Leadership Doctoral Programs
Educational Leadership Specialization
with Illinois Superintendent Endorsement
In-Person or Online
61 credits Ed.D
*
67 credits Ph.D
Why study Superintendent Preparation at Concordia University Chicago?
- Earn superintendent licensure which serves as a gateway to district level leadership opportunities.
- Develop the district level leadership skills, dispositions, and knowledge that will prepare you to lead school districts that ensure student success.
- Experience the balance of convenience with the rigorous and relevant learning experiences provided by our fully online program.
- Connect with educational leaders from a variety of professional and geographic backgrounds through trusting cohorts that last well beyond the completion of the program.
- Grow from the regular integration of scheduled synchronous, online face-to-face courses that foster the presence and strong interpersonal skills required of superintendent leadership.
- Choose from our flexible program completion options – including acceleration – that will be designed for your individual needs.
- Benefit from the program’s ongoing support for your dissertation completion and the expansion of your career pathways.
- Enjoy the positive learning experiences our students share through program surveys. Our students strongly agree that the Program:
- Enhanced their performance as educational leaders in their current roles.
- Coursework was relevant to current leadership issues in K-12 school and district settings.
- Professors were engaging, caring, and knowledgeable about current K-12 leadership issues.
- Directly led to their career advancement.
- Cohort model helped them develop lasting professional relationships and complete the program.
Degree Requirements for Ed.D. Track
| Course Number | Title | Hours |
| Doctoral Program Core | ||
| EDL-7140 | Organizational Change (PK-12) | 3 |
| EDL-7210 | Policy Analysis (PK-12) | 3 |
| EDL-7301 | Ethics for Educational Leaders for the Illinois Superintendent Endorsement | 3 |
| FPR-7011 | Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations of Leadership | 3 |
| Educational Leadership Specialization Courses | ||
| EDL-7111 | Strategies of Educational Leadership for the Illinois Superintendent Endorsement | 3 |
| EDL-7120 | Research-Based Decision Making | 3 |
| EDL-7241 | Supervisory Theory and Practice for the Illinois Superintendent Endorsement | 3 |
| EDL-7245 | Managing Illinois School District Finances | 3 |
| EDL-7255 | Managing Legal and Human Resource Issues | 3 |
| EDL-7260 | School/District Improvement Using Data Analysis | 3 |
| EDL-7310 | Organization and Community Partnerships | 3 |
| Capstone Experience | ||
| EDL-7894 | Superintendent Internship I: The Superintendent as Instructional Leader | 3 |
| EDL-7895 | Superintendent Internship II: The Superintendent as Change Agent | 3 |
| EDL-7896 | Superintendent Internship III: The Superintendent as HR and Resources Manager | 3 |
| Research | ||
| RES-7605 | Quantitative Analysis | 3 |
| RES-7700 | Qualitative Research | 3 |
| RES-7910 | Research Design I | 3 |
| RES-7920 | Research Design II | 3 |
| Comprehensive Exam and Dissertation | ||
| COMP-7010 | Doctoral Comprehensive Exam | 1 |
| DISS-7011 | Dissertation Proposal I | 3 |
| DISS-7012 | Dissertation Proposal II | 3 |
| DISS-8010 | Dissertation Completion (first 8-week session) | 0 |
| DISS-8011 | Dissertation Completion (second 8-week session) | 0 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 61 |
*Students continue in the DISS-701X sequence until successful proposal defense.
*After a student successfully defends their proposal, they apply for candidacy and maintain continuous enrollment in DISS-8010 Dissertation Completion and DISS-8011 Dissertation Completion until program completion.
Degree Requirements for Ph.D. Track
| Course Number | Title | Hours |
| Doctoral Program Core | ||
| EDL-7140 | Organizational Change (PK-12) | 3 |
| EDL-7210 | Policy Analysis (PK-12) | 3 |
| EDL-7301 | Ethics for Educational Leaders for the Illinois Superintendent Endorsement | 3 |
| FPR-7011 | Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations of Leadership | 3 |
| Educational Leadership Specialization Courses | ||
| EDL-7111 | Strategies of Educational Leadership for the Illinois Superintendent Endorsement | 3 |
| EDL-7120 | Research-Based Decision Making | 3 |
| EDL-7241 | Supervisory Theory and Practice for the Illinois Superintendent Endorsement | 3 |
| EDL-7245 | Managing Illinois School District Finances | 3 |
| EDL-7255 | Managing Legal and Human Resource Issues | 3 |
| EDL-7260 | School/District Improvement Using Data Analysis | 3 |
| EDL-7310 | Organization and Community Partnerships | 3 |
| Capstone Experience | ||
| EDL-7894 | Superintendent Internship I: The Superintendent as Instructional Leader | 3 |
| EDL-7895 | Superintendent Internship II: The Superintendent as Change Agent | 3 |
| EDL-7896 | Superintendent Internship III: The Superintendent as HR and Resources Manager | 3 |
| Research | ||
| RES-7605 | Quantitative Analysis | 3 |
| RES-7700 | Qualitative Research | 3 |
| RES-7800 | Mixed Methods Research | 3 |
| RES-7620 or RES-7710 | Advanced Topics in Statistics Advanced Qualitative Analysis | 3 |
| RES-7910 | Research Design I | 3 |
| RES-7920 | Research Design II | 3 |
| Comprehensive Exam and Dissertation | ||
| COMP-7010 | Doctoral Comprehensive Exam | 1 |
| DISS-7011 | Dissertation Proposal I | 3 |
| DISS-7012 | Dissertation Proposal II | 3 |
| DISS-8010 | Dissertation Completion (first 8-week session) | 0 |
| DISS-8011 | Dissertation Completion (second 8-week session) | 0 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 67 |
*Students continue in the DISS-701X sequence until successful proposal defense.
*After a student successfully defends their proposal, they apply for candidacy and maintain continuous enrollment in DISS-8010 Dissertation Completion and DISS-8011 Dissertation Completion until program completion.
Request Info
What Teachers Are Saying
"Concordia University Chicago offers a convenient cohort program that made attending school, working, and being a single parent accessible and attainable. The Curriculum and Instruction Master's program met on the same weekday for two years and maintained a predictable and realistic schedule."
"A colleague of mine handed me a flyer about all of the programs offered at Concordia University Chicago and what appealed to me was that there was a location offered right down the street from where I live and the programs were arranged so that you were able to continue working while moving towards your master's degree."
"My master’s degree from Concordia University Chicago has helped me to become more of an expert in my field. I feel more confident in knowing what my students need and how to meet their needs. I also believe that it has helped me to stand out as a leader in education."
