Doctor of Education in School Improvement

Transform Education in Texas

Today, public education operates in an increasingly complex environment shaped by accountability expectations, evolving student needs and rapid social and technological change. Educational leaders are called not only to respond to challenges, but to build systems that support sustained student growth, professional excellence and community partnership.

The University of Texas at Tyler’s Doctor of Education in School Improvement prepares you to lead with clarity and confidence. Grounded in rigorous research training and data-informed decision making, this program equips educators to strengthen instructional systems, elevate student outcomes and build coherent improvement strategies across schools and districts.

Designed for educational leaders in Texas public schools, this program supports teachers, counselors and administrators in implementing practical, measurable initiatives that enhance effectiveness and long-term student success.

Why Earn a Doctor of Education in School Improvement From UT Tyler?

After earning your master’s degree, advance your impact with a doctorate grounded in improvement science and practical system leadership. The UT Tyler EdD in School Improvement prepares practicing educators to lead disciplined, data-informed change within their own schools and districts.

You will learn to analyze complex educational systems, identify root causes of persistent challenges and design targeted interventions tested through structured improvement cycles. You will also develop strong quantitative and qualitative research skills while applying those methods to real problems of practice, producing measurable and sustainable gains in student outcomes.

Whether you seek to strengthen your current organization, expand your leadership capacity or contribute to the broader field of educational improvement, UT Tyler’s EdD program prepares you to lead with evidence, clarity and purpose.

The Doctor of Education in School Improvement helps you reach your professional goals through a distinctive, practice-centered approach:

• Flexible Online Coursework with Annual Residency Experience
  Complete all coursework online while continuing to meet your professional obligations. Each year includes a one-week summer residency and orientation experience designed to deepen collaboration, strengthen research design and connect theory to practice.
• Improvement Cycles Embedded in the Curriculum
  Improvement science is not reserved for the dissertation phase. Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles are intentionally integrated into coursework and aligned with the program’s academic calendar. As you learn systems mapping, root cause analysis and research methods, you simultaneously apply those tools within your own organization in structured improvement cycles.
• Improvement Science in Action
  Through UT Tyler’s University Academy lab school demonstration system, candidates observe and analyze school improvement work grounded in systems thinking, data analysis and disciplined inquiry. The lab school serves as a living model of continuous improvement in practice.
• Focused on Texas Schools
  Our program emphasizes the structure, accountability systems and policy environment of Texas public education. Candidates apply improvement methods directly within their own schools and districts throughout the program.
• Practice-Based Leadership Preparation
  Move beyond compliance-driven reform to develop the capacity to diagnose systemic challenges, test targeted interventions and scale sustainable improvements using mixed-methods research and structured inquiry.
• Cohort-Based and Collaborative
  Work alongside a cohort of practicing educational leaders engaged in shared inquiry and team-based problem solving. Annual residencies strengthen professional networks and scholarly community.
• Experienced Faculty Mentorship
  Learn from faculty with experience as educators, principals, superintendents and system leaders who integrate real-world insight with rigorous research preparation.
• Research for Measurable Impact
  Devote a significant portion of your coursework to advanced quantitative and qualitative methods, design-based research and data-informed decision-making — all applied to authentic problems of practice.
• Accessible and Affordable
  Our tuition is among the most competitive in the state, with financial aid options available to support working professionals.

Curriculum

The EdD in School Improvement is a 60-credit-hour program organized around the principles of improvement science and disciplined inquiry. The curriculum is intentionally sequenced so that coursework, research preparation and structured improvement cycles develop in parallel.

Students complete:

• 30 credit hours in School Improvement coursework
• 15 credit hours in research and statistical methods
• Dissertation and annual summer residency requirements

Rather than treating research and practice as separate phases, the program integrates Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles throughout the curriculum. As candidates study systems thinking, root cause analysis, policy, coaching, community engagement and culturally responsive practice, they simultaneously apply those tools within their own schools or districts. Improvement cycles are aligned with the academic calendar, allowing candidates to test interventions, analyze results and refine strategies in real time.

Research coursework develops advanced competency in quantitative analysis, mixed-methods design and applied statistical reasoning. These methods directly support the evaluation of improvement initiatives and culminate in a Dissertation of Practice grounded in measurable outcomes.

Through the School Improvement Policy residency, candidates engage with current educational leaders to examine contemporary policy challenges and system-level solutions. Each year includes a five-day summer residency experience focused on research design, collaborative inquiry and dissertation development.

At the conclusion of the program, candidates defend an original dissertation that demonstrates disciplined application of improvement science to a real problem of practice, producing actionable knowledge that advances both their organization and the broader field.

The EdD in School Improvement strengthens your ability to:

• Apply Improvement Science to Real Systems
  Analyze complex school systems using systems thinking, root cause analysis and structured Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to produce measurable and sustainable gains in student outcomes.
• Diagnose and Address Problems of Practice
  Move beyond surface-level solutions by identifying underlying drivers of performance challenges and designing targeted interventions grounded in evidence and context.
• Lead Data-Informed Decision Making
  Use quantitative and qualitative methods to interpret performance data, evaluate initiatives and guide strategic planning with clarity and precision.
• Integrate Research with Action
  Translate research into practice by implementing and studying improvement efforts within your own organization, generating knowledge that informs both local and broader educational leadership.
• Build Collaborative Improvement Cultures
  Foster professional learning communities that engage educators in shared inquiry, disciplined experimentation and continuous refinement of instructional systems.
• Navigate Policy and Context Responsively
  Understand the historical, philosophical and policy dimensions of school reform while aligning improvement efforts with accountability frameworks and community needs.
  
  

Review All Course Descriptions for the EdD in School Improvement

Learn More About the School of Education

Careers in School Improvement

A Doctor of Education in School Improvement prepares experienced educators to lead systemic improvement across K–12 schools, higher education institutions, state agencies and educational service organizations. Grounded in improvement science and applied research, the degree strengthens leadership capacity at multiple levels — from classroom expertise to district and state leadership.

Graduates can pursue roles in the following areas:

K–12 Instructional and Campus Leadership

• Master Teacher (including Teacher Incentive Allotment Designations)
• Instructional Coach
• Assistant Principal
• Principal
• Director of Curriculum and Instruction
• Director of School Improvement
• Superintendent

District, Regional and State-Level Leadership

• Education Service Center (ESC) Specialist or Director
• Texas Education Agency (TEA) Program Specialist or Analyst
• Policy Advisor or Education Policy Analyst
• Accountability or Assessment Director
• Research and Evaluation Director

Higher Education and Postsecondary Leadership

• Community College Faculty or Administrator
• University Faculty (EdD/Practice-Oriented Programs)
• Director of Educator Preparation Programs
• Institutional Research or Academic Affairs Leadership

Private Sector and Consulting

• Education Consultant
• Professional Development Specialist
• Curriculum and Program Evaluation Consultant

Whether strengthening impact in the classroom, advancing into executive leadership or shaping policy and research, the Doctor of Education in School Improvement equips graduates to lead with evidence, systems thinking and measurable results.

How to Apply

Graduate Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the EdD in school improvement program, you must:

• Hold a master’s degree in an education-related field from a regionally or nationally accredited institution.
• Have at least three years of experience in education (record of service).
• Write and submit an essay limited to 1,000 words related to a school improvement problem of practice.
• Submit a résumé in PDF or Word format.

Application Instructions

To apply, please complete the following steps:

• Complete the application for admission to a graduate program.
• Submit a 750-1,000 word essay using the Qualtrics form that discusses one of the three following problems of practice:
  • Insufficient Time and Effectiveness of Professional Learning
  • Inadequate Academic Intervention or Differentiation for Traditionally Underserved Student Populations
  • Poor School Climate and Quality of Student and Teacher Relationship
  • PLEASE NOTE: Do not submit the essay until you have applied and have a student ID number.
• Submit the following documents directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions at the address below:
  1. Official transcripts from undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
  2. Copy of the applicant’s complete service record.

The Office of Graduate Admissions, HPR 248
The University of Texas at Tyler
3900 University Blvd
Tyler, TX 75799

You may also email documents to gradadmissions@uttyler.edu.

Deadlines

The next available cohort start term is fall 2023. The application for this cohort becomes available on Oct. 1, 2023.

Completed applications, including the written prompt response, received by Wednesday, March 1, 2024, are guaranteed to be reviewed and considered by the admissions committee. Applications submitted after the priority admission deadline may not be reviewed. The committee does not review incomplete applications.

The committee selects and invites applicants to final interviews by March 15, 2024.

Interviews begin the week of March 20, 2024.

Admission decisions are made and communicated to students by April 1, 2024.

Students must commit to attending the face-to-face EdD summer workshop to be eligible to enroll in the fall 2024 cohort. The summer workshop is July 8-12, 2024. Students who are not able to attend the workshop are required to apply for the fall 2025 cohort.

Tuition

Based on the 2022-2023 tuition schedule for Texas residents, the total cost of the program is approximately $30,570. Once a student has completed the required 60 hours, including 12 hours of dissertation, the student must continue to enroll in one credit of dissertation until he/she completes the program. At this point, one doctoral credit (online) is about $988.

Transfer of Credits

A student may transfer a maximum of 12 semester hours of graduate credit in which a grade of "B" or better has been earned from approved institutions. Transfer credit must be approved by the EdD program directors. Transfer credit cannot be approved unless an official transcript of all transfer work is on file in the Office of Graduate Studies. Transfer credit should be evaluated and approved prior to the completion of the degree plan.