Doctor of Education:
Higher Education Leadership

Admission Requirements

Application Deadlines

Priority Application Deadline: January 31
Final Application Deadline: May 1

Application Requirements

The following materials are required of each applicant to the Ed.D. Program. Each application is evaluated as a whole.

1. Completed Application for Doctoral Program Admission
2. A $45 nonrefundable application fee (not required of students previously admitted to a graduate program at Azusa Pacific)
3. Official transcripts from all institutions leading to, and awarding, the applicant's baccalaureate degree and all post-baccalaureate study (This is not required of students for whom Azusa Pacific already has such records. To be considered official, a transcript must come directly from the Office of the Registrar of the school attended to the Graduate Center: Admissions at Azusa Pacific University. Students' sealed copies will not be considered official.)
4. A master's degree in higher education or a related field from a regionally accredited institution
5. Minimum graduate GPA of 3.5 on a 4-point scale (Provisional admittance may be granted to individuals who do not meet this criterion, if competency can be shown.)
6. Evidence of satisfactory completion of graduate coursework in statistics and research design (Corequisites not completed prior to admission must be completed by examination or course work during the first year of doctoral study.)
7. Three recommendations on doctoral forms, one completed by the applicant's supervisor, at least one from a professor, and all from persons who can attest to the applicant's potential for doctoral study and leadership
8. Letter of intent, double-spaced, describing the student's educational goals, short- and long-term professional goals, professional activities, and areas of interest for a total of five to seven pages
9. Professional vita
10. A writing sample that demonstrates the student's ability to write cogently and use research and professional literature effectively in developing ideas and arguments (e.g., a master's thesis, a scholarly article published in a journal, or a comprehensive course paper)
11. Results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within the last five years and sent directly from the testing agency to the Graduate Center
12. Other evidence of potential for leadership as the candidate desires
13. For international students who have graduated from a college or university where English was not the principal language, a minimum TOEFL score of 600/250 is required. Results of the Test of Written English are required; results of the Test of Spoken English are recommended. If the latter results are not submitted prior to admission, students may be required to follow procedures described under Admission Policies in this catalog. International students have a separate application procedure. Please contact the Office of International Student Services at (626) 812-3055 or email ISS.

All materials should be submitted to:

Graduate Center: Admissions
Azusa Pacific University
PO Box 7000
Azusa, CA 91702-7000

Located at:

Azusa Pacific University
568 E. Foothill Blvd.
Azusa, CA 91702-7000
(626) 815-4570
Fax: (626) 815-4545 or (626) 815-4571
graduatecenter@apu.edu
www.apu.edu/graduatecenter

*The downloadable version of this document is provided in Portable Document Format (PDF). To learn more about PDFs or to install Adobe Acrobat Reader, follow this link.

International Graduate Admissions

Azusa Pacific University is authorized under federal law by the U.S. CIS and the U.S. Department of State to enroll nonimmigrant, alien undergraduate and graduate students. APU issues and administers both the I-20 and DS 2019 (F-1 and J-1 status documents respectively). To apply to be a graduate student at APU, please submit the following in addition to program specific requirements:

1. Application for International Graduate Admission
2. $65 nonrefundable application fee
3. Affidavit of Financial Support (included in application form) and bank statement* proving ability to pay for educational costs through personal, family, or sponsor resources
4. Certified English proficiency (See TOEFL Requirements.)
5. Letters of recommendation
6. Letter of intent (statement of educational and professional goals)
7. Résumé
8. Official transcripts sent directly from the previous school(s) attended to APU (Transcripts must be translated officially into English and include the degrees earned by the student. Both English and original language transcripts must be submitted.)
9. One photo

*One year’s tuition may be required in advance prior to issuing the United States immigration document.

To be considered for graduate admission, the applicant must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited, officially recognized university with a minimum grade-point average (GPA) equivalent of 3.0. Applicants with a GPA of 2.75-2.9 may be considered for provisional admission.

In addition, all international applicants are expected to read and comply with the policies listed in the Graduate Catalog.

International applicants must submit all application materials and direct all questions to:

Office of International Enrollment Services
Azusa Pacific University
PO Box 7000
Azusa, CA 91702-7000 USA
(626) 812-3055
Fax: (626) 815-3801
Email IES
www.apu.edu/international

Interview

Upon invitation, doctoral applicants complete an interview with at least one member of the doctoral faculty. The purpose of the interview is to meet the candidate, discuss career goals, evaluate the compatability of the program to the student, and ascertain, at least initially, the applicant's potential for success in educational leadership.

Residency Requirement

To be considered in residence, a student must be enrolled in at least one Azusa Pacific University course. This includes any course taken online or at an APU regional center.

English Proficiency Requirements

All students graduating from non-English speaking institutions and applying for university graduate admission, with the exception of APU-approved bilingual programs, must submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score sent by ETS. The university minimum required score for graduate study is 550 (213 for the computer-based test). The minimum required score may be higher for a specific graduate program. Please see the applicable program information for its minimum TOEFL score requirements.

An Internet-based TOEFL (IBT) score can also be used as a verification of English proficiency. Please contact ISS for specific scoring requirements.

An International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score can be used as a verification of English proficiency. For regular admission, a minimum score of seven (7) is required.

Applicants studying full time and earning 48 units (not including ESL units) in an English-speaking university immediately prior to applying to APU may be eligible to waive the TOEFL requirements. Verification of English as the language of instruction will be required.

In addition, students must enroll in TESL 500 English for International Students during their first term at APU regardless of TOEFL score. During the first class session, an opportunity will be given to demonstrate proficiency in English. If this is met, the student can waive the class.

A student's ability to speak English well and use clear pronunciation is an important part of a graduate education. It is assumed that a student's spoken English will be at a high enough level to communicate and participate competently in classes. If, while in classes, it is determined that the student's ability to communicate and participate in English is below the necessary standard, a teacher may refer him/her to the department chair who can require him/her to enroll in a noncredit program, at the student's expense. This program will be specifically designed to enable the student to raise his/her English communication ability.

Computer Access Required

Students must own a laptop computer during their tenure in the program and are expected to bring it to class with them. The university bookstore makes arrangements to enable students to purchase computers and software at economical rates on convenient terms. Often, the required purchase of the laptop and software can be budgeted into student loans. For further information, please contact the Office of Graduate Student Financial Services in the Graduate Center at (626) 815-4570.