Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in
Educational Leadership
Online
Program Overview
Earn your PhD in Educational Leadership online with The University of Alabama. This premier degree empowers you to cultivate research-driven critical thinking and problem-solving abilities essential for leadership across all levels of educational institutions. Designed for working professionals, the program allows you to balance your job and responsibilities while advancing your education.
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Program Format
Online -
Credit Hours
66 -
Tuition Per Hour
$440
Advance Your Knowledge
Immerse yourself in a comprehensive curriculum that explores the core aspects of educational leadership, research, organizational change and current issues in education contexts. Whether you’re an educator, administrator, or specialist, this program equips you with the advanced skills and knowledge needed to lead innovatively in the field. Tailored to cultivate leadership and research abilities essential for tackling educational issues, our program ensures a positive student experience. You’ll benefit from a supportive and challenging learning environment with a fully online format that recognizes your need to balance professional commitments and advancing your education.
Our highly competitive PhD in Educational Leadership program stands out for its expert faculty, who focus on your development of theoretical thinking and emphasize the application of research and knowledge. Engaging and synchronous virtual class meetings foster collaborative dialogues with both instructors and peers, cultivating a scholarly environment among participants. In our program, you’ll enhance your teaching skills and graduate-level education while shaping a significant dissertation research topic. Delve into research design and effective dissemination strategies, equipping you to make meaningful contributions to the educational leadership field, enlighten practitioners, and impact policymaking. Upon completing the program, you’ll be prepared for careers in academia, policy analysis, research, consultation or school leadership.
- Application DeadlineMarch 1
- Fees$10 graduate College of Education fee (per hour)
- Scholarships and Grants AvailableDiscover a range of scholarships and grants to support your educational journey
Curriculum
Prerequisites
Prior to admission, applicants must provide evidence that they have completed a course in the following areas:
- Special Education Course – Applicants must have taken a special education with a grade of B or better.
- Graduate Level Statistics Research Course – If students have not taken BER 540 Quantitative Methods I (Introduction to Statistical Methods) or an acceptable preapproved master’s level equivalent within the last four years with a grade of B or better, then students are required to complete this course before beginning the 12-hour research requirement.
Educational Leadership Core Courses (All core courses are required.)
- AEL 619 Politics of Education
- AEL 650 Organizational Theory
- AEL 671 Survey of Instructional Supervision
- AEL 675 Leadership for Organizational Improvement: Theory Into Practice
- AEL 682 Leadership and Organizations/Theory and Application
Educational Leadership Electives (Select three from the following courses.)
- AEL 608 Education Finance Theory and Practice
- AEL 611 Superintendency
- AEL 618 Advanced Educational Law
- AEL 630 School Partnerships
- AEL 661 Major Issues and Trends
- AEL 664 Education Policy/Dynamics of Change
- AEL 697 Seminar in Education Leadership
or select other courses with advisor approval
Foundations Courses (Select three from the following courses.)
- BEF 639 Educational Theory and Policy
- BEF 640 Studies in History of Education
- BEF 642 Studies in Philosophy of Education
- BEF 681 Ethics and Education
- AIL 608 Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Accessibility in Instructional Technology Design and Implementation
- AIL 631 Administrative Technology
- AIL 690 Seminar in Instructional Technology
- BEF 695 Seminar in Curriculum Leadership
or select other courses with advisor approval
Research Courses (Select five from the following courses.)
- BER 600 Survey of Educational Research
- BER 603 Survey of Research in Education
- BER 630 Qualitative Case Study Research
- BER 631 Inquiry as Interpretation: Qualitative I
- BER 640 Advanced Statistical Methods in Education
- BER 642 Advanced Regression Methods
- BER 643 Multivariate Statistics
- BER 646 Structural Equation Models*
- BER 647 Experimental Research Design: Single-Case Research
- BER 657 Psychometric Theory
- BER 660 Evaluation I: Theory and Practice
- BER 661 Evaluation 2: Improvement Science Methodologies
- BER 663 Casual Inference **
- BER 664 Multi-Level and Longitudinal Modeling ***
Dissertation
- AEL 699 Dissertation Research
* Students who want to take BER 646 Structural Equation Models need to take the following progression — BER 540 Statistical Methods in Education, BER 640 Advanced Statistical Methods in Education and BER 643 Multivariate Statistics — prior to enrolling in BER 646.
** Designed for policy and impact evaluation methods. (Course progression/prerequisites: BER 540 Statistical Methods in Education)
*** Designed to help students conduct dissertations using large secondary data sets. (Course progression/prerequisites: BER 540 Statistical Methods in Education)
Transfer Credit
Students with an EdS degree from UA or another regionally accredited university may be eligible to apply up to 21 credit hours of AEL coursework toward the PhD, upon advisor approval. See the UA Graduate Catalog for more information and instructions for requesting an evaluation.
| Category | PhD in Educational Leadership | EdD in Educational Leadership |
|---|---|---|
| Degree Type | Researcher degree | Practitioner degree |
| Primary Career Path | Faculty/researcher, policy analyst, consultant or policymaker | School administration (principals, superintendents) or educational leadership |
| Career Enhancement | Prepare to be a professor, researcher, educational leader, consultant, agency executive or policy analyst | Can qualify for higher education positions, though focused on leadership and administrative roles in K-12 |
| Focus of Degree | Creation and publication of new knowledge; emphasis on producing knowledge | Utilization of existing knowledge; emphasis on consuming and applying knowledge |
| Program Purpose | Prepare students for careers in academia, policy analysis, or research; emphasizes theoretical thinking and knowledge creation in leadership | Equip students with the skills to improve their knowledge as educational leaders, focusing on decision-making and problem-solving in practice |
| Student Development Orientation | Results-oriented and forward-looking mindset in examining cutting-edge research on school improvement and effective and innovative change | Become a highly competent scholar-leader at the school, district, or state level with a forward-thinking mindset. |
| Learning Orientation | Learn about research-informed leadership, organization capacity-building, strategic planning, political dynamics for social justice, transforming teaching and learning, innovative system improvement in equitable and progressive academic growth for all students | Acquire and apply knowledge of cutting-edge research-based and data-informed leadership for improving student learning and success |
| Format | Research team, project involvement, learning community; publication apprenticeship; weekday-night synchronized virtual class and asynchronized online learning | Cohort; network with school, district and state leaders; weekend, synchronized virtual class and asynchronized online learning |
| Category | PhD in Educational Leadership | EdD in Educational Leadership |
|---|---|---|
| Instructional Approach | Immersion in university research and teaching culture, focus on theoretical applications in educational leadership | Professional inquiry, reflection and application of leadership knowledge to address challenges in education |
| Key Areas of Study | Organizational theory, politics, policy analysis, school improvement, leadership development, dynamic change, research methods, technology, multicultural leadership, curriculum leadership | School and district leadership, school improvement, organizational theory, finance, policy evaluation, curriculum leadership, data-informed decision-making, public accountability, developing leaders and people, transforming teaching and learning, successful whole-system change, accountability, law and ethics of education, diversity and culture, action research, improvement science |
| Research and Publication Mentorship | Emphasized | Not emphasized |
| Local School Engagement | Not emphasized | Emphasized |
| Category | PhD in Educational Leadership | EdD in Educational Leadership |
|---|---|---|
| Program Length | 66 credit hours | 69 credit hours |
| Research Coursework | 15 credit hours | 12 credit hours |
| Dissertation Coursework | 18 credit hours | 12 credit hours |
| Transfer Credit Allowance | Up to 21 hours from a UA-awarded EdS in Educational Leadership; review process available for non-UA EdS | Up to 27 hours from a UA-awarded EdS in Educational Leadership; review process available for non-UA EdS |
| Program Catalog Description | Prepares for a career in academia, policy analysis or consulting. Emphasizes theoretical thinking and developing knowledge in educational leadership. | Designed to meet the needs of educational leaders facing challenges like accountability, globalization, diversity and technology. Focused on leadership practice. |
| Dissertation Goal | Focus on the production of original research | Focus on addressing real-world problems in practice through inquiry and reflection |
| Dissertation Format | Typical dissertation formats (e.g., qualitative, quantitative, mixed method, meta-analysis); three-article format | A variety of formats through which students address practical problems faced by educational leaders (e.g., policy analysis, policy evaluation, systematic review, case study, improvement science-guided) |
| Category | PhD in Educational Leadership | EdD in Educational Leadership |
|---|---|---|
| Target Audience | Those seeking to contribute to academia or influence education policy through rigorous research | Educational practitioners aiming for higher leadership roles such as K-12 principals or superintendents, or those focused on solving practical issues |
| Ideal Candidate Experience | Education-related backgrounds (e.g., teaching, counseling, information science, research) | EdS degree in educational leadership and extensive school leadership experience |
Does the EdD sound like a better fit? Explore the EdD in Educational Leadership.
Admission
Doctoral students are admitted annually. Each applicant should submit a complete application for admission before the deadline of March 1 for fall admission. Applications past the deadline may be considered.
Potential applicants should be aware that admission to the UA doctoral programs is a competitive process and that submitting an application does not guarantee admission. In addition to the minimum Graduate School admission requirements, to be considered for regular admission an application must include:
- A master’s degree from an accredited institution
- Reference Letters – The application must include three letters of professional and academic reference, including one from a current supervisor.
- Purpose, Rationale, and Career Statement – Students who apply to the Ph.D. degree must provide a convincing written rationale as to why they wish to pursue this degree, and how its focus/purposes are consistent with their career goals.
- This purpose statement must address the following:
- the student’s rationale for applying for the Ph.D.;
- a statement regarding career and professional goals; and
- a statement of how the student’s rationale and career goals are consistent with the purpose of the Ph.D. degree as articulated by the Department and Program.
- This purpose statement must address the following:
- Professional Experience – While for the EdD degree, experience in teaching and or leadership are key factors considered in the admission process, but these factors are desirable yet less important for the PhD degree.
- Writing Sample – Applicants are required to include a recent sample (within the last year) of their academic or professional writing.
- An Updated Resume.
Applicants whose interests are deemed inconsistent with this focus/purposes of Ph.D. degree — but who are otherwise qualified for doctoral study—will be encouraged to apply to the Department’s online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program for consideration.
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Contact Us
Program Information
Hannah Homan
Admissions Representative
800-467-0227
hannahh.bama@ua.edu
Admissions Information
UA Online
800-467-0227
online@ua.edu