The Department of Educational Administration has been a part of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln since 1913. In those early years, we were the Department of School Administration. The focus was broadened in 1961 and we became the Department of Educational Administration.

We are unusual in our college in that all of our students are adult graduate students. For many years, a main emphasis of the department was the preparation of administrators for the public schools, mainly those of Nebraska. In the eighties we began to expand our interest in post secondary education and now have an uncommonly robust program of doctoral studies in terms of exceptionally good students and in the number of students matriculating. We now have more doctoral students enrolled in our higher education courses than in any other graduate program area within the college.

Faculty members in the department have a wide range of experience and interests. We have former school and higher education administrators. We have members who have led national organizations like Phi Delta Kappa, the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the National Council of Instructional Administrators. Faculty members are active in the American Educational Research Association, the University Council of Educational Administration, the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the American Association of School Administrators, the North Central Association, the Horace Mann League, the Community College Leadership Academy, the Association for the Study of Higher Education, the Council for the Study of Community Colleges, the National Association os Student Personnel Administrators, the American Association of Community Colleges, the National Academic Advising Association, and the American Evaluation Association. We have a presence in rural education circles. For decades our Bureau of Educational Research has helped Nebraska school districts and the Nebraska Unicameral with strategic planning. A number of us serve on the editorial boards of educational journals. We host the annual conference on Women in Educational Administration http://cehs.unl.edu/edad/partnerships/welc.shtml and the National Council of Instructional Administrators.

The Department occupies an area of Teachers College Hall. It is centrally located on campus, close to the library and student union and athletic facilities and the downtown. We teach graduate courses and advise both masters and doctoral students in both our K-12 doctoral area and in our educational leadership and higher education area (ELHE).

Distance education is a very important part of the academic programs of the department. Most courses are now available on line, via Blackboard. Several years ago the department made a very conscious decision to improve access by offering courses in this fashion. We are now one of the Very High Research Activity Institutions (Carnegie Classification) with a majority of doctoral course work on line. We are constantly working to improve our efforts, both in terms of the developmental needs of students and in the quality of their academic work. One consequence of this effort has been that we have been able to attract some excellent higher education students who would never have been part of our program if we lacked the distance coursework.

Our City

We should say a word about Lincoln, Nebraska for those who have not been here and have some interest in knowing more about the city. Many people know nothing about Nebraska for it is isolated in the middle of the country. One may have driven across Interstate 80 and bemoaned the tediousness of the drive. None of us are too likely to seek excuses for Interstate 80 nor for the flatness of the Platte River valley that this road follows for much of its journey across the state. Away from the Interstate, there is much beauty. Our schools are good schools; our cost of living is quite manageable; one can find amazing real estate values here compared to some other parts of the country. Lincoln has many of the amenities of any college town. There is a large and growing immigrant population that has greatly added to the cultural diversity of the community.

For those who like athletics, Lincoln is a sports minded community. Some may find this overwhelming, particularly on a football Saturday when the downtown and campus is awash with Husker red. The community supports a dizzying array of athletic opportunities for children and youth. There are miles of hiking and biking trails. There are many public and private golf courses in the city. Health clubs exist in all parts of town. Those who want activities that require a little more help from mother nature, drive for it—water, mountains, snow. Lincoln is also a town a bit like those Sinclair Lewis described in Babbit and that de Tocqueville chronicled. The community is full of associations and churches. For those who want togetherness, there is a club or an association or a meeting. Learn more about Lincoln by visiting the following links:

http://www.lps.org/ and http://www.lincoln.ne.gov/

We welcome your interest in our department!