Program Overview
The purpose of Argosy University’s Doctor of Education (EdD) in Initial Educational Administration degree program is to prepare individuals to serve as school principals and/or building-level administrators. The program is designed for practicing educators who have already completed a graduate level program from a regionally accredited institution or an appropriately certified foreign institution, and seeking administrative licensure at the initial or K-12 level. Completion of the EdD in Initial Educational Administration degree program results in a terminal degree which includes a specific writing, research, and dissertation sequence.
Note
This program is approved by the Florida Department of Education and only meets the certification requirements for the State of Florida. Students, who wish to work in a State other than Florida, are responsible to investigate the other State’s criteria regarding reciprocity of the Florida Principal licensure.
Admission Requirements
- A master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or an appropriately certified foreign institution
- A grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) in work leading to the master’s degree and in any subsequent graduate study
- A minimum score on an Argosy University pre-approved English language proficiency test is required for all applicants whose native language is not English or who have not graduated from an institution at which English is the language of instruction as specified in Section Five, Admission Policies, “English Language Proficiency Policy.”
- A minimum of 3 credits of ESL/ESOL coursework*
- A minimum of 3 years of full-time experience under a valid teaching certificate in a state approved school
- Evidence of a criminal background or fingerprint check
- Interview with Program Admissions Committee and recommendation for admittance
- A Writing Sample submitted with the program application
All applications for admission must be submitted to the Admissions Department. An admissions representative is available to help interested applicants complete the following required documentation:
- Application for Admission Form
- Application fee (Non-refundable, except in California and Arizona. In the state of Arizona, the application fee is refundable if the application is canceled within three business days of the applicant signing the Enrollment Agreement.)
- Personal goal statement with a self-appraisal of qualifications for the profession
- Current résumé
- Three letters of recommendation (two from a source familiar with the student’s academic abilities and one from a current school or district administrator)
- Official transcripts from all postsecondary schools attended
Additional Requirements*
If a student does not have an ESOL endorsement and coursework in the teaching of reading and math, the student must take and pass the following additional prerequisite courses in areas of deficiency within 4 terms of matriculation into the program:
Graduation Requirements
- Successful completion of 60 credit hours that includes:
- 45 credit hours of coursework
- 12 credit hours of dissertation
- 3 credit hours of practicum (E 8383 and E 8384 )
- A grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on a scale of 4.0) and a grade of “B-” or better in all required courses
- Passage of the dispositional assessment
- Passage of the Florida Educational Leadership Exam (FELE)
- Successful defense of dissertation
- Completion of all requirements within seven years of matriculation in the program
- Completed Petition to Graduate Form submitted to campus administration
Florida Principal Certification Requirements
Graduation from the EdD in Initial Educational Administration degree program does not guarantee certification. To qualify for certification, the following conditions must be met:
- Successful completion of all program requirements, including the Administrative Practicum and Dispositional Assessment
- Mastery of the Florida Competencies and Skills as demonstrated by the passage of the Florida Educational Leadership Exam (FELE)
Note
The EdD in Initial Educational Administration degree program leads to Florida Principal Certification upon completion of all state and program requirements, including passage of all required Florida state licensure exams. All other programs offered through Argosy University, Tampa and Argosy University, Sarasota College of Education DO NOT lead to teacher, administrator, school counseling, or school psychology certification, licensure, or endorsement in any State in the United States.
Program Requirements
The EdD in Initial Educational Administration degree program requires the satisfactory completion of 60 semester credit hours distributed as follows: Core Course requirements, 27 credit hours; Academic Writing and Research requirements, 18 credit hours; Practicum requirements, 3 credit hours; Dissertation requirements, 12 credit hours.
