Admission Requirements

• Doctor of Education

Degree Requirements

• Doctor of Education

Mailing Address:
College of Education (MC 147)
1040 West Harrison Street
Chicago, IL 60607-7133

Campus Location: 3145 EPASW
Telephone: (312) 996-4532
Program Code: 20FS4015EDD
E-mail: jeisen@uic.edu
Web Site: http://education.uic.edu/
Dean of the College of Education: Victoria Chou
Director of Graduate Studies: Mark Smylie

The College of Education offers a program of academic work leading to the Doctor of Education in Urban Education Leadership with strands of study for the Illinois Type 75 General Administrative Certificate, the Illinois Superintendent Endorsement, and general advanced professional studies in urban education leadership.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Applicants must submit transcripts from the last 60 hours of undergraduate work and from all postbaccalaureate work. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

Doctor of Education

• Baccalaureate Field No restrictions.
• Master’s Degree Required.
• Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study and for all postbaccalaureate course work.
• Tests Required GRE or GMAT.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score
• TOEFL 550 (paper-based); 213 (computer-based); 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Internet-based). Note: Total score is higher than the sum of the subscores. OR
• IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores.
• Letters of Recommendation Three required attesting to potential for excellence in urban education leadership.
• Personal Statement Required. Statement must identify and explain applicant’s career objectives.
• Other Requirements Evidence of successful classroom teaching experience and leadership experience in educational settings. The College of Education Application form must also be submitted. This program requires two packets of admissions materials. One set of transcripts and the official University application should be sent to the Admissions Office. Applicants should submit the following materials in one package to the College of Education: a copy of the official UIC application, the College of Education application, a second set of transcripts, GRE or GMAT scores, 3 letters of recommendation, and a personal statement as specified for this program on the College of Education Web site.
• Deadlines The application deadline for this program is earlier than the Graduate College deadline. Contact the College of Education for information on current deadlines. Admission is restricted to the spring term, beginning in January.  

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

Doctor of Education

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 80–92 from the master’s degree, depending on strand of study.
• Course Work Required Courses for All Strands of Study: EDPS 571, EDPS 579 or 589, ED 500, EDPS 586, CI 545, EDPS 544, EDPS 599.
• Required Courses in Illinois Type 75 Certificate Strand: EPSY 501, CI/EDPS 548; EDPS 500, 501, 550, 552, 556, 568, 559, 573.
• Required Courses in Illinois Superintendent Endorsement Strand: CI/EDPS 548; EDPS 412, 500, 501 or 567, 550, 553, 556, 568, 581, 559, 573.
• General Study Non-Certification/Endorsement Strand: In addition to required courses for all strands, minimum of 10 courses (40 hours minimum) related to educational leadership and administration, chosen in consultation with faculty advisor.
• Examinations Comprehensive Written Qualifying Examination: Required. Successful completion of the comprehensive exam qualifies students to enter the research proposal stage of the program. No student with a cumulative GPA below 3.00/4.00 will be permitted to take the qualifying examination. As appropriate to each strand of study, the exam will include a review of a portfolio of performance assessments in clinical fieldwork and academic course work, and may require additional writing on educational leadership knowledge. Students have two opportunities to pass the comprehensive qualifying examination. Students who fail to pass all components after the second attempt will be recommended by the program faculty to the Graduate College for dismissal from the program.
• Preliminary Examination: Required. The preliminary examination is taken at the completion of all course work. The examination is primarily oral but may contain a written component. The primary purpose of the preliminary examination is review and approval of the thesis research proposal and admission of the student to the research stage of degree candidacy.
• Thesis Research Required. Students must earn at least 16 semester hours in EDPS 599. The completed research must be defended orally and publicly before a thesis committee.
• Other Requirements All students must complete a training course sponsored by the Office for the Vice Chancellor for Research on the ethics of conducting research with human subjects. Students are required to submit an annual report of their academic and professional progress.

Interdepartmental Concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in a concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies after consulting with their graduate advisor. See Gender and Women’s Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section of the catalog for more information.