Master's Program Admissions Requirement

Students applying to the master's degree program in educational leadership must meet the general requirements for admission to the School of Graduate Studies, transfer of credit, and time limitations specified in the front section of this catalog. In addition, applicants must meet the specific requirements for admission to the department identified in this catalog.

Applicants may apply at any time during the year, although admission decisions will be made approximately one semester prior to the start of a new cohort group. This will mean an October or November decision for a cohort group that will be starting in the spring semester.

Professionally certificated teachers applying for admission to programs leading to a master's degree must show a minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or an upper level GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale. Their GPAs in professional education, psychology, and major field of study, each figured separately, must also be above 2.75. All exceptions to the 2.75 GPA for admissions must be approved on appeal.

A student must be admitted to the master's degree program to receive credit toward the degree. Applicants for admission will be required to achieve Tennessee standards for administrative endorsement before being granted consideration for a degree program with recommendation for public school certification. Prior to being admitted students must also submit: (a) a letter of support from the candidate's superintendent or other comparable supervisor and (b) three additional letters of recommendation. Applicants will also be asked to participate in a personal interview with departmental and local school district personnel and complete a written essay.

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Doctoral Program Admissions Requirement

The Screening Process

All students who apply to the Graduate School for the Doctor of Education degree must be screened for initial admission. The screening process consists of an evaluation of each student in terms of selected criteria for admission. Each criterion has been assigned a numerical value. The total of these values equals a possible 100 value points:

1. writing skills, 10 points;
2. scholarship, graduate level, 15 points;
3. speaking skills, 10 points;
4. evidence of leadership, 5 points;
5. estimated leadership potential, 5 points;
6. Graduate Record Examination scores--verbal and quantitative, 15 points;
7. employment record, 10 points;
8. quality of four letters of recommendation (each 5 points), 20 points.

An appointed screening committee utilizes uniform evaluation sheets. After study of the student's credentials and an interview with the student, the committee meets and summarizes the scores. Recommendations may be provided by the screening committee for acceptance, conditional acceptance, rejection, or for subsequent re-screening, if deemed appropriate.

Admission to Candidacy

Each student who has achieved admission to the Doctor of Education program in Educational Leadership will be assigned an advisor, who, in most cases, will serve as the student's committee chair throughout the degree program. At the time the student files a program of study, the student's committee will be increased to four members, with the student and the committee chair agreeing upon the members to be added to the committee. During his or her initial semester of coursework, the student is eligible to file a residency plan by completing the required paperwork for the Graduate School and securing his or her advisor's signature on a plan of residency activities.

The Qualifying Examination

The examination will be written and oral, administered on the ETSU Johnson City campus on pre-established dates during the spring and fall semesters. If and when the qualifying examination is favorably reported to the program coordinator and deans of the College of Education and the Graduate School, the student may make application for candidacy for the doctorate through the offices of the deans of the College of Education and the Graduate School. See Calendars and Schedules for dates these exams are scheduled.

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Further information may be found in the School of Graduate Study.