Ed.D. Current Students
Doctor of Education - Course Sequence & Writing Process
On this page:
- Course Sequence
- First Steps
- Action Research
- Thesis Prospectus
- Thesis Defense
- Final Thesis Submission
-Seminars are held the second full week of January and the second full week of July each year.
| Foundational Year | |
| 81020 Graduate Research Seminar (2 credit hours) | Provides an orientation to doctoral level study with a focus on developing research and writing skills; must be completed before beginning Advanced Research year. |
| 92000 Philosophical Foundations for Educational Research (6 credit hours) | Examines a broad range of educational theories from a biblical perspective to develop a distinctly Christian philosophy of educational research. |
| 92010 Empirical Foundations for Educational Research (6 credit hours) | Studies educational research design, including methods and techniques of literary, quantitative, and qualitative analysis, data collection and tabulation, statistical analysis, and documentation of findings. |
| 92020 Methodological Foundations for Curriculum and Pedagogy (6 credit hours) | Develops students’ commitment, discernment, and skill for effective pedagogy in confessional educational contexts, demonstrating the competencies of practitioner-scholars, servant leaders, and problem-solvers by engaging various issues related to teaching and learning. |
| 92030 Leadership for Institutional Administration (6 credit hours) | Examines leadership theory from a biblical perspective by critically examining the theological assumptions that underlie various models of leadership; Baseline Leadership evaluation must be completed prior to this seminar. |
| 42490 Cooperative Program (0 credit hours) | Reflects on such issues as the basis and structure of cooperation and the most effective means to accomplish the Great Commission; completed online before beginning Advanced Research year. |
| Advanced Research Year | |
| 92040 Social and Organizational Change (6 credit hours) | Studies organizational and social change dynamics and processes, as these occur in varying leadership contexts; Precedent literature abstracts must be completed before enrolling for this seminar. |
| 92050 Models of Human Development and Formation (6 credit hours) | Examines a broad range of developmental theories from a biblical-theological perspective to develop a distinctly Christian philosophy of spiritual formation and human development. |
| 92060 Critical Reflection and Research Evaluation (6 credit hours) | Examines how literature relates to critical reflection influences understanding of educational processes; Includes oral comprehensive examinations. |
| 92070 Mentorship and Guided Research (6 credit hours) | Develops, in consultation with the student’s mentor and with other faculty members, a thesis prospectus that includes the first chapter of the thesis and summarizes the student’s research question and strategy.; Includes prospectus defense in the summer semester; Advanced leadership evaluation must be completed prior to this research course. |
| Thesis | |
| 92080 Thesis Research and Writing (6 hours) | Summer Term |
| 92090 Thesis defense (4 hours) | Final Thesis must be submitted by September 15th. Defenses are scheduled during October and November. |
First Steps
- During the first 2 foundational seminars, each student will be assigned to a mentor, who will help the student develop a research question as the foundation for his or her thesis. This thesis will be developed in selected seminars through the course of the program.
- It is encouraged during this stage to form a mentor-approved group with other EdD students for collaboration on a larger education or leadership related issue.
Action Research
A vision for appreciating a particular place and for solving problems in ways that are sensitive to that place has been woven deeply into the structure of the Southern Seminary Ed.D. program. Action research is undertaken in contexts of poverty and need to cultivate in students a sensitivity and an appreciation for their own particular contexts. Students present their action research in locations that are unique to the context of their education and apply this research in ways that are tailored to the context of their vocation.
| Foundational Year | Subject |
| 92000 Theological Foundations for Educational Research | Education and the Twentieth-Century Efficiency Movement; Perspectives on Racial Reconciliation |
| 92010 Empirical Foundations for Educational Research | Selection of research question and development of annotated outline of thesis |
| 92020 Methodological Foundations for Education and Administration | Chapter 1 draft, critiqued by research team, evaluated by faculty instructor, then revised by student and sent to faculty mentor for final evaluation |
| 92030 Theological Foundations for Leadership | Leadership Challenges in Urban Contexts; Leadership Changes in the Aftermath of Modernity |
| Advanced Research Year | Subject |
| 92040 Social and Organizational Change | Chapter 2 draft, critiqued by research team, evaluated by faculty instructor, then revised by student and sent to faculty mentor for final evaluation |
| 92050 Human Development and Spiritual Formation | Function of Sports and Competition in Educational Contexts; Thinking Theologically about Racial Equality |
| 92060 Critical Reflection and Research Evaluation | Evangelical Theology and the Problem of Poverty; Function of Art in Higher Education |
| 92070 Mentorship and Guided Research | Chapters 1, 2, and 3 completed; outlines and timetable for completion of chapters 4 and 5 |
Thesis Prospectus
Throughout the seminars, the Ed.D. student, in consultation with his or her mentor and with other faculty members, will develop a thesis prospectus that includes the first chapter of the thesis and summarizes the student’s research question and strategy.
- The student defends the thesis prospectus in a closed hearing with his or her mentor and another faculty member. He or she must bring the Prospectus Approval Form for the committee to sign.
- After making the committee-suggested corrections, the student will upload his or her prospectus to course 92070 on Canvas. The signed Prospectus Approval Form, Style Reading Approval Form, and Prospectus Style Submission Checklist must be uploaded to the same portal (92070) as a separate document.
- The student’s prospectus will be presented at the next faculty meeting. The student may not engage in empirical research with human subjects until the methodology has been approved by the Ethics Committee.
- Once the prospectus has been approved, the student will be notified that he or she is approved to continue research and writing.
- All students completing a research project must submit a research profile for approval by the mentor and the Research Ethics Committee before conducting research of any sort.
- Use all the following documents to create the research profile. Submit them on Canvas for the Research Doctoral Studies office.
- Risk Assessment and Informed Consent Guide (How to use Informed Consent in your research instruments.)
- Permission to Use Human Subjects in Research (How to create a Research Profile.)
- Approvals for Using Human Subjects in Research
- Assessment of Risk to Human Subjects in Research
- Ethics Checklist
Thesis Defense
The final thesis will focus on one major research question and will typically be 20,000 – 25,000 words in length. The research for the thesis may be text-based or empirical.
- The student will upload his or her thesis defense draft to 92090 on Canvas, along with the Defense Submission Form signed by the student’s supervisor. Once both items have been uploaded, the Research Doctoral Studies office will schedule the thesis defense.
- At the same time, the student must submit a PDF for style reading here.
- In addition to the thesis defense, the student must present his or her thesis to an external audience appropriate to the topic. He or she should communicate with his or her mentor to find an appropriate situation for this presentation.
- Once the external presentation is complete, the student shall email thmphd@sbts.edu with confirmation (and a copied mentor email verifying) that he or she completed this requirement.
- For the thesis defense, the student must be in person on campus.
- The student must receive a minimum grade of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on the thesis to graduate. A grade of 2.7 or below will require the student to rewrite the thesis and defend again. A second failure to pass will forfeit the Doctor of Education degree.
- Upon completion, the thesis will be submitted for copyrighting, digital preservation, and binding.
- The thesis shall be published by an academic press with the mentor serving as editor.
Final Thesis Submission
The final thesis submission has serval important steps for submission to Proquest/UMI and the SBTS library.
- The student must submit an electronic copy of his or her final thesis to Proquest/UMI as a PDF. This copy will also be placed within the seminary’s institutional repository.
- The student will pay all fees associated with his or her thesis through the Proquest/UMI interface. He or she must submit to UMI’s publishing agreement.
- The student must also purchase one bound copy of their thesis for deposit in the library. This takes place automatically as part of the electronic submission process.
- The library website has extensive information about the thesis submission process.
- Students are required to participate in the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) Questionnaire, which aggregates data about the educational history and future plans of doctoral graduates.
- After completing the survey, students shall send the email confirmation of the questionnaire completion to thmphd@sbts.edu to notify RDS that they have completed the requirement.
- Note: Failure to complete the elctronic submission process, SED questionnaire, final submission fee payment, or bound copy submission will prevent RDS from processing your final dissertation and will prevent you from graduating.
Questions?
Please reach out to thmphd@sbts.edu, or check the Ed.D. handbook, if you have any questions about this process. The information is also listed on the appropriate Canvas page for each step.