The Concordia University Chicago Department of Leadership is at the forefront in providing educators with quality, relevant, and current graduate education, which enhances the leadership of public and nonpublic teachers and administrators as they positively impact schools.
We advocate for our doctoral degree candidates and all students in the public and nonpublic schools. We are reflective professionals who provide quality, relevant, and current education for our graduate candidates in leadership. We prepare our candidates to be teacher and administrator leaders guiding the public and nonpublic schools in the service of students so that they may become effective citizens in a global society.
Christopher Lilly, PhD, Educational Leadership, Concordia-Chicago Class of 2012: "Whether you're interested in face-to-face or online courses, or whether you're close to Chicago or in other states or countries, you will find a comprehensive curriculum taught by a dynamic faculty with the personal mission to be the school of choice for aspiring educators." Read full testimonial.
Doctoral candidates must complete:
in subject areas covering:
Candidates must also complete:
Candidates seeking the Principal Endorsement of the State of Illinois must complete the courses in the program marked with an asterisk (*).
Choose nine:
Choose one:
For the EdD, Practitioner Track (10 hours)
Pick two:
For the PhD, Researcher Track (16 hours)
Pick one:
Impact of special education policies and implementation as related to public and nonpublic schools. Analysis of legal guidelines, litigation, individualized education programs, inclusion and characteristics of exceptional learners.
Processes and skills needed to develop effective communication programs linking schools, parents and community.
Administrative techniques and interrelationships of the district administrator with other administrators, school staff, school boards and different governmental agencies.
Analysis of management and supervisory skills and behavior that lead to the improvement of instruction in public and private schools.
The analysis of the methodological and statistical components of existing research data to enhance and facilitate the educational decision making process. Particular attention is given to applications regarding issues of educational policy.
Functions of human resource planning, recruitment, selection, placement, development and related legal issues and human relations.
Public values, policy issues, specialized terminology and practical problems associated with the generation, distribution and internal allocation and control of education revenues and expenditures.
Examine administrative and supervisory behaviors that foster the development of a positive organizational culture to facilitate and enable various constituencies to contribute to the development and realization of organizational goals. Provide candidates with the opportunity to develop supervisory skills for personnel, including those from diverse backgrounds.
This course examines legal issues affecting school districts in Illinois. Federal and state case law will be reviewed and applied to legal problems that confront school administrators. Prerequisite: EDL-6230.
This course addresses school district and building leadership roles in creating an infrastructure and systems that focus on school/district improvement. Particular emphasis is on school improvement as it relates to accountability demonstrated through assessment design, data gathering and analysis. Candidates will learn how to utilize data to improve curriculum, instruction, multiple forms of assessment, and incorporate technology to meet the needs of the 21st century learner.
Students complete and internship to fulfill a requirement for the State of Illinois Superintendent endorsement.
Students complete a career-oriented, field-based experience.
Application of change theory to large and small organizations. Leadership strategies for successful change implementation.
This course provides an orientation to the nature, uses and limitations of science with the aim of achieving and understanding of the variety of approaches to research design and developing conceptual frameworks. With regard to the metatheory of knowledge, particular attention will be paid to the following topics: the relationship between theory and observations, the role of the researcher’s values in knowledge generation, how the research conceptualizes the relationship between researcher and subjects, the standards that are used to appraise theories, the theory of reality (ontology) and of how to know that reality (epistemology) that underlies critical theories, and how different methods of data gathering and data analysis influence the generation of scientific knowledge.
Educational policy-making at the macro (national, regional and state) and micro (local and institutional) levels. Selected educational policies.
Ethical theories and practice of school district leadership.
Sports Leadership and Ethics is designed to prepare learners to evaluate business principles, theories and responsibilities in the field of sports management, with an increased understanding of acceptable practices, human capital, and professionalism. In addition, this course provides learners with an understanding societal reasonability, common moral and ethical values, and how they are applied to varying sports leadership scenarios.
In this course students will examine the ethical dilemmas of leadership, the foundations and context of moral choice and the moral implications of decision making. In doing so, the purpose is to make visible the ethical challenges and decision criteria facing leaders, the role of politics and power in organizations and the leader’s ability to promote and infuse organizational ethics and integrity into the culture.
Principles of research theory, methods, inquiry, problem formulation, data collection, literature searches, and ethical considerations. Emphasis on how to design a doctoral-level research study
This course introduces students to survey and instrument development including issues related to operationalizing variables, survey construction, sampling, coding, analysis, and evaluating the reliability and validity of survey research methods.
An examination and application of qualitative research approaches with focus on research design, the role of the researcher, data collection and analysis, and writing from a qualitative perspective.
Principles and application of action research planning, implementation and reflection in educational environments. Exploration of collaborative, participatory and individual approaches to action research methods that can be utilized to improve schools and/or organizations.
An introduction to quantitative analysis of data. Statistical software will be used to explore descriptive and inferential statistics using both non-parametric and parametric techniques.
This course explores the theory, design, and application of mixed methods research.
An introduction to advanced statistical concepts including multivariate analysis, linear models, hierarchical linear models, factor analysis and data management. Students will use statistical software packages and will learn to write basic syntax for custom analysis.
This course will prepare students to utilize naturalistic inquiry in their own research, most immediately, the dissertation experience. Students will be able to reflect on choices of inquiry paradigms, the goodness of fit between the problem and the approach chosen to explore it, the selection of appropriate instruments, and the role of the writer in the presentation of findings.
This doctoral program prepares candidates for public or non-public district-wide administrative responsibilities. The program is designed to help the doctoral candidate:
Competency: Analyze instructional programs and student performance data to support success for all students.
Outcomes:
Competency: Evaluate school climate, culture and professional staff to assure provision of support for success of all students.
Competency: Plan for the effective use of fiscal, human and material resources to promote the success of all students within a safe, effective and efficient learning environment.
Competency: Engage the outside community in support of insuring the success of all students.
Competency: Demonstrate awareness and sensitivity to the needs of all students to assure educational success within the schools and the district.
Competency: Collaborate with relevant entities beyond the school to support the success of all students.
This program is offered in a traditional, cohort, face-to-face setting on campus and is typically completed in five years. This program is also offered online.
Our distinctive cohort system encourages you to foster lifelong professional relationships and worthwhile friendships. You will complete the program one class at a time, according to your cohort template sequence with your group. This collaborative environment facilitates learning and reinforces achievement. In addition, we offer occasional networking opportunities for our graduates, encouraging them to interact with other cohorts, educational professionals and alumni.
The doctorate in leadership with a concentration in educational leadership is aligned with the NCATE ELCC 2008 standards.
The program is nationally recognized as an accredited leadership program by ELCC through the NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) program review process.
Concordia-Chicago’s education programs received their first recognition by NCATE in 1962 and the colleges in which these programs are housed have been continually accredited since that time. The recognition is a highly sought distinction of excellence granted to select few programs across the country that meet the national accrediting body’s highest and most rigorous standards for the preparation of educational leaders.