Now, more than ever, institutions and organizations need individuals who possess a comprehensive understanding of how to motivate and lead others, while effectively managing the various challenges faced by leaders at all levels. Marshall University’s Doctor of Education in Leadership Studies is an online program rooted in proven leadership principles and practices. The program is enhanced by a research component that aims to develop students’ skills in evaluating and applying research to real-world leadership problems.
Marshall’s Ed.D. in Leadership Studies equips students with the necessary knowledge and skills to excel in leadership positions within their respective professional fields. By completing this program, graduates will be well-prepared to assume high-level leadership roles in diverse settings, including K-12 schools, universities, non-profit organizations, the military, and government agencies.
Marshall University welcomes applicants from various professional backgrounds, as we believe diversity enriches the learning experience. Whether you possess a background in academia, military service, or another professional area, we encourage you to apply if you are strongly committed to the fundamental principles of leadership, scholarship, and service.
Program faculty are committed to creating a community of scholars through mentoring, engaging in collaborative research, and a focus on sound leadership practices.
The program is grounded in fundamental leadership principles and practices and complemented by research that develops skills in evaluating and applying research to problems of practice.
This 100% asynchronous, online program serves the professional needs and interests of working students and allows you to earn your degree on your terms with the benefit of affordable, distance learning tuition.
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Admission Requirements
The decision to admit an applicant to doctoral work constitutes a significant institutional and faculty commitment in the form of advising, teaching, chairing or serving on student committees, collaboratively conducting and presenting research, evaluating assessments, and guiding the successful completion of the dissertation. The applicant should note the decision to admit students to the doctoral program is a collective judgment of the program faculty and represents their determination of the likelihood that the candidate will succeed in all major phases of the degree program. These judgments take into account the applicant’s professional experiences, communication and thinking skills, and other relevant capabilities and dispositions, both individually and relative to the characteristics of the entire, active applicant pool. Admission to the program is selective and competitive, thus, an applicant is not automatically admitted on the basis of meeting only the minimum criteria. A variety of performance measures may be considered during the admission application review, via a formal and objective evaluation process including, but not limited to, undergraduate and graduate grade point averages and scores on the Graduate Records Examination (GRE). The Fall 2024 admission cycle (applications for a Fall 2024 start) is the final admission cycle for which results from the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) may be considered.
Application and Admission Dates
The “Marshall University Graduate Application for Admission” must be completed and submitted with the appropriate application fee. The application may be completed via the Marshall University Application for Graduate Admission and the applicant should indicate on the application that they desire to be accepted into the online doctor of education (EDD) program in Leadership Studies. The Leadership Studies Doctoral Program reviews application files once completed, with all required credentials submitted.
The Ed.D. program utilizes a selective and competitive admission process, for fall semester admission only. The priority deadline for full consideration is April 15, prior to the fall term for which the applicant is seeking admission. Applications from well-qualified candidates, received after April 15, may be considered for admission if capacity remains in the program. The program may also choose to offer a waitlist option, at its sole discretion, for select admission terms, depending on applicant qualifications and available space in the program.
All application materials, including official transcripts and test scores must be on file in the MU Graduate Admissions Office and the Leadership Studies Ed.D. Office before admission requests will be considered. The following items are required for all students applying for admission to the LS Ed.D. program.
Items Submitted to MU Graduate Admissions Office
Application: The “Marshall University Graduate Application for Admission” must be completed and submitted with the appropriate application fee. The application may be completed online at Graduate Admissions Application. The applicant indicates on the application that s/he desires to be accepted into the online doctor of education (Ed.D.) program and specifies the major of Leadership Studies (major code GEJ0). The program major should be selected based upon past experience, career aspirations, and personal aptitudes of the applicant.
Transcripts: The applicant must request that official transcripts of all completed undergraduate and graduate degree programs be sent by the degree-granting institution(s) to the MU Graduate Admissions Office. A minimum graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 is required in order to be considered for admission. A master’s degree from an accepted, accredited institution is required for admission.
Admission Test Score: The applicant must request an official record of test scores, sent directly from the required testing agency to the MU Graduate Admissions Office. Copies from applicants are not acceptable. Applicants must reach at least the 50th percentile or higher on a single test administration in order to be considered for admission and scores may be no more than five years old. At the sole discretion of the program, a waiver may be considered for graduate admission exams on a very limited basis, when an applicant holds an earned doctoral degree from an accepted, accredited institution and has exhibited outstanding academic and professional achievement. Students who have completed other graduate admissions exams (e.g., LSAT, GMAT, MCAT, etc.) with a score at or above the 50th percentile within the last five years may contact the LS Doctoral Program Coordinator to discuss admission test requirements.
Items Submitted to the Leadership Studies Ed.D. Office
The following items are to be submitted to the Leadership Studies Ed.D. Office. Hard copies may be sent to 100 Angus E. Peyton Drive, South Charleston, WV 25303-1600. Electronic copies may be sent to the LS Ed.D. administrative staff.
Goals Statement: The applicant must provide a goal statement, written in essay format, (500- 750 words) which must address the following topics: professional experiences that provide a basis for considering the applicant’s admission to the program; role of the EdD in the applicant’s professional growth plan; personal strengths that will contribute to the applicant’s success in the Ed.D. program; and additional information the applicant deems relevant to the admissions process and decision.
The applicant’s ability to synthesize ideas to the level required for work in this advanced degree program and the appropriateness of the applicant’s goals as they relate to the objectives of the Ed.D. program will be assessed. The goals statement may be mailed or sent electronically as a Microsoft Word document to the address listed above.
Resume: The applicant must provide a current professional CV or resume, including educational and work experience and current address, phone number(s), and email address. These documents may also be submitted through one of the addresses above.
Interview and Assessment
Upon review of the completed application materials, applicants who are selected to participate in an initial, electronic interview and writing assessment will be notified. Formal and established criteria will be utilized by program faculty to objectively review each applicant and determine admissibility. Being invited to interview does not guarantee admission to the program. Interviews and assessments provide the faculty with the opportunity to closely examine applicants’ qualifications and goals beyond the printed materials submitted in the application process. Interviews and assessments will be conducted electronically, and applicants will be notified as soon as possible regarding the faculty’s decision regarding their applications for admission.
Applicants who are denied admission to the program and wish to be reconsidered may submit a written request to the LS Doctoral Program Coordinator. Records of applicants who are not admitted will be maintained on file by the LS Ed.D. Office for a period of one year.
An applicant must have earned at least a master’s degree from an accredited institution in Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction, or a related field. The LS doctoral program may admit applicants conditionally for one term, at the program’s discretion, when the applicant is currently enrolled in a required degree program that will be completed prior to the beginning of enrollment in the LS doctoral program and has met all other admission criteria. Final, official degree transcripts must be received by MU Admissions before the student may enroll for the subsequent term. Details of all admission requirements and other pertinent information can be found at www.marshall.edu/lsedd.