Davidson EdD Program: Executive Doctoral Program

The Executive Doctoral Program of the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education of The Jewish Theological Seminary is approved by the New York State Board of Education. The program offers an exciting and unique opportunity for senior educators who wish to pursue advanced learning and training in educational leadership, pedagogy, curriculum development, and research.

As a rule, students are only considered for admission to the doctoral program in Jewish education if they have a master's degree and a minimum of five years of full-time experience working in the field of Jewish education.

The Executive Doctoral Program is designed to build on a candidate's expertise and expand on it. The program consists of course work, a qualifying paper, and a dissertation.

During the first two years, students enroll in two courses per semester. One of these courses consists of two seminars, which last two days and meet on Sundays from noon to 6:30 p.m. and Mondays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Between seminar sessions, students use distance-learning technology to continue their class work. The second course is taken online.

An orientation phone conference and/or webinar during the last week of June 2013 will be conducted to orient participants to the program. Date and time will be sent to all participants by the end of May 2013.

Credits
Students need to complete 63 credits toward the Executive Doctoral Degree (EdD); however, the course of study varies, depending on the credits students might be able to transfer. The schedule of required courses for the first three years of the program is outlined below. Students have the possibility of earning additional credits at JTS over the school year and during the summers. Students should complete their course of study within the first five years of the program.

The first two years are cohort-based; however, by advisement, students supplement the cohort-based courses with additional courses during the summers and the following years.

The pilot phase of the program began in September 2009. The second cohort of the Executive Doctoral Program began in September 2011.

As of now, the dates for the third cohort are still unknown, however, for your reference, the second cohort seminars will take place on the following dates:

Schedule of the Second Executive Doctoral Cohort 2011/2012
The Sunday–Monday seminars for the second cohort will take place at the following times on the following dates:

Sunday: 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

Monday: 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

2012/2013

2013/2014

Retreat
A three day, 3-credit retreat will be scheduled for the end of the second year of the second cohort.

Funding
Funding is available to North American residents only. All students in the Executive Doctoral Program receive a fellowship that covers half-tuition for courses taken only at JTS (excluding fees, special tuition fees, health insurance, late fees, penalties, etc), including additional JTS summer school courses within the guidelines approved by the dean's office. Grant money does not cover tuition for courses taken outside of JTS.

If a student needs more time for courses, the half-tuition fellowship may be renewed for a total of five years by advisement and with the Office of the Dean's permission, providing the student is in good standing (see Academic Standards).

Housing
If you wish to stay at JTS dormitories during the weekend seminars, please contact the Facilities Department at (212) 678-8095 or facilities@jtsa.edu to make any arrangements for your stay at JTS for the weekend seminars.

Admissions
The Davidson School will accept and review applications for admissions for the third cohort until January 2, 2013. Applications that are not completed by that date will not be reviewed. It is in the applicant's best interest to apply as early as possible. Students are accepted into the program only in the fall.

The application form is available at the Office of Admissions, William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education, 3080 Broadway, New York, NY 10027-4649; or contact (212) 678-8022 or edschool@jtsa.edu.

An applicant for admission as a degree candidate must submit the following:

• A completed application form together with the $65 fee
• An official transcript of academic records from all colleges and universities previously attended
• Official scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• Three letters of recommendation, at least two of which must be academic references
• Two academic writing samples (see below) that reflect the candidate's writing and research skills

One of the most important skills a doctoral student must have is the ability to write clearly. Please submit two writing samples, as described below, that you feel represent your skills as a researcher and writer.

If you have earned an academic degree in the last 10 years, please submit two academic papers written for that degree.

If you have been out of school for more than 10 years, please see the list below for some examples of what you might want to submit. Please submit one from List A and one from List B, or two from List B. Both pieces should be substantial works, directed at an adult audience, and written by you within the last ten years.

List A

• Curriculum or teacher's guide
• Other field-based work

List B

• Published article
• Original research paper with citations, on the topic of your choice, to be approved by the director of Admissions
• Students accepted to the Executive Doctoral Program must possess a substantial, graduate-level knowledge in both education and Judaica. This can be demonstrated through a master's degree or other equivalent academic work. In some cases, students might need to take prerequisite courses. An interview, in person or by phone, with the admissions committee and dean is required.

Length of Program
In the first semester, the candidate, with the assistance of the academic adviser, completes a program plan that details the student's projected course of study to satisfy requirements for the EdD. The Executive Doctoral Program requires a maximum of 63 credits beyond the master's degree. The pace and length of the program is highly individualized after the first two years, during which students take two weekend courses and an online course in each semester. The additional courses participants will take, timing of the qualifying paper, and writing of the dissertation proposal will be decided upon consultation with the adviser.

Students have 10 years from the date of admission to complete the program, including writing the dissertation. Candidates engaged in the writing of the dissertation may apply to the dean, in writing, for an extension that ordinarily cannot exceed two years.

Transfer Credit
A student may transfer credits for graduate-level courses taken at other institutions of higher learning with the permission of the academic adviser. They must submit an official transcript with complete course descriptions to The Davidson School Admissions Office, which will consult with the appropriate department. Credits counted toward another academic degree will not be considered. No credit will be accepted for transfer from courses in which a grade lower than B was earned.

• Students may transfer up to 15 appropriate, relevant graduate credits from any recognized academic institution of higher learning.
• In addition, students may transfer up to 27 appropriate and relevant credits from Teachers College, Columbia University; American Jewish University; and Union Theological Seminary.

First-Year Review
The candidacy of all first-year doctoral students will be reviewed during their second semester. The doctoral committee and the dean will review the progress the student has made to date and assess the student's potential to complete the degree.

Course of Study
In developing the program plan, courses are selected in consultation with the academic adviser according to each student's level and individual needs.

• Hebrew requirements will be assessed on a case-by-case basis with the academic adviser.
• Judaica (15 credits)
• Students are required to take at least five advanced graduate-level courses in Judaica beyond the master's degree.
• Education (27 credits)
• Students are required to take a total of 27 credits in education and related fields.
• Research Methods (12 credits)
• Doctoral students are expected to attain competence in understanding and conducting research through the completion of three semester research cycles and one semester of a proposal writing class.
• Elective (9 credits)
• Courses offered during Summer Sessions may be used to fulfill program requirements. For information and application forms, contact the Summer Sessions Office at (212) 678-8886.

Policy on Qualifying Papers
In light of the particular needs of the executive doctoral students, the faculty has developed the following policy in regard to the qualifying papers:

Executive doctoral students will focus their qualifying papers directly on areas related to their research interests, pointed toward their future dissertations.

With faculty advice, students will create two to four reading lists in the relevant research areas. The number of areas and the specific areas themselves will be determined under the guidance of the faculty committee. By relevant, we mean that students' lists should reflect their research interests and potentially, their dissertation topic. The qualifying papers are designed to assess the students' proficiency in understanding, analyzing, and critiquing research and theory. 

Students will then write critical literature reviews for each of those areas and submit all the essays at one time to their faculty committee. The faculty committee will be determined by the faculty and dean. The committee need not be the same as the future dissertation committee, though there is no rule prohibiting that. The committee will evaluate the essays and, following that, a meeting of the candidate and the committee will be convened (in person, if possible or if not, by teleconference) in which the candidate and the committee will discuss the student's work.

These literature reviews should help advance the students' dissertations progress and be able to be incorporated, with revisions, into their dissertations.

Dissertation
Upon approaching completion of the qualifying paper, the candidate:

• Formally selects a dissertation adviser from among the faculty members of the Department of Jewish Education and requests approval from the dean;
• Develops an appropriate dissertation topic and proposal with the guidance of the dissertation adviser;
• Presents a preliminary version of the proposal; and
• Presents the written proposal to the dissertation committee at a hearing that is scheduled after the dissertation adviser approves the written proposal.

The dissertation is written under the direct guidance of the candidate's dissertation adviser and a second member of the faculty, selected by the adviser and the student with the approval of the dean. The committee will consist of at least five members. In most cases, the dissertation committee includes the same individuals who were on the proposal hearing committee, but in certain cases changes in the makeup of the final dissertation committee can be made. The dissertation committee includes two "outside" readers—one from another institution and one from a different department (e.g., Talmud and Rabbinics, Jewish History, etc.) at JTS. The committee will be selected by the dean, the adviser, and the student.

Proposal Hearing
The proposal is presented to the dissertation committee. Doctoral students in the school may be invited as observers. Committee members must receive copies of the proposal at least two weeks before the committee hearing. After the hearing, the student will receive written notice as to whether the proposal is accepted or rejected, along with a summary of the issues that the committee suggests the student address. A copy of the letter must be filed with the dean. After the proposal has been vetted, two final copies are to be given to The Davidson School Office; one is to be kept in the student's file, and the other is to be kept in the communal proposal bank.

Scheduling the Hearing, Advanced Seminar, and Defense
After approval by the adviser and the second reader, a defense is scheduled through the Office of the Dean. A student must apply for permission to defend the dissertation during the registration period of the semester in which he or she plans to defend. Copies of the approved dissertation must be submitted to the Office of The Davidson School for distribution to the members of the committee at least four weeks before the defense.

The dissertation committee may approve the dissertation as submitted, accept it with minor or major revisions, or reject it. If major revisions are required, a subcommittee will be appointed by the dissertation committee chair, in consultation with the dean, to review the revised dissertation. Rejection of a dissertation automatically terminates the student's participation in the program.

After final approval by the dissertation committee or the subcommittee, the dissertation shall be prepared in final form for deposit at least six weeks before commencement. Guidelines for the preparation and deposit of doctoral dissertations are available in The Davidson School Office.

Special Registration Categories
Students who are not taking courses are still required to register. You may review the tuition and fees at http://www.jtsa.edu/Academics/Registrar/Tuition_and_Fees.xml.

Academic Standards

Attendance
Students must attend all weekend seminars and other programs.

Instructors shall have the right to stipulate attendance requirements and penalties that may be incurred as a result of failure to comply with these requirements.

Grades
The grading system is as follows: A, excellent; B, good; C, fair; D, poor; F, fail. No credit will be given for grades of C- or lower.

Once a grade has been received in the Office of the Registrar, it may be changed by the course instructor only upon written application from the instructor to the dean of the school. The dean's approval is required.

Full-time graduate students are permitted to take one course per year with a grade of pass/fail, with the permission of the departmental or program adviser.

Auditing
The grade R signifies that the student has attended classes and completed all course work except for the final exam and/or paper. Students must notify the Office of the Registrar, in writing, by the date stipulated in the academic calendar, http://www.jtsa.edu/Academics/Registrar/Academic_Calendar.xml, of their intention to audit. Failure to do so will mean that the course is being taken for credit. No credit will be given for courses taken for the grade R; such courses will not count toward fulfilling the requirements for the degree. Students cannot audit online courses.

Withdrawal
With the permission of their adviser, students may withdraw from a course by the date listed in the academic calendar, http://www.jtsa.edu/Academics/Registrar/Academic_Calendar.xml. In such cases, the symbol W will appear on the transcript. Students are responsible for tuition and fees for classes from which they withdraw. Students who discontinue attendance in a course and who fail to withdraw formally within the designated period will receive the appropriate alternate letter grade.

Academic Probation
An EdD student who receives a grade lower than B will be placed on academic probation the following semester. To be restored to good standing, the student must register for the next semester and may neither receive a grade lower than B nor take an Incomplete during the semester of probation. Failure to meet this standard will constitute grounds for dismissal. The student shall have the right to appeal in accordance with the Student Disciplinary Procedures, available in the Office of the Registrar. No student will be permitted more than one semester of probation toward the degree.

Incompletes
A student who, for compelling reasons, finds it necessary to postpone the submission of required course work may petition for the grade of Incomplete (INC). The student must obtain a Request for Incomplete Form from the Office of the Registrar, http://www.jtsa.edu/Academics/Registrar.xml. This form must contain all information requested, including a description of the work to be completed and the due date, which cannot be later than the date specified in the academic calendar. The form must be signed by the student, instructor, and dean or academic adviser. The form must be returned to the Office of the Registrar. The last day to request an Incomplete and submit the form is indicated in the academic calendar.

All outstanding course work must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the date specified in the academic calendar. Generally, this date is six weeks from the end of the final examination period.

The registrar shall record that work has been submitted and provide a written receipt to the student for the work received. The registrar will transmit the completed work to the instructor. No work should be sent or given directly to the instructor by the student. The student is advised to retain a copy of all work submitted to the Office of the Registrar.

The grade of INC shall remain on the student's transcript until a grade has been submitted by the instructor.

If a student fails to submit the outstanding work to the Office of the Registrar by the specified due date, the grade of INC will be converted to the alternate letter grade previously submitted by the instructor. This alternate grade reflects the instructor's assessment of a student's performance, taking into account the fact that work is missing. Students should be aware that the missing work may have been counted as an F (or 0) in the computation of the final grade for the course.

In special circumstances, the dean has the authority to grant an extension for the submission of overdue work as long as it is agreeable to the instructor. This extension must be sent in writing by the dean to the Office of the Registrar.

Students may not request an INC for any course during the semester of their graduation.

Absence from Final Examinations
A student who, because of illness or personal emergency, cannot be present for a scheduled final examination must inform the Office of the Registrar as soon as possible to indicate the reasons for the absence. The Office of the Registrar will inform the instructor and the dean of the student's absence. The student must arrange with the instructor for a makeup examination if the student cannot be present for the regularly scheduled makeup examination day. The instructor will inform the Office of the Registrar of the arrangement and provide the office with the exam so that it can be given to the student.

Students may not request Incompletes in advance for an in-class final examination. The student must take the makeup examination as soon as possible, but no later than the date indicated in the academic calendar governing the completion of outstanding work.

Leave of Absence

Students who, for compelling reasons, are unable to take courses or continue with appropriate academic progress in a particular semester may request a leave of absence from the dean and must register for a leave of absence each semester until they resume their studies.

MA students may generally not be granted a leave of absence for more than one semester; doctoral students, for not more than two semesters. During the period of leave, a student may not take an examination, written or oral; be advised by the academic adviser; or submit any part of an essay or dissertation required for the completion of a degree.