The choice will reflect your individual background, work demands and career interests. In general, students are more successful in the P-12 master's program after several years of full time teaching and experience leading projects, teams and committees at the school level.
If you have an earned master's degree in a related area (such as teaching & curriculum, counseling, special education) you have 2 pathways to consider:
Please contact us to discuss and clarify your options.
The Ed.D. degree is designed for educators and other practitioners who have aspirations for improving their own leadership practice, for developing leadership capacity within their organizations and communities, and for making significant contributions to their local communities and to the future of Michigan. Students in the program will find their advanced leadership studies connected to critical education and social issues facing the state. Graduates will be prepared to enact Michigan Central Office Administrator (COA) standards at high levels and to take up system level leadership in various education agencies, including local and regional school districts, state education agencies, and professional education associations. The degree is earned through successful completion of coursework, portfolio evaluation, and successful completion of a group Capstone Project. The program is year-round and intense, but is designed so that working professionals earn their degree in 3 years.
The Ph.D. degree is designed to develop academic researchers or others interested in concentrated study in leadership, reform of educational organizations and systems, educational governance, finance and policy analysis, comparative education and related fields. The program emphasizes policy, theoretical and conceptual analysis, and empirical research. The degree is earned through successful completion of coursework, qualifying exams and a doctoral thesis. Most full-time students earn the degree in 4-6 years.