Earning a degree while working full-time or raising a family is possible at SNU because:

• Classes take place online or one evening a week, allowing busy adults to earn a doctorate without sacrificing the things that matter most
• Focus on one course at a time before moving on to the next to ensure true mastery
• A research professor is paired with you from the beginning of the program to ensure your success as a student and researcher
• Instructors with vast amounts of industry experience guide students through courses.
• Textbooks can be delivered directly to your door at the beginning of each class with a textbook subscription service.

With a Doctorate of Education in Administration and Leadership from SNU, you can pursue a variety of leadership roles in educational institutions and beyond. Graduates are prepared for positions such as school district superintendent, principal, or higher education administrator. Additionally, you can work in nonprofit or government sectors as educational consultants, policy advisors, or training and development leaders. The program equips you with advanced skills in strategic planning, organizational leadership, and educational policy implementation, enabling you to lead impactful changes in educational environments.

You should pursue a Doctorate of Education in Administration and Leadership to enhance your ability to lead and manage educational institutions effectively. The program provides advanced skills in strategic decision-making, organizational leadership, and educational policy development. With a focus on ethical leadership and real-world application, SNU’s program prepares you to tackle complex challenges in educational settings, fostering positive change. Additionally, the program’s flexibility supports working professionals seeking to balance their studies with their current career.

Graduates with a Doctorate of Education in Administration and Leadership can be hired by:

• K-12 School Districts for roles such as superintendents, principals, and district administrators.
• Higher Education Institutions for positions like university deans, department chairs, or provosts.
• Nonprofit Organizations in leadership and educational policy development roles.
• Government Agencies involved in educational policy and reform.
• Corporate Training and Development departments focusing on leadership training and organizational improvement.

A Doctorate of Education in Administration and Leadership prepares you for roles such as:

• School Superintendent
• University Dean or Department Chair
• Educational Consultant
• Chief Academic Officer
• Instructional Coach
• Higher Education Administrator
• Policy Advisor in Government or Nonprofit Organizations
• Corporate Leadership Trainer
• Strategist

These roles focus on strategic leadership, organizational development, and advancing educational initiatives in various settings.

Graduates with a Doctorate of Education in Administration and Leadership can expect average salaries ranging from $90,000 to $150,000 annually, depending on the specific role and location. For example, school superintendents may earn on the higher end of this scale, while higher education administrators such as deans and provosts often fall within a similar range. Other positions like educational consultants and policy advisors can also offer competitive salaries, reflecting their leadership and strategic expertise in educational settings.

SNU's doctoral program is unique because of the consistent and incredible support that the research professors provide as they guide students through the entire 32-month process. The feedback and support each student receives is clear and helpful. Research Professors are always available and teach the research courses as they support students' work on their individual research projects.

In the DEAL program, you can expect 10 - 20 hours of work per week. It's a big degree and requires a commitment of time and effort from each student who wants to success and make it to graduation. Students have great support for their learning and are expected to read and write at a high level as they respond to the guidance of their research professors.

The entire DEAL program costs $44,403 ($779/credit hour). Most students use financial aid through FAFSA. Some students self-pay, and others do a combination of both. Books are extra, and the Graduate Studies in Leadership program is launching a trial run with a book broker—similar to Spotify only with academic books—and all books would be available for $149 per term.

SNU has an active network of over 600 educators across Oklahoma, Texas, and the United States! Networking opportunities exist online, and while job placement is not currently offered, there are multiple opportunities for in-person networking at SNU career fairs, the annual Women in Leadership Symposium, and SNU's monthly Business and Leadership Network.

You should pursue your Doctorate of Education in Administration and Leadership at Southern Nazarene University because SNU emphasizes servant leadership, preparing you to handle complex educational challenges through a faith-based approach. The program offers flexibility for working professionals, allowing you to balance your career while gaining advanced skills in strategic planning and organizational leadership. With a focus on real-world applications and small class sizes, SNU fosters personalized learning and provides opportunities to lead transformative change in educational settings.

Credit hours: 3
This course will focus on Biblical and worldview perspectives in the area of leading shareholders, citizens, and the workplace of the student and in companionship with the SNU mission.  The practices, standards, and styles of leadership will be introduced and examined with a variety of teaching methods and experiences. Understanding the critical intersection of leadership and servanthood will help frame each student’s philosophy as a visionary leader.

Credit hours: 3
Foundations of Research will introduce learners to the structure and format of a dissertation and will focus on the foundational components of a dissertation to include topic selection, problem statement, theory/theoretical framework, purpose statement, research questions/hypotheses, qualitative and quantitative approaches, and research design. Learners will also continue building a collection of research through critiquing, analyzing, and synthesizing peer-reviewed literature relevant to their research interest area. Learners will work collaboratively to create a dissertation problem statement that is well-supported and grounded in the existing literature.

Credit hour: 3
In today’s highly competitive and dynamic organizational environment, it is essential for leaders of all disciplines to be able to effectively deal with the wide range of organizational challenges with which they are presented. The ability to respond to the need for change is one of the hallmarks of contemporary organizations and students will examine the full spectrum of organization development tools and methods that can be implemented to increase organizational effectiveness. This course examines the major components of organizational development including the history of organization development and education reform initiatives, theories and process models, organizational culture, action research, and leading change initiatives.

Credit hours: 3
The Literature Review course will develop strong research, critical thinking, and writing skills to better equip students in their completion of the literature review section of their dissertation. The course focuses on understanding the purpose of the literature review and the fundamental skills needed to complete it such as developing search strategies, synthesizing sources, and constructing paragraphs. Learners will be required to apply writing, research, and critical thinking skills in writing components of the literature review and will also have a working draft of the Literature Review of their dissertation when the course is complete.

Credit hours: 3
This course will develop an intercultural understanding for the effective leader, by examining the different cultural aspects and diverse influences on leadership and ethics.  This course will examine the interaction of internal/external diverse intersections of identities and cultures on the leader and explores the ways in which a leader’s identity and cultural experiences and values inform ethical decision-making and how different ethical and cultural systems address and define moral issues that arise in organizations.  Ethical issues and practices will be analyzed as they relate to the decisions and styles of the leader and the growth of a leader is becoming culturally responsive

Credit hours: 3
This course explores advanced research strategies and the development of designs and methods supporting research in leadership. Exposure to rich research traditions in the field of leadership and both knowledge and skills to begin doctoral research will be introduced. Students will achieve the skills necessary to search for, retrieve, and analyze information and data from a variety of sources. Students will also begin the development of the scholarly writing needed to successfully complete their dissertation research.

Credit hours: 3
This course will present the relationship of theory and implementation to leadership practices.  Based on research, students will develop vision and mission statements that relate to the structure and functions of organizations. Learners will complete a project developing mission and vision statements for an approved organization, including the collaboration of stakeholders and documentation and reflection of the process.

Credit hours: 3
This course explores and analyzes the traditions, philosophies, and techniques of qualitative research. Students will experience participant observation, interviewing, and document analysis.  Students will practice qualitative techniques and engage in initial data analysis related to their dissertation research.

Credit hours: 3
This course introduces students to quantitative methodology. Students will learn about descriptive and inferential statistics through exposure to parametric and non-parametric design models. Learners will obtain the skills to utilize their newly acquired methodology knowledge to critically analyze existing quantitative research.

Credit hours: 3
Concentrating on the understanding and development of one’s self and others, this course will build on the interpersonal and collaborative leadership skills previously accomplished by participants. It will facilitate the discovery of a diverse range of human practices as they relate to personal and organizational relationships in a variety of areas including constructing a team’s collective goals, creating role definitions within a team, managing conflict, team collaboration, and productive professional relationships. Learners will analyze these relationships through research and philosophical positions and will examine connections in historical and contemporary contexts. Students will be exposed to knowledge of empowering leaders to create productive and effective decision-making skills in the workforce.

Credit hours: 3
This course will present the critical importance of strategic planning for the purpose of implementing the goals of the organization. Strategic planning models will be introduced and discussed. Practical skills will be presented for building short and long term strategies based on current theories in strategic planning as well as best practices in multiple environments. The students will develop skills and knowledge on how to prepare the workplace for phases of implementing strategies for effective and progressive change.

Credit hours: 3
This course will develop an understanding of how to inspire, motivate, and rally around a shared and corporate vision.  Students will explore innovative strategies and the implementation of those concepts with other colleagues in the workplace.  An emphasis will be placed on creating purposeful goals for the organization and visionary sustainability.

Credit hours: 3
The focus of this course is multi-faceted. Learners will analyze, critique, discuss, and develop learner-centered, curriculum-based instruction that utilizes technology in authentic and meaningful ways for those in leadership roles. Students will complete in-depth investigations of specific learning tools and present their findings concerning the uses of the tool. Scholars will explore the latest research into how technology can most effectively facilitate their leadership.  Learners will also investigate technology-related issues such as integration models, safety and health, copyright, evaluation of web resources, assessment, and assistive technologies.

Credit hours: 3
This course will provide an analysis of State and Federal regulations, guidelines and court decisions related to education, business, and public service organizations.  Students will examine the impact of these processes and policies and project trends and applications for governance and policy-making based on theory and observation.

Credit hours: 3More than ever
in the past, the ability to lead effectively, respectfully, and sensitively across cultures has become crucial. This course offers its learners opportunities to examine global systems and traditions along with comparing and contrasting cross-cultural communications, famous international leaders’ models, and proven global leadership methods.  Additionally, the learners in this course will develop and assess innovative and effective leadership approaches that foster global awareness and education.

Credit hours: 12
Doctoral students will be enrolled in research writing credits each term. These will be determined by program mapping courses starting with the first term of the program. The research writing is embedded within each term. Students must maintain a minimum of 2 research writing hours each term until their research writing is successfully produced into two publishable articles. The Research Writing Proposal Meeting will occur between Term One and Term Two. The result will be a program of study agreed upon by both the learner and the learner’s Research Committee members.