Newswise — Today, the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina authorized the University of North Carolina Wilmington to grant the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration.
The program, which will begin in August 2007, is the second doctorate to be authorized for UNC Wilmington. The Ph.D. in Marine Biology was approved in 2002.
The Watson School of Education Ed.D. program was initiated in response to the regional need for highly effective school leadership and the critical shortage of educators on the state and national levels.
"We worked collaboratively with area superintendents in the creation of this program to be able to meet the leadership needs of the region," says Cathy Barlow, dean of the Watson School of Education.
"We will be preparing the next generation of leaders, from superintendents to teacher leaders, who will guide southeastern North Carolina through the toughest part of school reform—achieving success for all children and families," adds John C. Fischetti, chair of the Watson School's Department of Educational Leadership.
The program aims to equip practicing professionals who desire to become public school leaders, superintendents, state policy-makers or higher education curriculum, instruction, and supervision specialists.
The Ed.D. curriculum will prepare professionals to be informed, proactive and reflective change agents by addressing the challenges of managing organizational change processes, facilitating educational reform, serving diverse students and families, and utilizing research data to inform decisions.
The flexible course schedule, which also includes course work in the Cameron School of Business, is strategically designed to accommodate full-time working professionals. To offer the best range of experience, degree candidates will be required to complete three intensive internships: one in an international setting, one in an area business and a third in an area school district office.
"We studied the best programs in North Carolina and across the United States and included program design features to honor the needs of practicing professionals and to prepare them to be successful in the innovation-based, globally interdependent world. We will be using a live and blended online course delivery system and take advantage of the resources we have in the Watson School of Education. Each of the courses builds toward a rigorous study of some aspect of educational change, curriculum or leadership initiatives that will contribute new knowledge and help guide school boards in future decision-making," states Fischetti.With more than 200 initial inquiries, response to the new program has been strong. The first cohort of candidates is in the selection process to start the program this August. A second cohort will begin in fall 2008.
The Ed.D. program will allow UNCW to expand its ability to recruit and retain high quality faculty and will benefit all the programs within the Watson School of Education, as well as public schools.For more information, contact Cathy Barlow, [email protected] or John Fischetti, [email protected].
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