Program

In year 1 you are introduced to the big issues in educational leadership, sociocultural theories, and research methods, attending classes every other weekend. At the end of the second semester, you submit your first milestone: an exploratory inquiry project identifying a transformative practice dilemma and situating yourself as a researcher. Assessed through a double-blind reading, the project offers two opportunities to pass, which you must do to advance.

• Fall
  • EDDL 910: Transformational Leadership and Coalition Building Reviews research about leadership, with an emphasis on transformational leadership, creation and implementation of a vision; develops skills in how to identify, interact, and mobilize key community organizations and constituents with an emphasis on board relations.
  • EDDL 932: Transformational Strategies to Address Inequality in Education and Society Gives students access to theories and grounded research that critique prevailing strategies for improving urban education and explore promising strategies for transforming urban schools and colleges, with special attention to pedagogical strategies that align theory and practice around racial and social equity.
  • EDDL 961: Seminar: American Education Leadership Using the content of the two courses in Fall 1, introduces new Ed.D. students to doctoral-level reading, writing, research skills, and research problems in the field of educational leadership.
• Spring
  • EDDL 930: Qualitative Analysis for Education Theory, Practice, and Transformative Leadership Qualitative research with implications for contextualizing theory, practice, and promoting educational change through transformative leadership, emphasizing qualitative research design, collection, analysis, representation, and research ethics as linked with race, class, dis/ability, indigenous knowledge, gender, and sexual orientation in educational contexts.
  • EDDL 931: Quantitative Analysis of Structural Inequality in Education Reviews research on issues of structural inequality and education from contemporary and historical perspectives, emphasizing evidence-based data analysis, quantitative methods, descriptive analysis, measurement issues, and research ethics.
  • EDDL 962: Research Seminar: Analyzing Critical Curricular Issues Continues developing reading, writing, and peer-review strategies, research skills, and use of library resources in the context of the two content courses offered during the Spring I semester.
• Summer
  • EDDL 920: Literacy and English Language Learners Reviews recent research on best practices for developing the academic skills of English Language Learners and students with low levels of literacy, including curriculum and instruction issues, supervision of instruction, and teacher evaluation.
  • EDDL 963: Research Seminar: Linking Theory and Practice Students present and receive critical feedback from practitioners in the field in which they plan to conduct research, applying the reading, writing, and peer-review strategies and research skills developed during Fall I and Spring I.

Beginning in the summer, you continue advanced coursework in leadership, policy, and research while framing your dissertation interests. Working with faculty, you identify a chair, refine your topic, develop a research proposal, and select your committee. Passing the second milestone, the Dissertation Proposal Defense, advances you to doctoral candidate and clears you to begin research.

• Fall
  • EDDL 921: Theories of Learning and Student Development in Math and Science Using the issues of teaching and learning of mathematics and science, students study theories of learning and student development to address the construction of curricula that is student and learning centered.
  • EDDL 941: Accountability and Performance of Educational Organizations Addresses the development of performance and institutional effectiveness measures, including California education accountability structures and introduction to program evaluation, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data.
  • EDDL 965: Research Seminar: Dissertation Research Design Reviews research designs such as case studies, ethnographies, focus groups, survey research, correlational, experimental, and quasi-experimental; describes application of research designs to program evaluation, and students develop the methodology chapter of the dissertation.
• Spring
  • EDDL 942: Integrated Planning and Budgeting Focuses on the skills needed to integrate the processes of planning, budgeting, and financial management, utilizing data from performance accounting, measurement, and evaluation systems.
  • EDDL 922: Critical Investigations of the Construction of Normalcy and Disability Critical investigation of the construction of normalcy and disability, and its implications to systems of special education services.
  • EDDL 966: Research Seminar: Dissertation Data Collection Provides focused support for students in the initial stage of collecting data for the dissertation.
• Summer
  • EDDL 940: Policy, Law, and the Political Economy of Education Reviews public policy processes and legislation related to schooling and education; public financing structures; schooling and school law, including fairness and justice, as well as common problems encountered in districts and special needs learner issues.
  • EDDL 945: Communication Techniques and Strategies for Educational Leadership Review of research in communication styles and techniques with emphasis on cross-cultural communication; training in public communication techniques, analysis and improvement of communication styles, use of technology, and communication with public media.

Year 3 supports your dissertation research and writing through a hybrid schedule alongside faculty and your cohort. Working closely with your chair, you complete your dissertation and reach the final milestone, the Dissertation Defense, where you present and defend your research before your committee. The cohort is celebrated at the program's Recognition Ceremony in May.

• Fall
  • EDDL 911: Organizational Behavior, Ethics, and Systemic Reform Presents key constructs from organizational theory critical to understanding, analyzing, and implementing organizational and systemic reform; discusses key measures of accountability used in California; and provides case studies of district and college systemic reform efforts.
    • EDDL 997: Dissertation Seminar – Early Stage Dissertation support seminar for the early stage of dissertation research.
• Spring
  • EDDL 912: Advanced Educational Leadership Seminar Addresses key educational challenges facing leadership in schools and community colleges, focusing on alternative strategies for providing educational quality and equity, drawing on the perspectives of leadership from schools and community colleges in the Bay Area.
  • EDDL 998: Dissertation Seminar Independent student research leading to the completion of the doctoral dissertation, including a dissertation support seminar for sharing and critique of preliminary research findings.