Online Doctorate of Education in Leadership Studies

Total credit hours per program: 63 credit hours

Cost per credit hour: $411

Total cost with fees: $25,841

Students in the EdD in Leadership Studies online program must complete 63 credit hours of coursework.

Common Leadership Core (36 credit hours)

Concentration Core (12 credit hours)

Students will select one concentration. 

Leadership Studies Concentration

Disaster Preparedness & Emergency Management Concentration

Health Communication & Leadership Concentration 

Research Core (15 credit hours)

The Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies is a competitive admissions program. Each year the program receives applications from a diverse group of professionals spanning industries which include, but are not limited to, healthcare, for/non-profit institutions, military, law enforcement and first responders, education, and a variety of other professions.

The following items should be sent directly to the LSUS Office of Graduate Admissions:

1. The LSUS Graduate Studies Application for Graduate Admission, complying with all applicable guidelines and standards official copies of transcripts of all prior college work attempted.
2. Master's degree from regionally accredited college or university with a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.5/4.0. Applicants with a cumulative graduate GPA between 3.0 and 3.49 may be considered for admission following the formal review process and an admission decision by the Department Chair of Leadership Studies.
3. All official transcripts from institutions where coursework has been attempted.

Items Required:

1. Resume/CV (3-5 years minimum of management/supervisor/leadership experience)
2. Professional recommendation letters from three sources
3. CLEAR Purpose statement from the applicant including:
   • How the degree fits within the applicant's professional and personal goals
   • The applicant's professional experience and how the applicant believes this will contribute to the program
   • The coursework, professional experience, or other professional development that has prepared the applicant for conducting doctoral level research
   • The applicant's area of research where there is a strong interest (leadership, health communication and leadership, or disaster preparedness and emergency management) and to explain the potential study that the applicant may want to develop. *Please provide explicit details on this requirement*

Applicants who are selected to continue to the next round of review will be contacted for an interview via Online Video Service (Zoom, Skype, Adobe Connect, etc.) Final notification of admission status will be provided upon the completion of reviews and selection of applicants.

Questions regarding the application process may be directed to the Leadership Studies Department.

Please note: The Ed.D. program is a competitive admissions program and as such, not all applicants who apply will be admitted. The program accepts approximately 35 new students per year.

*An important note to take into account is the misconception that this degree is in educational leadership when, in reality, it is not. Teachers might not qualify for this degree due to their limited leadership experience. On the other hand, K-12 Principals and Superintendents are eligible for application given their relevant experience.

• Chief Executive Officer
• Training and Development Manager
• Chief Human Resources Officer
• College President
• College Faculty
• Chief Learning Officer
• Provost
• Health Care Clinic Director
• Health Administrator
• Hospital Communications Director
• Director of Emergency Response

In the online EdD in Leadership Studies, students will be given the opportunity to develop these attributes through engaging courses, research endeavors, and interactive networking experiences.

Topics covered in this degree include:

• Leadership theory focusing on practical data-driven results
• Group dynamics and motivation
• The mentoring and coaching process for cultivating future leaders
• Building efficient learning and development opportunities
• The use of power, politics, and influence in organizations
• Data collection, analysis, and research techniques to inform practice

As a 100% Online program, courses are available from anywhere in the world. Courses are offered in an accelerated format, year-round, at one course per 7-week session. We offer 1-course or 2-courses per session. Students can choose which they would like to pursue. At 2-courses per session, all core and concentration courses may be completed in 4 semesters (8 sessions) and the time to completion is just over 2 years. Otherwise, at 1-course per session, completion takes approximately 3.5 years. 

This degree offers small class sizes, access to faculty, weekly Zoom meetings for class, cutting edge curriculum with opportunities to network worldwide with professionals from diverse industries and opportunities for research and conference presentations.