Admission Requirements

Doctor of Education – Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

Cohorts of not more than 25 are admitted to the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership. The program is delivered entirely online. Admitted candidates begin in the first summer session, usually at the end of May.

Successful applicants must hold a master’s degree from a recognized accredited institution and have earned a GPA of 3.0 or above in master’s study. Applicants interested in the PK12 Leadership specialization should already hold, or be eligible to hold, certification as an Administrator. This program will not lead to Maryland Administrator I certification.

Admission decisions are made based on consideration of the following:

  1. Bachelor and Master degree GPA
  2. Personal Statement
  3. Letters of Recommendation (including one from current supervisor/employer)
  4. Interview Scores: Interviews are conducted by members of the EDD task force.  Interview scores are considered as one factor in the decision for admission.
  5. Writing Prompt: Applicants will be given a written prompt which will be scored based on content and writing skill. The score is considered as one factor in the admission decision process.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
  • While it is not mandatory that you be employed during the program, the design of this applied program requires a practicum experience and therefore the ability to complete the practicum in a format that meets the requirements. This can be either through an employed arrangement or a volunteer arrangement.
  • Students that have taken part in the Ed.D. program have a variety of backgrounds to include teachers, public school administrators, higher education faculty, higher education staff and administrators, and even those from the government and private sector where employment is related to the field of education.
  • Please note that the PK 12 Leadership concentration does not meet MSDE standards for Administrator I endorsement.
  • Effective Summer 2026, tuition remission benefits for the Doctorate in Educational Leadership program will be discontinued for all employees of the University System of Maryland, including those at Frostburg State University.
    This change follows the Chancellor’s approval to remove this program from the list of eligible courses for tuition remission across the system.
    For questions or assistance, please contact the Lee Ann Nightingale in the Office of Human Resources at 301-687-4398 or lnightingale@frostburg.edu