Concordia University Texas will offer a doctor of education, or EdD, degree program for the fall semester.

The program is the first EdD program at the college and will include a three-year, 61-credit hour plan of study in either educational administration or curriculum and instruction, President and CEO Don Christian said.

“We saw a need in our community to find a way to train better leaders, and this new doctor of education degree program is the next logical step for the university,” Christian said. “This is a culmination of several years of planning and hard work, and we’re excited to introduce this program to students.”

Students enrolled in the program will be required to complete 200 hours of an internship as well as a dissertation.

The deadline for prospective students to apply for the fall start of the program is May 1.