Ed.D. in Educational Leadership - K-12 Leadership Concentration

What is the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership Program?

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership K-12 program is designed to produce Christ-centered servant leaders who will go into our public, charter, and private schools to make a difference in children’s lives every day! Transformational leaders are required to meet the needs of the 21st-century learner, and this practitioner’s approach will prepare educators to tackle the necessary challenges and find solutions that produce results in student achievement. A doctorate in K-12 education will provide opportunities in dynamic roles now and in the future.

Practical and Intentional Design

The 60-hour degree program is designed to be completed in 3-4 years, including the Treatise (dissertation). All Ed.D. K-12 students will progress through the coursework as a cohort during the first three years, and they will draft the first three chapters of the treatise in class. The final year will be implementing your treatise study, writing chapters 4 and 5, and defending your final paper.  Although the program is practical in design, it is academically rigorous, and integration of faith and learning will be a part of every class.

Work-Life Balance

The program design provides a balance in every student’s life between work, personal life, and academics. For the Fall and Spring semesters, classes are held on three weekends (all day Friday and Saturday) each semester.  The summer commitment is 7-8 days for three summers, including two travel seminars. The first summer begins with a State Symposium held in Austin to focus on state educational issues. The next summer will be a National Symposium in Washington, D.C., with a focus on national policies and leadership studies. The final summer will be on campus.

A Powerful Support System

As a cohort, the doctoral students move as a group through every class in the program.  It is a great opportunity to network with educators in other schools, as well as an opportunity to learn from each other. The cohort becomes a powerful built-in support system, not only during the program but for the remainder of your career.

A Successful Doctoral Program

A remarkable 85% of our students finish this degree in four years or less, and the dropout rate is about 5% - unheard of numbers in a doctoral program. Our students report that 50% were promoted while in the program, proving that districts value those seeking and gaining a doctorate degree. These numbers confirm that this program is meeting the needs of our students, and they are highly successful!

Why Choose DBU for Your Ed.D.?

To summarize, the key reasons to choose DBU’s Ed.D. program include the following:

• Three to four-year program in a cohort model for “face-to-face” learning
• Classes held three weekends per semester, and one week in the summer
• Summer symposiums to Austin and Washington DC
• A practitioners approach to content and assignments
• 3/5ths of treatise written in class
• Meets Texas Superintendent Certification requirements
• Great value with competitive tuition

Additional Information

For more information, to schedule a meeting, or to apply, please contact:

View Program Design >>

Read Student Testimonials >>