Educational and Organizational Leadership, EdD
The Mid-Career Doctorate in Educational Leadership (Mid-Career) prepares school leaders to be strategic decision makers at their institutions and guiding voices in education policy and practice. The Mid-Career program curriculum fosters a deep understanding of educational organizations, instruction, and learning as it intersects with the rapidly changing demands of education leadership. A typical student brings 10 to 15 years of experience to the seminar table, drawn from experiences in public, private, and parochial schools. This mix is vital to the cohort and is the backbone of the curriculum. Taking an inquiry-based leadership perspective toward the ongoing transformation of public and private education, students become experts in:
- Instructional Leadership
- Organizational Leadership
- Public Leadership
- Evidence-based Leadership
Support for students does not stop at graduation. The program is deeply committed to continuing to help alumni promote their ideas in the world, connect them with others who can solve practical problems, and advance their careers.
For more information: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/academics/programs/mid-career-doctorate-educational-leadership
Curriculum
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Course Units | |
| EDMC 6050A | Frameworks for Understanding Literacy, Teaching & Learning | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6060 | Exploring Frameworks for Learners and Learning | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6070 | Qualitative Research Methods I | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6080 | Quantitative Methods I | .5 |
| EDMC 6100 | Public Leadership: Philosophy | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6150A | Public Leadership: History | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6160A | Leadership Seminar: Theory & Cases | 0.25 |
| Course Units | 2.75 | |
| Spring | ||
| Qualifications Evaluation | ||
| EDMC 6050B | Frameworks for Understanding Literacy, Teaching & Learning | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6130A | Quantitative Methods II | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6110A | Understanding Race & Politics | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6140A | Qualitative Research Methods II | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6150B | Public Leadership: History | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6170A | Exploring/Enacting Leadership for STEM | 0.25 |
| EDMC 5900A | Mixed Methods Seminar | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6160B | Leadership Seminar: Theory & Cases | 0.25 |
| Course Units | 2.00 | |
| Summer | ||
| EDMC 6010 | Leading Teams and Fostering Learning Communities | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6020 | Social Foundations of Education | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6040 | Online Research and Writing | 1.5 |
| EDMC 6120 | Introduction to Education Research | 0.5 |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Premliminary Examination due | ||
| EDMC 7070A | Educational Brand Management | 0.25 |
| EDMC 7080 | Research Proposal & Instrument Design I 1 | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7090 | Online Research and Writing | 1.0 |
| EDMC 7170 | Organizational Theory | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7180 | Instructional Technology | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7190A | Leadership for Humanities | 0.25 |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| Oral Proposal held | ||
| Year Two Benchmark Exam held | ||
| EDMC 7070B | Educational Brand Management | 0.25 |
| EDMC 7100 | Organizational Diagnostics | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7110 | Engaging the Polis and Public of U.S. School Reform Landscape I | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7120 | Data Informed Inquiries | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7130 | Research Proposal & Instrument Design II | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7140 | Creating Contexts for Teacher Learning and Leadership | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7190B | Leadership for Humanities | 0.25 |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Summer | ||
| EDMC 5900B | Mixed Methods Seminar | 0 |
| EDMC 6110B | Understanding Race & Politics | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6130B | Quantitative Methods II | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6140B | Qualitative Research Methods II | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6170B | Exploring/Enacting Leadership for STEM | 0.25 |
| EDMC 7010 | Proseminar I (Research Methods) | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7020 | Leadership and Emotional Intelligence | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7030 | Public Policy Workshop I | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7040 | Online Research and Writing | 1.0 |
| EDMC 7050 | Public Leadership: Social Contexts | 0.5 |
| Course Units | 4.00 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDMC 8060 | Advanced Issues in Educational Leadership I | 0.5 |
| EDMC 8070 | Dissertation/Research | 2 |
| EDMC 8080 | Leading Instructional and Curricular Change | 0.5 |
| EDMC 8120B | Engaging the Polis and Public Of U.S. School Reform II | 0.25 |
| EDMC 8050A | Inquiry Seminar | 0.25 |
| Course Units | 3.50 | |
| Spring | ||
| Final Defense held | ||
| Public Leadership Requirement due | ||
| EDMC 8090 | Advanced Issues in Educational Leadership II | 0.5 |
| EDMC 8100 | Dissertation/Research | 2.25 |
| EDMC 8050B | Inquiry Seminar | 0.25 |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Summer | ||
| EDMC 8010 | Proseminar II: Data Analysis and Reporting | 0.5 |
| EDMC 8030 | Dissertation/Research | 2.0 |
| EDMC 8120A | Engaging the Polis and Public Of U.S. School Reform II | 0.25 |
| Course Units | 2.75 | |
| Total Course Units | 27.00 | |
Required Milestones:
Public Leadership Requirement:
Objective: Provide experiences in which to develop synthetically several public leadership competencies, including public voice, public stakeholder interaction/engagement, enhanced network development, and capacity to “read” political/social landscape of practice.
Elements of Portfolio: All Mid-Career students, beginning with Cohort 15, will need to complete at least two elements of a public leadership portfolio at some point during the three years of their program.
The two elements represent two forms of external communication; this might be in written format, it may engage multimedia, and/or it might be in-person. One of the two requirements must be a written piece.
Dissertation/Doctoral Candidacy Milestones:
Qualifications Evaluation (Also known as Program Candidacy)
The purpose of program candidacy is to provide rigorous review and feedback to Ed.D. students regarding their academic progress within the first two years of study. Program candidacy is a prerequisite to doctoral candidacy.
Preliminary Examinations (Also known as Doctoral Candidacy)
The preliminary examination is a test of knowledge in the candidate’s area of specialization. The examination requires students to demonstrate knowledge and reasoning in the key content areas in their specialization as specified by the academic division. The format of the examination varies from program to program, but must include at least six hours of examination, at least three hours of which must be written.
Oral Proposal
All doctoral candidates must present their dissertation proposals orally and in person to the dissertation committee.
Final Defense of the Dissertation
The final dissertation defense is approximately two hours in length and is based upon the candidate’s dissertation.
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Class is taken pass/fail.
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2025 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.