UCSD and State Universities Offer
New Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

By Heather Holliday I March 14, 2005

Eighteen postgraduate students have been attending classes Friday evenings and Saturdays since January to hone their educational leadership skills. These students are the first students to be admitted to - and to enroll in - the new joint doctor of education in educational leadership (Ed.D.) program offered by UCSD, San Diego State University and California State University, San Marcos. The eighteen students are superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals and vice principals, and work mostly in K-12 education, with a few in postsecondary schools and one in a preschool.

"We want to try to improve the quality of educational leadership in the community," said Randall J. Souviney, director of the Teacher Education Program.

The program will emphasize using research results effectively, said Souviney. Plus, students will conduct their own research in their workplace, thereby addressing specific local problems that have national implications for teaching and learning.

The idea of the program started about 10 years ago. "For several years I have been concerned about the lack of a public doctorate in educational leadership in San Diego," said Souviney. Then, about five years ago, faculty from all three campuses began putting together a proposal for the program. The proposal was approved in July 2004. "We were ready to roll at that time," said Souviney. So, by October, the first group of students was selected from about 35 applicants. And, by January, classes had started.

About 20 new graduate students will be admitted each year, all of whom will already have a master's degree and all of whom will be in an administrative position at a school. The program is designed to be completed in 36 months. Presently, classes are being taught at UCSD by faculty from the state universities. In time, each of the three campuses will carry one-third of the workload and the budget of the program, said Souviney.

Going forward, applications will open May 1 and close August 1, with each cohort starting in the Winter quarter. Students completing the program will receive a joint degree from either UCSD and San Diego State University or UCSD and California State University, San Marcos.