamental concepts and procedures relative to effective planning. Applications of these concepts will also be made to program development and evaluation.

EDU 933. Leadership Theory, Research and Practice. 3 Hours

This course provides an overview of essential leadership theories, including constructs related to followership and situational factors. Course materials and activities will be directed to critical analysis of leadership theory and research. Knowledge will be applied through class discussion and case study. Focused research will be used to develop greater critical understanding of leadership theory. Leadership assessments will be used to deepen knowledge of theory, increase awareness or personal leadership characteristics and behaviors, and develop a plan for personal leadership development.

EDU 934. Leadership and Problems of Practice in Organizations. 3 Hours

This course is designed to refine students’ ability to apply leadership theory in order to identify problems of practice, explore alternative solutions, and investigate implications of various actions.

EDU 935. Finance. 2 Hours

This course examines the literature on finance relevant to educational institutions, healthcare organizations, nonprofits and similar organizations. It will explore the role of government agencies and non-government organizations in the funding and regulation of financial and social issues relevant to these organizations and the communities they serve.

EDU 936. Law and Public Policy in Organizations. 2 Hours

EDU 936 addresses legal and policy issues pertinent to the legal rights and responsibilities of leaders in educational and other types of organizations. The course also reviews legal and policy processes, structures of the law, legislation/litigation, and practices to avoid legal infringements. EDU 936 places primary emphasis on preparing organizational leaders to deal effectively with legal issues.

EDU 941. History, Philosophy & Curriculum of Higher Education. 3 Hours

This course examines the evolution of higher education in the United States from the colonial era to the present. Particular attention is given to the purpose(s) and curriculum of higher education as they evolved in American society. Also offered as EDU 841.

EDU 942. Student Choice in Higher Education. 3 Hours

This course examines the factors that influence student choice in higher education, including decisions about attending college, which college to attend, program of study, persistence, and graduate education. The ways in which student choice research can inform the development and refinement of enrollment management, student support services, and academic program development will also be analyzed and discussed. Also offered as EDU 842.

EDU 943. Critical Reflection in Higher Education Leadership. 3 Hours

This course examines the convergence between the literature on reflective practice, leadership theory, and leadership in higher education. Particular attention is given to the role of critical reflection in improving the practice of leadership in higher education. Also offered as EDU 843.

EDU 944. Building Learning Communities in Higher Education. 3 Hours

This graduate course will explore concepts and theories related to increasing responsibility and productivity in administrative and academic units in colleges and universities through the development, administration, and assessment of learning communities.

EDU 945. Finance & Policy in Higher Education. 3 Hours

This course examines the literature on public policy, public finance of higher education, and critical social issues in higher education. It will explore the role of government agencies in the funding and regulation of financial and social issues in higher education. Also offered as EDU 845.

EDU 946. Legal Issues in Higher Education. 3 Hours

This course examines the literature on the law and higher education. It will provide a perspective on what active higher education administrators need to know about legal issues. Also offered as EDU 846.

EDU 947. The Professoriate. 3 Hours

This course explores the historical development and cultural foundations of the faculty role especially the socialization process, values, work styles, career patterns, and the labor market. Research on the issues that impact faculty at all types of academic institutions is discussed. Also offered as EDU 847.

EDU 951. Advocacy in and through Organizations. 3 Hours

This course explores the current political, educational, and societal issues related to educational institutions, healthcare organizations, nonprofits and similar organizations. It will explore the role of individuals and organizations in strengthening leadership and advocacy skills relevant to the organizations and the communities they serve.

EDU 952. Intercultural Proficiency and Leadership for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 3 Hours

This course will promote understanding of differences in race, gender, social class, religious affiliation, and sexual orientation and the implications of these differences for leadership in the school setting. Emphasis will be on promoting understanding and managing diversity within schools as learning organizations.

EDU 954. Communication and Community Engagement. 3 Hours

This course is designed to assist leaders in educational institutions, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, and similar organizations in refining their communication skills and political understanding. Provisions are made for the development of guidelines, techniques, and practices that facilitate active engagement and collaboration between organizations and the communities they serve.

EDU 963. Building Learning Communities. 3 Hours

This doctoral-level course will explore concepts and theories related to the development of learning communities and to increasing adult learning and productivity in organizations.

EDU 971. Learning Assessment. 3 Hours

This course focuses on the role of leaders in educational institutions and similar organizations with setting, attaining, and assessing high goals for learning in organizations. Students will develop an applied understanding of how to collect, interpret, and analyze assessment data on learning by individuals and teams, and to use these data in reporting to constituents of the learning community. The focus of this course is the integration of theory with the practices of assessment for improving learning in organizations and the communities they serve.

EDU 972. Program Evaluation. 3 Hours

This course will engage students in a survey of the concepts and methods of program evaluation, and in the application of these concepts and methods. The course aims are to improve students' skills in designing and conducting program evaluations, and in analyzing and interpreting program evaluation results.

EDU 974. Advanced Applied Research. 2 Hours

This course will engage students in the development of expertise in action research methodology, while also offering a focused process of developing organizational interventions based on participatory, community-based research. The principles, concepts, and methods of action research will guide students as they engage their work as scholar/practitioners.

EDU 975. Dissertation in Practice. 1,2 Hours

Course is designed to provide each Ed.D. candidate the opportunity to pursue, with faculty guidance and support, inquiry of a topic of professional, or organizational significance which promises to effectively deal with a problem of practice within the candidates' current organizational structure or context. Candidates are required to register for a total of 9 hours of Dissertation of Practice credit.

EDU 976. Ed.D. Immersion. 1-2 Hours

Immersion experiences are mandatory, credit-bearing courses during which cohort members meet on UD's campus to collaborate on program-related projects and to share their own research with faculty and team members. Students are required to register for two, multi-day immersion experiences, for a total of 3 credits.

EDU 990. Research Methods & Design. 3 Hours

This course is designed to cover understanding and evaluating, as well as methods involved in undertaking both qualitative and quantitative research in an education setting beginning with identification of the research problem and continuing through writing the final report.

EDU 991. Qualitative Research. 3 Hours

This course focuses on the design of studies and issues faced by researchers using qualitative methods in education research. Through critical readings, discussions, and hands-on projects, students explore methods for collecting and analyzing qualitative data, along with issues related to validity and ethics in qualitative education research.

EDU 992. Quantitative Research & Analysis. 3 Hours

Course is designed to provide an introduction to the methods and techniques used in quantitative research methodology.

EDU 993. Advanced Research, Statistics & Data Analysis. 3 Hours

This course is designed to extend the focus of EDU 992 with particular emphasis on experimental design methodology and the use of computer programs in analyzing research data. Prerequisite(s): EDU 990, EDU 991, EDU 992.