Student Resources

Current students may use this page to find and access resources related to the Doctoral Program in Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership and other campus resources.

Handbooks

Program handbooks have been developed to assist students throughout their academic experience. These handbooks do not constitute the whole of the Seattle University or the College of Education policies concerning students. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of and comply with all policies, procedures and deadlines.

By Academic Year:

All students are responsible for meeting deadlines when fulfilling final degree requirements and should check the doctoral program for applicable deadlines. The College of Education may have earlier scheduled deadlines in order to meet Registrars deadlines. Please contact the Program Director for more information. 

Please check Academic Deadlines for registration and schedule adjustment deadlines.  Please also refer to the Registrar’s Office for graduation deadlines for more information.

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Policies, Procedures and Program Forms

All students enrolled in the College of Education are governed by school and university policies and procedures. Understanding these policies and procedures is crucial to your success as a student.

College of Education Policies and Forms

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Program Forms

Program forms are fillable with electronic signatures section enabled. Please download and save the form prior to completing it. Unless otherwise indicated, the forms below should be submitted to the program office at eoll@seattleu.edu.

All degree forms should be submitted to electronically.

 

  • Application for Comprehensive Exam in Leadership Practice for the Degree of Doctor of Education
    • The deadline for submitting the April 2022 Comprehensive Examination form is Monday, March 7, 2022. Please contact the Program Director if you have any questions. 
  • Approval to Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Education (department use only)
  • Voluntary Withdraw from Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Program
    • This form is used to file with EOLL Office by students requesting a formal withdrawal from the program.  Students are also required to complete the Seattle University Withdrawal Request which is submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Voluntary Withdrawal from Doctor of Education Program

The program abides by the established student advisement, candidacy, continuous registration, readmission, degree conferral timetable, comprehensive exams, dissertation policies.

Advising Policy

Program faculty members serve as academic advisors and one is assigned to you in EDLR 6000 during your first summer in the program. This faculty member remains your academic advisor throughout the program. If it appears that there may be a better match with another faculty member, a change can be made upon request from the student.

Students wishing to change primary advisors within the degree program may do so upon written consent of both advisors, signed by them and filed with the Program chair. Forms are available in the here (link to form).

Annual Performance Evaluations

As a part of the annual assessment process and to enable students and their faculty advisors to monitor and provide feedback on student progress through the program, each student is required to prepare and submit a formal progress report each year. Program faculty review and discuss student progress and give written feedback and recommendations to enhance or sustain the student’s progress in attaining their course, leadership, and research goals. Each student will meet with their assigned advisor to review and complete this evaluation on an annual basis.

Candidacy

Students attain doctoral candidacy after passing the Comprehensive Exam in Leadership Practice.

Continuous Registration

Once admitted to the College of Education, a doctoral student is required to maintain continuous registration. If such registration should be impossible, the student must petition for a leave of absence.

Grades and Grading

Faculty members are responsible for establishing course standards and grading requirements and for evaluating student work. Please see the here for more details.  Seattle University requires graduate students to maintain a minimum term and cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 to remain in good standing. 

Doctoral students must repeat any course when a C- grade or lower is received. The grade(s) earned on the repeated course(s) will remain on the record, but course credits for a required course will be counted only once toward a degree.

Leave of Absence

Students are encouraged to take all courses with their cohort. Seattle University (SU) acknowledges that students may encounter situations which require interruption of continuous enrollment. The EOLL Program provides options for a student leave-of-absence (SLOA). Refer to the EOLL website for more information about requesting a leave of absence. Returns from SLOA are subject to the Time Limits for Degree Completion and Program Continuation policy.

Readmission

If a student fails to maintain continuous registration each semester (fall and spring) and does not petition for and receive a leave of absence, his/her student status is automatically terminated by the University.

In order to request reinstatement to the department, a student must apply for "Readmission Form” through Graduate Admission.  The Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership program reserves the right to deny any request for readmission to its program.

Time Limits for Degree Completion and Program Continuation

All credits applied to a degree (including transfer credits) must be completed within six calendar years. Credits not completed within the six-year limitation cannot be applied toward degree requirements unless a petition for an exception to policy (PEP) is submitted and approved.

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Program Milestones

The Doctor of Education degree at the Seattle University requires three to four years of full-time study. Per SU policy, students are required to enroll in each quarter of the academic year (Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring) from their first through final quarter in the program (i.e., until receipt of the degree). Approved leaves of absence are the only exception to this requirement. Please note that although this timeline outlines the expected progress for doctoral students, students may always complete milestones differently than what is outlined below.

Year One:

  • Summer Institute – June 27 –July 1, 2022 (tentatively)
  • Two courses per quarter (Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring)
  • Preliminary Exam in Leadership Practice (Spring)
  • First-Year Annual Student Review (Spring)

Year Two

  • Summer Institute – June 26 – June 30, 2023 (tentatively)
  • Two courses per quarter (Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring)
  • Second-Year Annual Student Review (Spring)
  • Comprehensive Exam in Leadership Practice (Spring 2022)
  • Advance to Candidacy

Year Three

  • Summer Institute –TBA
  • Thematic Dissertation in Leadership Practice (Fall, Winter, Spring)
  • Graduation!

Each of these steps requires action and documentation by the student. At various times, the faculty advisor and Program Director, or other entities participate in the completion of degree requirements. Students must ensure that each step is completed and that all appropriate parties have taken the necessary actions.

Program Calendars

Each of these steps requires action and documentation by the student. At various times, the faculty advisor and Program Director, or other entities participate in the completion of degree requirements. Students must ensure that each step is completed and that all appropriate parties have taken the necessary actions.

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Doctoral Student Annual Performance Review

Each Spring quarter the program assesses the doctoral program. This assessment process includes gathering data from our students via an annual review. The annual review is designed to facilitate students’ progress by providing timely feedback regarding their overall performance. The process allows graduate students and faculty to discuss student achievements and to address programmatic questions or concerns. The online Annual Review form(s) allows students to highlight information regarding their academic progress and accomplishments (career goal, honors and awards, conference presentations, publications, research experience, community-based experience) and to share their plans for upcoming year. 

Doctoral Student Annual Performance Review Process:

  • Students complete the online Annual Performance Review form and attach their C.V. by March 1st.
  • Faculty advisors contact students to schedule a meeting to discuss their annual review and evaluation by May 1st.
  • A summary of the evaluation will be sent to the student and placed in the student’s file.
  • The faculty will also share information about the student’s progress at the department’s annual graduate assessment meeting in early May.

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Comprehensive Examinations

The comprehensive examination for doctoral students in educational and organizational leadership and learning is a "take-home" exercise which students have one month to complete.

Purpose of the Comprehensive Examination

The purpose of the comprehensive examination process is threefold. The first emphasis is placed upon the use of the comprehensive exam for the student to demonstrate the ability to produce an independent integration and synthesis across the graduate course work and topic areas in the program of study. The second emphasis is to assess the student's ability to interrelate theory, research and practice in the program of study. Third, the comprehensive exam is an opportunity to assess the readiness of the student to continue the doctoral program to completion, with an emphasis on appropriate knowledge, scholarly writing and organizational skills.

Eligibility

A student is considered eligible to take the doctoral comprehensive examination in leadership practice during or immediately following the final quarter of required course work, or within six hours of completion of the courses listed on the plan of study, excluding dissertation hours.

Procedure:

  1. The Comprehensive Exam is administered in the third week of March each year. Students must complete and submit their application for Comprehensive Exam 30 days in advance. If either date falls on a weekend or holiday, the due date for the submission of the application will automatically become the next working day.
  2. An eligibility audit will be conducted by the program director who will notify students as to whether or not they will be permitted to take the Comprehensive Exam.
  3. Only those students who have been approved for the comprehensive examination will receive the questions. Students have the option to withdraw from the process any time prior to the due date. Students must inform Program Director if they wish to withdraw.  In the event that a student is unable to take the scheduled comprehensive examination due to serious and compelling reasons, it is the student’s responsibility to provide timely notification, per the program’s procedures and instructions, to the program director. If a student does not provide timely notification, the examination will be counted as an attempt.
  4. Students will be asked to respond to a series of questions developed by the educational and organizational learning and leadership faculty. This will be a "take home" examination which the students will have up to 30 days to complete.
  5. However, the final copy of the examination must be submitted to the program director prior to closing time on the due date.
  6. The written examination will be read by educational and organizational learning and leadership faculty and determination will be made as to its passibility.
  7. A student who fails the comprehensive examination may register to take the examination again on the scheduled reexamination date or at any scheduled exam date thereafter. A student failing to pass the examination on the second try will be terminated from the program.

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Organizations and Professional Associations

A primary aim of the program is to foster creative leadership among students. It is essential that students take advantage of the many opportunities which exist to work with peers in the area and with colleagues in the field of leadership.

Such associations provide for the exchange of ideas, the enhancement of professional growth, and in many instances offer the opportunity to gain experience in the practice of educational and organizational leadership. Students whose only contacts with the program consist of classroom experiences deny themselves of an essential and rewarding link in their professional education.

Graduate Student Council

The Graduate Student Council enables students to participate in university-GSC sponsored special interest clubs and events.

Seattle University Alumni Association

Seattle University Alumni Association provides opportunities for alumni to enjoy and build connections and benefit from the power of participating in an alumni network.

Professional Associations

Students are encouraged to become acquainted with their professional associations and to participate in these as part of their own professional development.

  • Academy of Human Resource Development
    • With over 500 members, AHRD is a global organization made up of, governed by, and created for the Human Resource Development (HRD) scholarly community of academics and reflective practitioners. The Academy was formed to encourage systematic study of human resource development theories, processes, and practices; to disseminate information about HRD; to encourage the application of HRD research findings; and to provide opportunities for social interaction among individuals with scholarly and professional interests in HRD from multiple disciplines and from across the globe. http://www.ahrd.org/
  • Academy of Management
    • The Academy of Management (the Academy; AOM) is a leading professional association for scholars dedicated to creating and disseminating knowledge about management and organizations. Founded in 1936 by two professors, the Academy of Management is the oldest and largest scholarly management association in the world. Today, the Academy is the professional home for 17,613 members from 105 nations. http://aomonline.org/
  • Adult Education Research Conference (AERC)
    • The Adult Education Research Conference (AERC) is an annual North American conference that provides a forum for adult education researchers to share their experiences and the results of their studies with students, other researchers, and practitioners from around the world. http://newprairiepress.org/aerc/
  • American Association of Higher Education (AAHE)
    • AAHE is a national association for the dissemination of information to higher education practitioners. The association publishes the Journal of Higher Education. National and regional meetings are held regularly.
  • American Educational Research Association (AERA)
    • AERA is a national association that promotes research. There is an annual meeting at which professors and students may present accepted papers. Full-time graduate students may join at a special rate. AERA publishes several highly regarded scholarly journals including the Educational Researcher, The Journal of Educational Research, and The Review of Educational Research. Membership includes subscription to three journals. The Association has several special interest divisions.
  • American Society for Training and Development (ASTD)
    • ASTD (American Society for Training & Development) is the world's largest association dedicated to workplace learning and development professionals. ASTD's members come from more than 100 countries and connect locally in more than 125 U.S. chapters and with more than 20 international partners. Members work in thousands of organizations of all sizes, in government, as independent consultants, and suppliers.
  • Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)
    • ASHE is an association that is intended for faculty members and students of higher education. It holds several public meetings, and there is also a journal. A national conference is held yearly.
  • American Vocational Association (AVA)
    • AVA is a professional organization for vocational educators. The association publishes Vocational Education, as well as several other publications. It holds lobbying conferences, a national conference and state association meetings are held regularly.
  • Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED)
    • The CPED consortium includes over 100 colleges and schools of education across the US and Canada working together to undertake a critical examination of the doctorate in education (EdD) through dialog, experimentation, critical feedback, and evaluation.   As CPED member, Seattle University has access to a supportive and resourceful community of colleagues from schools of education in three countries that is dedicated to this transformative work. https://www.cpedinitiative.org/. We encourage our students to join the CPED EdD student Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/EdDStudents/ to become involved in the community.
  • Comparative and International Education Society (CIES)
    • Through its national and international meetings, serves as a forum or the scholarly and professional interests of educators, social and behavioral scientists, administrators and policymakers. CIES publishes a quarterly newsletter in addition to the journal, Comparative Education Review.
  • Eta Kappa Delta
    • Eta Kappa Delta is a student-run honors society dedicated to fostering leadership skills to help students achieve their goals and become leaders within their communities. It is unique in its focus on leadership, justice, and community, all of which are universal skills which encourage students to collaborate regardless of major or special interests.

      Our organization aims to help students identify what being a successful leader means to them and support them on their path to success. ΗΚΔ also believes in forming future leaders through creating tangible, positive impact locally. Through volunteer work and collaboration, students can see the positive impact that they wish to make within their communities.

      For more information, email us at: etakappadelta@seattleu.edu

  • International Leadership Association
    • The International Leadership Association is the global network for those who study, teach, and practice leadership. ILA brings together thousands of leadership professionals from multiple sectors, disciplines, professions, cultures, and generations – to advance leadership knowledge and practice for a better world. http://www.ila-net.org/

      Seattle University encourages you to investigate becoming a member.  If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact program director for further details regarding your ability to become an associate member with Seattle University.

  • Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
    • The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world's largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 285,000 members in over 165 countries, the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China and India. https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/pages/default.aspx
  • UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL)
    • The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) is a non-profit, policy-driven, international research, training, information, documentation and publishing center of UNESCO. One of six educational institutes of UNESCO, UIL promotes lifelong learning policy and practice with a focus on adult learning and education, especially literacy and non-formal education and alternative learning opportunities for marginalized and disadvantaged groups. https://uil.unesco.org/unesco-institute/mandate

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