Qualifying Examination
The Qualifying Review serves as a program milestone designed to assess students' readiness
to continue into the advanced stages of doctoral study and dissertation development.
Rather than a traditional examination, the Qualifying Review evaluates students' demonstrated
scholarly abilities through work completed during the first year of the program.
The review focuses on students' capacity to:
- Read and critically evaluate scholarly literature;
- Synthesize research across multiple sources;
- Construct coherent and evidence-based arguments;
- Demonstrate scholarly writing skills;
- Apply research and theory to educational problems and contexts;
- Connect research and scholarship to professional practice;
- Develop and articulate a meaningful Problem of Practice.
As a professional practice doctorate, the EdD emphasizes the integration of scholarly
knowledge with the complex realities of educational leadership and organizational
change. Accordingly, the Qualifying Review evaluates not only students' ability to
engage with research, but also their capacity to use research and theory to understand,
analyze, and address authentic problems in educational settings.
Successful completion of the Qualifying Review indicates that students have acquired
the foundational scholarly and practitioner-oriented competencies necessary to undertake
a Dissertation in Practice.
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The Qualifying Review will occur at the conclusion of the first year of coursework,
at the end of the summer semester.
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Students will submit the following materials to the EdD Advisory Committee:
- Scholarly Paper
Students will select and submit one individual scholarly paper completed during their
first year in the program. The paper should represent the student's strongest scholarly
work and demonstrate their ability to engage critically with educational research
and scholarship.
The paper may originate from any approved first-year doctoral course and must be the
student's individual work.
- Problem of Practice Draft
Students will submit a preliminary written draft of their Problem of Practice. The
draft should clearly identify an educational issue, challenge, or opportunity situated
within a professional context and demonstrate initial engagement with relevant literature
and evidence.
The purpose of this submission is not to present a completed dissertation proposal
but rather to demonstrate emerging clarity regarding the focus and significance of
the student's Dissertation in Practice.
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The EdD Advisory Committee will review both submissions and evaluate the student's
readiness to continue in the program.
Committee members will assess evidence of:
- Scholarly writing proficiency;
- Critical analysis and evaluation of research;
- Ability to synthesize literature and ideas;
- Quality of reasoning and argumentation;
- Capacity to connect scholarship to professional practice;
- Application of research and theory to educational contexts and challenges;
- Clarity, significance, and feasibility of the Problem of Practice.
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The Qualifying Review will be evaluated using one of the following designations:
Satisfactory
The student has demonstrated the scholarly and practitioner-oriented competencies
expected at this stage of the program and is approved to continue to the next phase
of doctoral study.
Satisfactory with Revisions
The student has demonstrated overall readiness to continue in the program but must
address specific concerns identified by the EdD Advisory Committee. Revisions may
be required to the scholarly paper, the Problem of Practice draft, or both. The committee
will provide written feedback and establish a timeline for submission and review of
revisions. Upon satisfactory completion of the required revisions, the student will
be permitted to continue in the program.
Unsatisfactory
The student has not yet demonstrated sufficient readiness in one or more evaluated
areas. The Advisory Committee may recommend substantial remediation, additional coursework,
resubmission of materials, or other actions deemed necessary before the student may
advance. Continued enrollment in the program will be determined in accordance with
program policies and university graduate regulations.
