Educational Leadership

NC State’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership is designed to prepare systems-level leaders to improve the quality of K-12 schools by preparing the next generation of superintendents dedicated to educational excellence and equity. Graduates are empowered with leadership strategies that improve student performance in environments that are dynamic, interactive and culturally diverse.

This program is offered by NC State's Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development (ELPHD) on campus and through an online cohort model that is only open to new applicants every few years. For admission in Summer 2025, we are currently accepting applications for our on campus program and an online cohort.

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at North Carolina State University leads to district/superintendent licensure and is intended to prepare district-level school leaders who can:

• Provide sound instructional leadership at all levels;
• Use qualitative and quantitative data as a basis for school improvement;
• Effectively administer fiscal, curricular and personnel resources;
• Exhibit strong written and oral communications skills;
• Participate effectively in educational politics, policy analysis and development;
• Critically and strategically analyze school problems;
• Demonstrate effective leadership at the school and district level;
• Administer schools in a legally and ethically defensible manner;
• Demonstrate excellence in administration.

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership requires core courses in educational leadership, research methods courses, an internship and a dissertation. Students must be officially admitted to the Ed.D. program to enroll in doctoral classes. Please be aware that a Ph.D. in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis is offered on campus in Raleigh, but only the Ed.D. leads to superintendent licensure in North Carolina.

This program may lead to Professional Licensure.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Hold a North Carolina Principal’s license or be eligible to receive one;
• Complete the online application (opens in new tab) to NC State's Graduate School;
• Upload unofficial transcripts from each college and university attended (except NC State University). If you are recommended for admission, the Graduate School will request an official copy of your transcript(s) be sent directly to the Graduate School; do not send transcripts to the department;
• Confirm the submission of three letters of reference. One letter MUST be from your current supervisor. The application system will send an email directly to your references asking them to complete a reference for you. All references are submitted electronically;
• Submit official score report from either the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Test must have been taken within the last five years;
• Submit your professional resume (uploaded in online application system). Please be detailed. Be sure to include information on your teaching assignments (grades and subject), your leadership experiences, current work assignment, and your current supervisor’s name and contact information (phone and email);
• Upload your Personal Statement to the online application site. (As you prepare this statement, please reflect upon why you are interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership, what you hope to do with this degree, and why you are a good candidate for this program.)

Plan of Study

This doctoral program requires a minimum of 54 credit hours beyond the master’s degree.