Under Construction
Doctor of Education in Educational Policy & Organizational Design
College of Education Associate Dean for Academics and Division Head: Dr. Kimberly Hall
Email: khall@meridian.msstate.edu
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Jeffrey Leffler
Email: jleffler@meridian.msstate.edu
MSU Meridian – College Park Campus
1000 Highway 19 North
Meridian, MS 39307
Department Telephone: 601-484-0170
Website: https://www.meridian.msstate.edu/academics/education/
Overview
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) with a concentration in Educational Policy & Organizational Design is a terminal degree designed to prepare scholar-practitioners serving in educational settings and professional agencies. By combining educational theory with action research, students learn how to critically examine programs and provide solutions to meet the needs of their setting. Graduates will possess the content knowledge and research skills necessary to improve educational and other systems. This degree is offered in a blended (i.e., asynchronous, and synchronous) format for all courses.
This 61-hour program (31 hours beyond the Ed.S degree or equivalent in coursework) is designed to meet the needs of P-12 educators and other professional staff who wish to pursue a doctorate degree who have earned an Educational Specialist (EdS) or equivalent in P-12 or related fields. This degree offers an opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree to increase qualifications for leadership positions, increase knowledge base appropriate to a doctorate, and enhance the graduates’ trajectory in their selected career in educational and related settings, particularly within the school and district P-12 levels. This Ed.D. degree focuses on applied research, which is more appropriate and applicable to graduates who want to engage in application of their skills and knowledge, rather than pursue a career that focuses on a traditional theoretical research agenda as a faculty member in post-secondary education settings. To this end, the Doctor of Education with a concentration in Educational Design builds on a specialist degree (or equivalent) and will require a capstone or applied research project as the culminating of the degree rather than a traditional dissertation.
Admissions Criteria for Doctor of Education in Educational Policy and Design
- A completed graduate application.
- Statement of purpose detailing your professional goals and how those goals fit the program to which you are applying.
- Names and email addresses for three references including two professional contacts and one instructor/professor who can speak to your academic ability. The admissions office will send them a link to an online reference form. Do not list family members and please inform your references so they can expect to be contacted by the admissions office.
- A recommended minimum 3.4 GPA (master’s or specialist’s degree) for admission to Ed.S. and Ed.D. programs.
- Participation in an interview.
Contingent Admission
Contingent admission status is reserved for those students who are applying to a degree program during the semester they are graduating with another degree and the overall GPA is pending. Otherwise, the admission packet must be complete, and all admission requirements met before admission will be considered.
Provisional Admission
The Division of Education follows the University’s Provisional Admission policy.
Residency Requirement
For doctoral students there is no specific on-campus residence requirement. However, students are required to complete one-half of required coursework and all capstone credits from Mississippi State University.
Academic Performance for All Programs
The Meridian Division of Education defines satisfactory performance in graduate level coursework as a grade of S on capstone hours and a GPA of at least 3.00 on all coursework attempted. The division follows Graduate School policies relating to academic performance. In the event a student’s performance warrants dismissal from a graduate program, the Graduate Coordinator will petition the Dean of the Graduate School to dismiss the student from the graduate program.
Program of Study
| ED 8813 | Applications of Systems Change in Education and Related Fields | 3 |
| ED 9323 | Program Accountability in Education | 3 |
| ED 9314 | Systems and Individual Level Supervision, Mentoring, and Consultation | 4 |
| ED 9343 | Organizational/Project Design and Management | 3 |
| ED 9413 | Government & Agency Relationships in Education Policy | 3 |
| EPY 8113 | History and Systems of Psychology | 3 |
| ED 9913 | Capstone Seminar in Education | 3 |
| ED 8620 | Capstone Project in Education | 9 |
| Approved Electives (MSU transfer policy applies) | 30 | |
| Total Hours | 61 | |
The program requires a minimum of 61 hours of coursework beyond the master’s degree (31 hours beyond an educational specialist degree or equivalent) which includes 30 hours of electives and a comprehensive exam. Students may take the comprehensive examination when they are within 6 hours of completing their coursework including the capstone seminar and have an overall graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. See the E-POD Graduate Student Handbook for specific criteria regarding the comprehensive exam.
The capstone project proposal meeting can be scheduled any time after the successful completion of the comprehensive examination requirements. The specific guidelines for the proposal are contained in the Capstone Project Guide.
Courses:
ED 8620 Capstone Project in Education: 3 hours.
(Prerequisites: Acceptance into a graduate degree program in Education; or permission of instructor). Hours and credits to be arranged, may be repeated. Students investigate a specific problem of practice and develop a final project appropriate to the subject area and graduate-level specific to the student.
ED 8813 Systems Change in Education: 3 hours.
Three credit hours lecture. The focus of the course is on the development of knowledge and skills in planning, designing, implementing, managing, and evaluating innovative projects and organizations in an area of the student’s expertise and interest.
ED 9314 System & Ind Consult, Mentor: 4 hours.
(Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor). Three hours lecture. One hour practicum. Systematic investigation and application of consultation, supervision, and mentoring as applied to individuals and organizational structures.
ED 9323 Program Accountability in Ed: 3 hours.
(Prerequisites: Admission to a doctoral degree in Education or related field; or permission of the instructor). Three hours lecture. Process of accountability, including standards within education and professional programs, accreditation processes and general procedures, and data collection strategies to meet general regulations.
ED 9343 Org/Proj Design & Management: 3 hours.
Three credit hours lecture. The focus of the course is on the development of knowledge and skills in planning, designing, implementing, managing, and evaluating innovative projects and organizations in an area of the expertise and interest of the student.
ED 9413 Govt & Agency Relations in Ed: 3 hours.
(Prerequisites: Admission to a doctoral degree in Education or related field; or permission of the instructor). Three hours lecture. The study of theories and principles of systems change in public and private agencies include education, clinical and health service agencies, and other related fields.
ED 9913 Capstone Seminar in Education: 3 hours.
(Prerequisites: Acceptance into a graduate degree program in Education; or permission of instructor). Three hours seminar. Students prepare for their Capstone Project to investigate a specific problem of practice appropriate to the subject area and graduate-level specific to the student.
EPY 8133 School Crisis Prevention & Intervention: 3 hours.
Three hours lecture. Study of school crisis prevention and intervention strategies with emphasis on preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from crisis impacting students and schools.