This executive order is issued in conformity with Sections
66040 through 66040.7 of the California Education Code and Sections 40050.1,
40100, 40511, and 40512 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations. This executive order establishes minimum
requirements, policies, and procedures that shall apply to all Doctor of
Education degree programs offered solely by the California State University (CSU). This
executive order does not address requirements of Doctor of Education programs
offered jointly with other institutions.
Campuses may establish policies in addition to those stated herein.
Article 1.
Authorization
In accordance with Education Code Section 66040.3 and Title
5 of the California Code of Regulations Section 40050.1, the California State University
is authorized to award the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Educational
Leadership. The degree shall be offered
only in the discipline of education and shall focus on the knowledge and skills
needed by administrative leaders for possible service in either California public
elementary and secondary school (P-12) or community college settings.
Article 2.
Partnerships
CSU Ed.D. degree programs shall be offered through
partnerships in which representatives from California public elementary and secondary
schools and community colleges, as appropriate, shall participate substantively
in program design, candidate recruitment and admissions, teaching, dissertation
development, and program assessment and evaluation.
Article 3. Program
Governance
3.1
Each CSU Ed.D. degree program shall develop a governance
structure, processes, and bylaws that comply with Education Code Section
66040.3 and that allow for substantial and meaningful participation by
Pre-Kindergarten-Grade 12 (P-12) and community college partners as specified in
Articles 2 and 12 of this executive order.
3.2
Program bylaws
shall include the qualifications, roles, and terms of appointment for core and
affiliated doctoral faculty, as defined in Article 12.1. The bylaws shall also include provisions for
allowing other individuals to undertake educational roles in the Ed.D. program,
pursuant to Articles 12.2 and 12.3.
3.3
Program bylaws
shall stipulate the appropriate campus authority required for actions specified
in Articles 4.1.e, 4.3, 7.3.2.4, and 9.
Article 4. Admission
4.1 In accordance with Title 5 of the California Code of
Regulations, Section 41020, each campus offering a program leading to a
Doctor of Education degree shall establish requirements for admission to the
program. Admission shall be granted on a
competitive basis; meeting the minimum requirements qualifies an individual for
but does not guarantee admission to the program. Requirements for admission shall apply to all
Ed.D. applicants and shall include, at minimum, the following:
a.
The applicant holds an
acceptable baccalaureate and master’s degree earned at a regionally accredited
institution or institutions, or the applicant has completed equivalent academic
preparation as determined by the appropriate campus authority.
b.
The applicant has
attained a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in upper-division and
graduate study combined.
c.
The applicant was in
good standing at the last institution of higher education attended.
d.
The applicant has
demonstrated sufficient preparation for, experience in, and potential for
educational leadership, including: successful experience in leadership in
school, postsecondary, or community contexts, and/or policy leadership;
academic excellence; problem-solving ability; technological proficiency;
interest in critically assessing current educational policies and practices;
and interest in improving current educational policies and practices. Evidence considered in the admission process
shall include but not be limited to:
1. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores from
the three sections of the General Test, taken within five years of applying to
the Ed.D. program;
2. three letters of recommendation attesting to
the leadership and scholarship potential of the applicant;
3. a written statement of purpose reflecting an
understanding of the challenges facing the public schools or community colleges
in California;
4. a personal interview; and either
i.
a statement from the
applicant’s employer, indicating support for the applicant’s doctoral studies;
or
ii.
a statement from the
applicant, describing the applicant’s plan for meeting professional
responsibilities and the demands of the program.
e. The
applicant shall meet any additional requirements prescribed by the appropriate
campus authority identified in the program bylaws.
4.2
Classified
Standing
Applicants who have met all admission criteria and who have
been recommended by the program for admission shall be placed in classified
graduate standing.
4.3
Admission by
Special Action
An applicant who does not qualify for admission under the
provisions of Article 4.1 may be admitted with classified graduate standing by
special action if on the basis of acceptable evidence the applicant is judged
by the appropriate campus authority to possess sufficient academic and
professional potential pertinent to educational leadership. The number of applicants admitted by special
action shall not exceed fifteen percent of the applicants regularly admitted to
the program in any one academic year.
4.4
Admission with
Conditionally Classified Graduate Standing
An applicant who is ineligible under the provisions in
Article 4.1 because of deficiencies in prerequisite preparation that in the
opinion of the program faculty can be rectified by specified additional
preparation, including examinations, may be admitted with conditionally
classified graduate standing. The
student shall be granted classified graduate standing upon rectification of the
deficiencies.
Article 5.
Curriculum
5.1 CSU Ed.D. degree programs shall enable
professionals working full time to earn the degree within three calendar years
(including fall through spring terms and summer study).
5.2
CSU Ed.D. programs shall have a
cohort structure whose curriculum shall balance research, theory, and practice,
including field experiences.
5.3
Student work in
support of the dissertation shall be embedded throughout the Ed.D. curriculum.
5.4 All Ed.D. programs shall include a core curriculum
providing professional preparation for leadership, including but not limited to
theory and research methods, the structure and culture of educational institutions,
leadership in curriculum and instruction, equity, and assessment. Campuses developing Ed.D. programs shall be
expected to integrate core educational leadership program concepts when
designing the curriculum. Core
educational leadership concepts are identified in Addendum A.
Article 6.
Degree Requirements
6.1
Program of
Study
To be eligible for the Doctor of Education degree, the
candidate shall have completed a program of study, including examinations and a
dissertation, that is both consistent with the requirements specified within
this executive order and approved by the appropriate campus authority. Examination and dissertation requirements are
specified in Article 7. Each campus
shall establish policies and procedures for creating and amending a student’s
plan of study and shall disseminate them in its Ed.D. program student handbook
or manual, pursuant to subdivision j of Article 11.3.
6.1.1
Grade Point
Average
A grade point average of 3.0
(grade of B) or better shall have been earned in the coursework taken to
satisfy the requirements for the degree, except that a course for which no
letter grade is assigned shall not be used in computing the grade point
average.
6.1.2 Unit Requirements
The program of study shall be
composed of at least 60 semester units earned in graduate standing and is
expected not to exceed 60 required semester units earned in graduate
standing. At least 48 semester units
required for the degree shall be in courses organized primarily for doctoral
students, and the remaining units required for the degree shall be in courses
organized primarily for master’s and doctoral students. Not more than 12 semester dissertation
credits shall be applied toward the degree program requirements.
6.2 Academic Residence
At least 42 semester units shall be completed in residence
at the campus or campuses awarding the degree.
The appropriate campus authority may authorize the substitution of
credit earned by alternate means for part of this residence requirement.
6.2
Transfer of
Units
The Ed.D. program shall establish a policy allowing
transfer of units earned in relevant graduate coursework. At a minimum the policy shall require that:
a.
the student was
matriculated in the graduate program within which the coursework was completed,
and
b.
the graduate program
was appropriately accredited at the time the coursework was completed.
6.4
Petitions
for Variance in Academic Requirements
Each Ed.D. degree program shall establish and implement
policies regarding student petitions for variance in academic
requirements. Student handbooks or
manuals shall specify policies and procedures by which a student may petition
for a variance in academic requirements.
Article 7. Ed.D.
Program Student Examinations and Dissertation
7.1 Ed.D. degree conferral shall require
successful completion of three major examinations and a dissertation. Students shall be required to pass each major
examination within two attempts.
7.1.1 The qualifying
examination shall include a rigorous written assessment of student knowledge;
the examination must be passed prior to the student’s advancement to
candidacy. Policy governing qualifying
examinations appears in Article 7.2.
7.1.2 The dissertation
proposal examination shall evaluate the candidate’s readiness to proceed
with the dissertation research. Passing
this examination shall constitute formal approval for the candidate to proceed
with the proposed dissertation research, subject to Institutional Review Board
approval as necessary. Policies
governing dissertation proposals and dissertation proposal examinations appear
in Articles 7.3.4 and 7.3.5.
7.1.3 The dissertation shall be the written
product of systematic, rigorous research on a significant educational
issue. Policy governing dissertations
appears in Article 7.3.
7.1.4
The final examination shall be an oral
defense of the candidate’s dissertation.
7.2 Qualifying
Examination
7.2.1 Content
The
content of the qualifying examination shall be determined by the members of the Ed.D. program faculty.
7.2.2 Timing
The
qualifying examination shall be administered at a time in the program sequence
when the student’s mastery of essential elements of the core leadership and
methodological concepts can be fairly evaluated and when the student is
considered ready to begin formal dissertation research.
7.2.3 Function
of the Qualifying Examination Committee
A
qualifying examination committee shall evaluate student performance on the
examination. Unanimous agreement of the
qualifying examination committee is required for the candidate to pass the
examination.
7.2.4
Membership of
the Qualifying Examination Committee
The qualifying examination committee shall have a minimum
of three members, including the chair.
The qualifying examination committee chair shall be a tenured or tenure-track
faculty member of the campus administering the Ed.D. program and except in
special cases shall be a member of the Ed.D. program faculty. Special cases shall be reviewed and decided
by the core doctoral faculty. At least
two members of the committee shall be members of the Ed.D. program faculty
whose primary affiliation is with the CSU
campus administering the Ed.D. program, at least one of whom shall be a member
of the core doctoral faculty as defined in Article 12. The committee may include a member who holds
an appropriate professional position in a P-12 institution, a community
college, or another postsecondary educational institution.
7.3 Dissertation
Proposal Examination, Dissertation, and Final Examination
7.3.1
Dissertation
Requirements
In accordance with Section 40511 of Title 5 of the California
Code of Regulations, CSU Ed.D.
programs shall require the completion of a dissertation conforming to the
following minimum criteria:
a.
The dissertation shall
be the written product of systematic, rigorous research on a significant
educational issue and in accordance with a proposal that has been approved
pursuant to Articles 7.3.4 and 7.3.5.
The dissertation is expected to contribute to an improvement in public
P-12 or community college professional practices or policy, generally or in the
context of a particular educational institution. It shall evidence originality, critical and
independent thinking, appropriate form and organization, and a rationale for
the research problem examined.
b.
The dissertation shall
identify the research problem and question(s), state the major theoretical
perspectives, explain the significance of the undertaking, relate it to the
relevant scholarly and professional literature, set forth the appropriate
sources for and methods of gathering and analyzing the data, and offer a
conclusion or recommendation. It shall
include a written abstract that summarizes the significance of the work,
objectives, methodology, and a conclusion or recommendation.
c.
Opportunities for
students to complete work in support of the dissertation shall be embedded
throughout the Ed.D. curriculum.
7.3.2
Dissertation
Committee
7.3.2.1 Function
of the Dissertation Committee
The
dissertation committee shall provide guidance and supervision for development
and completion of the dissertation.
7.3.2.2 Membership
of the Dissertation Committee
The
dissertation committee shall have a minimum of three voting members, including
the chair, and all committee members shall have appropriate expertise in
educational practice or policy. The
committee shall include at least two tenured or tenure-track faculty members of
the CSU campus administering the
Ed.D. program, and at least one member who is primarily affiliated with a
California P-12 institution or community college. The tenured or tenure-track faculty members
shall be drawn from the core doctoral faculty or affiliated doctoral faculty,
as defined in Article 12.1, or shall meet the standards of Article 12.2.1. The campus program director may approve an
exception to the membership criteria stated above, pursuant to Article 12.2.2
or Article 12.2.3, if the individual nominated has expertise particularly
relevant to the candidate’s dissertation research.
7.3.2.3 Dissertation
Committee Chair
The dissertation committee chair shall provide primary
supervision for dissertation research.
The chair shall be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member on the
campus administering the Ed.D. program, and in most cases shall be a member of the core doctoral faculty, as
defined in Article 12.1.1. Special
circumstances may arise in which a tenured or tenure-track faculty member who
is from the campus but who is not a member of the core doctoral faculty may
serve as the dissertation committee chair if such service is approved by the
core doctoral faculty in accordance with program procedures.
7.3.2.4
Appointment of Dissertation Committee
The student and advisor together shall propose the
membership of the student’s dissertation committee. The proposed membership shall be forwarded to and determined by the campus official
authorized to approve composition of the committee.
The Ed.D. program director may allow the replacement of a
committee member, based on the evaluation of a rationale provided by the
student or committee member making the request.
7.3.3
Institutional Review Board Approval
Appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval shall
be obtained to conduct any research involving human subjects. Failure to obtain required IRB approval prior
to collection of data on human subjects may disqualify a student from further
use of those data. The dissertation committee chair shall advise the student
regarding human subjects review requirements and compliance with IRB
regulations.
7.3.4
Dissertation
Proposal
A student shall submit a dissertation
proposal for approval, following the procedures and format established by the
Ed.D. program faculty and the campus.
The dissertation proposal shall contain, at a minimum, a description of
the problem, a review of the relevant literature, a statement of the research
question, and a description of the research methodology. The proposal shall contain either:
a.
human subjects
research documents that have been submitted to the Institutional Review Board
regarding the proposed dissertation research or
b.
required materials
pertaining to human subjects research that have been completed but not yet
submitted to the Institutional Review Board.
7.3.5 Dissertation
Proposal Examination
7.3.5.1 Function and Membership of the Dissertation Proposal
Committee
The dissertation proposal examination shall be conducted by
a three-member dissertation proposal committee, all of whom shall have
appropriate expertise in educational practice or policy. The membership shall include two tenured or
tenure-track faculty members from the CSU
campus administering the Ed.D. program and at least one member who is primarily
affiliated with a California P-12 institution or community college. The dissertation proposal committee shall
review the dissertation proposal. The
committee may require that the student present the proposal orally to the
committee and respond to committee members’ questions about the proposal.
7.3.5.2 Decision of the Dissertation Proposal Committee
The dissertation proposal committee shall communicate
formally its decision in writing to the student, indicating approval, approval
with modifications, or lack of approval.
In order for the student to proceed with the formal conduct of the
dissertation research, the student shall have received written approval of the
proposal by the dissertation proposal committee and written Institutional
Review Board notification that human subjects review requirements have been
met.
7.3.5.3 Resubmission of a Dissertation Proposal
If the dissertation proposal committee decision is
“approval with modifications” or “lack of approval,” the committee shall
communicate to the student in writing the process and expectations for
resubmission. The committee shall review
the revised and resubmitted proposal and communicate to the student in writing
the committee’s decision.
7.3.6 Final
Examination: Oral Defense of
Dissertation
The final examination shall be an
oral defense of the dissertation, administered by the dissertation
committee. Approval of the dissertation
and recommendation that the Ed.D. degree be conferred shall require unanimous
agreement of the dissertation committee.
In the event that the committee requires substantive changes to the
dissertation, the final vote of the committee will be postponed until the
changes are completed.
7.3.7 Submission of
the Approved Dissertation
The student shall be required, after successful completion
of the final examination and approval of the dissertation, to submit the
approved dissertation to the appropriate campus entity in conformity with
campus policy. The dissertation format
shall conform to campus requirements for dissertation manuscripts. For the degree to be conferred in a
particular term, the dissertation shall be submitted by the deadline specified
by the program and campus.
Article 8. Satisfactory
Progress
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