Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction

ADMISSION DEADLINES

• Fall Semester: March 15
• Spring Semester: No Admission
• Summer Semester: No Admission

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Online Graduate Application

• Application Fee (credit or debit card and e-checks accepted)
• Apply Online

Official transcript from your master's degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.

• Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
• Must hold a minimum of a master’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution.
• Minimum graduate GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 Scale. GPA will be calculated on all attempted graduate coursework in which a letter grade was awarded.

GRE or MAT Scores

• Official Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores or Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
• GRE or MAT scores are required.
• Recommended minimum scores for GRE:
  • If taken before July 2011: Verbal score of 450; Quantitative score of 450; and Analytical score of 3.5 (old scoring system - 450)
  • If taken July 2011 or later: Verbal score of 150; Quantitative score of 142; and Analytical score of 3.5.
• Minimum MAT Requirements:
  • Recommended minimum for MAT: 400.
• GRE and MAT scores are only one of the factors considered in admissions decisions.  These test scores are not the sole criteria for admission.

Valid Certificate (P-12 Concentration Only)

• Must hold a valid level 4 or higher induction, Professional, Advanced professional, or Lead Professional teaching certificate, leadership certificate, service field certificate, or Life certificate.

Three Recommendations

• General Recommendation Form Required
• Please enter the name and email of your recommenders as you complete the application. They should receive an email inviting them to compelte the recommendation after that. If they do not receive the email (or find it in their spam folder), they may submit their recommendation as an email attachment to gradschool@valdosta.edu. The General Recommendation Form can be used if the email from the online recommendation system does not arrive.
• One recommendation must be from a current or recent supervisor
• Letters must be accompanied by the required form or submitted through the online recommendation system.

Doctor of Education Biographical Career Goal Statement

• The Doctor of Education Biographical Career Goal Statement will serve as a writing sample.

Resume

• Must have 3 years minimum acceptable school or related agency experience.

VSU Medical Form

• The VSU Medical Form must be completed and signed by the student/applicant.
• This form must be received prior to enrollment, NOT prior to admission.
• Applicants who are currently enrolled, and those who attended VSU in the past, are not required to resubmit the Medical Form

Verification of Lawful Presence 

(For applicants who believe they qualify for in-state tuition or a residency waiver.)

• This is not required for individuals who do not qualify for in-state tuition or a residency waiver.
• This must be received prior to enrollment (if applicable), NOT prior to admission.
• Citizenship documentation is needed for any applicant who wishes to be considered for in-state tuition.
• Check out a complete list of accepted documents and residency information here.

Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed. It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to en-sure receipt of documents. Please allow at least 7-10 days for delivery by mail.

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION 

• Doctoral candidates considered for admission by the Doctoral Admissions Committee may be required to appear for an interview before final decisions are rendered.
• The Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction program ONLY admits Regular Status students. 
• Probationary Status is not available for Doctor of Education programs at Valdosta State University.
• Irregular Admission is not available for Doctor of Education programs at Valdosta State University.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS 

International applicants must meet all admission criteria and documentation requirements as defined by the program, however, additional documentation may be required.  Please review the information below for specific information and guidelines.

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Exam or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – Applicants whose first language is not English (based on country of citizenship) must submit official scores on the TOEFL exam or IELTS exam. International applicants whose first language is not English but who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution may be exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement.
• Certificate of Finances- The Certificate of Finance is required of any applicant requiring a student visa to enter the United States to complete his or her studies. This document is considered a part of the application for admission and applications will not be reviewed without this document.  Applicants who do not require an I-20 student visa to complete their studies are exempt from this requirement.
• Evaluation of International Transcripts - Applicants who have completed coursework at an institution outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation of the coursework.  This transcript evaluation must be completed by an international education credentials evaluation service such as Josef Silny, ECE, etc.  The transcript evaluation does not replace the transcript requirement. Official transcripts are still required.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

For admission questions about this program, please contact the Graduate School by phone, email, or stop by our office.

• Call Us: 229-333-5694 or toll free 800-618-1878, Option #5
• Email Us: gradschool@valdosta.edu 
• Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact the Program Coordinator: Dr. Herb Fiester, email: hrfiester@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-5633.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

1.  A candidate must successfully complete, defend and submit a dissertation.
2.  A candidate must successfully complete a written comprehensive examination before admission to candidacy.
3.  A candidate must have a GPA of 3.25 or above on all doctoral coursework.
4.  A candidate must complete an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date.

Graduation Requirements Page - Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction Program

RETENTION, DISMISSAL, & READMISSION POLICIES

1. The academic residency requirements are satisfied upon completion of two consecutive semesters of six semester hours or more of coursework.
2. No more than 6 semester hours of post-master’s academic work may be transferred from another institution into a Dewar College of Education doctoral program.  Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission, by the academic department.  To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven years old at the time of admission unless otherwise approved by the program.
3. Earning grades below “B” in graduate courses will result in the following consequences: Students admitted Fall 2011 and thereafter will be dismissed from the Graduate School if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points unless otherwise indicated by individual program policy. A grade of “C” (although it may be credited toward a degree) equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D,” “WF” or “F,” or “U” (none of which will be credited toward a degree) equals two deficiency points. Candidates admitted BEFORE Fall 2011 and receiving two grades below “C” (“D”, “F”, “WF”,“U”) will be dismissed from the program. One grade below a "C" results in a warning..
4. If dismissed from the program a student will not be considered for readmission.
5. Candidates failing to maintain a 3.25 GPA on all doctoral coursework may face academic sanctions as determined by the Doctoral Coordinating Committee.
6. A comprehensive exam must be successfully completed prior to entering candidacy. Candidates are permitted two attempts to complete the comprehensive exams. Candidates who fail to successfully complete the comprehensive exam after two attempts will be dismissed from the program.
7. Doctoral candidates may take up to five years from the term in which comprehensive exams are taken and passed to complete their dissertation work. A one year emergency stop-out may be requested by the student through the Emergency Stop-Out Form. During the stop-out the student must register for a minimum of 1 hour of dissertation credit per term. If the dissertation proposal has been approved before the stop-out year then an updated and reapproved proposal is required by the end of the first semester following the stop-out. An additional extension of two years beyond the 5+1 year limit would require successful completion of a second comprehensive exam that is scheduled, taken, and graded within one term of the expiration of the 5+1 year limit. The two years will begin in the term after the second comprehensive exam is passed. The dissertation proposal must be updated to reflect current literature. The updated proposal must be approved by the dissertation committee during the first term of the two year extension. Failure to pass the second comprehensive exam will terminate the dissertation process.

Retention/Dismissal/Readmission Policies - Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction Program