Doctor of Education in Professional Studies

The Doctor of Education Degree in Professional Studies (EDD) is designed to prepare educators to assume leadership roles in curriculum and instruction and educational administration in P-12 settings and leadership roles in higher education. Candidates choose to focus on one of three major tracks: Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership, or Higher Education.

Online delivery affords you the flexibility to advance your career without interrupting your current work duties. You will be engaged in a supportive, vibrant, and diverse online learning community where cohorts form lifelong bonds.

The program is organized to support the development of your research study throughout your coursework. Thus, by the end of coursework, you will have a draft of the first three chapters of your dissertation. A supportive dissertation committee will guide you to timely dissertation completion.

Candidates choose to focus on one of three major tracks: Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership, or Higher Education. Click below to view course requirements for each track.

Efforts to gain professional certification aligned with employment are rewarded with credit toward your degree.

Admission to the Doctoral program begins with admission to the Graduate School. Materials required to complete an application can be emailed directly to grad-info@deltastate.edu .

1. Submit a formal application for admission by applying online here. Note that the graduate application fee of $30 will be required at checkout.  International students interested in studying on campus should visit our International Student Services webpageto get started.
2. Request an official transcript(s) from the college or university from which you received a bachelor’s degree and from all colleges and universities from which graduate credit was received.  We recommend sending official transcripts electronically via Parchment or National Student Clearinghouse by choosing Delta State University Graduate Admissions (grad-info@deltastate.edu) as the recipient.  Hard copies may be mailed from an institution to:
   Delta State University
   Office of Graduate Studies
   Kent Wyatt Hall 239
   Cleveland, MS 38733** Non-U.S. transcripts are accepted through WES or ECE evaluation services (must be evaluated course-by-course).
3. Meet all admission requirements set by the doctoral program.

Admission Requirements for the Doctor of Education in Professional Studies program

1. Master’s or an Educational Specialist degree from an accredited college/university with at least an earned GPA of 3.25
2. Official Graduate transcripts
3. Minimum of two years of experience in teaching or an equivalent area: Job Verification Form
4. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores from the Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing subtests that are less than 5 years old. Submit scores to the Graduate Office and to the Doctoral Coordinator.
5. Doctoral Portfolio consisting of your Resume/Vita and evidence of leadership potential.
   • Submit all portfolio materials electronically in one continuous document to Dr. Corlis Snow at csnow@deltastate.edu and the Graduate Office at grad-info@deltastate.edu.
   • All work should be neatly and accurately typed, double-spaced using at least a 12-point font.
   • Each section should contain a heading as well as a description of materials included in the section.
   • The portfolio will remain confidential and will become a part of the doctoral student’s file.
6. Virtual Statement of Purpose writing sample: Prior to the submission deadline, applicants will be emailed an invitation to join the Doctoral Portfolios Canvas Course. Applicants will accept the invitation and complete a Virtual Writing Sample. The responses will be added to the Doctoral portfolio.

A weighted point system will be used to evaluate each of the criteria above.

Admission Portfolio

As a requirement for admission to the doctoral program, a student must develop and submit a copy of a portfolio to the Doctoral Program Coordinator and the Graduate Office no later than November 1st for spring admission or April 1st for summer or fall admission, or June 30th for fall admission. The following information will serve as a guide for students in meeting this requirement.

Portfolio Instructions

Submit Portfolio

• • • Submit all portfolio materials electronically in one continuous document to Dr. Corlis Snow at csnow@deltastate.edu and the Graduate Office at grad-info@deltastate.edu.
    • All work should be neatly and accurately typed, double-spaced using at least a 12-point font.
    • Each section should contain a heading as well as a description of materials included in the section.
    • The portfolio will remain confidential and will become a part of the doctoral student’s file.

Portfolio Deadlines

Spring admission – November 1st
Summer admission – April 1st
Fall admission – April 1st or June 30th

Graduation Resources

• How to Apply for Graduation
• Dissertation Submission Dates for Graduation

Graduation Application Deadlines

*No commencement ceremony