Program Availability
The online/hybrid Educational Administration: School Administration PhD is open to eligible students in the U.S. (including the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories). The program is closed to students residing in countries other than the U.S. except for U.S. military and State Department personnel and their family members with APO/FPO addresses. This PhD is a blended online learning program using a combination of interactive online sessions augmented by required on-campus sessions.
Why Earn an Educational Administration PhD at Indiana State?
Our doctoral program will prepare you for advanced roles in school administration, educational policy, college teaching and research, and government and industrial positions requiring competencies relevant to educational administration and research.
Benefit from a Program Designed for Working Professionals
The PhD in Educational Administration with a Specialization in School Administration (K-12 District Leadership) is a cohort-based program for successful professionals seeking to extend their practitionership into scholarly and research pursuits. The program is designed for post-educational specialist students who desire a terminal degree preparing them to be scholar/practitioner leaders.
This is a blended online program using a combination of interactive online sessions augmented by face-to-face classroom sessions held on the ISU campus in Terre Haute, Indiana. Please take this firm requirement into consideration before applying. The program is not delivered completely online.
How Our Cohort-Based Program Works
Students begin the program with a cohort group in the Fall and commit to moving through the program's schedule of studies with that cohort group. Missing courses will simply put the student into the next cohort.
Students enroll for two courses each semester for five consecutive terms over a two-year period, including a summer session. The program includes three on-campus seminars per semester and a four-day on-campus summer experience. Each on-campus seminar runs all day on Friday (8:00 am–5:00 pm) and a half-day on Saturday (8:00 am–12:00 pm). The four-day summer experience is in late June, running from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm each day. Our goal is to maintain a sense of residency for this program while acknowledging the life of practitioners in today’s busy world.
At the conclusion of the last semester, students participate in preliminary examinations, which, once passed, will give students candidacy into the dissertation portion of the program. At this point, students will start the dissertation process. Dissertations usually take about 18 months to three years to complete and require a minimum of 18 dissertation hours.
The University requires that the program be completed within a total of nine years after admission to the program and within six years after admission to candidacy for the degree.
Learn from Our Excellent Faculty
As a graduate student in the Department of Educational Leadership, you will benefit from classes taught by dedicated faculty mentors with diverse expertise and experience. All hold advanced degrees, collaborate with practicing professionals, and engage in scholarly and service activities at the state, regional, national, and international levels.
Recent faculty awards include the University’s Presidential Medal for Exemplary Teaching and Scholarship, the Theodore Dreiser Distinguished Research and Creativity Award, and the Bayh College of Education Holmstedt Distinguished Professorship Award.
What You’ll Learn in the Educational Administration PhD Program
Students who have completed the University’s School Administration EdS generally need to complete the 10 courses (30 credits) listed below. Students also must complete a doctoral dissertation (18 credits) The final program for each student will be developed by the student and the committee and will be based on background, interests, needs, and goals.
- EDLR 657 Human Relations in Education Administration (3 hours)
- EDLR 682 Contemporary Problems in Educational Administration (3 hours)
- EDLR 708 Seminar in the Foundations of Modern Education (3 hours)
- EDLR 755 Research Seminar in Educational Law (3 hours)
- EDLR 761 Inquiry in Higher Education (3 hours)
- EDLR 806 Seminar in Educational Thought (3 hours)
- EDLR 850 Advanced Leadership Theory, Governance, and External Relations (3 hours)
- EDLR 859 Research Seminar in Educational Administration (3 hours)
- EPSY 612 Statistical Methods (3 hours)
- EPSY 712 Statistical Inference (3 hours) or EPSY 710 Qualitative Methods Inquiry (3 hours)
Note: Students must have completed the School Administration EdS to be accepted into the PhD program. Students with master’s degrees can begin in the EdS program and then move on to the PhD program. Our EdS is a post-master’s program that includes seven courses (or nine courses if you want to obtain the superintendent license).
Transfer Credit
Doctoral coursework from other institutions cannot be transferred to the PhD program. We do consider EdS coursework from other institutions. Those decisions are made by the EdS program coordinator. All students must take all ten PhD courses at Indiana State to meet a 30-credit requirement.
Career Possibilities for Educational Administration PhD Graduates
Our Educational Administration PhD opens doors to advanced leadership positions that enable you to influence education at various levels. Whether you choose to work directly in schools, contribute to policy, or focus on teaching, research, and development, your expertise will be valuable in shaping the future of education.
Welcome from the Chair
Dr. Mary Howard-Hamilton, Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership, and the Dr. Lotus Delta Coffman Distinguished Research Professor at Indiana State University.
All educator licensure programs and related school programs at Indiana State University are accredited by the Indiana Department of Education and Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Admission Requirements and Instructions
The Educational Administration: School Administration PhD has a new cohort of students starting each fall semester. Individuals may apply to the program if they have completed an Educational Specialist (EdS) program or anticipate completing an EdS before the fall term starts. Only completed applications received by December 1 will be reviewed for admittance the following fall. Completed applications will be reviewed and qualified students will be invited to interview on campus in March of each year to be part of the next fall cohort. Acceptance letters will be delivered in early April. A mandatory orientation meeting on campus will occur in early June.
Admission Requirements and Information
Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and an educational specialist degree in a relevant field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale in all undergraduate coursework. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.25 in all graduate coursework with no deficiencies in the area chosen for advanced graduate study.
The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is not required for admission to this program.
Applicants must hold or be eligible for the Standard License for either Elementary School Administration and Supervision or Secondary School Administration and Supervision. Applicants must show documentation of all licenses and certifications held.
Applicants must have graduate work and experience commensurate with the student's objectives as evaluated by a committee appointed by faculty in the Department of Educational Leadership.
Application should include a current curriculum vitae and a personal narrative statement of professional goals and past experiences.
Application should include three letters of recommendation who can comment on the applicant’s potential as a school/district leader. Important: Have the names and email addresses of your references available at the time that you are completing your admission application as you will need to enter them in the online application. Explain to your references that they will receive an email from Indiana State University requesting that they submit a letter of recommendation. Please ensure that your references expect to receive this request. It will be sent to your references immediately upon completing the application.
Application should include the Departmental Application.
Application Instructions
The following are application instructions and deadlines for the online Educational Leadership: School Administration PhD program.
How to Apply
Complete Indiana State University’s online application for admission at apply.indstate.edu/apply/.
Submit official transcripts from all colleges previously attended. To be official, transcripts must be sent directly from the college attended to: Graduate Admissions, Indiana State University, Welcome Center, 318 North Sixth Street, Terre Haute, IN, 47809. E-transcripts should be sent to admissions@indstate.edu.
Submit a nonrefundable application fee of $45.00 (U.S. citizens and permanent residents) or $65.00 (international students) payable by Visa, MasterCard, or check or money order payable to Indiana State University. Submit payment to: Indiana State University, Graduate Admissions, Welcome Center, 318 North Sixth Street, Terre Haute, IN, 47809.
Submit the following as part of the online application process.
- A copy of your Standard License for either Elementary School Administration and Supervision or Secondary School Administration and Supervision, and additional licenses and certifications.
- A current resume or curriculum vitae.
- A personal narrative statement of professional goals and past experiences.
- Three letters of recommendation with the names and email addresses of the individuals.
- The completed Departmental Application.
A new cohort of students begins each fall semester. Individuals may apply to the program if they have completed an Educational Specialist (EdS) program or anticipate completing an EdS before the fall term starts. Only completed applications received by December 1 will be reviewed for admittance the following fall. Completed applications will be reviewed and qualified students will be invited to interview on campus in March of each year to be part of the next fall cohort. Acceptance letters will be delivered in early April. A mandatory orientation meeting on campus will occur in early June.
Next Steps
Once admitted, students receive notification from the University as well as their University ID number needed to activate their University Username on the MyISU Portal [https://isuportal.indstate.edu/]. The Portal offers access to online registration, University records, and other important University services, including email and University announcements.
Note: Returning ISU students must apply for re-admission if they have not attended Indiana State University for more than two calendar years.
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School Administration (EdS) Online
Ed Specialist
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School Administration and Supervision (MEd) Online
Master's
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School Administration Post-Master's Non-Degree Licensure Online
Graduate Certificate / Licensure