Admission to the Educational Administration or Curriculum and Instruction concentration without a master's degree in school administration or supervision may require completion of additional courses related to these areas of study.

Criteria
In addition to the Graduate School Admission Requirements  admission to the EdD program is based upon program selected.  Students in the Doctor of Education Program select one of three concentrations with the following admission criteria:

1. Community College/Higher Education
2. Curriculum and Instruction
3. Educational Administration

The Ed.D. requires a minimum of sixty hours beyond the masters and a minimum of 30 semester hours in the degree must be earned from WCU.

For students in the Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Administration concentrations, admissions without the appropriate master’s degree will be conditional, with the individual expected to complete either a master’s degree program or prescribed coursework prior to being admitted as a candidate for the Ed.D.

Applicants possessing the Ed.S. degree or credits toward the Ed.S. degree may have coursework that can reduce the number of hours required for the doctoral program. These applicants will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and individual programs will be developed.

Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.5 on all previous graduate work and satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examinations.

Applicants who meet the described criteria will be interviewed by an admission committee of Educational Leadership and Foundations department faculty. The committee will assess such things as writing and communication skills, commitment to pursuing a career as an educational leader, the capacity for further graduate study, and the potential for a leadership role in schools. Applicants will complete a writing exercise at the time of the interview. Additional information and materials may be requested.