Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: Is this doctoral cohort limited to only Muckleshoot tribal member

Answer: No, this cohort is Tribal/Indigenous based and focused. It is open to tribal members from any tribal community (or non-Tribal/Indigenous individuals who have worked in tribal communities for at least two years), and it is place based meaning the classes will be offered at the Muckleshoot Tribal College. 

Question: Is this program offered online?

Our program was developed for students to meet in-person and on the Muckleshoot Tribal College campus, one Saturday/Sunday per month. 

Question: Is this doctoral program only for those who work in the field of education? 

Answer: No, it is open to anyone who is interested in working or learning about areas of Indigenous leadership and community impact. This can be found in diverse areas and professions. 

Question: Is this doctoral program limited to those who have received a master’s in an education related field? 

Answer: No, this doctoral program is open to anyone who has received an accredited master's degree from any discipline. 

Question: Is this program a fully funded program? 

Answer: No, you will need to check with your tribal education department to see what costs they're able to cover and to see what their deadline is. There is a list of graduate specific Native American scholarships on our website that may help offset costs.  

Question: What is the tuition cost for the program? 

Answer: The tuition is broken down by the amount of credits, per quarter, a student registers for. EdD students will register for a minimum of 10 credits per quarter and, the tuition breakdown can be found by clicking on the following link (look under Tier III, Educational Leadership - EdD): https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/registrar/tuition-rates. 

Question: Does this program require the GRE?

Answer: No, we do not require the GRE for our EdD program.

Question: What is the application cost?

Answer: $85.00 non-refundable fee. The application cost will update to $90.00 beginning in Autumn 2025. 

Question: What does the application process look like? 

Answer: The application for the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership is a 100% online application, where all required documents are uploaded to the digital platform through the University of Washington Graduate School. To learn more about the items required for the online application, click here: https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/soe/el/how-apply. 

Question: How do I apply?

Answer: You may apply to the EdD Program by visiting the Graduate School website: http://grad.uw.edu/admissions/apply-now/. You will need to create an online account if you do not have one, or you may log into your account if you already have one created.  Please select 'Education - Tacoma (EdD - Educational Leadership)' as the preferred graduate program.

Question: Can I waive, transfer, or substitute course credits?

Answer: It is appreciated that many students have prior graduate coursework. It is also recognized that students may have gained expertise by nature of their professional employment. In general, students are expected to take required courses, and bring whatever knowledge they have gained into the group learning experience.

With the approval of the graduate program and the Graduate School, a Ph.D. or a master’s degree in a relevant field of study from an accredited institution may substitute for up to 30 of the required 90 credits.

With the approval of the graduate program, any number of credits applied to a UW master’s degree in the same program may be counted towards doctoral degree requirements.

A maximum of 10 quarter credits of graduate-level coursework taken at another recognized academic institution may be transferred and apply to UW practice doctorate degree requirements, when acceptable to the graduate program and the Graduate School.

Question: What if I can't access my (Un)Official Transcripts?

Once admitted, the academic department will select at least one degree, bachelor’s (four-year) or higher, to be verified by the Graduate School. Students are required to submit an official transcript through one of the delivery methods listed below. Transcripts uploaded to the online application by the applicant or the academic department are not considered official. For more information about your transcripts, delivery methods, and what to do if you cannot submit your transcripts, please visit the Graduate School's Official Transcript Requirements page. 

Final official transcripts must contain the following information:

• Completion of all coursework with grades or marks issued for each year of study
• Degree earned and date the degree was conferred
• If your institution does not print the conferral date on your transcript, a degree statement, diploma, or other document with the conferral date will also be required.
• Official stamp, seal, and/or embossed marking from the school
• Transcripts and degree documents that are in a language other than English must be accompanied with an official English translation (translated by a university, government official/organization, or a certified translation service, example: American Translators Association