ST. BONAVENTURE — St. Bonaventure University has signed an agreement with D'Youville College in Buffalo that will allow graduates of SBU's master's degree program in Educational Leadership to get a head start on D'Youville's doctoral program.

If admitted, St. Bonaventure graduates can transfer up to 12 credits from their MSED program into D'Youville's doctoral program in Educational Leadership.
The reciprocal collaboration allows students in D'Youville's doctoral program to apply up to 12 of their credits toward the School Building Leader and School District Leader certifications offered by St. Bonaventure's School of Graduate Studies.

SBU graduates will be able to apply for admission beginning in spring 2019.

"This is a great opportunity for students at both institutions to expand their academic portfolios," said Dr. Lisa Buenaventura, dean of SBU's School of Education. "To be able to walk into a 50-hour doctoral program with 12 credits already completed is a tremendous benefit for our students."

The 12 credit hours will fulfill the D'Youville course requirements associated with its K-12 Professional Core and consist of four SBU courses: EDL 515, EDL 522, EDL 523 and EDL 524.

"D'Youville is proud to collaborate with St. Bonaventure to maximize opportunities for graduate students from both institutions, saving them time and money as they complete their degrees," said Mimi Steadman, Ed.D., vice president of academic affairs. "Through this partnership, and through rigorous preparation in research and policy, we are preparing graduates to be leaders in their schools and their fields."

Each institution keeps full tuition for the first five students in either reciprocal program. The schools will share tuition revenue upon registration of the sixth and each subsequent student in each program; the host school keeps 70 percent.

D'Youville's faculty who serve as dissertation committee chairs will create opportunities for doctorally prepared faculty at St. Bonaventure to serve on dissertation committees, in accordance with St. Bonaventure faculty experience, interest and student need.

Representatives from each school will meet at least twice during each academic year to assess and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the agreement.

For more information, contact Dr. Margy Jones-Carey, director of SBU's Educational Leadership program, at 716-375-4026.