EDLR Program Admissions Standards and Process
Updated: January 3, 2013
Admission Standards
Graduates of the doctoral program are leaders whose studies, internships and research prepare them to live, work and make a positive difference in an ever-changing world. Admitted students will come from a variety of occupational fields including (but not limited to) education, healthcare, business, theology, non-profit administration and consulting.
The Seattle University Doctorate in Educational Leadership is designed to prepare graduates who:
- Develop and strengthen leadership skills to build team-oriented approaches
- Respond to the changing needs of organizations and strengths of working with diverse populations
- Demonstrate professional skills such as strategic thinking, critical problem solving, effective communication, reflective practice, social justice and community building, along with skills for designing, critiquing, and implementing research relevant to effective leadership practice and community change.
- Demonstrate scholarly behavior
- Respond to changing environments and problems, solve new problems, and foster the development of adaptive learning organizations
- Demonstrate ethical standards in all leadership practices
In keeping with Seattle University's mission statement, candidates of diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The program does not discriminate against any person because of age, ancestry, color, ability, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status. The best-qualified applicants will be accepted up to the number of spaces available for new students. It is anticipated that a maximum of 22 students will be admitted for each cohort.
Applying for Admission
Applicants must complete the following steps in order to be considered for admission to the EDLR program:
- Submit a fully completed 2012-2013 Application for Graduate Admission and include the non-refundable $55 application fee. Note: the application fee is waived for Seattle University alumni.
- Submit official sealed transcripts from all graduate-level colleges and universities attended sent directly to Seattle University's Graduate Admissions Office.
- Submit individual program required documents:
- Documentation recording an earned master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States. A master's degree from an international college or university will be evaluated internally to determine eligibility for our doctoral-level program
- Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogy Test (MAT) taken within the last five years if calculated grade point average (GPA) on graduate-level coursework is below is below 3.25 (on a 4.0 scale); minimum GRE Quantitative Reasoning score of 141 (450 in former GRE scoringrubric) and a Verbal Reasoning score of 150 (450 in former GRE scoring rubric) and a minimum 3.5 analytical writing score are expected; the minimum MAT score required is a percentile rank (PR) of 80 or greater. One of these testing options is required for all who earn a master's degree from a non-graded institution
- Completed College of Education self-evaluation form
- Two completed College of Education recommendation forms, one of which must be from a current or most immediate supervisor or mentor who will support the applicant during his or her enrollment period
- International student declaration of finances form, if intending to apply for a student visa
- Personal statement (no longer than two pages in length) describing the applicant's prior experience as it relates to the requirements of the doctoral program to include the ability to effectively engage in doctoral-level studies and research, leadership/ supervisory experience, and involvement with social justice advocacy and organizational and social change
- Academic writing sample that demonstrates preparation for scholarly research and publication (i.e., graduate-level paper, scholarly publication, excerpt from thesis)
- Current resume
- For admission into the 2013/2014 EDLR cohort, priority consideration will be given to applications received by April 1, 2013. Applications completed after the priority deadline will be considered based on the order in which they are received until the cohort is filled.
- Representatives of the Governance Committee will score written material and transcripts and conduct applicant interviews. An on-site writing exercise will also be part of the interview process.
- All material submitted becomes the property of Seattle University and will be maintained according to institutional records management practices.