Ed.D. Educational Leadership (PSAP) Frequently Asked Questions
The program is offered in a hybrid executive format that combines in-person campus sessions with both synchronous (live Zoom sessions) and asynchronous online coursework.
Students attend in-person convenings on Boston College’s Chestnut Hill Campus for 15 days per academic year (5 days per term). All in-person days run from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
- Summer Term: 1 Saturday in June, plus 4 consecutive days in late July.
- Fall Term: 5 Saturdays.Spring Term: 5 Saturdays.
The summer terms span approximately 8 weeks across June and July, providing breaks in August before the Fall semester and a break in May after Spring terms. Courses will continue to meet online via live zoom sessions throughout the term in addition to the in person sessions (1 day in June, and 4 consecutive days in July).
On-campus housing is available during the July residency for students who wish to stay on campus.
Students take two classes each term for the first two years of the program as well as during the summer of year 3. During their final two semesters, students enroll in a six-credit, academic year long dissertation-in-practice seminar. The format allows students to focus on completing their dissertation-in-practice during their final Fall and Spring semesters.
Yes. An optional Licensure Track is available in Year 3. Students taking this track add three sequential practicum courses (Superintendent Practicum and Supervision 1, 2, 3) per term (Summer, Fall, and Spring of Year 3) in addition to their regular courses.
The track is designed to meet the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) requirements of a supervised practicum (500 hours) in the Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent role leading to endorsement for Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent licensure in Massachusetts by our partner, the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS).
Completion of the state-approved educator preparation program includes the program of study along with a practicum in the state of Massachusetts; it is important to note that all practicum hours must be completed in-person and in a Massachusetts PK-12 school and/or district setting and under the supervision of a licensed Supervising Practitioner (school-based mentor) and a Program Supervisor from Boston College.
Please email the practicum office with any questions: prac@bc.edu.
The DIP is grounded directly in your own site of practice. You will design and lead a systems change initiative within your organizational context to make a genuine, direct contribution. Developing your DIP requires careful reflection on your trajectory as a leader, interactions with your community, and ultimate impact. This aligns directly with CPED (Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate) principles by emphasizing practitioner-generated inquiry into real-world problems and workplaces.
Every candidate is provided intentional, scaffolded support throughout their journey in the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program.
- Peer Cohort Group: A structured group of 3–4 peers who provide feedback, intellectual community, and mutual accountability.
- DIP Chair: An assigned faculty member co-teaching the DIP courses who provides continuous, personalized guidance throughout all three DIP courses.
- First Reader (External Mentor): A mentor assigned to your peer group who focuses on scholarly practitioner dispositions, systems change logic, writing, and promoting equity.
- Second Reader: A second faculty member or external professional selected based on your topic and methodological needs that provides feedback on your work.