Cooperative Superintendency Program
Department of Educational Leadership and Policy
The Cooperative Superintendency Program (CSP) offers a doctoral degree (Ed.D.) within the Educational Leadership and Policy Department of the highly ranked College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin. The CSP is at the forefront of preparing education leaders to meet the ever-changing needs of today’s public education system. Our dedicated faculty and intensive coursework maintain our position among the top-rated superintendency preparation programs in the nation.
Our program seeks to attract leaders with outstanding professional readiness and prepare them for executive-level positions, including:
- Superintendents of school districts
- Chief executives in state education agencies
- Directors in education service centers or laboratories
- Executive-level management posts in large cities or suburban districts
About the Program
This program starts in the Summer semester only. You must select the “Summer” semester in the ApplyTexas application. If you apply to the wrong semester or incorrect program track in the Educational Leadership & Policy department in the ApplyTexas application, you could be subject to additional application fees. Students will need to take the Texas Examinations of Educators Standards (TExES) Superintendent exam in order to become certified in Texas. Our graduates’ passing rates typically exceed 97%. Learn more about certification requirements on the Texas Education Agency’s website.
- Practitioner-focused curriculum
- Real-world, real-time application
- Cohort model, student collaboration, shared learning
- Completion in 30 months (63 hours of coursework, 69 with dissertation hours)
- Face-to-face contact with renowned faculty focused on equity and excellence
- Flexible scheduling for current and aspiring public school executives
- Strong regional, state, national, and international alumni network
- Leadership for Equity and Excellence
- Strategic Thinking and Planning
- Policy and Governance
- Human Relations
- Law and School Finance
- District-Level Operations
Program Overview
Students in the Cooperative Superintendency Program (CSP) will earn an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership.
Total program for this Ed.D.: 63 hours of coursework; 69 with dissertation hours.
Social Science Core (12 hours)
- ELP 390R / EDA 382M Organizational Design & Behavior
- ELP 390E / EDA 383E Educational Econ & Finance (K-12 focus, Spring)
- ELP 390S / EDA 388M Social & Cultural Contexts of Education
- ELP 390P / EDA 388P Educational Politics & Policy (K-12 focus, Fall)
Superintendent Specialization (33 hours)
- ELP 394R/ EDA 383 School Restructuring and Renewal
- ELP 393S/ EDA 383 Superintendent Practicum
- ELP 393S/ EDA 383 Superintendent Practicum
- ELP 393S/ EDA 383 Superintendent Practicum
- ELP 394N/ EDA 395 Schl/District Instructional Leadership
- ELP 694T/ EDA 695 Administrative Theory
- ELP 394C/EDA 383 School District Functions I
- ELP 394D/ EDA 383 School District Functions II
- ELP 394L/ EDA 388L School Law
- ELP 394S/ EDA 395 Superintendent Seminar
Research Core (9 hours)
- ELP 391E Epistomologies of Ed Research / EDA 387Q Introduction to Systems of Human Inquiry/
- ELP 391Q/ EDA 381Q Qualitative Research Design & Analysis
- ELP 392E/ EDA 395 Program Evaluation and Decision Making
Outside the Department Courses (9 hours)
- EDC 390T Dual Language Issues and Trends (Dept. of C&I)
- Course to be taken outside the department
- Course to be taken outside the department
Treatise (minimum of 6 hours, 3 hours per semester)
- ELP 399K/ EDA 399K Treatise
- ELP 399L/ EDA 399L Treatise
Application Requirements
This program requires additional materials beyond the Graduate School Application, such as pre-requisites, program-specific documents or other information. Please make sure to check with the department/program in order to ensure you have submitted all required application materials on or before the deadline.
All graduate students are required to apply through the Graduate School website. We strongly encourage you to start this process well in advance of the deadline to allow us time to process your information. Learn more on our How to Apply page.
For the Cooperative Superintendency Program, all candidates must have
- A master’s degree
- Mid-Management Certification/Experience
- 2 years experience as a principal and/or central office administrator
Please note: We encourage submitting a Nomination Form before beginning your formal application. Candidates may be nominated or may nominate themselves. We make great efforts to obtain a large, diverse pool of applicants.
Submit all required application materials including the following documents to your MyStatus page to complete the application process by the application deadline of January 15.
Required Materials
- A Professional/Personal Vita in CSP format – available in the Application Checklist
- Official Transcripts
- GRE Score
- Three Professional References
- Statement of Purpose
- The Self-Presentation: Selectors want to perceive you as a person with a profile. We ask you to depict in 3-6 double-spaced pages what you judge to be your peaks and valleys, assets and needs as you confront the prospect of being selected. Be your natural self and convincingly offer us illustrations and evidence. Compose and write in your own words; artificiality detracts. Depicting oneself is an intriguing task. We believe you will enjoy it. Head the piece: “SELF-PRESENTATION (one line) of YOUR NAME (second line),” and then compose and write the paper.
Again, be sure to upload all of the documents listed above to your MyStatus page. We will not accept any documents sent via email.
CSP Selection Process
The department will evaluate all applicants and develop a list of candidates for admission.
Candidates who meet all program and graduate school requirements and are determined to be a good fit for the department will be notified by late January and invited to attend an assessment center in Austin on Saturday, February 8, 2025, to participate in interviews, engage in simulation exercises, and develop presentations.
Cooperative Superintendency Cohort members will be selected based on performance during the assessment phase.
This event is mandatory for all selected, so be sure to reserve the date. Candidates are responsible for travel, lodging, and meals.
There is a $50.00 fee to attend the assessment center. Please pay via a check or money order (no cash) made payable to UT Austin. Be sure to include your name and UT EID on the check or money order. Please note this fee is separate from the Graduate School application fee.
Members of the incoming Cooperative Superintendency cohort will be notified by late March. Classes begin in early June.
Email Sylvia R. Reyna.
Faculty
Examines collaborative approaches involving community organizations and stakeholders that improve academic achievement and reduce opportunity gaps for students. Also studies chronic absenteeism, the role of high school athletics in school settings, a...
Focuses on urban school and district leadership, inclusive practices for students with disabilities, and school improvement with an emphasis on addressing inequities in classrooms, schools, and communities.
Accepting new students
Focuses on the politics and implementation of educational policy with an emphasis on school reform
I study student success for children experiencing poverty. I analyze how school leadership and state policy facilitate student success across the education pipeline.
Prepares school district executives to lead socially just and equitable learning centers focused on academic excellence for all students.
Examines issue of power and voice in education policy making and implementation processes, with a focus on public school district superintendents and school boards.
Accepting new students
Uses lenses from organizational sociology to study how district leaders, principals, coaches, and teachers implement policy
Our Students
Cycle 34 – Admitted Summer 2023
Research Area: A qualitative case study on the impact of a high number of new teachers on the attitudes of experienced teachers.
Research Area: Black female executive leadership and workplace safety
Research Area: The relationship between performance pay, student outcomes, and teacher retention
Research Area: The impact of Principal Professional Learning and Coaching on School Outcomes.
Additional Resources
Program Starts: Summer
Deadline to Apply:
Nominations due December 15, Applications due January 15
Credit Hours Required: 63 hours of coursework, 69 with dissertation hours
Schedule: Flexible
Program Location: On Campus
GRE Required? Yes
Program Director
David DeMatthews
Assistant Director
Sylvia R. Reyna
Let us know what your academic interests are within the College of Education and we’ll be in touch.
