Ed.D. in Educational Leadership Offered Online or On-Campus

This doctorate degree program, available fully-online or at our Portland, Oregon campus, prepares candidates to become transformational education leaders capable of making a meaningful impact in schools, government, academia, business, and not-for-profit organizations.

Ed.D. Program Overview

Designed to rigorously prepare you to become a transformational education leader, the Concordia University Doctoral Program in Education offers an intensive curriculum taught by a faculty of highly regarded scholars from diverse universities and businesses. This doctorate degree program is designed to prepare candidates to become transformational leaders in education, ready to make an immediate and long-term positive impact in schools, government, academia, business, and not-for-profit organizations. Candidates can complete the program on campus or online. Choose from concentrations in Teacher Leadership and Educational Administration. Classes are seven and a half weeks in length, and are limited to 15 candidates to ensure quality.

Ed.D. Program Goals and Objectives

The Concordia Doctoral Program focuses on developing reflective practitioners and transformative leaders who:

  • Understand the theoretical bases of practice, are able to turn theory into action, and can utilize skills and strategies to improve practice.
  • Apply organizational skills and strategies, apply capacity-building program analyses, and have a willingness to recognize need and confront it with reason and grace.
  • Are grounded with a solid ethical, moral, and faith-based truth-telling, integrity, and a spirit of service.
  • Understand purposeful collaboration, democratic participation, and choice as a guiding style that produces strong and powerful results.
  • Have the capacity to meld reason and imagination, analysis and hunch, and accept a tolerance for ambiguity.
  • Have a willingness to think and act critically, unravel dense meaning, and probe complicated projects with sense and clarity.
  • See themselves as scholars who are committed to study as intentional, intriguing, and inspiring.

Ed.D. Application Checklist

  • Online Application
  • Official transcripts from an accredited institution or institutions that awarded your master’s degree and any post-master’s credit with a GPA of 3.5 or better. You may submit the Transcript Release Form to authorize Concordia University to request official transcripts on your behalf. This is available only to U.S. residents for U.S. colleges and universities.
  • A letter of intent not more than two pages, citing evidence as to why you should be admitted to the doctoral program, including reasons why you chose Concordia and illustrating your commitment to degree completion.
  • Example of original, scholarly writing from graduate-level work that demonstrates your best scholarly writing. The sample should be approximately ten pages with APA formatting and should be double-spaced.
  • Résumé, including references (explain your relationship with the references and include their contact information).
  • Interview (may be required upon request from the review committee).
  • International Students: In addition to the above requirements, all international students must submit a passing score of an English proficiency test and other pertinent forms.

    TOEFL | 600 Paper-Based | 100 Internet Based

Please make sure your first and last names appear on all of your application materials. After applying online, you may submit your materials (preferably in one packet) in one of the following methods:

  1. Upload items through your online application account
  2. Scan and email to: admissions@education.cu-portland.edu
  3. Fax materials to: (408) 608-0318
  4. Mail to:
    Online Admission Office – Processing Center
    4129 East Van Buren, Suite 240
    Phoenix, AZ 85008

A Note Regarding the Educational Administration Concentration

The Ed.D. specialization in Educational Administration is designed to provide current administrators with additional knowledge and expertise to positively impact the school or district at which they work. The Educational Administration specialization is not intended for those seeking training or credentials to become principals and will not lead to initial principal certification. Applicants are advised to check with administrative licensing requirements in their home state to determine whether the Ed.D. program meets standards as set by the agency, as needed.

Individuals involved in leadership and/or management in both education and non-education settings, may benefit from school district-based educational content, skills, and strategies. In these cases, principal licensure or current employment as a principal may not be required for admission to the educational administration specialization. These candidates will be considered on a caseby-case basis and may be interviewed by the director of the doctorate program.

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