Description

Specializations

• Educational Leadership and Higher Education

  • Hybrid

  This program provides academic preparation and professional development for individuals interested in the study of educational leadership and higher education or those who aspire to leadership positions in educational organizations.

  This program does not lead to Superintendent certification.  For Superintendent certification, apply instead to the "Educational Administration (UNL-UNK) (EDD)" or "Educational Administration (UNL-UNO) (EDD)".

  See Educational Administration for more information.

  Admission Requirements

  • Resume/CV
  • Personal Statement:  Your statement should address the following three areas: (2-3 pages):
    1. How does a doctoral degree figure into your career trajectory and goals as an educator?
    2. How will your doctoral studies contribute to the vision of this department and in relation to the scholarship/expertise of faculty members with whom you would like to work?
    3. What is your plan and strategy to complete your degree in a timely manner? (For instance, online coursework, occasional and/or required on-campus residency requirements, development of research and writing skills.)
  • Essay:  Describe what you see as one pressing educational challenge or opportunity, why this challenge/opportunity is important to address, and how you might address it through your doctoral studies and/or dissertation work. Explain how your scholarly inquiry regarding this challenge could add to the research literature. Maximum 4 pages. 
  • Writing Samples: Upload two academic/scholarly writing samples.  Applicants typically submit papers written for other courses or academic programs that give the admissions committee a sense of the applicant's academic writing skill and background.
  • Faculty: Review current faculty and their research areas.
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Assistantship Application (optional): If interested in a Graduate Assistant (GA) position, upload a letter (max 2 pages double-spaced) addressing how a GA position will contribute to your academic and professional interests, career goals, and describe your qualifications for this position.
    • Contingent upon availability and funding, a GA appointment may be awarded to a student in good standing in a graduate degree program at UNL. The GA will work under the supervision of one or more faculty members in the Department of Educational Administration on a variety of research, teaching, and/or administrative tasks.
    • Qualifications: Strong interpersonal skills to effectively communicate and work with diverse individuals, including students, faculty, staff, and community members. Demonstrated ability to work with minimal supervision and complete work in a timely manner in the face of fluctuating workloads and competing priorities. Responsive to work requests and available for correspondence via phone, e-mail, and in-person meetings. Demonstrated attention to detail. Demonstrated ability to effectively organize and manage documents and files in both online and paper forms. Demonstrated proficiency in using Microsoft Office Suite (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). Demonstrated analytic and critical thinking skills.
    • Proficiency or Interest in: Providing instructional/teaching support in online, in-person, and/or hybrid classroom settings and general support with academic program coordination. Supporting complex research projects with different administrative and research elements. Elements of qualitative and/or quantitative research design. Developing capacity for conducting qualitative and/or quantitative research. Critically reviewing academic literature and report on its relevance and applicability for developing research design. Statistical computing software (e.g. SPSS) and/or qualitative coding software (e.g. NVIVO) preferred.

  Department

  Educational Administration

  Graduate Chair

  Elizabeth Niehaus

  4029370307

  eniehaus@unl.edu

  Support Staff

  Cindy DeRyke

  402-472-3726

  deryke@unl.edu

• Innovative Learning Technologies

  • On Campus

  This specialization prepares educators to use technology to support teaching and learning. This may occur in an array of settings, including classroom instruction, instructional design and development, and digital learning. Upon completion, participants will be cognizant of theory and research related to best practices, take part in creating effective use of technology in instruction, and assist others in using technology effectively for teaching and learning. To choose this specialization, you must take 18 credits from the approved specialization courses. For your remaining advanced graduate courses, please consult the TLTE graduate catalog.

  See Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education for more information.

  Admission Requirements

  For priority admission and financial consideration, apply for Fall by January 15. TLTE Fellowships and Graduate Assistantships are available.

  • Resumé or Curriculum Vitae: Reviewers will be looking for professional experience and a minimum of two years as an educator in school or non-school settings.
  • Personal Statement: In 4-6 pages, this autobiographical scholarly statement should briefly describe your professional career to date and highlight experiences, philosophies, goals, and service work. Discuss past research productivity, leadership, and/or contributions to your profession. Address in particular the role of research in your areas of scholarly interest and explain your reasons for pursuing a doctorate in TLTE. Finally, describe what would be important to you in being mentored as a doctoral student. Reviewers will be looking for a fit between your interests/goals and this program's ability to address those interests/goals.
  • Writing Sample:  Provide a writing sample that demonstrates your scholarly writing ability, such as a term paper, thesis, or published research article.
  • Recommenders:  At least one of your three recommendations must be submitted by an academic (faculty).
  • Academic Eligibility:  Undergraduate GPA minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Graduate GPA minimum of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale.

  Graduate Chair

  Lorraine Males

  402-472-2231

  lmales2@unl.edu

  Support Staff

  Joelle Tangen

  402-472-2231

  jtangen2@unl.edu

• Special Education

  • On Campus

  The focus of the Ph.D. program in Educational Studies is to prepare scholars for leadership roles in teaching, research, and program supervision and development.

  The emphasis is upon the generation of new knowledge or the reformulation of existing knowledge as a basis for the development of educational theory through research efforts. The test of knowledge is on the possible contribution to the development of educational theory, but you will also develop skills to improve educational practice.

  All applicants for the doctoral program in special education are required to discuss their professional goals/interests with at least one faculty member in the department and secure faculty sponsorship before admission is awarded.

  See Special Education and Communication Disorders for more information.

  Admission Requirements

  To be considered for priority funding, apply by January 15 for the Fall term.

  • Minimum English proficiency: Paper TOEFL 550, Internet TOEFL 80, IELTS 6.5
  • Entrance exam(s): GRE
  • Resume/CV
  • Personal Statement:  Personal/professional goals.
  • Writing Sample: Statement of writing or research.
  • Faculty:  The SECD Advisor Agreement Form (or an equivalent memo directly from the advisor), with all affirmative responses and a faculty member signature, is required before a student can be admitted to this program.
  • Research Interest
  • Three recommendation letters
  • Assistantship: To be considered for an assistantship, 1) check the appropriate boxes in the Funding section of the admission application's Additional Information page and 2) complete the SECD Graduate Assistantship Application.

  Department

  Special Education and Communication Disorders

• Teaching, Curriculum and Learning

  • On Campus

  This specialization focuses on advancing research about teacher preparation and teacher professional development in connection to curriculum theory, philosophy and ethics of education, mentoring and teacher induction, teacher identities, professional learning communities, teaching and learning, and education across all settings. Consult TLTE graduate catalog to choose your advanced graduate courses.

  See Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education for more information.

  Admission Requirements

  For priority admission and financial consideration, apply for Fall by January 15. TLTE Fellowships and Graduate Assistantships are available.

  • Resumé or Curriculum Vitae: Reviewers will be looking for professional experience and a minimum of two years as an educator in school or non-school settings.

  • Personal Statement: In 4-6 pages, this autobiographical scholarly statement should briefly describe your professional career to date and highlight experiences, philosophies, goals, and service work. Discuss past research productivity, leadership, and/or contributions to your profession. Address in particular the role of research in your areas of scholarly interest and explain your reasons for pursuing a doctorate in TLTE. Finally, describe what would be important to you in being mentored as a doctoral student. Reviewers will be looking for a fit between your interests/goals and this program's ability to address those interests/goals.
  • Writing Sample:  Provide a writing sample that demonstrates your scholarly writing ability, such as a term paper, thesis, or published research article.
  • Recommenders:  At least one of your three recommendations must be submitted by an academic (faculty).

  • Academic Eligibility:  Undergraduate GPA minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Graduate GPA minimum of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale.

  Graduate Chair

  Lorraine Males

  402-472-2231

  lmales2@unl.edu

  Support Staff

  Joelle Tangen

  402-472-2231

  jtangen2@unl.edu

Applying for Admission

Standard requirements for all graduate programs

• Application for Admission with $50 non-refundable application fee.
• Transcripts (unofficial): Uploaded as part of application form.

  If International: Uploads must include all college- or university-level transcripts or mark sheets (records of courses and marks earned), with certificates, diplomas, and degrees plus certified English translations.

  After admission: Official documents are required from all students who are admitted and enroll. Photocopies of certified records are not acceptable. International students enrolled in other U.S. institutions may have certified copies of all foreign records sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies by their current school’s registrar office.

• If applicant’s native language is not English, verification of English proficiency is required.

  When sending TOEFL scores, our institution code is 6877 and a department code is not needed.

• If applicant is not a US citizen and expects an F or J visa: financial information.
• Applicants must also fulfill any additional requirements the department specifies at the time of application.

Additional requirements specific to this program

Admission Application Deadlines