FAQs
Admissions
The application deadline is January 15th.
The CSULB Graduate Admissions Application (https://www2.calstate.edu/apply) closes at midnight on January 15th.
The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership Program Application closes at midnight on January 15th..
The CSULB Graduate Admissions Application (https://www2.calstate.edu/apply)
The Educational Leadership Ed.D. Program Application found on MyCED
CSULB Graduate Application via CalState Apply. Please upload unofficial transcripts here.
Ed.D. Program application: current resume, statement of purpose, writing sample, and 3 letters of recommendations submitted via MyCED.
Official transcripts are sent directly to Enrollment services.
Access to this application closes on February 15th at midnight. The steps to complete the application are:
- Go to https://www2.calstate.edu/apply
- Complete the FALL Graduate Admissions Application (available on October 1)
- Click on the "Apply Online" tab at the top of the page
- Select "Graduate Admissions Application"
- Select the "CSU Graduate Admissions Application" for the appropriate academic year from the list provided
- The correct term is the FALL semester of the same year you are applying (e.g., if you are applying for Summer 2024 admission, you will select the Fall 2024 semester).
- Click the "select a campus and major" button
- Select "Long Beach Campus" and click "set campus"
- Select "Elem/Secondary Leadership Ed.D." to apply to the K - 12 specialization, OR select "Higher Ed Leadership Ed.D." to apply to the Community College/Higher Education specialization
- Follow the instructions to input the information necessary to complete the application
- Pay the $70.00 application fee online
If you attended as an undergraduate or graduate student at CSULB, you do not need to submit official transcripts for any coursework you completed at this campus. If you attended for a Master degree program, you may not have to submit your official transcripts for undergraduate coursework, however, it is recommended that you check with the Associate Director to make sure the undergraduate transcripts are on file.
The Admissions Committee will focus primarily on whether or you are a “good fit” with the program. They are seeking applicants that wish to become administrative leaders in the K12, Community College, or 4-year colleges. Although we look at application materials holistically, the committee members will focus on your professional background (shown in your resume) and your career/professional goals (provided in your Statement of Purpose) to determine your eligibility.
The program does not require a GRE for admissions. It is not considered in the application evaluation process.
General Information
Students complete a program of study that requires enrollment in 5 - 8 units each semester.
The program of study is 60 units and takes 3 years to complete (requires enrollment summer, fall, and spring terms).
The first 7 semesters consist of coursework (48 units) and the last 2 semesters consist of completion of the dissertation (12 units).
Yes. We do accept students without degrees in education, our students come from a wide variety of disciplines and professional backgrounds.
Summer I (7 units)
- Proseminar in Educational Leadership
- Educational Research Epistemologies & Methodologies
- Leadership in Higher Education OR Leadership in Elementary/Secondary Education
Fall I (8 units)
- Professional Seminar in Education Leadership
- Organizational Leadership in Educational Settings
- U.S. Education and Diversity
Spring I (7 units)
- Advanced Professional Seminar in Education Leadership
- Qualitative Research Methods for Education Leadership
- Program and Student Assessment
- Teaching and Learning in Post Secondary Settings OR Organizational Culture & Community Engagement in Education
Summer II (6 units)
- Advanced Professional Seminar in Education Leadership
- Inferential Data Analysis in Education
Fall II (8 units)
- Advanced Professional Seminar in Education Leadership
- Legal and Ethical Leadership
- Institutional Effectiveness
Spring II (8 units)
- Advanced Qualitative or Quantitative Methods
- Policy, Politics, and Power in Educational Settings
- Policy and Finance Issues in Community Colleges OR Curriculum Theory, Instruction, Leadership, and Accountability
Summer III (5 units)
- Applied Field Research
- Exploration of Campus Culture OR Financial and Human Resource Development
- Pre-Dissertation
Fall III (6 units)
Dissertation
Spring III (6 units)
Dissertation
Students admitted to the CSU Long Beach Ed.D. Program are qualified to apply for federal financial aid. Current students may qualify for unsubsidized Stafford loans. Some admitted students may be eligible to recieve needs-based grants funds that are awarded mid-year.
Details on the costs of the program can be found at: /registration-and-records/tuition-and-fees
Details on the types of financial aid can be found at: /financial-aid
Applicants to the program are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Students enrolled in the Ed.D. Program are eligible for any federal financial aid they are qualified to receive, our students typically receive unsubsidized Stafford loans. We also offer scholarships and fellowships. The scholarships are provided by the College of Education, and you can apply via BeachScholarships February of each year. The fellowships are linked to research opportunities that are facilitated by our faculty and change from year to year. The scholarship awards range from $300 - $2000, the fellowships range from $2500 - $5000.
Our current retention rate is 93%. Most of the students who leave the program sight personal or financial reasons for taking a leave of absence.
Our 3-year graduation rate is 75% (this includes data from graduating cohorts through the Class of 2023).
Our 3-year plus one summer term graduation rate is 87%. This means some of our students elect to enroll for one extra term (the summer term) to complete their dissertation.
Our overall graduation rate (meaning all students we have retained and have completed the program) is 95%.
