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Doctor of Education in Executive Leadership in Mental Health and Human Services Doctor of Behavioral Health Management Degree

The Executive Educational Leadership in Mental Health and Human Services (EdD) is a doctor of behavioral health management program designed for individuals who already hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution and have demonstrated strong leadership skills in a variety of Mental Health and Human Service settings. It is a selective program. The courses are offered online in a fixed sequence and are designed to accommodate the working professional.

This doctor of behavioral health management program aims to produce graduates with the knowledge and skills to be hired and retained as high-quality administrators in mental health and human service agencies or to start business of their own. The program will provide learning experiences that will help to develop students’ professionalism (e.g., ethical knowledge, values based decision making, critical and systemic thinking, leadership) in addition to coursework that provides the foundational knowledge for success in their discipline.

Clinical, academic and spiritual considerations are all central in the strong doctor of behavioral health program. With a Christian faith foundation, HCU enables learners to explore healing and wholeness outcomes from a whole-person perspective. Program professors and presenters are seasoned professionals who have both the practical and research experience to guide high-level students.

Special Requirements

This program has special requirements that are comparable to other doctor of behavioral health management degree programs.

  • The EdD program is designed as a three-year program for students.
  • Each EdD student is expected to enroll and successfully complete each course.
  • The student is expected to advance to candidacy and complete all courses and examinations within the period specified by the EdD doctoral unit.
  • The student is expected to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA with no grades below a B in any Doctoral courses.
  • The student must pass all required examinations within two attempts.
  • A student who fails to make satisfactory progress may be officially disqualified from the university upon recommendation of the program faculty and in accordance with the established university policies.

This doctor of behavioral health management program is 100% online.

Degree Plan: EdD in Executive Leadership in Mental Health and Human Services

[PDF]Doctor of Education in Executive Leadership in Mental Health and Human Services (EdD) Degree Plan

Credit Requirements

The doctor of behavioral health management program consists of 63 credit hours with 26 hours in core leadership courses, 19 hours in core research courses, and 18 hours in executive mental health and human services leadership.

Admission Requirements

The Doctor of Education (EdD) program is designed for those individuals who have already demonstrated leadership potential in the mental health field and who are seeking a doctor of behavioral health management to their résumé. The program will admit candidates who meet the academic requirements for the EdD degree program and who possess personal qualities and professional experiences that suggest a strong potential for success as doctoral candidates and as community mental health leaders. Meeting the minimum requirements qualifies an individual for consideration, but does not guarantee admission to the program. Admission will be granted annually on a competitive basis. The admissions standards for the Doctor of Education in Executive Leadership in Mental Health and Human Services will be the same as the Doctor of Education in Executive Educational Leadership, and the Doctor of Education in Executive Leadership and Special Education Leadership. These requirements are listed below.

  1. Official Transcripts – Applicants must provide official transcripts from institutions awarding the master’s degree. Transcripts must show completion of a master’s degree. A minimum grade point average is required for courses applied toward a master’s degree.
  2. Master’s Research Paper – Applicants must submit a 5-7 page master’s level research paper, not including title page and references, that was written and graded during their master’s program. The submission must be a research paper covering any topic and should be authored only by the applicant.
  3. Resume & Service Record – Applicants must provide a current resume and service record.
  4. References – Applicants must provide reference information for the following:
    • Two (2) administrators from the school district or agency at a current place of employment (References from university administrators from former places of employment may be accepted. Include an explanation.)
    • One (1) current or former graduate professor (References from alternate administrators may be accepted. Include an explanation.)
  5. Processing fee – Applicants will be required to submit a $35 processing fee (separate from the application fee), payable online at HC.edu/EdDAppFee, or by check or money order, to the Online Graduate School, Houston Christian University, 7502 Fondren, Houston, TX, 77074.
  6. Admission Interview – Applicants must complete an interview as part of the admission process.
  7. Other items may be requested.
Accreditation

Houston Christian University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, graduate and doctoral degrees.