Helen DeVos College of Education Doctoral Studies

60 credit hours - Three Year Program

The Educational Doctorate degree at Lee University is housed in the Helen DeVos College of Education, with instruction primarily provided on the main campus of Lee University. This ongoing degree program is the final degree level offered in the college; it is a logical extension of the Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree. The primary target audience of this program is currently employed educators in Local Education Agencies (LEAs). Instructional delivery will be almost exclusively through the traditional classroom setting with certain clinical requirements conducted in LEAs and other educational environments off-site. Admissions will be rolling throughout the academic year.

The Ed.D. intends to span the chasm between theory and practice. This program was developed by the faculty along with LEA partners to give candidates the skills and dispositions to impact education administration and policy. This includes understanding the nature of change and the leadership of an organization that is constantly in flux. Analytical data skills and current assessment techniques are foundational to the degree.

Student Outcomes

Within the doctoral degree, student outcomes for program graduates are expected to:

Extend personal and public knowledge of both praxis and leadership
Demonstrate basic research skills for assessing and evaluating all forms of educational programming and literature
Critically evaluate educational policy and practice while advocating for equity
Demonstrate professional skills of informed leadership in the candidate’s sub-field of education
Make connections between research, practice, and policy
Develop and sustain relationships between stakeholders in varied educational settings

Admissions Requirements

A completed application to the University’s Graduate Office
Official transcripts from all attended colleges and universities
A completed Background Check from the TBI
Curriculum vita
An earned Master’s degree in an appropriate field
Copies of all professional licenses and endorsement(s)
Three letters of reference
Recent scholarly writing sample
Two separate interviews with graduate faculty in the Helen DeVos College of Education.

Doctoral Tuition and Fees

Itemized Expenses Per Semester (including summer) for Full and Part-time Students

Tuition per credit hour	$875
Registration Fee (required per semester)	25
Technology Fee (required per semester)	75

Additional Fees

Other expenses for all students, when applicable, include:

Audit Fee (per credit hour)	$75
Auto Registration and Parking Fee (per vehicle registered, per year)	40
Deferred Payment Plan Fee (per semester)	100
Academic Transcript (per copy)	7.50
Graduation Application Fee	190
Late Graduation Application Fee	225
Returned Check Fee (per check)	30
Schedule Change Fee (per transaction)	10
Late Enrollment Confirmation Fee	50

Note: There are fees for optional, specific services that students may choose. See Graduate Studies Tuition and Fees.

Settlement of Accounts

Students should be prepared to pay full semester charges on or before confirming enrollment. Money may be submitted in advance to the Student Financial Services Office. This payment will facilitate confirming enrollment. Off-campus or part-time students are required to pay fifty percent down on or before confirming enrollment according to the deferred payment plan. Students who are unable to pay their accounts in full must either borrow the necessary funds or enroll in the university’s deferred payment plan. Students who will have difficulty paying the full charges within the semester are encouraged to make advance arrangements for borrowing the needed funds. The university also offers services by which students may use Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express to make payment on their accounts. Note: If a student confirms enrollment on or after the first day of class, a $50 late enrollment confirmation fee will be applied to their account (this applies to fall, spring, and summer).

Deferred Payment Plan

Students desiring to participate in the deferred payment plan are required to pay fifty percent of the total charges at the time of confirming enrollment and the balance of semester charges in two equal monthly payments on the dates mentioned below. The same financial requirements apply to veterans and others in cases when money is not sent directly to Lee University. Students enrolling in the deferred payment plan will be charged a $100 fee for this service. This fee will apply to all students owing a balance in excess of $500 at the time of confirming enrollment.

Fall Semester

Students must pay fifty percent of their total charges. The balance must be paid as follows:

First payment by September 30
Final payment by October 31

Spring Semester

Students must pay fifty percent of their total charges. The balance must be paid as follows:

First payment by February 28
Final payment by March 31

A bill will be sent to the student’s permanent address, unless otherwise indicated, each month. However, the student is still responsible for timely payments, even if a bill is not received. If payment is not made on the due date, a $35 late fee will be assessed.

Deferred Payment Plan for Summer School

Students are ordinarily required to pay the full charges for all sessions at the time of confirming enrollment. However, those unable to pay the full amount may defer up to 50% of the charges for a maximum of 30 days. Students enrolling in the deferred payment plan will be charged a $100 fee for this service. This fee will apply to all students owing a balance in excess of $500 at the time of confirming enrollment.

Refund Policy

No reduction of charges will be granted unless application is made within two weeks of any change in program or departure of the students. STUDENTS WHO WITHDRAW FROM THE UNIVERSITY AFTER THE FIFTH WEEK OF CLASSES WILL RECEIVE NO ADJUSTMENT ON TUITION, FEES, AND ROOM (includes Carroll Court Apartments). Those whose study is interrupted by the university for discipline reasons will receive no adjustment on tuition, fees, and room after the fifth week of classes. When a student withdraws from the university or moves out of on-campus housing, his or her ROOM (includes Carroll Court Apartments) CHARGES WILL BE ADJUSTED ON THE SAME SCHEDULE AS TUITION AND FEES. If a student withdraws during a semester and requests a refund of advanced payments, the following rules will determine the amount of adjustment, provided the student withdraws formally through the Center for Student Success.

Tuition, fees, and room (includes Carroll Court Apartments), with the exception of matriculation and registration fees, will be adjusted on the following percentages:

o During first two weeks of semester		80%
o During third week of semester		60%
o During fourth week of semester		40%
o During fifth week of semester		20%
o After fifth week of semester		No Adjustment

Meal plans will be prorated based on the date the student checks out of the room NOT the date of withdrawal.
THERE IS NO REFUND FOR REGISTRATION FEE, LATE ENROLLMENT CONFIRMATION FEE, OR DEFERRED PAYMENT PLAN FEE.
No person who registers as a full-time student and is later permitted to drop enough courses to place him/her in the classification of a part-time student will be entitled to an adjustment or prorated tuition after the fifth week.
Mandatory refunds and repayments to Federal Title IV student financial aid programs will be calculated based upon earned and unearned aid percentages as outlined by the Federal Government. The formula for such calculations is based on the number of days in a given semester and the number of days attendance completed by the student prior to his/her withdrawal. Refunds mandated by the calculation could possibly increase the amount a student must pay after he/she withdraws from school. Please refer to “Return of Federal Title IV Financial Aid Policy” in the Undergraduate Financial Aid section.

Refund Policy for Summer School

Withdrawals during the first week of classes will receive 50% credit on tuition and room. THERE IS NO REFUND AFTER THE FIRST WEEK.
THERE IS NO REFUND FOR REGISTRATION FEE, LATE ENROLLMENT CONFIRMATION FEE, OR DEFERRED PAYMENT PLAN FEE.
If you register for multiple sessions and withdraw prior to the beginning of the second or third session, you will receive full refund for the second or third session (whichever is applicable).

Accounts Must be Paid Prior to Final Examinations

Written commitments for aid from Lee University or other sources are the only substitutes for the required down payment. Therefore, students should assume responsibility for applying for aid in advance and for seeing that the proper letters or cash arrive at the Student Financial Services Office by registration day.

While we recognize the problems involved in increasing costs to the student, education with a Christian emphasis is the greatest personal investment available today. The university will assist students in every way possible to finance their education. If you need financial assistance, please check with our Financial Aid Office.

Accounts with the school must be settled in full before a diploma is released, a transcript of credits is issued, or a letter of honorable dismissal is granted. ACCOUNTS MUST BE PAID BEFORE FINAL EXAMINATIONS ARE TAKEN. NO STUDENT WILL BE ALLOWED TO GRADUATE UNTIL HIS/HER ACCOUNT IS PAID IN FULL.

In the event of default in payment of the account with the school, and if the same is placed in the hands of a 3rd party collector, the student must pay all costs and expenses incurred by the university for collection efforts which may be based on a percentage of no more than 33% of the amount owed to the school. Delinquency of the account will be reported to the credit bureau and may negatively impact the credit score of the student. The amount owed to the school is considered a student loan and is not dischargeable under Bankruptcy Law.

Transfer Credits

A maximum of nine (9) hours credit may be granted to candidates who have completed graduate level courses after having obtained a master’s degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the US Department of Education. Any courses to be considered for credit must have been earned from an approved institution of higher education.
Candidates who have completed an Ed.S. from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the US Department of Education will be considered for advanced standing (up to 33 hours of transfer credit) in the Ed.D. program. Such awarded credit towards the degree is at the discretion of the Graduate Education Committee.

Other Graduation Requirements

Candidates must complete the program within seven (7) calendar years from the completion of the first course. At least 60 credit hours must be awarded with a grade of B or higher.
A completed dissertation with an approval of at least two of the three committee members.
Comprehensive Exams - Comprehensive exams, written or oral, may be required. Such decisions and the assessment of such exams are the purview of the candidate’s Doctoral Committee.
Dissertation - A minimum of ten (10) hours of dissertation credits must be earned. Dissertation III & IV will be individualized for each candidate by the advisor. Candidates who have not completed their dissertation will be expected to maintain continuous enrollment.
Tennessee ILL-A Certification - Education leadership licensure is optional through coursework, clinicals, and required Praxis Exam 6990.

Doctoral committee

The doctoral committee shall consist of a minimum of three (3) professors who are approved by the Director of Graduate Studies to direct doctoral research.
One of the three members must be the advisor of the candidate and will serve as Chair of the committee.
One member should be from outside the College of Education.
The committee shall monitor and grant final approval of the dissertation.
The committee shall conduct the defense of the dissertation.

Programs

Doctor of Education, Professional Practice (EDPRO.EDD)

Academic Catalog