UNA, Alabama Working to Offer Ed.D. in Florence

Mar. 12, 2010

FLORENCE, Ala. – North Alabama educators may soon be able earn their University of Alabama Doctor of Education degree without the long commute to Tuscaloosa. This morning, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) approved a proposal by the University of Alabama to offer its Ed.D. in instructional leadership on the University of North Alabama campus. ACHE approval is the first step toward the degree residing at UNA. The program must now gain approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS): Commission on Colleges.

“Bringing the University of Alabama Ed.D. to the University of North Alabama campus has been a vision of the UNA instructional leadership faculty,” said Dr. Donna Jacobs, dean of the UNA College of Education. “I want to commend the UNA leadership faculty for the hard work and dedication that has led to the exciting collaborative model with the University of Alabama.”

Dr. James E. McLean, dean of the College of Education at Alabama, said the new partnership will help fulfill the college’s statewide mission. “We are excited about working with the University of North Alabama faculty and administration to offer students in this region a quality doctoral option close to their home,” he said. “We view the UNA faculty as partners in this endeavor and appreciate the collegial collaboration that has led to this program.

Offering 100 percent of its coursework at UNA, the Ed.D. program will be designed for professionals working in or toward executive management or instructional leadership positions in preK-12 schools or school systems. Delivered through a cohort model, the Ed.D. will be a three-year degree, including 72 credit hours beyond the prerequisite master’s degree. UNA and Alabama are hoping to admit the first cohort group to begin this fall, with a second cohort group starting in fall 2012.

Candidates not already holding an Education Specialist degree will be strongly encouraged to first complete the UNA Ed.S. program. While up to 18 Ed.S. credit hours from other schools may be accepted, a much higher percentage of the UNA Ed.S. credit hours will apply toward the 72 hours for the Ed.D.

“Our colleagues in Tuscaloosa have been true partners in the redesign of the UNA master’s and specialist programs in instructional leadership, and we are looking forward to welcoming the first Ed.D. cohort to our campus this fall,” Jacobs said.

For more information on the program, contact Dr. Peggy Campbell at 256-765-4578 or pccampbell@una.edu or Dr. Rosemary Newton at rnewton@bamaed.ua.edu.

INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE: Contact Jacobs at 256-765-4252 or dpjacobs@una.edu and McLean at 205-348-6052 or jmclean@una.edu.