California Coast University - Doctor of Education in Educational Administration (Ed.D.) - Online Degree Program

The Doctor of Education online degree program in Educational Administration is designed to assist educational professionals to explore and develop a comprehensive understanding of educational leadership and decision making processes.

The Doctor of Education degree in Educational Administration is:

• a self-paced learning program;
• completed off-campus;
• online learning format;
• not structured in semesters, quarters or terms; and
• designed to allow students to begin their online Educational Administration studies at any time of the year.

**Military students and some employers require students to complete courses on a per term basis.  Please contact our Admissions Department for additional information.  

The Doctor of Education degree in Educational Administration requires students to complete a total of 66 semester units comprised of the following:

• 3 qualifying courses (12 semester units)
• 4 core courses (14 semester units)
• 4 specialization courses (16 semester units)
• 2 research courses (8 semester units)
• A comprehensive examination (2 semester units)
• A proposal, dissertation and oral defense (14 semester units)

**Requirements are fulfilled through coursework completed at California Coast University and coursework completed at other recognized educational institutions.  Previously completed coursework will be evaluated to determine all applicable transfer credit.  

Prerequisites to Admission:

An applicant must have earned a Master's Degree in Education; or, a Master’s Degree in another field may be accepted if the Admissions Committee evaluation indicates the applicant has the necessary foundation to succeed in the program. The applicant must then complete the following 5 prerequisite courses: EDU 510 Models of Teaching, EDU 532 School-Community Relations, EDU 545 Leadership and Technology, EDU 546 Public Policy and EDU 547 Legal Aspects of Education.

Online Library Resources:

To assist students with the Doctor of Education program, doctoral candidates will have 24 hour complimentary access to online library resources.  The Library and Information Resources Network, Inc. (LIRN) provides students with access to multiple research databases. These resources will be essential to students at the Dissertation stage and will also provide information to reference throughout their program. 

Ed.D. - Doctor of Education in Educational Administration Program Requirements

Courses required are listed below. Please click on the course to read a description.

EDU 602 Philosophical Foundations of Education

4 Semester Units

Philosophical Foundations of Education provides an overview of the dominant philosophical perspectives which have framed the evolution of education, from the time of Plato to the present day. The major philosophers throughout history have included the nature and purpose of education in their writings. This course illustrates the historical, social, cultural, and educational contexts of the most prominent of those writings, and discusses their implications for the evolution of education.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Examine the major educational philosophies which have framed the development of American education.
• Trace the emergence and development of educational philosophies through the various historical periods of the American experience.
• Compare and contrast the educational philosophies which have shaped American education up to the present day.
• Evaluate major educational philosophies in light of the needs of the 21st century information society.

 

EDU 610 Learning Theory

4 Semester Units

Learning Theory examines theories of learning and the functions of the human brain which have evolved over the past century.  Information processing, memory, conditioning, motivation, developmental characteristics, transfer, problem-solving, social aspects of learning, and classroom applications are covered comprehensively.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Distinguish between the roles of observation and experimentation in psychological research.
• Compare and contrast the major differences between behaviorism and cognitivism.
• Analyze the overall structure of the brain, including the roles of synapses, neurons, and glial cells in mental development.
• Analyze how individuals are both teachers to, and learners from, one another.
• Examine the key effects of motivation as factors that affect the engagement of students in the learning process.

 

EDU 614 History of Education

4 Semester Units

History of Education provides an overview of the history of American education, including the most important persons, dates, events, and movements that shaped the nation’s system of education. Students are introduced to historical research through engaging historical studies. The basic concepts and theories that underlie current educational practice are presented in comprehensive form. Also included is treatment of new educational delivery systems such as distance learning, online resources, computer based research and emerging educational technologies as well as international and global influences and trends in education.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Develop a strong understanding of the historical philosophical, psychological and social foundations of education.
• Survey a chronological examination of American education from colonial beginnings to the modern era.
• Develop an understanding of some of the laws, court cases, issues, political changes and conflicts that influence the field of education, with an eye toward globalization and other future trends.

 

EDU 615 Qualifying Examination

Pass/No Pass

Upon completion of the three qualifying courses, candidates will complete a written Qualifying Examination based on materials covered in the three qualifying courses.

Objective

The examination is intended to test students’ knowledge related to the Qualifying Courses. The Qualifying Exam will be based on the material presented in the required Qualifying Courses and will require the student to respond to questions that elicit higher level cognitive skills. Students are expected to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge related to the three areas of study while demonstrating advanced academic skills,  including (but not limited to) the ability to develop and sustain a line of argument that is coherent and supported with viable, text-based evidence, while writing clear scholarly prose.

 

EDU 618 Analysis of Current Issues in Education

4 Semester Units


Analysis of Current Issues in Education provides the student with an opportunity to examine controversial topics in education such as finance, zero tolerance school discipline, and school reform. Emphasis is placed on uncovering the underlying social and ideological philosophies that lie below the surface of each issue.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Analyze the major issues facing contemporary American schools.
• Evaluate the competing philosophical and sociological issues facing American schools.
• Distinguish among the issues facing American education with respect to their economic and political contexts.
• Assess the issues facing education in the United States in terms of their global context.

 

EDU 621 Organizational Behavior and Adaptive Leadership

4 Semester Units


Organizational Behavior and Adaptive Leadership relates the study of organizational behavior and how it impacts educational leadership and how leaders can embrace the challenge of effective school reform. The course encompasses the paradigms of the evolution of educational thought, organizational theory, human capital and decision-making that educational leaders face in a hypercompetitive global educational environment.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Compare the relationship between leadership and school reform.
• Determine the best knowledge and understanding of organizational behavior in initiating school reform.
• Propose how adaptive leaders can be effective in times of rapid change, uncertainty and ambiguity.
• Explore the vast knowledge of the mainstreams of organizational behavior and the human dimension in organizations.
• Determine how to create an effective climate and culture, effective change and motivation, leadership and teamwork.

 

EDU 591 Public Policy

3 Semester Units


This public policy course reviews educational policy from a micro and macro perspective.  It reviews the general concepts of public policy, and looks at the socioeconomic context of the school, as it relates to economics, demographics, politics, culture and values.  It also analyzes the policy process, the key players, and the typical issues involved, as well as a historical perspective to aid in understanding the current education reform climate.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Examine the dimensions of educational policy in the United States.
• Analyze the politics of policy as it plays out at the local, state, and federal levels.
• Trace the progress of educational conditions and issues as they become translated into policy proposals, enacted, implemented and evaluated.
• Track the evolution of educational policy through the major periods of American educational history.

 

EDU 592 Legal Aspects of Education

3 Semester Units


Legal Aspects of Education covers the historical and contemporary legal issues affecting the organization and administration of schools in America. School safety, cyberbullying, copyright law and use of media are covered extensively. Additionally, isolation and restraining laws involving students with disabilities, landmark cases involving equal pay, strip searches, and freedom of expression, truancy and school vouchers—virtually every topic of concern to today’s educators—is covered with integrated cases.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe the legal framework in which school districts operate.
• Identify school law issues currently faced by school administrators.
• Examine the functions of school board and district administrators in policy making.
• Understand the legal implications recognizing diversity in a multi-cultural society.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the California Education Code and other related legal documents.
• Make ethically grounded administrative decisions.

 

EDU 627 Managing Human Resources

4 Semester Units


Managing Human Resources involves the management of people in school organizations. The human resource function, including staffing and recruiting top talent, re-recruitment, professional development, retention of talent, and change management will be explored in order to enable educational leaders to plan the day-to-day utilization of people as organizational resources to achieve optimal productivity, satisfaction, and continuous improvement. Performance management, measuring teacher performance, strategic management for principals, and the policy and political environment for change will also be addressed.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Provide an overview of the importance of the human resource process in public school districts.
• Examine how human resource functions are implemented in public school settings.
• Analyze the guidelines for the strategic planning process in developing staffi ng plans for public school districts.
• Describe the recruiting, legal, and policy-making processes in the employment configuration practice.
• Analyze how educational research related to new human capital strategies may alter policy-making in fundamental ways. .

 

EDU 630 Educational Finance

4 Semester Units


Educational Finance is concerned with the process of understanding that resources, social progress, technological advancement and wealth are created through a sound and continuously improving educational system.  Such a system itself depends upon many kinds of inputs, one of the most important of which is adequate funding.  This course examines the sources of educational funding, and the issues surrounding how that funding is acquired, administered, and dispersed, by the federal government, states, communities and local school districts.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Examine the relationships between education and society.
• Analyze the complexities of financial support for education in the U.S.
• Evaluate the relationships between education and economic growth.
• Evaluate the evolution of education finance and control.
• Examine the current issues that will influence future educational finance.

 

EDU 645 Advanced Curriculum Development

4 Semester Units

This course provides a comprehensive analysis of the process of curriculum development. It begins with an examination of the theoretical dimensions of curriculum development, looks at the roles of various personnel who have primary responsibility for developing curriculum, and describes a number of models of curriculum development. The process of curriculum development is examined beginning with stating the philosophical beliefs and broad aims of education, specifying curriculum and instructional goals and objectives, implementing curriculum and instruction, and evaluating curriculum and instruction.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Examine theoretical dimensions of curriculum development.
• Examine various models of curriculum development.
• Analyze the roles of various personnel who have primary responsibility for developing curriculum.
• Outline a step by step process for engaging in curriculum development, including identifying philosophical beliefs, selecting goals and objectives, implementing curriculum and instruction, and evaluating results.

 

EDU 647 Educational Accountability, Governance, and Reform

4 Semester Units

Educational Accountability, Governance, and Reform is designed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the accountability movement, its dimensions and its implications. It is designed to facilitate leadership in the promotion of educational accountability and in the development of further research and scholarship in the accountability movement.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Survey the history of educational movements from the earliest days of the American colonies to present times.
• Analyze the educational reform movement since the 1980s.
• Examine the characteristics of the educational accountability movement.
• Evaluate the changes which have occurred over the past 30 years with respect to local, state, and federal control over education.
• Analyze the growth of standardized testing and its role in educational reform.

 

EDU 652 Educational Research

4 Semester Units


Educational Research is a required course completed by all Doctoral students to prepare them for the development and writing of a Proposal and Dissertation. The course presents a balanced presentation of quantitative and qualitative research. It examines the fundamental issues of research so that students learn how to begin to conduct research as well as to read and evaluate research studies. By using the concepts and research techniques presented in this course, students and faculty will work together to develop the student’s knowledge of the Dissertation process.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Examine the steps in the research process for a variety of quantitative and qualitative research designs.
• Construct a realistic perspective on the process of research and the selection of specific research designs by following fictional researchers in their work.
• Develop skills in interpreting and evaluating research.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the research process by introducing many of the research methods, research design and process requirements of the dissertation process.

 

EDU 653 Quantitative Methods in Educational Research

4 Semester Units


Quantitative Methods in Educational Research is designed to prepare students to understand the elements of research from the standpoint of both design and data analysis. To do this, the course presents information enabling students to judge the research of others and to design their own high-quality investigations. This course will also enable students to read, interpret, and critically evaluate quantitative results. From this, students will be able to solve problems and make knowledge-based decisions.

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Examine the different kinds of quantitative analyses in educational research.
• Demonstrate an understanding of descriptive, associational and inferential statistics.
• Analyze aspects of research design including surveys, sampling, experimental design, reliability and validity, regression and factor analysis.
• Develop skills in program evaluation to investigate the efficiency, effectiveness, and/or impact of organized interventions meant to bring about change.

 

EDU 687 Comprehensive Examination

2 Semester Units

Doctor of Education in Educational Administration candidates will complete a written Comprehensive Examination.  This final requirement will be in the form of an essay examination, based upon major areas of education.  Students are asked to integrate course information, professional experience and outside source materials into a comprehensive framework, reflecting their accumulated knowledge in the field of education.

Objective

The exam is intended to test students’ knowledge related to the qualifying and core courses and area of specialization courses. Learners are expected to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge: facility with a wide range of texts and the ability to draw on main ideas of important thinkers and writers in their fields of study, linking them together in interesting and relevant ways to other scholars working in the field. In addition, students are expected to demonstrate depth of knowledge: the ability to engage, critically and substantively, with texts that both respect and interrogate the students’ claims, positions, and arguments. Finally, students are expected to demonstrate advanced academic skills, including (but not limited to) the ability to develop and sustain a line of argument that is coherent and supported with viable, text-based evidence, while writing clear scholarly prose.

 

GRM 712 Proposal

2 Semester Units

This course focuses on the preparation of research for the Doctor of Education degree programs. This includes conceptual tools, techniques for conducting scientific research, evaluation of the value of research proposals and planning and executing research projects. The student will learn how to organize knowledge within his/her field for presentation in a standardized, scholarly fashion. This course requires that the student present an acceptable proposal for review and analysis in lieu of a final course examination.

GRM 715 Dissertation and Oral Defense

12 Semester Units

The Proposal (GRM 712) must be successfully completed and approved before a student is permitted to begin work on the Dissertation. The candidate will develop and compile an original work, demonstrating ability to add to the body of knowledge in his or her field for presentation to and acceptance by the University. After the student’s Dissertation is approved and bound, the candidate is responsible for appearing before their Dissertation Committee in person for the purpose of orally responding to committee member questions as they pertain to the candidate’s Dissertation.