Joint Degree - Education and Public Policy, Ed.D./M.P.P.

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The joint Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration with the Master’s of Public Policy is a combined educational leadership and public policy program that allows students to obtain both an Ed.D. and a M.P.P. degree in five years, instead of the six years that would be required if each were pursued separately.

Candidates interested in this joint degree program must apply to and gain acceptance by both the Graduate School of Education and the Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy and fulfill the requirements of both programs. See the School of Education’s catalog listing for a description of the Ed.D. requirements .

M.P.P. Degree Requirements

Students accepted for the Ed.D./M.P.P. degree program are required to have thirty-seven hours of M.P.P. course credit.

The following core courses are required:

Course Requirements

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In addition to the core courses, students in the Ed.D./M.P.P. degree program are required to take a minimum of 8 credit hours of electives, which must include at least one 3-credit or two 2-credit Program approved, School of Law course(s). Students choose elective credits based around the education policy area of emphasis.

Additional Requirements

Internship Requirement

Students are required to complete an internship (at least 10 weeks of full-time employment) in the summer after their first year of the program.

Thesis Requirement

There is no thesis requirement for the M.P.P. Instead, all M.P.P. students register for the Policy Research Seminar. In this course, students work in small teams for real-world clients. Like a more traditional thesis, the work done by students is original and demonstrates substantial mastery of the subject in a real-world setting.

Comprehensive Exam Requirement

There is no comprehensive exam requirement for the M.P.P.

Residence Requirement

Students are required to be in residence for the duration of the program, except during the summer internship.

Foreign Language Requirement

There is no foreign language requirement for the M.P.P.

Academic Status

Continuance in Program

After each semester, the student must meet minimum levels of academic progress. The minimum requirements for continuance are as follows:

After Semester	Cumulative Graduate Degree Credits	Cumulative Q.P.A.
1	13	2.5
2	25	2.75
3	37	3.0

A student who does not achieve the minimum level of academic progress for continuance or receives a grade below C (quality points = 2.0) in any one of the required core courses will be required to withdraw immediately from the program.

Satisfactory Progress

In order to graduate, M.P.P. students must have completed all coursework in the program with a quality point average (Q.P.A.) of 3.0. To continue in the program, a student must make satisfactory progress toward the degree requirements. Satisfactory progress is defined as achieving and maintaining at least a 3.0 Q.P.A. for each semester of graduate study. Students with a Q.P.A. below 3.0 in any semester will automatically be placed on academic probation for the following semester. Students permitted to continue in the program on academic probation must earn a minimum of 12 academic credits and a minimum Q.P.A. of 3.0 during the probationary semester. A student who fails to meet the probationary standard will be required to withdraw from the program.