$400 per credit hour
SAU launches new Rural Education, Ed.S. Program
Looking for our new Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Rural Educational Leadership? Learn more here.
Hear from a recent graduate...
Dr. Aaron Duvall ’25
CTE DirectorResponsive Education Solutions
About the program
The launch of the Ed.D. in Rural and Diverse Educational Leadership comes at a critical time for Arkansas and for rural America. Educators and community leaders who serve rural and diverse communities face sharply changing demographics, reduced populations, and economic upheaval as industries relocate and rural manufacturing continues to decline. These challenges affect schools and students at every educational level from preschool to graduate school, as well as the community organizations that serve them.
The newly approved SAU Ed.D. program provides advanced training in research and practice for professionals holding or seeking leadership positions in rural schools, colleges and universities, and community and government agencies.
Program Focus Areas
- Teacher Leadership
- Superintendency Leadership
- Higher Education & Community Leadership
outhern Arkansas University (SAU) is proud to welcome the 2026 Cohort of the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Rural and Diverse Educational Leadership. The 2026 Cohort brings together educational leaders from five states: Arkansas, Texas, Oregon, Arizona, and Maine. In Arkansas they come from the Delta to the Ozarks; elsewhere they work in rural East Texas, on the Oregon Coast, in southern Arizona, and at a boarding school in coastal Maine. Together, they reflect the geographic diversity that is central to the program’s mission.
Rural and Diverse Educational Leadership Ed.D. Plan of Study
With a unique lens focused toward the needs of rural and diverse schools and communities, the curriculum is intended for those who serve, and will serve, in leadership roles in education-related professions.
Together, learners will grow in understanding and application of theory, research and leadership practice across educational settings including K-12, community colleges, universities, and community organizations.
Summary
| Foundational Courses | 24 |
| Focus Area Courses | 15 |
| Elective Courses | 06 |
| Comprehensive Exam | 03 |
| Dissertation | 12 |
| Total Credit Hours | 60 |
Program Contact
- Dr. Clinton Petty
-
Chair, Dept of Doctoral Studies / Director, EdD in Rural & Diverse Educational Leadership / Associate Professor of Doctoral Studies


