PROGRAMS:
The School of Education offers two doctoral programs. The Doctor of Education (Ed.D) program is a 90-credit (post-master's) program offering a variety of specializations culminating in a dissertation. The Ph.D. in Counselor Education is a 90 credit (post Master's) program geared towards those who wish to be counselor educators. Please see each program page for more information.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
Because each doctoral Program requires considerable faculty time and resources, a limited number of students will be admitted to the programs each year. It is expected that all applicants will have at least a bachelor's degree (135-credit doctorate) or a master's degree (90-credit doctorate) from a regionally accredited college or university. Admission decisions will be based on the following:

1. Previous academic preparation and areas of study
2. Overall undergraduate and graduate GPA
3. GRE or MAT scores
4. Professional experience
5. Future professional plans
6. Letters of recommendation
7. A formal interview with School of Education faculty

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
Cohort classes begin each summer. Screening applicants for admission is an ongoing process and students may be admitted to the program throughout the year so they can begin needed prerequisites, foundations and elective courses.

The following items are to be submitted to the School of Education.

1. Submission of the doctoral degree application with the application processing fee.
2. Official transcripts from any institution where an academic degree was conferred, including postmaster's degree graduate coursework.
3. A personal statement discussing future professional plans and goals. This should not exceed 300 words and should also include the rationale for pursuing a doctoral degree.
4. Scores from the GRE or the MAT. Test scores must be less than five years old.
5. Four recent letters of recommendation. Two of these must be of an academic nature (i.e., from graduate professors. Two must be of a professional nature - from supervisors).

PROGRAM AND ENROLLMENT POLICIES:
At the time of admission, a student may transfer up to 15 post-master's degree credits into a doctoral program with the approval of the director of doctoral studies. Courses transferred must be graduate level, from a regionally accredited institution and relevant to the student's course of doctoral study. They must have been taken within the three years prior to admission and must have been part of a planned program leading to a graduate degree or a professional certificate. Courses with grades below a 3.0 ("B"), or those receiving "pass" or "satisfactory" grades cannot transfer into the program. Finally, transferred classes may be substituted for degree requirements if the student can document in writing that they are comparable to required courses offered through SPU. Modifications to these transfer policies may be made at the discretion of the director of doctoral studies in consultation with the Doctoral Admissions Committee.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT:
Students are expected to complete the required cohort courses (7000-level) in sequence during the first two years of the program. Once students begin their classes, continuous enrollment must be maintained throughout the program. Students who interrupt the residency requirement may be dropped from the program.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE:
A 3.2 overall GPA is required for graduation.

DEGREE COMPLETION:
All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within five years from the quarter the first post-admission course was taken. Students needing more than five years to complete the degree must file a time-extension petition with the director of doctoral studies.