ELRT
Educational Leadership
Frequently Asked Questions
1) How many credits does this Ph.D. involve? What does the program of studies look like? How many of my master’s degree courses will count within this program?
Each of the four Ph.D. in Educational Leadership concentrations require a minimum of 90 graduate credits. All include a nine credit leadership core; a 33 credit hour professional inquiry, research, and dissertation core (involving nine credits of professional inquiry/field experience, nine credits of research tools; and 15 credits for dissertation seminar and independent work). The remaining credits are focused within each concentration’s subject-area courses, as well as a special interest cognate & electives.
On average, 33 to 36 credits of the total 90 required will come from a student’s completed master's degree. This number could be higher depending on the total number of graduate classes previously taken, and the type of degree.
2) Where will courses be offered? How many of them will be offered via distance-learning avenues?
All classes needed for the K-12 and higher education doctoral concentrations are available at either the main Kalamazoo campus or the Grand Rapids regional campus (located on East Beltline in Grand Rapids). For CTE and Organizational Analysis, some required classes are only offered at the main Kalamazoo campus. All classes are taught via an evening, weekend (i.e., Friday night/Saturday once a month), and/or online format.
A few of the classes are also available in Muskegon, Battle Creek, and at WMU’s Southwest regional site in Benton Harbor/St. Joseph.
3) What is unique about this doctoral program?
Besides being targeted toward working professionals, this program contains a very unique Professional Inquiry, Research, and Dissertation Core for all students. This approach essentially flips the “dissertation process on its head,” by having students focus on possible dissertation topics during the first year of their program (both through the initial doctoral studies seminar and their first professional field experience course). This will allow students, during their second and third years, to be working on their research ideas while taking core research and higher education courses.
This approach is very unique in that most doctoral programs require students to initially take a number of different content and research courses; pass their comprehensive exams; and only then begin to focus on their dissertation research. This places the burden of “guidance” for the dissertation primarily on the student’s advisor and committee members since all other courses have been completed. It also helps contribute to a large number of ABDs (students leaving a program with All But Dissertation complete). Faculty within WMU’s Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology are committed to significantly decreasing the number of doctoral students not completing their programs due to concerns with the dissertation.
4) How long will it take students to complete this doctoral program?
It is anticipated that working professionals pursuing this program on an aggressive part-time basis, could finish their Ph.D. in about three and a half years. This would involve a pattern of taking two classes each fall and spring semester, and one class each during summer I and summer II semesters. Depending on the number of previous graduate credits, number of classes taken each year, and how long it takes a student to complete their dissertation, the time frame may be longer.
5) What if I have two masters' degrees, a specialist degree, or another doctorate degree?
No matter how many previous graduate credits you earned (and degrees completed), students must complete at least 42 credits at WMU to receive a doctorate degree. This includes a minimum of 30 credits of courses (e.g., 10 three-credit classes), and 12 credits of dissertation hours.
6) What if I started a doctoral program long ago, but never finished….will any of those credits count?
Students have a total of seven years to complete the doctoral program from the point of taking their first classes. Although credits earned as part of any “completed” graduate degrees can be used no matter how old they are, other credits earned that were not part of a completed program can be no more then two to four years old (depending on how long it takes you to complete your required program at WMU). For example, if you are able to complete all doctoral course work and dissertation requirements in three years, than previous graduate credits from an uncompleted degree that are no more than four years old could count toward your doctoral program (thus allowing all credits needed to be completed within a seven year period of time).
So if you are enrolled in another doctoral program, and/or recently have been taking post-master’s degree classes, many of those classes could count toward this doctorate at WMU. If, however, you left a graduate degree program prior to completion five or more years ago, none of those “uncompleted degree courses” could count. That knowledge would be considered too old.
7) What if I don’t have a master's degree yet…can I still apply for this program?
This Ph.D. in Educational Leadership program is designed for students who have already completed their masters' degree. If you are nearing the completion of your master's degree, you can apply for this doctoral program, but none of those credits could count toward this Ph.D. until that degree is completed.
8) How do I apply for the this Ph.D. in Educational Leadership doctoral program?
The normal application period for WMU’s doctoral programs in Educational Leadership is Feb. 1 of each academic year. Application requirements are available for the doctoral program. If you have questions regarding the application process, feel free to contact ELRT ’s Graduate Office at (269) 387-3896, or the faculty members listed at the end.
Remember that you need to take the General GRE exam and have your scores in hand prior to the application deadlines. The GRE testing folks note that these tests are offered daily at various testing centers in Michigan, and it takes at least three weeks for your results to be sent to the University. Also, it often takes several weeks to schedule a testing time, so do not delay.
9) Do I really have to take the GRE? How much will this count in the application review?
Yes, WMU requires that all doctoral students take the general portion of the GRE exam. However, it is only one of several criteria examined by the application review committee. Faculty are very interested in what professional responsibilities and activities applicants have been involved in; their longer-term career goals; their writing sample (via the autobiographical paper); and their letter of references. In addition, there is a formal interview process, and what occurs during that interview is important. The GRE scores become an important determinant when faculty are unsure about other aspects of the application. This is especially true of the score received for the writing portion of the exam. Students who receive a score less than a three and a half for that section, should consider either retaking the GRE, or addressing that issue within their application materials explaining their lower score.
Note: If you have ever taken the general GRE test, those scores are valid for this application process (no matter how old, as long as you have an official copy of those scores).
10) Can I start taking classes prior to being admitted to the doctoral program?
Yes, you are allowed to take up to nine credits prior to formal admission to a graduate program at WMU. You must complete a Non-Degree Status (graduate) application prior to enrolling for any WMU classes. Please note that the application fee that is required with this form, may be applied toward the application fee required when you apply for the doctoral program.
11) What if I haven't taken classes within the last year?
Students who have not taken a WMU class in more than a year may be blocked from registering for future classes. In that case, they need to complete a readmission form. Directions on how to complete the form and where to send it are included on the form itself. Once the readmission form is received, progress to date will be evaluated and then students are notified regarding their readmission request. This process may take several weeks, so please do not wait until right before a semester begins to complete this form.
12) If I decide to go full-time, are there any graduate assistantships available? What about financial aid?
There will be a limited number of Graduate College Doctoral Associateships available for students able to commit to 20 hours of work each week for the ELRT Department. Applications are due February 15 of each year, and information is at. Completed Associateship applications should be submitted to ELRT's Graduate Office. Other financial aid information can be obtained through the Financial Aid Office ((269) 387-6000).
13) Other Questions? Contact:
Diane Bourgeois, Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology
Western Michigan University, Main Kalamazoo Campus
; ((269) 387-3896).