News Release
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How Teachers Become Leaders
Wilmington University's new doctoral degree offers a practical pathway to educational leadership
Not every teacher aspires to be a superintendent, but schools and school districts offer many opportunities for leadership. Wilmington University's College of Education now offers a new doctoral degree program that prepares teachers to lead the way and innovate their field.
The University's doctor of education in educational leadership provides advanced, practical skill building for K-12 teachers who aren't angling for the administrative and political tasks of the superintendent's office.
The program is currently enrolling the first cohort of students for the 2017 fall semester.
"This is a new pathway to leadership, in teaching and in the school district," said Dr. John Gray, Dean of the College of Education. "This is a door that enables all teachers to advance, a true practitioner's degree."
The degree can be personalized to meet candidates' individual academic interests or career needs, with tracks in teacher leadership, school leadership and district leadership.
The required dissertation is integrated into the coursework from day one, said Gray, "so when you complete the last course, you've finished your degree." Following the program's focus on innovation, school reform, equity, social justice, and collaboration, candidates will identify problems of practice in their current workplaces as the basis for their fieldwork and research.
A dissertation-in-practice that plans, implements, and evaluates real-world solutions to these problems presents a radical contrast to the theory, observation and analysis of issues that are hallmarks of traditional Ed.D. programs. In lieu of a formal dissertation defense, educational leadership candidates participate in public presentations to report the outcomes of their projects.
The Ed.D. in educational leadership offers several advantages over comparable options from the region's other colleges, including the economy of WilmU's tuition costs, the ability to complete the degree in three years, and the flexibility to "stack" courses taken for a master's degree toward the doctorate.
The degree benefits both sides of the classroom. "Every teacher realizes the need to problem-solve, decide, and troubleshoot quickly," said Dr. Kathi Brown, director of advanced programs in the College of Education. "When teachers feel safe in their environment to be creative, and are encouraged to be creative on the job through advanced learning opportunities, their students are the true beneficiaries."
It may also have an impact on educational leadership statewide, said Gray, who noted support for the program from a majority of Delaware's school superintendents during its development. "In the old days, an Ed.D. led only to superintendent, and there's only 20 of those in the state," he said. "What kind of market is that? We think this new degree has a lot of value."
Wilmington University's Ed.D. in educational leadership, funded in part by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, is available in a classroom and online hybrid format at the Wilson Graduate Center in New Castle and at the Dover and Georgetown campuses.
For more information about the degree program, visit its website or contact program chair Dr. Joseph Crossen at (302) 342-8655 or joseph.l.crossen@wilmu.edu.
About Wilmington University
Wilmington University is a private, nonprofit institution committed to providing flexible, career-oriented, traditional and online associate, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs. Ranked as the second fastest growing nonprofit doctoral institution in America 2004 – 2014 by The Almanac of The Chronicle of Higher Education, affordable tuition, academic excellence and individualized attention are hallmarks of the University that enable greater student success in their chosen careers. For more information, contact Wilmington University at 302-356-INFO (4636), via email at infocenter@wilmu.edu, or visit our website: www.wilmu.edu.
