Applicants with rich backgrounds and a variety of professional and academic experiences are ideal candidates for the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program. There is no one typical background, but rather the successful student is characterized by a lifelong curiosity, a natural perseverance, and an inclination to take on new challenges. The program is designed for mid-career professionals who are currently working in leadership positions or who have the capacity to initiate change within their organization. Successful alumni come from fields such as education, military, service agencies, health care and business organizations and more. The ability to learn and adapt to new tools and technology is an asset in this program. Students with the capacity to manage multiple competing priorities are most successful in our online learning environment.
Please note: If your goal is to become an Administrator in the State of Maine, and you currently have your master’s degree, the 30-credit CAGS in Advanced Educational Leadership is the program that would lead to Building Administrator 040 certification in the State of Maine. If you will be working outside of the State of Maine, UNE Online highly recommends that you research your specific state requirements for entry level into assistant principal or principal positions before entering this (or any) program.
Create an account for the Online Application Portal, start a new application and fill out all required fields.
Upload all supporting documents:
Application Essay (maximum of 1500 words): Please describe your leadership experiences in your professional role. What challenges have you encountered and what lessons have you learned? With your experience as context, please describe why you value the study and practice of educational leadership. Please include any academic and professional experiences that support your candidacy to pursue this unique program of study. Finally and most critically, propose your initial thoughts on a topic of research for your doctoral study and the institutional context in which you might conduct your research.
Your essay will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Pay non-refundable $40 application fee.
Upon acceptance, students may apply to transfer up to four 3-credit courses (maximum of twelve credits) into the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program.
UNE Online also offers students the opportunity to transfer up to four 3-credit courses from their previous post-master’s coursework (taken within the last five years) into the Ed.D. This includes our own Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC) or Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) programs.
Students who transfer four 3-credit courses into the program have the potential to graduate with their doctorate in just over two years.
Transfer courses must:
To request consideration for transfer credit, a student must provide an official transcript and a course syllabus for each course. Your enrollment counselor or student support specialist can assist you with this request. Transfer credit is awarded at the discretion of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies based on specific program details listed above. Requests for approval of transfer credit should be submitted to, and will be granted at the discretion of, the Program Director.
All application materials submitted to UNE are valid for 12 months from the date received by the University. To avoid needing to re-request transcripts and letters of recommendation, we recommend that you complete your application and enroll in a timely manner. In the event that you need to re-apply or re-activate your application, materials older than 12 months will need to be re-submitted without exception.
Students not seeking a degree may enroll in individual courses as a non-matriculated student, space permitting and upon approval by the program manager. Non-matriculated students must hold a bachelor’s degree and submit an official transcript reflecting conferral of the degree. Students may not move from non-matriculated to matriculated status within the same semester. Please contact an enrollment counselor to assist in this process.
More information explaining the admissions requirements for international students or applicants with international degrees can be found here on the International Admissions page. If you have specific questions, please contact an enrollment counselor for personal guidance through the application process.
Enrollment counselors are here to help you understand the Education admission requirements and assist you throughout the entire application process.
If you have any questions about the graduate programs in Education coursework or the program requirements, please speak to one of our enrollment counselors at the email or phone number below.