The Department of Education Policy and Leadership (EDPL) is a community whose work is informed by diverse methodological approaches, disciplinary traditions, and theoretical perspectives. The Department seeks, through its teaching, research, and service initiatives, to strengthen the capacity of students, education policymakers, analysts, planners, administrators, teachers, researchers, advocates, community leaders, and others to understand and improve educational conditions, policy, and practice in the United States and other nations. Our programs, which seek to make significant contributions to educational and social change so as to better the human condition, are informed and motivated by four core commitments:

• The production of high quality research and the cultivation of scholarly habits of mind and critical capacities among educational leaders are essential to the design and implementation of effective policies and practices.



• The systematic analysis of multiple ways to achieve equal opportunity, to reduce social and economic inequality, to encourage fair and open decision-making, to promote social justice, to cultivate international and transcultural understanding and to engender an appreciation for diversity is essential to educational improvement and human welfare.



• The improvement of educational and related social policies and practices require an understanding of the social, cultural, economic, historical, philosophical, and political contexts in which education occurs.



• As the State of Maryland flagship institution and as a land grant institution, we recognize that we have a unique responsibility to the State of Maryland. Our responsibility involves preparing professionals for educational leadership positions by offering research based preparation and degree programs.