The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program in Educational Leadership at Youngstown State University provides terminal professional preparation for public and non-public school administrators in the northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania areas served by the University. Program requirements are designed to strengthen the daily managerial and instructional leadership performance of educational administrators. The program is intended to serve the school systems of the region by enhancing their opportunity to retain and employ administrators able to deal successfully with the important and changing issues that schools face. Ultimately, of course, the program seeks to serve the students, parents, and communities of the region by providing effective educational leadership in elementary, secondary, and central office administrative positions.

The graduates of the YSU doctoral program in Educational Leadership are required to demonstrate functional competence in educational management and instructional leadership. They are also required to demonstrate practical understanding of education policy and planning as these relate to all aspects of administering schools and school systems. Graduates constitute a cadre of educational leaders prepared in a knowledge base that is current and multi-disciplinary and cabable of "leading for learning." The program is aimed at preparing reflective practitioners for demanding administrative positions.