The Doctor of Education Program

Overview

The Doctor of Education Program (sometimes referred to as the Program) is a practical, directed independent study program which emphasizes course work in leadership and management in a variety of educational and public service settings. It requires no classroom or seminar attendance. The Program is of particular interest to individuals with public or private school teaching experience who seek administrative positions or middle level managers who are interested in moving into higher levels of administration.

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The Doctor of Education Program

Program Objectives

The objectives of the Program are as follows:

1. To offer a program of coursework and practical exercises in leadership, management and instruction that will enhance the professional and personal lives of its students;

2. To prepare professional educators to serve the needs of both public and private institutions from the elementary to postsecondary level in their community and beyond; and

3. To employ faculty who are accomplished in their respective fields from both an academic and practical perspective.

The School acts to fulfill the purposes of the Doctor of Education Program through appropriate coursework, coupled with continuing direction, evaluation of student progress, and regular assessment of student learning outcomes, supervised and administered by qualified faculty.

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The Doctor of Education Program

Presentation

The Program is presented in a directed independent study modality. Directed independent study as offered in the Program is a collaborative effort between a student and faculty whereby the student and faculty members develop a Degree Completion Plan which will satisfy the requirements of the University and the student.

Shortly after enrollment in the Program, the student in collaboration with a faculty member agree on a plan for the completion of the degree requirements. The plan will include a projected timetable for completion of the Program, selection of electives, and communications with faculty and staff. While the plan is flexible and can be modified in the future, experience has shown this type of planning increases the student’s probability of success.

Students are required to complete ten core courses, two elective courses, a comprehensive examination, and prepare a dissertation. The core courses can be completed in any order. Students work on one course at a time.

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The Doctor of Education Program

Admission Policies and Requirements

A master’s degree from an accredited institution is generally required for admission. In the context of this statement, “accredited” for institutions within the United States requires they be a member of an accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. Applicants with earned degrees from institutions outside the United States must obtain an evaluation from an approved evaluation service documenting that their education is equivalent to a master’s degree from an accredited institution in the United States.

An applicant may be conditionally admitted into the Program based on a completed Application for Admission, student copies of transcripts reflecting the applicant’s highest relevant degree, documentation of the applicant’s professional work experience, and the receipt of two completed Doctoral Applicant Reference Forms. Official copies of all relevant college level credits received directly from the institution of origin will be required within 60 days of enrollment.

While professional work experience is not a condition of admission to the Program, applicants need to provide evidence of any previous professional work experience prior to formal admission. The vast majority of the institution’s applicants are mature adults working in a variety of professional settings. Many have not attended college for several years. Consequently, prior class rank and grade point average are not significant factors in the admission process.

Applicants who do not possess a degree from a postsecondary institution where English is the principal language of instruction must receive a minimum score of 550 on the paper based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Examination. (213 on the computer based examination).

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The Doctor of Education Program

Curriculum

The following courses are required in the Doctor of Education Program. (Click on the course title for a description of the course.)

		Units
	Educational Administration (EDU501)	4
	Leadership in Institutional Settings (EDU503)	4
	Psychological Foundations of Education (EDU504)	3
	The Laws and Politics of Education (EDU505)	4
	Organizational Behavior in the Educational Setting (EDU506)	4
	Educational Finance (EDU507)	4
	Principles of Curriculum Development (EDU508)	4
	Societal Diversity (EDU509)	4
	Research Methods (EDU511)	4
	Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education (EDU512)	3
	Comprehensive Examination (EDU700)	1
	Electives (From the 600 Series)	6
	Dissertation Proposal (EDU701)	3
	Dissertation (EDU702)	12
Total Units Required for Graduation:		60

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The Doctor of Education Program

Degree Requirements

To earn the Doctor of Education degree a student must complete the courses listed in the Curriculum section above in good academic standing, pass a Comprehensive Examination, and present a successful oral defense of the dissertation.

The requirements may be completed in as little as 27 months. All requirements must be completed within seven years from the date of initial enrollment

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The Doctor of Education Program

Financial Information

Tuition

Tuition is billed at the rate of $420.00 per month during the term of enrollment. The obligation of students to pay tuition shall continue until the earliest of the following events:

1. satisfaction of all degree requirements;
2. 48 billing months (four years);
3. withdrawal from the Program;
4. academic dismissal from the Program.
   

Continuation Fee

Students who have not completed all degree requirements after four full years of active enrollment in the Program will be assessed a continuation fee of $125.00 per month for the balance of the enrollment period or until they have satisfied all degree requirements. (This is in lieu of tuition.)

Registration and Orientation Fee

This one-time fee of $150.00 is charged at the time of a student’s initial enrollment and is related to the costs associated with setting-up the student’s file and developing a Degree Completion Plan.

Fee Schedule
Application Fee	$100.00
Enrollment Commitment Fee (Applies Only to Matriculating Students)	$100.00
Dissertation Defense Fee (Payable when the oral defense is scheduled)	$450.00
Dissertation Fee (Payable after the oral defense)	$350.00
Non-Resident Surcharge (Per Month) (Applies Only to Students Residing Outside of the United States)	$25.00
Graduation Check/Diploma Fee	$75.00
Transcript Fee(Two Provided at No Charge)	$  7.50
Late Payment Fee (Returned Check/Declined Credit Card/ACH) (Per Item)	$25.00
Withdrawal Processing Fee (Applicable to withdrawing students only)	$100.00

 
  Information on financial aid and tuition financing can be found HERE.

  The cost of books and materials, other than each course syllabus, is not included in the tuition. The University does not sell books or materials. Most books and materials may be purchased at local colleges, retail bookstores, directly from publishers or over the Internet. The cost is estimated to average approximately $150.00 per course. Students are always provided with a mail or Internet source for acquiring all required materials.

Payment Alternatives

  Students may pay any of the above fees by pre-authorized debit to their checking account (ACH), American Express^Ò, MasterCard^Ò or Visa^Ò.

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Applications are generally reviewed weekly. Should additional information be required the applicant will be contacted. If the applicant is accepted for admission to the Program, an enrollment commitment form will be prepared and sent to the applicant. At the time the commitment material and the $100.00 commitment fee are received by the Admissions Office, a formal enrollment agreement will be prepared and sent to the applicant for review and signature. All payments submitted for tuition and fees must be payable in U.S. dollars.

Applicants are encouraged to call the Admissions Office if there are any questions regarding enrollment procedures.

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The Doctor of Education Program

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Q. How long does it take to complete the Program?
A. The minimum completion time for the Program is 27 months. Since all courses are self-paced, the number of weeks necessary to complete a course may vary considerably based on the amount of time per week a student devotes to study and the professional experience of the student.

Students are officially enrolled in one course at a time. Students may not complete the first course in less than one and one-half months from the date of initial enrollment. Thereafter, a student may complete one course for every one and one-half months of cumulative enrollment. (e.g. a student who enrolled on January 1st could submit three courses by May 15th or four courses by July 1st, etc.) The above examples demonstrate minimum completion schedules. Experience has shown that the average student will progress at a slower pace.

It is expected the average completion time of the Program will approximate 48 months. All degree requirements must be satisfied within seven years from the date of initial enrollment.

The Degree Completion Plan (DCP) is designed to assist students in establishing a workable study plan and projected course completion schedule.

2. Q. What is the Degree Completion Plan?
A. Shortly after enrollment in the Program, the student in collaboration with a faculty member will agree on a plan for the completion of the Program including a tentative selection of electives and a discussion of time management. The main purpose of the Degree Completion Plan (DCP) is to help the doctoral student establish learning goals while maximizing their personal time management. Experience has shown one of the biggest challenges faced by students when embarking on a distance learning program is the proper management of time and self-discipline.

The DCP will also assist the student by planning a method of study, which can be followed up to the time of the comprehensive examination. Students who have developed similar types of study plans early on in their doctoral programs have achieved greater results on the comprehensive examination and have been better prepared to sit for the examination following the completion of their coursework.

In designing the DCP, the faculty member in consultation with the student will also address areas such as the creation of a program completion timeline, expectations of professional and personal growth through doctoral study and a vision of postdoctoral goals. While the plan can be modified in the future, experience has shown this type of planning increases the student’s probability of overall success in the Program.

3. Q. Will I be required to attend seminars or other classroom instruction?
A. No.

4. Q. Will I need to travel to California?
A. No. While students are welcome to visit our offices in California and may elect to take the comprehensive examination and defend their dissertation in California, this is not a requirement. Certain courses require a proctored examination. The comprehensive examination must also be proctored. Students may elect to take examinations at over 200 approved testing sites. If a testing site is not convenient to a student, procedures are in place for the student to nominate a proctor. Dissertation defenses will generally be scheduled in the University’s offices. However, with the consent of the student’s dissertation chairperson, arrangements can be made for the dissertation to be taken elsewhere.

5. Q. How many hours does it take to complete a course?
A. The amount of time it will take an individual to complete a given course will vary depending upon the background of the individual. For most individuals the amount of time necessary to complete a course will approximate the amount of time students in a classroom program covering the same subject.

6. Q. Will you accept transfer credit from other doctoral programs or grant credit for life experiences?
A. No.

7. Q. In terms of educational quality, is DETC accreditation equivalent to regional accreditation?
A. Yes, the official at the United States Department of Education responsible for the recognition of accrediting bodies has written that recognition granted by the Secretary of Education to DETC is “identical” to regional accrediting bodies. We can provide employers or other interested parties with a copy of this letter. The Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) holds a similar view.

8. Q. Will the completion of any of these courses apply towards a teaching and/or administrative credential?
A. Each state has its own set of criteria for the issuance and renewal of credentials. Prospective students interested in the credential process should check with the Credential Commission within their State's Department of Education for detailed information before enrollment. The University will assist students in providing any reasonable information that may be required in the credential process.

9. Q. I work for a school district. Can I receive salary credit for completion of the entire Program or for individual courses?
A. Salary credits are generally a result of labor agreements in place between a school district and professional associations such as teacher groups. The agreements sometimes delineate eligible coursework and/or institutions where they can be taken. Past experience has shown that the great majority of districts will allow salary credit if you complete coursework at the University. Additionally, many school districts award salary credit on a case-by-case basis. The University will assist you in your efforts in applying for salary credit and will supply you or your school district with any reasonable documentation.

10. Q. Does the University recommend a minimum number of years of occupational experience in education before commencing the Program?
A. Yes, it is recommended that an applicant have a minimum of five years of occupational experience before enrolling. The Program emphasizes real world experience in educational settings. Therefore, those with related experience will find the coursework very relevant. Without such experience, students may find it more difficult to relate the coursework to their professional settings.

11. Q. How soon can I get started?
A. The Program utilizes an open enrollment policy. Accordingly, students may commence study on the first day of any month. Applications are generally reviewed weekly. Most applicants commence study within one month of the date of acceptance. However, approved applicants may, after payment of the Enrollment Commitment Fee, delay enrollment for a maximum of six months. If an approved applicant has not enrolled within six months of acceptance, a new application will be required.

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