Admission

Application Deadline

Applications for the new doctoral cohort that begins in May are reviewed as received.

Priority Deadline: January 31
Regular Deadline: April 1

Admission Requirements—Domestic Applicants

The university graduate and program admission requirements below must be met before an application is considered complete.

Successful applicants to the Department of Higher Education normally have several years of full-time work experience in a college or university setting when applying for the EdD or PhD program. The theory-to-practice design of the three years of coursework assumes that students are working in a higher education setting throughout their doctoral studies.

Applicants must possess:

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Master’s degree, preferably in higher education or a related field, from a regionally accredited institution
• Minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. (Provisional admittance may be granted to individuals who do not meet this criteria if competency can be shown.)

Applicants must submit:

• Graduate application for admission
• $45 nonrefundable application fee
• Official transcripts from all institutions leading to and awarding the applicant’s bachelor’s and master’s degrees from a regionally accredited institution and all postbaccalaureate study
  
  

  An official transcript is one that Azusa Pacific University receives unopened in an envelope sealed by the former institution and that bears the official seal of the college or university. A cumulative minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average on the posted degree is required for regular admission status. Provisional admittance may be granted to individuals with a lower GPA if competency can be shown through multiple measures.

• Two recommendation forms. (Additional letters of recommendation on letterhead are also accepted). One reference letter should address the applicant’s ability to undertake doctoral-level academic work and the other one should serve as a reference of the applicant’s professional abilities and potential.
• Current resume
• Letter of intent, double-spaced, describing educational goals as well as short-term and long-term professional goals. The Letter of Intent should also articulate one’s current job setting and responsibilities, current interests, why and how APU’s EdD program fits the applicant’s personal and professional goals, potential research interests, and what the applicant anticipates contributing to the incoming cohort of 12-15 doctoral students.
• Writing sample that demonstrates the applicant’s ability to think critically and write cogently, using research and professional literature effectively in developing ideas and arguments (e.g., a master’s thesis, a scholarly article published in a journal, or a comprehensive course paper).
• Other evidence of potential for leadership as the applicant desires

Send official transcripts to:

Graduate and Professional Center
Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions
Azusa Pacific University
PO Box 7000
Azusa, CA 91702-7000
gpadmissions@apu.edu

Interview

Upon invitation, doctoral applicants complete an interview with at least one member of the doctoral faculty. The purpose of the interview is to meet the candidate, discuss career goals, evaluate the compatibility of the program to the student, and ascertain, at least initially, the applicant's potential for success in the doctoral program.

Computer Requirement

Students must bring a laptop computer to campus for all coursework. The SPSS statistical software package is required of students in their research courses throughout the program. The Campus Store makes arrangements to enable students to purchase computers and software at economical rates on convenient terms. Often, the required purchase of the laptop and software can be budgeted into student loans. For further information, please contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Student Financial Services in the Graduate and Professional Center at (626) 815-4570.

What to Expect

After all admission materials have been received by the Graduate and Professional Center, the faculty or department chair reviews the applicant’s file. The applicant is notified in writing of the admission decision.

Admission Requirements—International Applicants

This program is not open to F-1 or J-1 international students, because the low-residency format doesn’t meet the full time face-to-face requirement set by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. If you are an international student who does not require a F-1 or J-1 visa, you may be considered for this program.

To apply for a graduate program at APU, the following requirements must be fulfilled in addition to meeting the domestic applicant and program-specific admission requirements specified above.

International applicants must also:

• Demonstrate proficiency in English through a TOEFL/IELTS score that meets program-specific requirements. Refer to APU’s English proficiency requirements to learn more. Request that official test scores be sent to APU. All other forms of proof indicated in the English proficiency requirements must be submitted directly to the International Center. Applicants applying for conditional admission through the American Language and Culture Institute (ALCI) must apply to both ALCI and the academic program. Read about ALCI admission requirements.
• Submit a copy of a valid passport showing biographical data, including your name, country of citizenship, date of birth, and other legal information.

International applicants send official transcripts to:

International Center
Azusa Pacific University
901 E. Alosta Ave.
PO Box 7000
Azusa, CA 91702-7000
USA
international@apu.edu

What to Expect

After the International Center receives all transcripts, a committee of department faculty reviews the applicant’s file. The applicant is then notified of the committee’s decision within approximately two weeks.