Advisors: D. Eric Archer, Andrea Beach, Louann Bierlein Palmer, Regina Garza Mitchell, Brett Geier, Wanda Hadley, Joe Kretovics, Nancy Mansberger, Sue Poppink, Patricia Reeves, Jianping Shen, Donna Talbot, Rick Zinser/Adam Manley (WFED)
Room 3571 Sangren Hall
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Educational Leadership is targeted toward professionals working in the areas of K-12, Higher Education, Workforce Education and Development, or other environments engaged in education or adult learning. Four concentrations exist: (1) Higher Education Leadership, (2) K-12 Leadership, (3) Organizational Analysis, and (4) Workforce Education and Development, with program requirements specific to each concentration listed below.
Key program goals include preparing individuals to become transformational leaders, ready to help educational or other institutions to address current challenges, including the need to better educate students who have historically not been well served by traditional learning institutions. In addition, graduates will expand their inquiry and research skills, enabling them to add to the knowledge base concerning education, especially as it relates to the growing challenges facing all educational institutions.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the Ph.D. in Educational Leadership requires that students submit the following information within WMU’s on-line graduate application, and meet the established criteria, including:
- A master’s degree from an accredited institution, indicated on an official transcript.
- An overall grade point average of at least 3.0 for all graduate work undertaken beyond the bachelor’s degree.
- Submission of scores on the GRE General Test.
- Official transcripts as required by WMU.
- A Career and Professional Goals Written Narrative in which an applicant clearly describes his/her professional goals, and how this doctoral program fits with those goals.
- Graduate Reference Forms completed by three different individuals who can address an applicant’s ability to successfully complete doctoral-level work.
- A Professional Vitae or Resume.
WMU’s graduate application, along with more details on the application requirements and processes, can be found on the Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology’s website.
The total number of students accepted in any given year will depend upon the quality of individual applicants, as well as available resources to support the program.
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