Ed.D. Administration & Policy (ADPO) Policies & Procedures

Advisement Policy

The program coordinator assigns each student a faculty mentor in the summer before matriculation. Changes of mentors can be made by the student if the new mentor agrees to take on the advisee.

Evaluation Procedures

1. Course performance. A grade point average of 3.0 (B) must be maintained in the courses (not including courses transferred in).
2. First year review. Within two weeks after the end of the spring semester, the program faculty will meet to discuss the work of all first-year students. If two or more faculty identify deficiencies in a student’s written work, that student will be given specific feedback and coached to improve in the area(s) of weakness. The review is advisory; probation, dismissal or other sanctions cannot be applied as a result of the review.
3. Executive Position Paper Proposal. Before the submission and defense of the proposal, the student, in consultation with the mentor, forms a committee for the planning and writing of the Executive Position Papers. The committee membership must meet the University of Delaware’s guidelines on dissertation/EPP committees.
   • Approval of the proposal requires the unanimous vote of the EPP committee. If one or more committee members votes to not support the proposal, the student will have one more opportunity to secure proposal approval. A second unsuccessful defense may result in termination from the program.
   • When the proposal is approved, the student can begin to register for dissertation credits; a total of 12 EDUC 969 dissertation credits must be accumulated.
4. Executive Position Paper Defense. The defense, open to the university community and the public, requires the student to present the EPP findings and respond to questions from the committee and the audience. Copies of the EPP must be distributed to all committee members and the Office of the Director of the School of Education at least two weeks before the defense. Approval of the EPP requires a majority vote of the EPP committee (a tie vote is an unsuccessful defense).

Satisfactory Progress Toward the Degree

The University requires completion of all degree requirements within five years. Extensions for a sixth year can be granted as long as the student has successfully defended the proposal by the end of the fifth year. Requests for leaves of absence should be sent to the program coordinator.