Doctor of Education (Ed. D.)

Institutional Accreditation

Information on FGCU institutional accreditation is available at www.fgcu.edu/accreditation

Getting Started

Applicants must submit an application online per the individual program’s instructions below. Please contact Graduate Admissions at 239-745-GRAD or graduate@fgcu.edu for additional information about the application process. Satisfaction of minimum University and program requirements does not guarantee admission to a graduate program. Applicants should check with the program for the most up to date admission requirements prior to commencing the application process.

See program website at URL listed above.

Program Specific Requirements

• Provide an official transcript showing receipt of a master's degree in an education or related field from a regionally accredited institution (or the equivalent from a foreign country that is accredited through the appropriate accrediting system of that country) with GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.
• Provide a minimum of three letters of recommendation, submitted on organizational letterhead stationery, from either university faculty or from previous supervisors who can write concerning the applicant's capability to succeed in a doctoral program in the following areas: ability to communicate in writing and speaking, professional abilities, ethics and values, interpersonal skills, and work ethic.
• Provide a curriculum vitae listing all previous educational degrees, professional positions, publications and other scholarly activity, awards, and other pertinent information.
• Participate in an oral interview with members of the Doctoral Admissions and Policy Committee (DAPC).
• International graduate applicants are required to submit a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based test) or 213 (computer-based test) or 79 (internet-based test), or a minimum IELTS score of 6.5, unless otherwise specified by the program.
• FGCU Regulation 3.005 also allow students to prove their English proficiency by completing “English Composition I and II (ENC 1101 and ENC 1102, or equivalent) with a grade of C or better” (these courses should be completed prior to admission into the graduate program).

Waivers of the above requirements may be recommended to the Associate Dean, by the Admission Committee based on a rationale provided by the candidate, and with a holistic evaluation of the applicant's information when appropriate.

Applicants denied admission may appeal the decision by submitting a request for reconsideration to the College of Education Appeals Committee within 30 days of the date of denial. The request must present additional evidence of potential for academic success and contain reasons why reconsideration is warranted. Details about appeals are available on the COE website.

Program Requirements for the 2023-2024 Catalog Year

Program Progression and Additional Graduation Requirements

Waivers to any of the following requirements require written approval of the Doctoral Admissions and Policy Committee (DAPC).

• A maximum of 12 graduate level credits may be applied to the Ed.D. if those credits have not been used to satisfy requirements for a prior graduate degree.
• Overall, at least 69 credits must be taken at FGCU. No substitutions are permitted for the dissertation hours (all dissertation hours must be completed at FGCU).
• Courses used in substitution must be no more than seven years old upon admission. Candidates must graduate within eight years of admission.
• Each candidate must complete a residency requirement as a part of his or her program of study.  The goal of a residency is to enculturate candidates into the work of the academy. The following three criteria must be met: Candidates must:
  (a) Take the required coursework with the cohort during the course of one academic year, including successive fall, spring, and summer semesters AND
  (b) Submit a proposal to present at an international, national, state, or regional professional conference under the guidance of a faculty mentor. If the proposal is accepted, the candidate is expected to present the paper OR 
  (c) Participate in a project approved by the program coordinator; examples include, but are not limited to the following: co-teach a class at FGCU with a faculty member, supervise interns with the assistance of a faculty member, assist a faculty member in developing or redesigning a course, or collaborate with a faculty member on a quantitative or qualitative research project, which could be part of a program evaluation.
• Successful completion of each course with a grade of B or better.
• Accumulated GPA of 3.5 or better prior to taking qualifying exam.  Grades for all dissertation and internship courses will be graded satisfactory/unsatisfactory only.
• A qualifying examination is administered to all candidates at the end of their content coursework, as a prerequisite to enrolling in dissertation credits. Students must be matriculated in three credits of coursework during the semester in which the exam is administered. This exam determines whether students have an adequate command of knowledge in the field of study, and can organize, apply, and convey that knowledge in writing.  Students who fail the exam will have one additional opportunity to retake it. If students fail, the second administration they will not advance to doctoral candidacy and will be dismissed from the program at that time by the DAPC.  Students may appeal the dismissal to DAPC.  There is no guarantee that students will be successful in passing the qualifying exam and no guarantee they will be permitted to develop a dissertation unless all of the above requirements are met.
• Candidates should work with their Dissertation Committee to determine the number of dissertation credits to enroll in each semester.  The minimum is 3 credits per semester.  The program coordinator must approve requests to take more than 9 credits per semester.
• Submit an application for graduation by the semester deadline listed in the FGCU Academic Calendar.
• Students must register for a minimum of one credit during the semester in which they apply for graduation.

Program Requirements

Required Courses in the Major (33 credits)
EDA 7066 Organizational Leadership (3)
EDA 7110 UDL in Leadership (3)
EDA 7205 Applied Prog Evaluation (3)
EDF 7416 Quantitative Analysis (3)
EDF 7475 Qualitative Rsrch Desg & Anls (3)
EDF 7483 Mixed Methods Analysis (3)
EDF 7886 Multicultural Education (3)
EDG 7017 Reading & Writing for Research (3)
EDG 7367 Research Methods Seminar (3)
EDG 7925 1st Year Doctoral Colloquium (3)

Select one of the following:
EDA 7940 Internship in Leadership (3)
EDG 7940 Internship in Curr and Instr (3)
EME 7941 Design Studio Practicum (3)

Restricted Electives in the Major (9 credits)
Select 9 credits from the following or other courses with prior approval of the program coordinator. 
The following courses are grouped by area of interest.

Research, Assessment & Measurement
EDF 6449 Survey Research Design (3)
EDA 7204 Program Evaluation (3)
EDF 7478 Advanced Qualitative Analysis (3)
EDF 7943 Cur Iss Ed Assess Dec Making (3)

Instructional Technology
EME 6408 Universal Design for Learning (3)
EME 6607 Instructional Program Analysis (3)
EME 6609 Instructional Media Resources (3)
EME 6696 Media Ecology (3)
EME 6936 Current Trends in Ed Tech (3)

Entrepreneurship
ENT 6248 Opportunity and Lean Launch (3)
ENT 6441 New Venture Launch (3)
ENT 6628 Mindset and Differentiation (3)

Higher Education Leadership 
EDF 6808 Global Context in Higher Ed (3)
EDH 6041 Higher Education Advising (3)
EDH 6042 Helping Skills in Advising (3)
EDH 6044 Career Development (3)
EDH 6045 Student Development Theory (3)
EDH 6635 Org Structure-Higher Ed (3)

Curriculum & Instruction
EDG 7362 Advanced Learning Theory (3)

Special Education
EDA 7355 Legal Foundation of Spec Ed (3)
EDA 7359 Leadrshp Instrsctn Gen-Spec Ed (3)
EEX 7936 Critical Issues in Spec Ed (3)

Concentration (18 credits)
Select no more than two of the following concentrations in consultation with the program coordinator:

Curriculum & Instruction Concentration
EDA 7193 Instructional Leadership (3)
EDG 7065 Hist Persp Crit Literacies (3)
EDG 7221 Curriculum Theory (3)
EDG 7286 Curriculum Design Evaluation (3)
EDG 7325 Multiple Pedagogies (3)
EDG 7635 Curr Persp Exceptionalities (3)

Higher Education Leadership Concentration
EDA 7281 Education Policy Analysis (3)
EDH 7065 History/Philosophy-Higher Ed (3)
EDH 7367 Contemporary Stud Svces (3)
EDH 7408 Higher Education Law Seminar (3)
EDH 7502 HE Finance Seminar (3)
EDH 7935 Contemporary Issues in HE (3)

Learning Design & Innovation Concentration
EME 7235L Design Studio (3)
EME 7465L Design Tools for Learning (3)
EME 7608 Innovations in Learning (3)
EME 7623 Design for Virtual-Aug Reality (3)
EME 7672 Educational Design Research (3)
EME 7677 Design Thinking & Problem Solv (3)

Multicultural/lingual Education Concentration
EDF 6748 Soc Justice/Critical Pedagogy (3)
EDF 6938 Curr Topics, Multic & Multilin (3)
EDF 7883 Comp Res & Pedagogy in MCL Edu (3)
EDF 7889 Multilingual Education (3)
EDG 7707 Diversity & Global Stud in Ed (3)
LIN 6018 Applied Linguistics (3)

PreK-12 Leadership Concentration
EDA 7193 Instructional Leadership (3)
EDA 7197 Current Issues Educ & Ldshp (3)
EDA 7235 Seminar in School Law (3)
EDA 7247 Advanced Public School Finance (3)
EDA 7281 Education Policy Analysis (3)
EDF 7517 History of American Schooling (3)

Dissertation (21 credits minimum)
EDG 7980 Dissertation

Total Credits Required: 81 HRS

Official Course Descriptions

Search for official course descriptions by using the Course Description Search utility.

Go to the Course Descriptions Search Web page, then follow these steps:

1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select a course prefix from one of the SUBJECT dropdowns (required)
3. Enter search words in the TEXT field (optional, but will narrow the search results)
4. Press Search

Getting started with the Course Schedule Search

Search for program courses by using the Course Schedule Search utility.

Go to the Course Schedule Search Web page, then follow these steps:

1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select one or more of the search options to narrow your results (for example, CAMPUS, COLLEGE, DEPARTMENT, LEVEL, PREFIX*, COURSE ATTRIBUTE**). For virtual or web courses, select VIRTUAL in the CAMPUS field.
3. Press Search.

*A course prefix is a three-letter designator for a major division of an academic discipline (for example, ACG for Accounting , BSC for Biological Science, ENC for English Composition). See the Degree Requirements page for a list of courses (with prefix and number) that can be used to fulfill degree requirements.

**A course attribute identifies specific characteristics of courses that can be used in a Degree Evaluation to satisfy a degree requirement. (Course attribute examples are Humanities courses - GEHM and Social Science courses - GESO.)

1.  Assessment:  Educational leaders use varied and multiple methods in a cyclical process to reach sustainable learning and organizational outcomes. Educational leaders assess and analyze progress in order to make data-based decisions to improve learning in order to support and to sustain continuous growth of students, staff, and the organization at all levels.

2.  Communication: Educational leaders demonstrate positive interpersonal relationships as they effectively counsel, supervise, and lead diverse groups of students, staff, parents, and advocates verbally and nonverbally.  Educational leaders communicate relevant and accurate information, respecting privacy and confidentiality at all times to promote the sustainability and improvement of the organization. 

3.  Continuous Improvement: Educational leaders are instrumental in managing and influencing their professional environments by conferring and collaborating with colleagues and supervisors about the most current content knowledge and pedagogy. Educational leaders practice self-reflection and monitoring of their professional knowledge and dispositions while contributing to sustainable activities of professional associations.

4.  Critical Thinking: Educational Leaders think critically about complex issues, use problem solving techniques, and make informed decisions about all issues that help to sustain and improve the organization and the community. In addition, they challenge students, staff, and colleagues to think critically through clarification and justification of their ideas.

5.  Diversity: Educational leaders promote the sustainable success of all students, staff, colleagues, and the community through strategies of acceptance and promotion of all students and their families.  Educational leaders collaborate with, and respond to, the diverse needs of the community, mobilize community resources, and exemplify inclusion in all aspects of educational, community, and personal actions.

6.  Ethics and Professional Behavior: Educational leaders exemplify integrity, honesty, responsibility and equitable treatment, as they maintain confidentiality and protect all members of the organization from harm.  Educational leaders work collaboratively with all stakeholders and serve as role models.  Educational leaders embrace their role of upholding standards, being accountable, promoting sustainability, and supporting legal and ethical behaviors within the organization.

7.  Human Development: Educational leaders develop learning objectives, recruit and retain personnel, and make organizational decisions based on knowledge of research and relevant theories of human developmental characteristics and learning styles, philosophies, and the multiple influences that impact learning.

8.  High Quality Instruction:  Educational leaders model and evaluate the delivery of effective and innovative instruction, aligned with theory, and ensuring that knowledge is accessible to all.  Educational leaders build on prior knowledge, emphasize connections, and value high expectations for all. 

9.  Learning Environment: Educational leaders create, organize, and maintain a safe and effective learning environment, use differentiated methods to meet diverse needs, and provide opportunities for participation, experience, growth, productivity, and connectivity. Educational leaders support the organization's programs and personnel and implement sustainable policies and procedures fairly   and consistently.

10.  Planning: Educational leaders plan sustainable programs based on qualitative and quantitative data to improve student achievement and organizational outcomes. Educational leaders work collaboratively with stakeholders to monitor student, staff, and organizational success. 

11.  Subject Matter Expertise: Educational leaders are masters in their areas of specialization. Educational leaders use current research to achieve excellence and      sustainability for personal and organizational professional learning.

12.  Technology: Educational leaders model and promote the integration of technological and electronic tools in teaching, learning, management, research, and communication. Educational leaders continually use technology as a tool for sustainable improvement of the organization. 

13.  Vision: Educational leaders are committed to high standards and expectations of learning. Their personal vision guides the sustainable growth and future health of the organization.  Educational leaders possess the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to develop, articulate, and implement a shared vision that is supported by the larger organization and the school community.