Student Handbook: Program Introduction
Welcome to the Ed.D. Program at California State University, Sacramento! While we hope this handbook will be helpful to anyone who might have an interest in our new doctoral program, including prospective students, it is primarily designed to be of assistance to readers who are themselves students in Sacramento State’s Ed.D. Program.
Please accept our congratulations for your notable achievements to this point, and our strongest encouragement for your future. You are joining one of the California State University System’s only stand-alone doctoral programs, specifically authorized by the legislature to meet the urgent need for well trained public administrators to lead California’s K-12 public schools and community colleges. To help you keep your educational goal in perspective, according to the latest available U.S. Census Bureau data, only a little over 1% of Americans aged 25 or over possesses a doctoral degree. You are aiming high and we congratulate you on your aspiration.
| Years | Caucasian | Black | Hispanic | Asian-American | Native American | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-1993 | 26,816 (63.6%) |
1,350 (3.2%) |
824 (2%) |
1,587 (3.7%) |
107 (.3%) |
42,132 (100%) |
| 2002-03 | 25,863 (56.2%) |
2,362 (5.1%) |
1,457 (3.2%) |
2,259 (4.9%) |
185 (.4%) |
46,024 |
This handbook, prepared by the Ed.D. core faculty, contains a variety of information designed to be useful for Ed.D. students at different stages of their doctoral education. We begin with an overview of the program and its goals, including some of the notable and unique features of Sacramento State’s program. Next we consider the cultivation of doctoral culture we aim to establish on campus. From there we move to a more detailed discussion of the components of the Ed.D. Program, including curriculum, qualifying examinations, and dissertation. Subsequently we discuss key policies and regulations that affect Ed.D. students, drawing from the California State University System’s executive order which provides minimum requirements, policies, and procedures that apply to all doctorate education degree programs offered by the system, the Sacramento State’s proposal approved by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and academic guidelines applicable to all Sacramento State graduate students. We turn next to a brief summary of campus resources available to assist doctoral students. We end with a brief profile of the faculty and staff involved with our Ed.D. Program, and provide contact information for these individuals.
We aim to make this handbook as complete as possible, recognizing that the needs and circumstances of Ed.D. students differ. Nevertheless, any handbook can be improved and it is impossible to anticipate every important question that may be relevant to a doctoral student. We would be glad to hear any suggestions for handbook modifications. Please direct your questions to the Program Director or Associate Director.
We wish you the best in your educational pursuits.