Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) Track
Lead the Change Students Need Most
You already know that student success depends on more than academics. Sacred Heart University's Ed.D. in educational leadership with a concentration in social and emotional learning (SEL) prepares you to lead that change at the highest level, bringing research-based SEL practice and whole child leadership into every classroom, school, and system you serve.
This fully online doctoral program with an annual summer three-day in-person residency is designed for educators who want to deepen their expertise, advance their careers, and become powerful advocates for social and emotional learning in K-12 education.
Is This Track Right for You?
The SEL track is designed for:
- Classroom teachers and instructional coaches seeking doctoral-level expertise in SEL
- School counselors, psychologists, and social workers ready to lead at a systems level
- Behavioral coaches, SEL coordinators, and curriculum specialists seeking an advanced degree
- Mid-career educators who want to become practitioners and advocates for SEL
If you work every day to support the whole child and want to bring that commitment into organizational leadership, this program was built for you.
What You Will Learn
Through your coursework, you will:
- Expand your knowledge of SEL pedagogy and leadership principles
- Develop as a practitioner and advocate for the application of SEL programs in K-12 schools
- Lead trauma-responsive schools and classrooms with evidence-based strategies
- Deepen your understanding of the political, economic, and social forces that shape educational leadership decisions
- Apply moral leadership and equitable practice across your professional setting
SEL Concentration Coursework
In addition to the shared core curriculum completed by all students in the Doctor of Education programs, the SEL track includes 15 credits of specialized concentration coursework:
- Foundations of Social and Emotional Learning
- SEL Pedagogy and Practice
- Foundations and Strategies in SEL Leadership
- Seminar in SEL Leadership
- Trauma-Responsive Leadership
All students also complete shared foundational and research courses, including quantitative and qualitative research methods, grant writing, mixed methods research, public policy, social justice, and foundational leadership in P-16 contexts.
The Dissertation in Practice: Scholarship Rooted in Your Work
Every SEL track student completes a five-chapter Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP), a scholarly work that addresses a complex, persistent problem of practice in your own professional setting.
Your dissertation will:
- Identify a real challenge affecting student experiences or outcomes in your school or organization
- Engage end users through interviews and environmental scans
- Synthesize relevant literature and professional practice
- Design and implement a change idea grounded in improvement science
- Produce findings with implications for educators and leaders beyond your setting
Dissertation Support from Day One
SHU's program supports you in your dissertation from start to finish. From your first semester, you'll build the skills and confidence to complete your ISDiP through:
- Research core courses that develop your scholarly reading, writing, and inquiry skills
- Four dissertation seminars with faculty mentorship at each stage
- Access to dissertation research support through SHU's Ryan Matura Library
Program Highlights
- Fully online to fit your professional schedule
- Annual three-day residency on the Fairfield, CT, campus each July
- Member of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate
- Shared research core with the P-12 school leadership track and higher education leadership program, maximizing cohort community and program efficiency
Career Outcomes
Graduates of the SEL track are prepared for advanced leadership roles, including:
- SEL coordinator or director
- School counselor or director of counseling services
- District curriculum leader
- Teacher leader or instructional coach
- Special education director
- Nonprofit or philanthropic organization leader
- State or federal education policy researcher
What Our Students Say
The academic coursework has taught me to read, understand and write research, which are all invaluable skills necessary for future leadership and research practitioner roles in the field of education. As I continue through the Ed.D. program, I am honored to be able to regularly bring my learning back to my district, consulting with them as they build their own SEAL (social, emotional and academic learning) strategic plans towards embedding SEL (social emotional learning) into our everyday school experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
The social and emotional learning (SEL) track is ideal for classroom teachers, instructional coaches, school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and other educators who want to advance their careers by developing doctoral-level expertise in social-emotional and academic learning.
While prior experience in education is expected, the program will build your knowledge and expertise in SEL from a scholarly and practical foundation. Admissions counselors can help you determine whether your background is a strong fit.
Yes. All coursework is delivered online, with one annual three-day residency requirement on SHU's Fairfield, CT, campus each July.
Most students complete the program in 3 to 4 years, including the dissertation in practice completed in year three.
The ISDiP is a five-chapter scholarly work that addresses a complex problem of practice in your own professional setting. It is designed to produce findings that improve student experiences and outcomes and contribute to the broader field of educational leadership.