Educational Leadership and Change

A holistic review of your application will be performed to determine admission to the program, including a transcript review to identify if prerequisite coursework has been completed. Your application may be accepted with the requirement that any missing prerequisites be met through completion of applicable graduate level coursework. In these cases, prerequisite coursework must be completed during the first year of the program.

Yes, you are. A holistic review of your application will be carried out to determine which prerequisite coursework you will need to complete upon your admission in the program. As mentioned above, you will be required to complete pre-requisite coursework within the first year of the program. We offer prerequisite courses each summer term.

No. Exam scores (GRE or Miller Analogies) are not required.

Yes, because the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Change (ELC) is designed to prepare mid-career practicing higher education professionals to hold leadership positions in higher education, where graduates serve as change agents.

An Ed.D. in higher education can be applied to a variety of industries, including higher education institutions, in positions of administration overseeing areas such as faculty research, academic affairs, finance, admissions, or student affairs.

No. This degree is for those who are working in higher education and is not appropriate for those desiring a leadership position in a P-12 educational setting.

The courses are delivered online. However, we host four residencies during the program.  Students and faculty meet for workshops/presentations relevant to the stage of study, including faculty-led seminars, guest speakers, and individual time with faculty to the dissertation process.  The first residency is held virtually and takes place in early September. The next three residencies take place in May/June at the end of years one, two, and three and are held in Saratoga Springs.

Yes. The program is designed for practitioners pursuing higher education leadership roles. It is a professional doctorate best suited for experienced and mid to senior working educators and professionals who want to lead and implement change in their higher education organizations.  Due to its practical nature as a program, Ed.D. students are not only expected to research their areas of interest, but to also leverage that research in ways that could positively impact the decision-making process in their organization.

The Ed.D. is designed to be completed in four years.

Yes. Admitted students have the opportunity to transfer a maximum of 6 credits. They must be 7000+ level, no more than 6 years old at the time of admission, have been earned with a minimum grade of “B”, and relevant to the degree program.

The dissertation should be an applied study in this program. It requires the implementation process of an intervention or an action plan after conducting an extensive study of the topic using appropriate research designs. It is an exercise whereby you can demonstrate your ability to frame change as a leader and implement it using data to drive your efforts. One option is to pursue a three article dissertation, which allows for slightly different approaches to an umbrella research question.

Financial aid is accepted for this program. If you are an employee, student or member of a partner organization you may qualify for some additional benefits. We are not able to offer Teaching Assistantships at this time but are pursuing funding for Research Assistantships calling for about 5 hours/week of work.

• A Master’s Degree is required. Additionally, at minimum, applicants should complete coursework in content areas recommended by the Council for the Advancement of Higher Education Programs (CAHEP) for master’s degrees in higher education administration; please note that these courses may be completed before the program begins (they are offered at Empire during the summer term) or within one calendar year of program entry: History and Philosophy of Higher Education and Economics and/or Finance of Higher Education. Additional requirements include:
• A GPA of 3.0 or above at the Master’s level; letters of recommendation; writing samples describing goals for the program and intended dissertation; and interview with faculty representatives of the program

• Financial literacy among former foster youth enrolled in higher education in NY
• What is the association between burnout and productivity among faculty members at research-intensive institutions?
• Supporting indigenous students' success: the SUNY system
• A qualitative analysis of culturally-based fraternities and sororities on student experiences and outcomes in higher education
• Transforming Teacher Education for Social Justice
• Workplace learning among graduate students: Website content analysis of four-year institutions
• Experiences of Women Serving in U.S. College or University Presidencies for 5+ Years
• Creating Industry-Driven Clean Energy Worker Training and Apprenticeships
• Campus medical center training of future health-care providers: Qualitative inquiry around a proposed programmatic intervention
• Community colleges and post-COVID strategic enrollment in NY state: responding to a staff survey and student focus groups
• Families and College Decision-Making: Examining family involvement in the college decision-making process for Latino students in NY
• A Phenomenological Study on the Impact of Anti-DEI Legislation to Higher Education Institutions in Midwestern and Southeastern States through the Perspective of DEI Personnel
• Academic supports for community college student athletes