Course Descriptions
EPL 7350. Methods of Systematic Inquiry
Explores different research designs including case study, program evaluation, policy analysis, and survey. Students develop research questions for applied dissertation.
EPL 7351. Quantitative Inquiry
Investigates quantitative research methods including descriptive and inferential statistics. Students apply quantitative procedures to real-world data.
EPL 7352. Qualitative Inquiry
Explores qualitative research methods including data collection and analysis in real-world contexts.
EPL 7353. Topics in Advanced Inquiry
Examines advanced quantitative and qualitative research methods as needed for applied dissertation.
EPL 7354. PreK-16 Comparative International Policy
Explores policies and practices in schools and universities internationally with a focus on identifying implications for education in the U.S.
EPL 7355. Applied Dissertation
Supports the completion of the applied dissertation through both advising and accountability processes.
EPL 7358. Ethical & Moral Leadership
Examines historical, philosophical, and ethical perspectives to inform crafting personal and organizational visions as well as strategies to enact these visions in practice.
EPL 7359. Leading Organizations
Explores and analyzes theories, frameworks, and critical attributes of leadership and organizational behavior and their impact on an organization’s success.
EPL 7360. Strategic Management of Change
Investigates theories of organizational change and implications for leaders’ skills in initiating and sustaining change efforts.
EPL 7361. Academic Leadership 1: Research on Teaching & Learning
Explores research both on how students learn and on effective teaching strategies for different content areas and student subgroups.
EPL 7362. Academic Leadership 2: Improving Student & Adult Learning at Scale
Integrates adult learning theory and systems theory in exploring central-office theories of action to support development of capacity at all levels of the organization.
EPL 7363. Policymaking and Politics in Education
Explores theories of policy enactment and implementation as well as the process of policy analysis at local, regional, state, and national levels.
EPL 7364. Contemporary Education Policy
Examines contemporary education policy issues and strategies to assess policy impact and to influence policy development at the federal, state, and local levels.
EPL 7365. Legal & Ethical Issues in Education
Examines critical legal topics for leaders of school systems and explores the relationship between law, public policy, and current issues in education.
EPL 7366. Education Budgeting & Finance
Examines public education finance, district budgeting processes and policies (including strategic allocation, stakeholder engagement, monitoring, containment, and bonds), and emerging issues.
EPL 7367. Strategic Decisions in District Operations
Examines central office models for effectively and efficiently supporting schools. Issues include facilities, transportation, safety, health services, school scheduling, food service, charter agreements, and other areas.
EPL 7368. Strategic Talent Management
Examines systems for recruiting, selecting, developing, evaluating, retaining, and compensating talent. Various coaching models are explored.
EPL 7369. Governance, Parterships, and Community Engagement
Explores the roles of the various constituencies in education, with a focus on building effective board relationships, developing strategic partnerships, and leveraging and managing community assets.
EPL 7371. Superintendent Internship
Required of candidates for the Texas Superintendent Certificate. This course includes a minimum of 160 hours of supervised internship activities aligned to the state standards for certification.
EPL 7395. Leading for Equity & Diversity
Provides students with the research, theory, and practical guidance to lead "socially just" schools and organizations.