Ph.D. Educational Leadership

Our graduate programs at Clemson University build on the rich experiences and expertise of faculty and students to provide an educational environment in which both groups share in research, exploration and inquiry. The result of this synergy is impact — on our community and beyond.

• Overview

  The Ph.D. in Educational Leadership program is designed to prepare education scholars, practitioners, and leaders across and for P-20+ educational contexts by engaging in the breadth and depth of theoretical and practical knowledge related to leadership, ethics, equity, research, and policy. The program seeks admissions applications from current P-12 teachers and school leaders and higher education administrators seeking advanced education to continue in formal leadership and decision-making roles across P-12 and post-secondary contexts (i.e., schools, districts, state-level organizations, community colleges, technical schools, 4-yr colleges and universities, state and federal level educational policy bodies). We offer two concentration areas, P-12 and Higher Education. Through association with and apprenticeship to faculty members experienced in research, teaching, and leadership, doctoral students in our program engage in rigorously informed inquiries centering contemporary problems of practice related to leadership and education. By choosing to apply to the Clemson’s Ph.D. in Educational Leadership program, prospective students are making the conscious choice to engage with nationally recognized education faculty who serve and have served as presidents of leading education associations, senior-level university administrators, journal editors, P-12 school administrators, and post-secondary campus staff and administrators.

  Alumni of the Ph.D. program serve P-20+ schools, community and state agencies, and institutions of higher education as ethical leaders providing research-based educational policies and services for increasingly diverse students and societies. Alumni also serve in leadership roles as faculty in schools and higher education institutions; as college and university deans, directors and presidents; and as principals, district office leaders and superintendents.

  Introduction to the Higher Education Concentration
  Clemson’s Ph.D. program in educational leadership in Higher Education focuses on developing professionals’ knowledge and research abilities in this applied multi- and interdisciplinary field. Because many of the higher education Ph.D. students in this field remain connected to their professional roles, this program is paced to accommodate each student’s timeframe while ensuring steady progress to degree completion.

  Introduction to the P-12 Ph.D. Concentration
  Students interested in the P-12 concentration have four options among their concentration coursework. Students may select a combination of coursework among courses for both higher education and P-12 concentrations. Students may also choose to obtain state of South Carolina licensure for work as school administrators at the building level, district level or both while enrolled in the program. Students who plan to obtain certification will take coursework with master's and specialist students, and must complete the state’s licensure approved program requirements.

• Program Goals

  Through the doctoral process, faculty expect students to develop in the areas of Leading, Scholarship, and Practice. Acts of Leading are understood as collective practices among multiple contributors exercising the abilities of the collective to be mutually supportive towards educational goals (Gronn, 2002; Leithwood & Mascall, 2008; Leithwood et al., 2007; Ogawa & Bossert, 1995; Ni, Yan & Pounder, 2017; Spillane, 2006). Scholarship is understood as acollective practice of engaging in inquiry and application with and across multiple communities and educational settings to support human flourishing (Boyer et al., 2015). Practice is the process of engaging in individual, group, and systemic level appraisals and interventions informed by experiential and inquiry-based knowledge (Ball & Cohen, 1999; Hargreaves, 1996). 

  Each area of development is assessed through five (5) domains of learning : Leadership, Equity, Research, Ethics, and Policy.  

  Leadership involves the critical study of individuals, groups, systems, and organizations and how these inform ethical vision and practices. Within this context, leadership is intended to improve educational experiences at the nexus of teaching and learning across formal education institutions and throughout informal educational opportunities within communities.

  Equity involves engaging in critical analyses of systems of privilege and oppression through ideological, individual, group, and systemic level appraisals and interventions in pursuit of creating just opportunities and outcomes for all.

  Research involves systematically identifying, gathering, analyzing, and presenting evidence for the purpose of addressing pressing educational problems of practice and contributing to a larger body of knowledge.

  Ethics encompasses understanding the legal and moral foundations for the purpose of informing and guiding the work of ethical leaders, researchers, and educators who serve educational institutions, agencies, and organizations.

  Policy includes identification, analysis, and recommendations addressing current and emerging trends and problems in social, political, and economic contexts surrounding educational institutions, organizations, and agencies.

• Admission Requirements

  Admission to the Program 

  Applications for the Educational Leadership are accepted for the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.  Admission decisions are made following the deadlines below. 

  Application Deadline

  All application materials must be submitted by the following deadlines:

  • March 1, to enroll in Fall

  
  

  Application Requirements

  To be considered for the program, applicants must:

  • Have completed a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or a recognized international university with a baccalaureate degree equivalent to a US bachelor's.
  • Have a Masters degree with a 3.5 GPA or higher.
  • Have a minimum of 3 years full-time relevant work experience in an educational setting (i.e., teacher, school leader, post-secondary administrator or staff, faculty member, educational policy center or association staff).  
  • Submit a Graduate School application which requires:
    • Unofficial transcripts (Official transcripts will be required if you are accepted into the program.)
    • Competitive GRE scores
    • A current resume
      • A resume or curriculum vitae that supports candidacy with evidence of pertinent educational leadership experience and evidence that the candidate can perform in a scholarly environment
    • Three letters of recommendation
      • Provided by current or prior supervisors and at least one professor from a prior degree program
    • A letter of intent
      • The letter of intent, which will be evaluated for content and as a writing sample, must be 2- pages or less and include:
        • Reasons for pursuing the Ph.D. degree in Educational Leadership, including research interests and career goals;
        • Professional and/or personal experiences shaping your current research interests and career goals; and
        • How the program faculty can support you in completing this degree.
      • Official TOEFL/IELTS scores for international students

  Additional information concerning supporting materials can be found at https://www.clemson.edu/graduate/admissions/preparing-to-apply/supporting-materials.html

   

• Program Requirements

  Educational Leadership Ph.D.

  Preliminary Core: (6 credit hours) 
  Required of All Ed Leadership PhD Students
  EDL 9100 Introductory Doctoral Seminar
  EDL 9050 Theory and Practice in Educational Leadership 

  Concentration: 18 hours
  The field of specialization may be either public school administration (P-12) or higher education. The courses for specialization should be selected in close consultation with the student’s advisory committee.

  Higher Education
  Required of Higher Education Concentration Students
  EDSA 8190 Contemporary College Students
  EDL 9500 Educational Policy Studies
  EDL 9620 Higher Education Governance
  EDL 9750 College Teaching
  EDL 9770 Diversity Issues in Higher Education
  EDL 9800 Current Issues in Educational Leadership

  P-12
  Required of P-12 Concentration Students 

  • See Program Handbook for options

  Research Core: (16 credit hours)
  Required of All Ed Leadership PhD Students

  • Introductory courses in both qualitative and quantitative methods
  • Advanced course work in either qualitative or quantitative methods
  • Supervised research internship

   Elective: (3 credit hours)
  Required of All Ed Leadership PhD Students

  Candidacy Core: (3 credit hours)
  Required of All Ed Leadership PhD Students
  EDL 9880 Directed Research

  Dissertation: 18 credit hours
  Required of All Students
  EDL 9910 Doctoral Dissertation Research

   

• Financial

  Tuition and Fees

  Explore information on tuition and fees using the Student Financial Services’ tuition and fee calculator. (Be sure to choose the ‘graduate’ tab at the top of the page.)

  Financial Aid

  For information regarding Financial Aid, please contact the office of Student Financial Aid.

• Faculty

  Boettcher, Michelle	Student Affairs	864-656-1446	mboettc@clemson.edu
  Cawthon, Tony	Counselor Education, Student Affairs	864-656-5100	cawthot@clemson.edu
  Croom, Natasha	Higher Education/Student Affairs	864-656-1485	nncroom@clemson.edu
  Hall, Daniella	Educational Leadership	864-656-5091	dhall5@clemson.edu
  Klar, Hans	Educational Leadership	864-656-5091	hklar@clemson
  Lindle, Jane Clark	Educational Leadership, Ph.D. P-12	864-508-0629	jlindle@clemson.edu
  Wagner, Rachel	Student Affairs; Higher Education	864-656-5111	rwagne3@clemson.edu
  Wilkerson, Reginald	Educational Leadership	864-656-3873	rdwilke@clemson.edu

• Alumni News and Resources

  For more information on alumni news and events, please visit our Alumni Resources website. 

• Find Out More

  For more information, please fill out this form or visit the Clemson University Graduate School website. If you have additional questions or need assistance, please contact the Graduate Student Services Coordinator.