Admission Requirements for the PLU Ed.D
The Ed.D in Educational Leadership prepares school leaders to meet the demands of school and district leadership. The program equips leaders to implement programs, policies, and practices to improve outcomes for all students. Admission to the PLU Ed.D program is based on a holistic review of the applicant’s academic preparation, work and volunteer experiences, and potential contributions to the classroom experience.
To be admitted, applicants must have a Master’s Degree with a 3.0+ GPA, a valid Washington State Teaching, Administrator, or ESA Certificate, and submit a resume, statement of professional goals, and two letters of recommendation.
Ed.D + Superintendent Credential Additional Requirements
- Valid Washington State Teaching, Administrator, or ESA Certificate
- Three years of building or district level leadership experience
- School District Superintendent Internship Agreement form
- OSPI Form 4201 (Institutional/Organizational Application for an Administrator’s Certificate)
Superintendent to Ed.D Additional Requirements
- Washington State Superintendent Certificate completed at a Professional Educator Standards Board approved superintendent program. Applicants who have completed superintendent credentials at regionally accredited colleges or universities in other states may be able to transfer courses. They will be reviewed on a course-by-course basis.
- To complete the program, candidates must:
- Complete 24 semester credits of Superintendent coursework
- Complete a district-approved superintendent internship (minimum 360 hours) with an assigned superintendent mentor.
- Develop and complete a Professional Growth Plan (PGP).
- Complete and submit an electronic portfolio documenting evidence of meeting program standards.
How to Apply
Application Dates & Interview Timeline
FEBRUARY
1
Early Action Date
MAY
1
Final Application Deadline
Applications for the Summer 2027 cohort will open in September.
Application Process
Click on each item in the list below to view the instructions in an expanded section, and follow the steps to submit your application.
Create your application account
- Create your PLU application account at choose.plu.edu/apply.
- Select ‘Pacific Lutheran University Application 2027’, then ‘Graduate Application 2027’ & ‘Create Application’
- You’ll select your program on Page 2 of the application:
- Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership with Superintendent Certification
- Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership for Certified Superintendents
Complete application & submit all required supporting items
Transcripts from ALL colleges/universities you’ve attended
- You may upload official OR unofficial transcripts to the application, or send them to gradadmission@plu.edu.
- If you are a PLU student or alum, you do not need to submit your PLU transcripts.
- Note: While we will accept unofficial transcripts at the application stage for domestic students, you must request official transcripts from all colleges/universities to be sent to PLU before you enroll in a PLU graduate program.
Personal Statement of Professional Goals
- Write about your reasons for pursing education leadership, your future goals in this field, and how your leadership will impact students, the school, or the community. (500 words, double spaced, 12 point font).
Professional Resume
- Upload resume to the application that includes your:
- Academic history (institutions attended, degrees earned)
- Employment history (paid or unpaid)
- Significant academic, professional and community achievements
- Honors and awards
Recommendation Form/Letter
- We encourage selecting an academic reference.
- The application system will send an email to your recommender, after which they must submit the PLU Graduate Recommendation Form. They will have the option to also include a letter of recommendation.
Supplemental Documents (only for applicants who seek for an Ed.D with superintendent certification)
- Upload the completed School District Superintendent Internship Agreement Form which is signed by your district to the application portal.
- Upload the completed OSPI Form 4201 (Institutional/Organizational Application for an Administrator’s Certificate) to the application portal.
Application Fee
- The application fee is $80 (non-refundable), but it is waived for PLU alumni and current students.
If you need to submit additional documents after submitting the online application, you can email them to gradadmission@plu.edu.