Doctor of Education

Overview

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program is designed to meet professional development needs as a Christian educational leader. Birthed from Columbia International University’s long-standing commitment to Christian school and Christian higher education, the Ed.D. program aims to develop educators to lead, model, think, communicate, and research with biblical excellence. They will grow in ability to enhance God’s Kingdom work in Christian educational institutions and to represent Christian education perspectives in the broader society. Students are admitted in cohort groups during the summer. Courses are provided online and in summer intensives.

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D) graduates complete a concentration in Christian Higher Education Leadership, Christian School Leadership, or Curricular and Instructional Leadership.

Purpose

The Ed.D. strives to produce leaders who have a biblical perspective and mentor educational communities while addressing needs through education.

Objectives

Students will demonstrate learning in specified areas of educational leadership. The program specifies 17 competencies which students must satisfactorily demonstrate for completion of degree requirements. Six competencies are addressed in a summative portfolio of student assignments and projects, nine are addressed in the qualifying exam taken near the conclusion of coursework, and two are addressed through the doctoral dissertation.

The competencies are supported by program courses. All candidates must demonstrate satisfactory competence in all required outcomes; no competencies will be waived. Students who do not take a specified program course or elective which is associated with a specified competency must still prepare to demonstrate that outcome through the portfolio or qualifying exam.

Candidates will understand:

• Biblical perspectives, foundational theories, research findings, cultural/sociological dynamics, and alternative models for educating diverse learners in contemporary Christian educational institutions. They will also analyze, synthesize, and evaluate these elements so as to enhance Christian education.
• Biblical perspectives, theoretical approaches, research findings, and alternative models of effective leadership and functioning of organizations, groups and individuals within organizations. They will also analyze, synthesize, and evaluate these elements so as to enhance their understanding of quality Christian education leadership.
• The components and process of quantitative and qualitative research which produce new theory, knowledge of effective practices, and solutions to educational questions and problems within an educational institution.

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