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Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Development, Leadership for Educational Organizations

Program Overview

Prepares candidates for research and teaching positions in higher education or research-based organizations. Candidates contribute to the growing evidence that school leadership makes a difference in how schools succeed in improving learning outcomes.

What Students Learn

This program prepares candidates to contribute to the understanding of education leadership in-depth. Research and scholarship on school leadership are beginning to understand when leadership is successful, what the relationship is between effective leadership and effective teaching, and how best to lead the collective impact of leadership on organizational and student-learning outcomes at all levels.

Students in this concentration will:

  • Learn how to navigate existing research and literature that supports effective leadership for educational organizations.
  • Understand the theories that underpin this research. Students delve into the rationale for the application of this work in understanding how organizations operate.
  • Develop a working knowledge of the interrelatedness of people, systems, culture and organizational outcomes.
  • Build on past research and design new research efforts. These efforts should lead to more equitable outcomes and new understandings of complex organizational problems of practice.
  • Engage with student colleagues, faculty, and organizational partners in collaborative research studies. Studies investigate promising strategies for resolving vexing organizational issues.
  • Become data savvy in using research findings to produce equitable and productive results from these investigations.
  • Culminate the program with a dissertation that contributes to the knowledge base in the field of leadership for educational organizations.

Choose CU Denver's School of Education & Human Development

Students trust CU Denver to provide an education that will prepare them for excellence in their career as faculty members or researchers. The program prepares leaders who value educational excellence and social justice. Additionally, the School of Education and Human Development is counted among U.S. News & World Report's “Best Graduate Schools,” making CU Denver one of the top education schools in the country.

Courses

The 75-credit program begins each fall.

The curriculum includes a combination of on-campus, hybrid, remote, and online courses each semester.

Every student must be available to attend on-campus courses each semester.

Program Description

What Students Learn

This program prepares candidates to contribute to the understanding of education leadership in-depth. Research and scholarship on school leadership are beginning to understand when leadership is successful, what the relationship is between effective leadership and effective teaching, and how best to lead the collective impact of leadership on organizational and student-learning outcomes at all levels.

Students in this concentration will:

  • Learn how to navigate existing research and literature that supports effective leadership for educational organizations.
  • Understand the theories that underpin this research. Students delve into the rationale for the application of this work in understanding how organizations operate.
  • Develop a working knowledge of the interrelatedness of people, systems, culture and organizational outcomes.
  • Build on past research and design new research efforts. These efforts should lead to more equitable outcomes and new understandings of complex organizational problems of practice.
  • Engage with student colleagues, faculty, and organizational partners in collaborative research studies. Studies investigate promising strategies for resolving vexing organizational issues.
  • Become data savvy in using research findings to produce equitable and productive results from these investigations.
  • Culminate the program with a dissertation that contributes to the knowledge base in the field of leadership for educational organizations.

Choose CU Denver's School of Education & Human Development

Students trust CU Denver to provide an education that will prepare them for excellence in their career as faculty members or researchers. The program prepares leaders who value educational excellence and social justice. Additionally, the School of Education and Human Development is counted among U.S. News & World Report's “Best Graduate Schools,” making CU Denver one of the top education schools in the country.

Courses

The 75-credit program begins each fall.

The curriculum includes a combination of on-campus, hybrid, remote, and online courses each semester.

Every student must be available to attend on-campus courses each semester.

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