Program Descriptions

Current Programs

CSU East Bay
CSU East Bay has implemented an Ed.D program that gives a new opportunity for executive leadership, facilitating bold and socially responsible executive leaders in PK-12 schools.  The CSU East Bay Department of Educational Leadership has developed this program to specifically address and resolve issues that have impacted the achievement and success of students of color, and other marginalized students and communities of California's PK-12 public schools.The program includes a nationally acclaimed, interdisciplinary faculty and exemplary administrators who share a deep understanding and commitment to social justice and equity. Acknowledging that candidates are full time education professionals, the ELSJ degree program has been creatively designed with flexible scheduling. The ELSJ program is also structured to allow candidates to complete coursework and dissertation within three years.

CSU Fresno
The Ed.D. program in Educational Leadership at Fresno State draws from the University's fifteen year history leading a joint doctoral program in educational leadership. Its campus-wide strengths as a premier university serving Central California provide underpinnings for its Ed.D. program. The primary focus of the program is to equip leaders with the skills to improve the educational attainment of students in the Central California region, thereby contributing significantly to the region's economic, social, and cultural vitality. The campus offers both a P-12 and Community College leadership program.

CSU Fullerton
CSU Fullerton's Ed.D. Program in Educational Leadership builds on the campus' two decades of successful experience working with surrounding school districts in addressing the major challenges faced by the rapidly changing demographics of North, Central, and Southern Orange County. The program directly respons to the needs of the county K-12 population, which has become majority minority in the past 20 years. CSU Fullerton currently offers a P-12 leadership program and plans to add a program in Community College leadership within two years.

CSU Long Beach
The Ed.D. program in Educational Leadership at CSU Long Beach builds on the campus' nationally recognized master's degree programs in community college leadership, student development in higher education, and educational administration. The Ed.D. program draws on the campus leadership role in the development of the Long Beach Education Partnership, a national model for seamless educational success from preschool through college. CSU Long Beach offers both P-12 and Community College leadership specializations.

CSU Northridge
CSU Northridge's Ed.D. program focuses on the knowledge and practical skills needed by administrators to be effective leaders in PK-12 and community colleges.  The distinguishing feature of the program is the two separate cohorts for individuals preparing for leadership positions in either PK-12 or Community Colleges.  This two-strand approach addresses the distinct issues for each level of educational leadership, including the instructional leadership for the elimination of achievement gaps and leadership focused on student learning outcomes. Students are also engaged in field-based inquiry and dissertation research to address school/district/college issues. Experienced educators interested in pursuing advanced leadership positions such as chair, dean, or college president. An induction plan within the program allows for the completion of the Tier II Professional Administrative Credential for PK-12 candidates.

CSU Sacramento
Sacramento State's Ed.D. Program in Educational Leadership has distinctive features reflecting its location in the center of state government. The faculty have developed a distinctive interdisciplinary curriculum in which classes have integrative connections focused on transformational leadership, critical policy analysis and action, and strategic, informed decision-making. Both a P-12 and a Community College leadership specialization are offered.

CSU San Bernardino
The Ed.D. Program in Educational Leadership at CSU San Bernardino has its roots in a deep commitment to addressing the educational needs of schools in the rapidly growing Inland Empire and the geographically disperse areas of San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The program builds on campus programs in educational leadership and curriculum, public administration, social and behavioral sciences, and science, mathematics, and technology. The campus will initially offer a P-12 emphasis and plans to add a Community College specialization in the future.

San Diego State University
The Ed.D. Program in Educational Leadership at San Diego State University derives from 30 years of experience in doctoral education on the campus. It includes attention to effective strategies for addressing the needs of all P-14 students in the region, including those in urban and rural areas. The Ed.D. program offers both P-12 and Community College concentrations. It emphasizes applied research responding to the needs of students from diverse cultural and language backgrounds and the central challenges faced by educational leaders in the San Diego region.

San Francisco State University
The San Francisco State University Ed.D. Program in Educational Leadership builds on the multi-disciplinary strengths of seven Colleges: Education, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Business, Creative Arts, Ethnic Studies, Health and Human Services, and Humanities. The campus' Strategic Plan for 2005-10, A Bridge to Opportunity, outlines the campus commitment to social justice and equity, and the new independent doctorate in Educational Leadership reflects these institutional priorities. It offers both P-12 and Community College specializations.

CSU Stanislaus
The three- year cohort based Ed.D program at CSU Stanislaus prepares students for Instructional Leadership, including the knowledge and skills needed to plan, implement, and assess instructional reforms that lead to improved student achievement. The program is accommodating to the working professionals’ schedule and is grounded in the research studies of instructional reform strategies, integrating pedagogy with administrative and instructional leadership to improve the quality of public education in diverse environments. Ed.D candidates in this program are provided with the opportunity to work in learning communities as educators, leaders, policy makers and policy advocates.

Planned Programs

CSU Bakersfield
The program planned by CSU Bakersfield is focused on preparing P-12 and community college leaders to advance educational opportunities and provide equitable academic achievement for diverse groups of students. It will link graduate scholarship with practical problem solving in educational practice in order to achieve transformations both in the future leaders and in the quality of education in the region. Practice-based research will address significant problems faced by local educational institutions, be designed with and facilitated by P-16 community partners, and be structured to bring about systemic educational reforms.

CSU Dominguez Hills
CSU Dominguez Hills is planning an Ed.D program that places a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary leadership with advanced skills to effectively build and sustain diverse urban settings with purposeful constituent relationships. It incorporates insight into social equity issues, cultural diversity, and economic challenges of schools and surrounding communities. The upcoming Ed.D program will provide the fundamental skills necessary to implement program and policy changes that will directly improve student achievement in historically low-achieving urban schools in Southern California.

San Jose State
San Jose State is building their Educational Leadership doctoral program around the themes of equity, collaborative change, and reflective practice. Research inquiry reflection is fostered as a way to reinforce the importance of on-going improvement and the maximization of learning within the context of social justice for all students. The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership is an interdisciplinary doctoral degree, faculty from the College of Education, Communication Studies, Anthropology, Psychology, Economics, and Business will teach in the program and participate in a shared governance process.  To facilitate the cross-disciplinary nature of the program, the governance structure is designed to assure wide involvement from several sectors and has also been structured to allow students to finish in three years.