Doctorate of Education in Community College Leadership (Ed.D.)

National Louis University's Doctorate of Education in Community College Leadership responds to the need for a leadership preparation program that addresses the unique experience of those in community colleges. Highly competitive, the program is intellectually stimulating, professionally relevant, and incorporates research endeavors around the key issues facing postsecondary institutions in the twenty-first century.

Consider getting your Doctorate of Education in Community College Leadership at National Louis University (NLU) if you:

  • Are currently working in a community college setting
  • Aspire to be a faculty leader, department chair, program director, dean, vice-president or president
  • Want to complete your doctorate program in three years

Why NLU for Community College Leadership

NLU faculty have the credentials and experience students are seeking from their professors. As published authors and seasoned practitioners, National Louis' faculty members can provide the level of expertise that will benefit students during their studies and beyond.

Through the Community College Leadership program's curricular focus on theory and practice, student's can enhance the critical thinking, problem solving, and research skills they will need when facing the challenges of community college leadership.

What You Will Learn

  • The skills necessary to successfully address the rapidly changing educational landscape and distinctive characteristics of community colleges
  • An understanding of complex systems and the role played by community colleges
  • How to apply theory to practice
  • How to utilize advanced, operational skills in strategic planning, fiscal management and technology

Career Outlook

The community college leadership program is directed towards developing scholar-practitioners who understand the power of ideas and who place those ideas in service to improve educational practice. Graduates from the Doctorate of Education in Community College Leadership program can pursue a career as:

  • dean
  • department chair
  • faculty leader
  • program director
  • vice-president or president

Classes at Your Convenience

  • Offered in a flexible course format designed for working community college professionals with face-to face classes. Classes are held every other Saturday during the three 10-week terms and two summer sessions.
  • Dissertation coursework is embedded in the curriculum enabling the students to complete all requirements by the end of three years.
  • Cohort groups (10-12 students) are admitted each year in July, providing constant and consistent peer support.
  • Classes are offered every other year on the Chicago NLU campus and in a selected community college in the suburbs, so students can make the most of their time and educational experience.
  • Financial aid is available for all qualified students.

Admission Requirements

All applicants must meet NLU's general admission requirements. Refer to the appropriate application checklist available online at www.nl.edu/applyonline.

Locations

  • CHICAGO DOWNTOWN CAMPUS

    NLU’s Chicago campus on South Michigan Avenue occupies five floors of the historic Peoples Gas Building. This landmark building, across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago and Grant Park, is easily accessible by train, bus and car and is surrounded by restaurants, parking lots/garages and shops.

    122 S. Michigan Avenue
    Chicago, IL 60603
    800.443.5522

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  • ELGIN

    Conveniently located in a fast-growing business district off I-90 and Route 31, NLU Elgin features 10 classrooms with high-tech media equipment; a computer lab with high-speed Internet access; two conference rooms; and comfortable student lounges. Parking is free at this recently remodeled and upgraded teaching site, which now includes wireless Internet access.

    620 Tollgate Road
    Elgin, IL 60123
    800.443.5522

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  • NORTH SHORE

    Opened in the summer of 2006, NLU North Shore at Skokie is a state-of-the-art modern campus located just off the Edens Expressway near the Old Orchard Shopping Center. The campus includes 44 wireless classrooms equipped with high-tech media equipment; four computer labs with high-speed Internet access, including a walk-in lab in the library; six conference rooms; a public café for beverages and snacks; a student welcome center; a library for research and study; and multiple, comfortable student lounge areas.

    5202 Old Orchard Road
    Skokie, IL 60077
    800.443.5522

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  • LISLE

    Located just minutes from the East-West Tollway (I-88), NLU Lisle features 42 wireless classrooms equipped with high-tech media equipment; four computer labs with high-speed Internet access, including a separate walk-in lab in the library; a café for beverages and snacks; a student welcome center; a library for research and study; conference rooms; and six comfortable student lounge areas with wireless access.

    850 Warrenville Road
    Lisle, IL 60532
    800.443.5522

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  • WHEELING

    Located in one of Chicago's major northwest suburbs, the newly renovated NLU Wheeling includes 20 classrooms with high-tech media equipment, four conference rooms, four computer labs with high-speed Internet access, large student lounge areas with wireless capabilities and interactive video capabilities, and an extensive research library. The site also houses the university library research collection.

    1000 Capitol Drive
    Wheeling, IL 60090
    800.443.5522

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  • FLORIDA (TAMPA)

    Established in 1988 and located in one of the city's major business districts, NLU's Tampa campus serves students in 13 counties in central Florida. In addition to six classrooms, the campus features a conference room, a computer lab with high-speed Internet access, an extensive research library and comfortable student lounges.

    4950 West Kennedy Blvd. #300
    Tampa, FL 33609
    800.366.6581 | www.nl.edu/florida

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  • WISCONSIN

    NLU's Milwaukee campus has a proud history of serving graduate students in education in southeastern Wisconsin. Nearly one in five certified Wisconsin teachers looks to NLU for graduate education programs – more than any other university in the state. In addition to classrooms with high-tech media equipment, the campus offers a state-of-the-art computer lab with wireless Internet access and an extensive IDS research library.

    12000 West Park Place, Suite 100
    Milwaukee, WI 53224-3007
    414.577.2658

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