What is the general profile of the CANDEL applicant?
Most applicants are administrators, educational leaders, and student service professionals in educational settings; such as, P-12, Community College, higher education institutions, and advocacy organizations, who have visionary leadership ability and have a strong desire to create changes in educational policy from within their school, district, department, etc.
How often do classes meet? Where do classes meet?
Classes meet all day Friday and Saturday, every three weeks. Classes are held at UC Davis. Our Summer Learning Institute for first-year and second-year students is held offsite, usually at a conference or retreat center, and lasts a week to ensure a quality cohesive experience.
Yes. This is a UC Davis Graduate Studies policy. Prepare and do your best. We carefully review each applicants’ scores and their leadership experiences together.
The GRE General Test measures reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills (you will want to take the “General Test”, not the “Subject Test”). The GRE website offers practice tests; tests are now computerized and offered at testing centers near you. Please review the website for more information about the GRE
When you take your test, you will need to indicate the Institutional Code and Department Code for your scores to be sent directly to the program. GRE – Institutional Code No: 4834 Department Code: 3001
What is the Summer Learning Institute? Is this mandatory?
The Summer Learning Institute is an extraordinary intensive experience for first and second year students, and yes, it is mandatory. For first year students, the session includes a welcome orientation, and the launch of your first course. Students will also be given an introduction to the university’ services and other logistics important to beginning your Ed.D.
The Summer Learning Institute is held offsite. This allows the new cohort to get to know each other in a neutral and relaxed environment. The positive feedback we receive each year points to the success of the event, and students are excited to return for the second year. There is an additional cost for the Summer Learning Institute of approximately $375-400.
What is a “cohort-based” program and what are its advantages?
Every August, a new group of students begins the program and continues through the whole program together. Each quarter, your group, or “Cohort” will all register for the same courses.
Overwhelming feedback from our students indicates the cohort structure is one of the strongest features of the program. Students are able to support one another, study and work together on projects and research, visit each other’s sites, and generally find a more enriching experience in this collegial and personal setting.
What is the unit break-down per quarter?
CANDEL students enroll for12 units per quarter for the first two years of coursework (72 units). After the completion of coursework, students must enroll in 12 units per quarter of dissertation seminars, until they complete their dissertations.
I would like to teach at a four-year university. Is CANDEL the right choice for me?
Our goal is to cultivate leaders who want to work within their P – 12 and community college districts and/or administrations to implement and develop real change. Yes, you can teach at the university level with an Ed.D.—however, if this is your primary goal, then we suggest seeking out a program that is more suited to your professional needs. Please review the UC Davis Ph.D. program in Education.
How beneficial is having all the educational settings work together?
The results have been very successful – we think its a great match! The feedback we consistently receive from our students is that the program provides a unique opportunity for professionials to interact and learn about the “other side” and to recognize and appreciate the challenges and hurdles within those environments.
