How to Apply
Important: The button below will take you to University Admissions. Use the following advice to correctly identify your interest in this program.
- Apply for Admission to Graduate School
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Three letters of recommendation
Minimum of two from individuals with a doctorate, preferably prior graduate faculty
gradeduc@umsl.edu -
Transcripts and/or Entrance examinations
- Request that all colleges and universities you have attended send transcripts electronically to: gradadm@umsl.edu.
- Acceptable scores on Graduate Record Examination .
- International applicants are required to document English proficiency by providing scores from an internationally accepted standardized examination before a decision is made on admission.
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An original essay
Please submit an essay that shows your ability to write as well as your rationale for seeking admission to a PhD program in your emphasis area.
gradeduc@umsl.edu -
Grade Point Average
Minimum of 3.0 on 4.0 scale. -
Professional resume
Please document at least two years of teaching or other school service.
gradeduc@umsl.edu
Application Fee: $50 for domestic applicants; $40 for international applicants
Thank you for choosing UMSL!
Advance the Study of Educational Leadership
A campus-based, doctoral program requiring 4-5 years of study in school leadership, student affairs, or higher education
There is a need today for strong leaders in educational organizations and institutions. A doctoral degree provides you with strong theoretical and conceptual underpinnings that support your work in your organization and provide you with the research knowledge and skills needed to begin your own scholarly work within a university setting. Graduate students seeking the doctoral degree in Education with a concentration in Education Administration are those interested in PreK-12 leadership. Earning the Doctor of Education (Ed.D) or the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) allows the student to seek certification for leadership positions such as superintendent, assistant superintendent, directors or consultants in the areas of administration, curriculum and or professional development. Some graduates with the Ed.D or the Ph.D. in Educational Administration have been able to secure positions of leadership in other fields as well.
Alexandra Gresick
p: (314) 516-5107
- Deadline to Apply:
- December 1st
Admission and General Requirements
In addition to meeting the application and admissions requirements of the Graduate School, students must submit:
- Three letters of recommendation (at least two from individuals with earned doctorates, preferably prior instructors).
- An original essay.
- A professional resume.
- Evidence of above-average academic records. A GPA of 3.5 or higher is preferred.
- GRE scores. Quantitative and verbal scores at or above the 50th percentile are preferred. An analytical writing score of 4.0 or higher is preferred.
Admission is competitive, and a favorable vote of an admission interview committee, composed of faculty in the emphasis area, is required.
Degree Program
- Coursework: A minimum of 60 credit hours is required beyond the Master’s degree, including 6 hours of dissertation research. A minimum of 42 of these hours must be completed in residence. For students who have not completed a Master’s degree, a minimum of 90 hours, postbaccalaureate, is required, including 6 hours of dissertation research (the Graduate School’s residency requirement applies). Students in the Counseling emphasis area complete the following requirements: a minimum 90 hours, postbaccalaureate, including 12 hours of dissertation research (the Graduate School’s residency requirement applies).
- Dissertation: All students must defend orally a written dissertation proposal to their dissertation committee. A dissertation embodying the results of original research must be accepted by the dissertation committee and the Graduate School.
Admission Application
To ensure time for review and decision, applicants should submit the Graduate School application, college transcripts, and any program-specific materials (e.g. supplemental application, letters of recommendation, etc.) well in advance of the December 1st deadline. Please note that unofficial transcripts can be uploaded with the Graduate School application to expedite admissions decisions; however, official transcripts must be received directly from all prior institutions attended before regular admission to any program will be granted. In addition, applicants are urged to request transcripts and letters or recommendation two weeks before completing the online application. Consideration of applications cannot be undertaken until all materials are available.
Degree Requirements
Students in the Teaching-Learning Processes, educational leadership and policy studies, and Educational Psychology emphasis areas complete the following requirements.
| 1. Research Methods | 15-18 | |
| Students in the Teaching –Learning Processes, educational leadership and policy studies, and Educational Psychology emphasis areas should complete the following research methods courses (or equivalent). | ||
ED REM 6735 | Statistical Analysis for Education Research (Prerequisite) | |
ED REM 6750 | Advanced Research Design in Education | |
| Plus any three methods courses from the following: | ||
ED REM 7771 | Quantitative Research Methods I | |
ED REM 7772 | Quantitative Research Methods II | |
ED REM 7781 | Qualitative Methods in Educational Research I | |
ED REM 7782 | Qualitative Methods in Educational Research II | |
| This sequence totals 15 hours of methods courses. Remaining hours can be completed with other ED REM courses numbered 6000 or higher or research courses in another curriculum. | ||
| 2. Program Area of Study to Develop Discipline Knowledge (as determined by student, advisor, and program) | 24-26 | |
| 3. Core courses | 10-14 | |
| EDUC 7490 | Directed Readings in the Education Research Literature | 1-3 |
| EDUC 7635 | Ethical and Legal Issues in Educational Practice | 2 |
| EDUC 7050 | The Research Process I:Framing Research Questions within Educ Lit | 3 |
| EDUC 7605 | Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Educational Practice | 2 |
| Electives | 2-4 | |
| 4. Dissertation Proposal Writing | ||
| EDUC 7950 | Preparation for Writing the Dissertation Proposal | 1 |
| 5. Dissertation | ||
| EDUC 7999 | Dissertation Research | 6 |
Kathleen S. Brown, Ph.D.
Associate Professor Emeritus
Kathleen Sullivan Brown, Ph.D., is Chair and Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in the College of Education at the University of Missouri St. Louis. Dr. Brown earned a Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Washington University in 1995. She has also served as a Fellow of the University’s Public Policy Research Center and...
