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
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2026 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | ||
| EDMC 6010 | Leading Teams and Fostering Learning Communities | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6020 | Social Foundations of Education | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6040 | Introduction to Dissertation Research 1 | 1.5 |
| EDMC 6120 | Introduction to Education Research | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6050A & EDMC 6050B | Frameworks for Understanding Literacy, Teaching & Learning and Frameworks for Understanding Literacy, Teaching & Learning | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6060 | Exploring Frameworks for Learners and Learning | 1 |
| EDMC 6070 | Qualitative Research Methods I | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6080 | Quantitative Methods I | 0.5 |
| or EDMC 6080A & EDMC 6080B | Quantitative Methods I and Quantitative Methods I | |
| EDMC 6100 | Public Leadership: Philosophy | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6110 | Understanding Race and Politics | 0.5 |
| or EDMC 6110A & EDMC 6110B | Understanding Race & Politics and Understanding Race & Politics | |
| EDMC 6130A & EDMC 6130B | Quantitative Methods II and Quantitative Methods II | 0.5 |
| or EDMC 6130 | Quantitative Methods II | |
| EDMC 6140A & EDMC 6140B | Qualitative Research Methods II and Qualitative Research Methods II | 0.5 |
| or EDMC 6140 | Qualitative Research Methods II | |
| EDMC 6160 | Leadership Seminar: Theory & Cases | 0.5 |
| or EDMC 6160A & EDMC 6160B | Leadership Seminar: Theory & Cases and Leadership Seminar: Theory & Cases | |
| EDMC 6170A & EDMC 6170B | Enacting Leadership for Science and Enacting Leadership for Science | 0.5 |
| or EDMC 6170 | Enacting Leadership for Science | |
| EDMC 6175 | Enacting Leadership for Math | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6180 | Mixed Methods Seminar | .5 |
| EDMC 6930 | Public Leadership I | 1 |
| EDMC 7010 | Proseminar I (Research Methods) | 1 |
| EDMC 7020 | Leadership and Emotional Intelligence | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7030 | Public Policy Workshop I | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7040 | Online Research and Writing | 1 |
| EDMC 7050 | Public Leadership: Social Contexts | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7070A & EDMC 7070B | Educational Brand Management and Educational Brand Management | 0.5 |
| or EDMC 7070 | Educational Brand Management | |
| EDMC 7080 | Research Proposal & Instrument Design I | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7090 | Dissertation Candidacy Seminar | 1 |
| EDMC 7170 | Organizational Theory | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7180 | Instructional Technology | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7190A & EDMC 7190B | Enacting Leadership For Social Studies and Enacting Leadership for Social Studies | 0.5 |
| or EDMC 7190 | Enacting Leadership For Social Studies | |
| EDMC 7195 | Enacting Leadership for Literacy | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7100 | Organizational Diagnostics | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7110 | Engaging the Polis and Public of U.S. School Reform Landscape I | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7140 | Creating Contexts for Teacher Learning and Leadership | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7910 | School Law | .5 |
| EDMC 7920 | Negotiations | .5 |
| EDMC 7930 | Public Leadership II 1 | 1 |
| EDMC 7940 | Case Simulation 1 | 1 |
| EDMC 8010 | Proseminar II: Data Analysis and Reporting | 1 |
| EDMC 8030 | Dissertation Seminar I 1 | 1.5 |
| EDMC 8120A & EDMC 8120B | Engaging the Polis and Public Of U.S. School Reform II and Engaging the Polis and Public Of U.S. School Reform II | 0.5 |
| or EDMC 8120 | Engaging the Polis and Public of U.S. School Reform II | |
| EDMC 8050A & EDMC 8050B & EDMC 8050C | Inquiry Seminar and Inquiry Seminar and Inquiry Seminar | 1.5 |
| EDMC 8060 | Advanced Issues in Educational Leadership I | 1 |
| EDMC 8070 | Dissertation Seminar II 1 | 1 |
| EDMC 8080 | Leading Instructional and Curricular Change | 0.5 |
| EDMC 8090 | Advanced Issues in Educational Leadership II | 0.5 |
| EDMC 8100 | Dissertation Seminar III 1 | 1 |
| EDUC 9950 | Dissertation 2 | 3 |
| Total Course Units | 34 | |
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.
- 1
Class is taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
- 2
Attempted each term after completing coursework to finish EdD milestones. Students will earn 3 CU's in the term they upload their dissertation and complete all requirements for the degree. Graded Satisfactory Complete/Unsatisfactory Progress. If student is uploading their dissertation in the final spring term of coursework they will be enrolled in EDUC 9950. Students will be assessed the cost of attendance for coursework. If students need to continue to be enrolled in EDUC 9950 after attempting all their courses then the standard GSE EdD dissertation rate and Mid-Career program fees will apply.
Required 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.
Dissertation Supervision Registration
For students registered after the sixth semester of the program, registration for consecutive semesters is required in the form of dissertation supervision (EDUC 9950). Applicable Penn tuition and fees will apply.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer | Course Units | |
| EDMC 6010 | Leading Teams and Fostering Learning Communities | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6020 | Social Foundations of Education | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6040 | Introduction to Dissertation Research | 1.5 |
| EDMC 6120 | Introduction to Education Research | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6080A | Quantitative Methods I | 0.25 |
| Course Units | 3.25 | |
| Fall | ||
| EDMC 6050A | Frameworks for Understanding Literacy, Teaching & Learning | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6060 | Exploring Frameworks for Learners and Learning | 1 |
| EDMC 6070 | Qualitative Research Methods I | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6080B | Quantitative Methods I | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6100 | Public Leadership: Philosophy | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6160 | Leadership Seminar: Theory & Cases | 0.5 |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| Qualifications Evaluation | ||
| EDMC 6050B | Frameworks for Understanding Literacy, Teaching & Learning | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6110 | Understanding Race and Politics | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6130 | Quantitative Methods II | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6140A | Qualitative Research Methods II | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6170A | Enacting Leadership for Science | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6175 | Enacting Leadership for Math | 0.5 |
| EDMC 6180 | Mixed Methods Seminar | .5 |
| EDMC 6930 | Public Leadership I | 1 |
| Course Units | 3.75 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Summer | ||
| EDMC 6140B | Qualitative Research Methods II | 0.25 |
| EDMC 6170B | Enacting Leadership for Science | 0.25 |
| EDMC 7010 | Proseminar I (Research Methods) | 1 |
| EDMC 7020 | Leadership and Emotional Intelligence | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7030 | Public Policy Workshop I | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7050 | Public Leadership: Social Contexts | 0.5 |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Fall | ||
| Premliminary Examination due | ||
| EDMC 7040 | Online Research and Writing | 1 |
| EDMC 7070A | Educational Brand Management | 0.25 |
| EDMC 7080 | Research Proposal & Instrument Design I | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7170 | Organizational Theory | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7180 | Instructional Technology | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7190A | Enacting Leadership For Social Studies | 0.25 |
| EDMC 7195 | Enacting Leadership for Literacy | 0.5 |
| Course Units | 3.50 | |
| Spring | ||
| Oral Proposal held | ||
| Year Two Benchmark Exam held | ||
| EDMC 7070B | Educational Brand Management | 0.25 |
| EDMC 7090 | Dissertation Candidacy Seminar | 1 |
| EDMC 7100 | Organizational Diagnostics | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7110 | Engaging the Polis and Public of U.S. School Reform Landscape I | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7140 | Creating Contexts for Teacher Learning and Leadership | 0.5 |
| EDMC 7190B | Enacting Leadership for Social Studies | 0.25 |
| EDMC 7910 | School Law | .5 |
| EDMC 7920 | Negotiations | .5 |
| Course Units | 4.00 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Summer | ||
| EDMC 7940 | Case Simulation | 1 |
| EDMC 8010 | Proseminar II: Data Analysis and Reporting | 1 |
| EDMC 8030 | Dissertation Seminar I | 1.5 |
| EDMC 8050A | Inquiry Seminar | .5 |
| EDMC 8120A | Engaging the Polis and Public Of U.S. School Reform II | 0.25 |
| Course Units | 4.25 | |
| Fall | ||
| EDMC 8050B | Inquiry Seminar | .5 |
| EDMC 8060 | Advanced Issues in Educational Leadership I | 1 |
| EDMC 8070 | Dissertation Seminar II | 1 |
| EDMC 8080 | Leading Instructional and Curricular Change | 0.5 |
| EDMC 8120B | Engaging the Polis and Public Of U.S. School Reform II | 0.25 |
| Course Units | 3.25 | |
| Spring | ||
| Final Defense held | ||
| Public Leadership Requirement due | ||
| EDMC 7930 | Public Leadership II | 1 |
| EDMC 8050C | Inquiry Seminar | .5 |
| EDMC 8090 | Advanced Issues in Educational Leadership II | 0.5 |
| EDMC 8100 | Dissertation Seminar III | 1 |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDUC 9950 | Dissertation | Attempting 3 |
| Course Units | 0.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 9950 | Dissertation | 3 |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Total Course Units | 34.00 | |