Doctorate of Education (EdD) Regulations

Admission

To be admitted, the student must have attained the degree of master of arts with a major in education, a degree of master of education, or the quantitative and qualitative equivalent of one of these degrees from an accredited college or university.

Qualifying Examination and Plan of Study

A minimum of 72 semester hours of graduate level course work beyond the bachelor's degree is required for the degree of doctor of education. The plan of study is specifically intended to meet the professional needs of the candidate.

As well as pursuing course work in the professional areas of specialization, the student must take courses in educational statistics, advanced educational statistics, methods of educational research and one research elective course. Foreign languages are not required, except as may be determined by the student's doctoral advisory committee.

Advisory Committee

The student's adviser officially recommends for the approval by the Graduate School a doctoral advisory committee of at least five members. For students admitted Fall 2006 and later, the requirement is at least four committee members. In addition to planning the doctoral program with the student, this committee may administer a qualifying examination, which helps to assess the student's general background and potential for the EdD degree. It also guides the planning of the plan of study.

If required, the qualifying examination must be successfully completed before the plan of study is determined by the adviser and the student in cooperation with the doctoral advisory committee. This program must constitute a well-organized plan of professional specialization in one of the major fields of education, with one or more supporting fields.

Comprehensive Examination

When the doctoral advisory committee determines that the needed course work has been completed with satisfactory grades, it plans the comprehensive examination (a written and oral examination that includes the candidate's major field of interest) for the degree. This examination must be taken no earlier than the second year of graduate work and be completed at least seven months before graduation. A student must be enrolled to take the comprehensive examination. It is not administered unless MU is officially in session.

For the comprehensive examination to be completed successfully, the committee must vote to pass the student with no more than one dissenting or abstaining vote. If failure is reported, the committee recommends suggested work or remedial measures. (See Comprehensive Examination under PhD Degree Regulations)

The student who fails may not take a second examination for at least 12 weeks. Failure on two comprehensive examinations automatically prevents candidacy.

Dissertation

The dissertation must be reviewed and approved by the doctoral program committee. The same dissertation requirements for the PhD apply to the EdD.