Ed.D. program will begin in January
By Kylie Sterchi, COMM 225
Edited by Roderick Dale, COMM 235
Starting in January 2019, Charleston Southern University will offer the university’s first Doctor of Education degree with an emphasis in leadership.
Along with being the first doctoral program at CSU, this will be the first Ed.D. program offered in the Charleston area, a fact that is not lost on Dr. Christy Winchester, assistant director of graduate programs.
“Not only does this help to fulfill our need as a Christian university, it also helps to fulfill a need in our community,” she said.
Acceptance into the program is based on an objective quantitative rubric, said Dr. George Metz, dean of the College of Education. Prospective students first fill out a demographic-based application and submit a résumé. Next, applicants have a face-to-face interview, as well as a small group interview with other applicants. Then, they complete a two-page writing assignment while at CSU. Finally, recommendations of the students are reviewed.
Seventy-nine people applied to the program that only had 22 slots available. The approval process for the program took between 18 and 24 months, said Dr. Jacqueline Fish, vice president of academic affairs.
Even though the program is rooted in the College of Education, the program is not just for those who work in education. CSU officials have encouraged professionals from all across the Low Country to apply. Metz added that members of the first cohort are from all walks of life and include local firefighters, police and military.
Classes are on campus in a hybrid format and will typically meet once a week with subsequent readings and discussions posted online via Blackboard. Fish said the need for hybrid courses was necessary because most of the students enrolled in the program are working professionals.
In addition, classes will run in accelerated semesters that are five weeks long in order to accommodate for the amount of people accepted into the program. Students will also work in cohorts and move through the classes together. The degree is 60 semester hours in total and include a dissertation.
Because CSU is a Christian university, faith is also integrated into the classroom. Metz said one of the more unique course offerings is “Ethical and Character Based Leadership with a Biblical Worldview” and instructs students how to apply biblical teachings to leadership roles.
The process of adding the Ed.D. program was an arduous one. CSU had to apply to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which included a feasibility study that examined how an Ed.D would benefit both the school and the community. SACS subsequently approved the addition of the program and will follow up with an onsite visit in March.
Fish said the addition of the Ed.D. opens the door for CSU to add other graduate-level degrees.
“This approval from SACS transitioned CSU to a level five university, which means that, along with the Ed.D., two more doctoral programs can be started at CSU,” said Fish.
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