Converse’s Doctorate in Professional Leadership (EdD) has the dissertation embedded in the coursework, allowing you to complete all the requirements for your doctorate in just 3 years. Our program’s asynchronous/synchronous online learning will enable you to do most of your coursework on your schedule — ideal for working professionals.
Work on your dissertation begins with the Current Issues in Leadership course, which is taken early in the program. This course leads to choosing a dissertation topic and writing Chapter One–Identification of the Problem. Subsequent courses lead to Chapter Two, the Literature Review; Chapter Three, Methodology; Chapter Four, Analysis of Findings; Chapter Five, Summary and Recommendations. The final semester Capstone Course provides an opportunity to review, edit, and defend the completed dissertation.
Dissertations
Dissertations span a variety of qualitative and quantitative topics, including education, leadership, soft skills, mentorship, adverse childhood experiences (ACES), gender studies, employee retention, sports leadership, K-12 topics, virtual learning, and more.
Ronda Jo Bailey
Dissertation: A Phenomenological Study of Work-Life Balance Among Educators in the Sandwich Generation
Jasmine Keshay Brown
Dissertation: A Quantitative Examination of the Effectiveness of Peer Mediation on Social Emotional Learning in Public High Schools
Melissa Melanie Camacho
Dissertation: Teaching Through Change: Educator Perspectives from Suburban Middle Schools in South Carolina
Nichole Gilstrap Criminger
Dissertation: A Phenomenological Study of Middle School Math Teacher Perceptions on Professional Learning and Its Effects on Instructional Shifts in the Classroom to Address Learner Variability
Sheila D. Davis
Dissertation: African-American Women in Politics: A Phenomenological Research Study on the Experiences of Navigating Intersectionality
Eliza Smith DeBevoise
Dissertation: Effectiveness of Food Insecurity Alleviation Programs: A Multiple Case Study Analysis of Private Liberal Arts Colleges in South Carolina
Julie Lynn Dillon
Dissertation: The Implications of the Adult Playfulness Scale for Therapists Committee
Angela Rae Eaton
Dissertation: A Quantitative Examination of the Effectiveness of the Teacher Cadet Program on the Education Profession in the State of South Carolina
Alissa Stewart Fennell
Dissertation: Why Do They Stay? Charter School Culture and Teacher Retention
Daphnie Meshaelae Glenn
Dissertation: The Game Paused, But Life Did Not: Understanding The Transitional Experiences of First-Generation Student-Athletes Experiencing Academic Ineligibility
Erin Richelle Harvell
Dissertation: In the Room Where it Happens: A Phenomenological Study of Discourse Surrounding the Institution of Public Education in South Carolina
Heather Pruitt Hutson
Dissertation: Women in STEM Leadership: A Phenomenological Study of Factors Motivating Persistence
Emily Christine Karpinski
Dissertation: A Correlational Study Exploring Path-Goal Theory And Veteran Student Retention Within Higher Education Institutions
Kaley Joyce Kilpatrick
Dissertation: A Quantitative Examination of Employers’ Generational Cohorts, Awareness of Generation Z Organizational Culture Expectations, and the Willingness to Change Organizational Culture
Hubert Getty King, Jr.
Dissertation: The United Methodist Church (UMC): A Phenomenological Research Study of The Role of Church Leadership and The Trend of Disaffiliation
Dianza Marisa Lee
Dissertation: The Significance of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Elementary Classrooms in the Upstate of SC with Culturally Diverse Populations
Katherine Caston Martin
Dissertation: Real Men Teach: A Phenomenological Study of Cisgender Male English Teachers in South Carolina
Robert A. Overton
Dissertation: Leadership Effectiveness: Utilization of Personality Assessment in Human Resources
Allison Kay Roux
Dissertation: Musical Theatre Dance in Higher Education: Curriculum and Implementation
Margaret Mary Schroder
Dissertation: South Carolina K-2 Teachers’ Perspectives on Implementing the Science of Reading and Identifying Characteristics of Dyslexia
Khalisah Dayanah Harris-Shahid
Dissertation: An Analysis of Institutional Policy and Practice and Its Effect on Islamic Faith-based Literature in U.S. Libraries
Yolonda Thomas
Dissertation: Clothed With Strength and Dignity: A Critical Phenomenological Study of Black Women’s Economic Trauma
Sonya Michelle Watson
Dissertation: A Quantitative Analysis of Time Spent on Counseling Responsibilities
Heather Witt
Dissertation: Maintaining Organizational Knowledge through Leadership Succession in the Grassroots Nonprofit Business Sector to Increase Sustainability – A Transcendental Phenomenological Study
Ottilia Sue Dill
Dissertation: Engaging Today’s Workforce: Integrating Employee Engagement into Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory with Tenure as a Moderating Variable
Jamie Ann Grant-Ponce
Dissertation: What Is the Relationship Between On-Campus “Relevant” and “Non-Relevant” Jobs and the Persistence and Retention of First-Generation College Students?
Melissa Lucas Gray
Dissertation: The Study of Correlations Between Employer Attractiveness and Employee Values Post-Covid within the Food Service Industry
Tanya Green Greenlee
Dissertation: A Quantitative Examination of the Impact Gender Plays in the Ascension of Certified Public Accountants to the Chief Financial Officer Role.
Denise H. Huff
Dissertation: Wraparound Services to Support the Mental Health and Retention of Community College Students
Rashmi Janakiraman
Dissertation: Teacher Perceptions of Principals’ Transformational Leadership Styles and its Correlation to School Ratings in South Carolina Title I Schools
Paula Michelle Jeter
Dissertation: Are Assistant Principals Adequately Prepared for Successful Transition into Their New Roles as Administrators? A Phenomenological Study
Jeffrey Thomas Key
Dissertation: A Correlational Examination of Perceptions and Influence of Youth Leadership Development in Public High School Band
Carolyn Frances Lauritzen
Dissertation: Principal Leadership and School Effectiveness: Perspectives from South Carolina Principals and Teachers
Heather Lee LeCroy
Dissertation: A Qualitative Analysis of General Education Teachers’ Perspective on Support for Educating Multilingual Learners in Spartanburg County’s Public Elementary School
Casey Ann Mathis
Dissertation: South Carolina Public School Teachers’ Perceptions of Teacher Voice and Influence in Affecting School Culture and Decision-Making
Julie Medley McDowell
Dissertation: Student Motivation in Middle School: Educator Perspectives on Relatedness, Autonomy-Supportive Practices, and Student Self-Efficacy
Ashley Marie Moreira
Dissertation: Change, Isomorphism, and Severed Storytelling: A Narrative Inquiry into The Lived Experiences of South Carolina Charter High School Teachers
Ryan Nicole Morrow
Dissertation: The Correlation of Adverse Childhood Experiences of K-12 Educators in South Carolina and their Empathy, Compassion Fatigue, and Work-Life Balance
Nicolas Philipp
Dissertation: The Perception of Effectiveness of Professional Development in France and South Carolina
Lindsey Rachelle Pittman
Dissertation: A Correlational Study of Leader-Follower Collaboration Between Elementary Teachers and Principals
Edwin LaRue Purdy
Dissertation: A Quantitative Examination of Visual Arts Teachers’ Implementation of Culturally Responsive Teaching
Gary Lewis Stroupe
Dissertation: Servant Leadership in K-12 Music Education: Perceptions of Servant-Leading K-12 Music Educators
Lori Seay Thornton
Dissertation: A Qualitative Examination of Educators’ Self-Efficacy in Responding to the Mental Health Needs of K-12 Students
Emily Faye Brashier
Dissertation: Soft Skill Development in Medical School and Success in Residency: A Phenomenological Research Study
Saterria Williams Broomfield
Dissertation: Examining Gender Equity, the Impact of Leadership Development, and Leadership Style on Female Assistant Principals Aspiring to Become High School Principals
Teresa Goins Curvin
Dissertation: Women Engineers: How Golf Affects Their Careers
Victoria Lynn Garrett
Dissertation: The Correlation Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and Academic Success for First-Generation Undergraduates Enrolled in Private Four-Year Institutions in South Carolina
Megan Rains Georgion
Dissertation: An Exploration of Millennial Employee Retention and Attrition in Post-Pandemic Higher Education
Meirav Ly Goldhour
Dissertation: The Impact of Interior Design on Emotional and Cognitive Well-being in Higher Education
Matthew Kermit Hammett
Dissertation: Self-Care and Institutional Support for the Title IX Administrator Through the Framework of Servant Leadership: Navigating Burnout During These Precarious Times in Higher Education
Gary Lee Hazelwood
Dissertation: Optimizing Return to Play: A Study of Leadership and Knowledge Management in Sports Medicine
Betsy Van Jura Hollar
Dissertation: A Correlational Study Exploring Knowledge Management Theory and Strategic Planning Among South Carolina’s K-12 Principals
Stacie Leigh Howell
Dissertation: A Qualitative Study of Parental Advocacy in Special Education
Kala Marie Hudson
Dissertation: The Effects of LGBTQ+ Youth Disclosure on College Choice and Student Financial Aid Access
Glenn Zenny McGinnis Jr.
Dissertation: An Analysis of Youth Activities in Relation to Development of K-12 Leaders
Dione V. Morris
Dissertation: The Affects of eLearning and Virtual Instruction in Upstate South Carolina Title I School Districts
Shakara Denise Morrison-Shuford
Dissertation: Differentiated Onboarding: Anticipating Teacher Preparedness at All Levels
Lawan Nicole Neely Greer
Dissertation: Adaptive Leadership Strategies for K-12 Stakeholders in Response to Covid-19, Creating a New Epistemology in Education
Zachary Len Nicks
Dissertation: School Transitions and Maslow’s Hierarchy: An Examination of Deficiency Needs Being Satisfied During the Transition to a New School
Jessica Linneth Rodríguez-Higgins
Dissertation: Transformational Mentorship Driving Collaborative Development in High School Teachers
Yesenia Ruiz
Dissertation: The Strength of the Relationship Between the Family Medicine Program Director and Program Coordinator and the Impact on Residents’ Well-Being
Dotan Israel Shvorin
Dissertation: Understanding the Linkage of Leadership Profile, Style, and Culture within Healthcare Organization, Based on P.G. Northouse, R. Marion, M. DePree, and J.B. Peterson Ideologies