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- Ed.D. Capstone
SHAPE THE FUTURE AS A K-12 EDUCATION INNOVATOR
Rockhurst University’s online Ed.D. in Education and Leadership program’s K-12 Leadership concentration is your doctoral pathway to a career as a primary and secondary education leader. With this two-year online degree, you will benefit from the specialized knowledge needed to address today’s rapidly changing educational environment so you can advocate for students and school systems.
In this program, you will build a deeper understanding of educational systems and policy and earn the credibility of your peers to:
- Advocate for inclusive policies and support their implementation.
- Bring a modern approach to the primary and secondary education sector.
- Provide better access to technology and a more engaging learning experience for your students.
The K-12 Leadership online Ed.D. is cohort-based to foster success and to help you build your network and connect with other leaders in your field.
- This program is 100% online, so you can continue to work while you earn your doctorate
- A doctoral research capstone project at the end of the program synthesizes your studies into a publishable article and poster presentation
- Graduate certificate options in DEI or STEAM are available at no additional cost
Flexible and accessible program
can be completed in 2 years
Committed to change and innovation
for communities and causes
One research capstone project
no dissertation required
Innovation in Education:
Annie Hart discusses how Rockhurst University’s Ed.D. program is shaping her as a leader in education.
Learn More
Get your free guide to learn more about what the Ed.D. in Education and Leadership can do for your career.
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- Master’s degree in any field OR completion of 33 graduate credits
- 3.0 GPA
- 2 Letters of recommendation (professional)
- Personal statement
- Research statement
- Resume
- Transcripts from all universities attended
(Evaluations for international transcripts are required. WES and others are accepted.)
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- Master’s degree in any field OR completion of 33 graduate credits
- 3.0 GPA
- 2 Letters of recommendation (professional)
- Personal statement
- Research statement
- Resume
- Transcripts from all universities attended
(Evaluations for international transcripts are required. WES and others are accepted.)
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Students will become familiar with different ways of exercising leadership, their own strengths and weaknesses, and how they can best work with others in a leadership context. They will learn and apply leadership skills in a way that encourages them to challenge their own beliefs and assumptions about what constitutes education leadership. (3 credits)
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Students will become familiar with different ways of exercising leadership, their own strengths and weaknesses, and how they can best work with others in a leadership context. They will learn and apply leadership skills in a way that encourages them to challenge their own beliefs and assumptions about what constitutes education leadership. (3 credits)
Learn More
Get your guide to find out more about our Ed.D. K-12 Leadership curriculum.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you don’t find the answers to your questions here, contact your Rockhurst University (RU) enrollment adviser and schedule a time to talk that’s convenient for you.
The K-12 Leadership Ed.D. concentration teaches how education is changing as society evolves and prepares students with effective leadership skills and competencies that can be used in the following roles:
- Elementary, Middle and High School Principals
- Superintendent
- Academic Consultant
- Office Administrator
- Department Chair
Courses for the K-12 Leadership Ed.D. prepare students to fulfill educational leadership roles through the practical application of research. Course topics include:
- Foundations of Educational Leadership
- Policy, Ethics and Legal Frameworks in Education
- Educational Assessment
- Capstone Project in Educational Studies
- STEAM Education
- Education in the Changing World
- Design Thinking
- Technology Leadership
- Integrating Arts into STEAM Curriculum
- STEAM and Diverse Student Populations
- Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas
- Inventing and Reinventing Math Curriculum
- Inventing and Reinventing Science Curriculum
- College Teaching Practicum
For more information on topics covered in the K-12 Leadership concentration, view our program guide.
Graduate certificates available in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion or STEAM at no additional cost. Contact your enrollment adviser for more information.
With an Ed.D. degree, enhanced skills and competencies, your earning potential will increase. The job outlook for principals has a projected growth of five percent by 2031 according to the BLS. The average salary of an elementary, middle or high school principal is $98,420. On average, superintendents earn an annual salary of $118,975.
An Ed.D. teaches a deeper understanding of educational systems and policy, equipping you as a leader to influence change in policies, practices and systems. The program will prepare you for a variety of educational leadership roles, such as academic consultant, department chair, principal or superintendent.
Rockhurst’s faculty are experienced professionals dedicated to each student’s success and are readily accessible for one-on-one advising and mentoring.
The online Ed.D. in Education and Leadership program can be completed in 2 years (6 semesters).
The online Ed.D. in Education and Leadership program requires 45 credits to graduate.
The online Ed.D. in Education and Leadership program costs $816 per credit hour for a total program investment of $36,720. Financial aid may be available to our online students.
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion graduate certificate program offers students the opportunity to explore DEI concepts and social justice in a multicultural world. The DEI certificate requires 4 elective courses for a total of 12 credits at no additional cost. Contact your enrollment adviser for more information.
The STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) graduate certificate program teaches students to integrate technology into their curriculum and instruction, giving their classrooms a modern and future-focused approach to learning. The STEAM certificate requires 4 elective courses for a total of 12 credits at no additional cost. Contact your enrollment adviser for more information.
Sean Klippel, Ed.D. in Education and Leadership — K-12 Leadership, Rockhurst University
Michelle McOsker, Ed.D. in Education and Leadership
“I got to walk alongside other people who were pursuing the same degree, so as we worked towards our doctorate in education, we were able to collaborate and work together and be a part of the journey with other people who were also mission-focused and very driven in their pursuit of education in
Annie Hart, Online Ed.D. in Education and Leadership - Higher Education, Rockhurst University
ONLINE ED.D. K-12 LEADERSHIP CAPSTONE
The capstone is a culminating project that allows you to apply the knowledge and skills you gained during the Ed.D. in Education and Leadership program. The capstone is divided into two parts.
Capstone I
In the first part of the capstone project, you will:
- Define a problem related to an area of practice in the K-12 environment.
- Complete a literature review.
- Develop a research methodology for approval.
Your research adviser will provide individual mentoring for your research as you develop the beginning phases of the capstone project.
Capstone II
You will collect data and work through analyses and conclusions in the second part of the capstone project. At the end of the course, you will submit your written capstone project as a complete research article formatted according to a journal in the K-12 field and a research poster presented at the capstone graduation.
K-12 Capstone Example
Sean Klippel. (2022). Teaching diverse students: How K-12 teachers perceive a state bill and LGBTQ+ affirming curriculum.
The purpose of this study is to discover teacher perceptions of their roles in creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) students, examining the impact that Missouri House Bill 655 and the teaching of curriculum affirming of the LGBTQ+ community will provide for LGBTQ+ students.
