Location
The program is based in Knoxville, Tennessee in the old Knoxville City Hall Building. The Knoxville site connects to the Lincoln Memorial University main campus through summer institutes (two 10-day summer institutes) housed on the LMU main campus. These institutes showcase LMU’s unique Lincoln heritage. The Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum, a focal point of the Harrogate campus, provides a rich tapestry for reflection on the leadership journey of this outstanding icon. Qualities inherent in Lincoln’s leadership style provide important themes that will be revisited throughout the entire doctoral curriculum.
Doctorate in Executive Leadership (EdD)
To inquire about this program:
Cynthia Norris | 865.524.5936 | cynthia.norris@lmunet.edu
The Doctorate in Executive Leadership is offered on a convenient schedule arranged to accommodate the needs of working adults. It consists of two weekend orientation sessions, two 14-day summer sessions and 16 weekend sessions extending over a two year period during fall and spring semesters.
Summer sessions are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition, there are two weekends devoted to orientation and dissertation advisement. During the regular semester seminars, students meet on Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Additional course time is provided through connected field experiences.
The program consists of two entry points: mid-June and mid-July. A total of 40 students are enrolled in June with an additional 40 students enrolled in July. These cohort classes will graduate at the end of the second year.
Admission Requirements
Entry into the 72 hour program requires a master's degree and a minimum of two years of leadership experience in an educational or organizational field. A total of 30 hours of graduate work beyond the master's is completed as an EdS embedded core, or may be transferred in subject to approval. Entry into the 42 hour doctoral core is contingent upon successful completion of the 30 hour embedded core or its equivalent. All students in the program are required to complete the 42 hours of core.
Admission to the Doctorate in Executive Leadership is a three stage process. Guidelines are intended to provide program applicants with general parameters that will be considered by the EdD Selection Committee. Final candidate selection will be based on a composite of all components. Applicants progress through the application process in three stages based on the following requirements:
Stage One
- A graduate degree in an appropriate field
- An academic record consistent with doctoral level studies (submit official transcript)
- Documented (within three years) evidence of scholastic aptitude (e.g. MAT, GRE, or EMAT)
- Three letters of recommendation indicating potential for outstanding leadership at the executive level
- Documentation of leadership experience
Stage Two
- A Field-Based Leadership Portfolio providing evidence of:
- Leadership competence
- Experiential research knowledge
Stage Three
- An interview with the EdD Selection Committee
- An Authorization for Field Study presented at the time of interview
- Presentation of the Field-Based Leadership Portfolio during the interview process
Program Curriculum
