Prospective Applicants
The Deadline for Applications to Cohort 10 (to Begin Fall 2025) Is May 30, 2025.
Upcoming Information Session Dates, Times, and Zoom Link
To schedule an information session, please contact:
Dr. Mahmoud Suleiman
DPEL Acting Director
Email: msuleiman@csub.edu
Phone: (661) 654-3140
March 11 & 25, April 8 & 22, May 6, 2025
On each of these dates, the first Information Session will take place from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, followed by the second session from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. We hope to see you in one of these sessions!
Not Ready to Apply but Want to Learn More? Let’s Stay in Touch!
Admissions Requirements
The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership will admit only candidates who meet the academic requirements for the Ed.D. degree program and who possess professional dispositions and experiences that suggest a strong potential for success as doctoral candidates in the field of educational leadership. Though meeting the minimum requirements in applying to CSU Bakersfield and to the program qualifies an individual for consideration, it does not guarantee admission to the program.
The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership requires the following of all applicants:
- An earned Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education with a grade point average in upper division coursework of 3.0 or above;
- An earned Master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education with a grade point average of 3.0 or above;
- Sufficient preparation, graduate training and experience pertinent to educational leadership in order to benefit from the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership;
- Demonstrated academic excellence, problem-solving ability, and an interest in critically assessing and bringing about improvements in current educational policies and practices; and
- Demonstrated educational leadership potential and skills including successful experience in PK-12 school/district, postsecondary, community, and/or policy leadership contexts.
- Other California State University admissions standards for graduate students also apply to all Ed.D. applicants.
Find out more about the application process and procedures on the Admissions and Applications page.
Transfer Credits
Graduate credit from another accredited college or university may be applied toward the fulfillment of requirements in the student’s graduate program at CSUB if accepted by the faculty of the DPEL Graduate Group. In addition, graduate-level work taken through Extended University may be used to satisfy prerequisite requirements or specific degree requirements when such work is approved in advance by the Director of the DPEL.
No more than six (6) units of transfer and/or California State University, Bakersfield semester credits may be transferred into the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership at California State University, Bakersfield pending review by Faculty Transfer Unit Committee and approved by the director. Any units accepted by the program director may be counted toward the specialization courses and may not be counted towards completion of the core courses. Courses must be graduate-level courses with a grade of B or better. Course syllabi, catalog descriptions of the courses, and a copy of the transcript showing the posted grades for the courses must be submitted to the Admissions Support Coordinator along with the request to accept the transfer credits.
Tuition and Fees
The California State University has established the CSU Education Doctorate State University Fee for students enrolled in the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership. The CSU Education Doctorate State University Fee rate is linked to the University of California graduate fee rate and will be subject to the same fee increases assessed by the University of California.
Please visit CSUB's Schedule of Tuition and Fees and the Financial Aid Office's website for more information.
Would You Like to Learn More About the Application and Admissions Process?
You can visit the Applications and Admissions page for more information.