Degree
Doctor of EducationContact
Program Description
The ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ Doctor of Education program is designed to prepare professionals from a variety of fields to develop or enhance their leadership skills and knowledge. Leadership, ethical decision-making, and dissertation preparation are explored with a solid grounding in the theoretical underpinnings of education as a discipline. Graduates of the Ed.D. program become experts in their unique areas of research through the dissertation process.
This program requires completion of 51 credits (a maximum of 12 credits can be transferred from a post-Master’s program). The program (including dissertation) will be completed entirely online with no residency requirement.
Program Goals
- Provide candidates with a student-centered interdisciplinary program that emphasizes scholarly research of publishable quality and the development of a theoretical framework related to their area of interest and professional goals.
- Examine and bridge the gap between educational theory and its connection to leadership theory, philosophical theory, and scientific theory.
- Afford students the opportunity to be actively engaged in the topic selection and construction of the dissertation throughout the program under the direction of experienced faculty and a carefully selected dissertation committee.
- Promote the use of technology that is educationally effective and academically rigorous.
- Prepare professionals who are future-focused and capable of fostering innovation and change.
Curricular Requirements
| Core Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| EDU 801 - Preparation for the Doctoral Journey | 3 |
| EDU 802 - Qualitative Research Design | 3 |
| EDU 803 - Quantitative and Mixed Methods Research Design | 3 |
| EDU 807 - Constructing the Literature Review | 3 |
| EDU 810 - Ethical Decision Making | 3 |
| EDU 812 - Proposal Capstone I | 3 |
| EDU 813 - Proposal Capstone II | 3 |
| EDU 814 - Dissertation Completion Phase I | 3 |
| EDU 815 - Dissertation Completion Phase II | 3 |
| EDU 816 - Dissertation Completion Phase III | 3 |
| EDU 817 - Dissertation Completion Phase IV | 3 |
| EDU 831 - Conceptual and Theoretical Framework | 3 |
| EDU 830 - Educational Theory and Best Practices across Disciplines | 3 |
| Total Credits | 39 |
| Electives (12 credits required) | Credits |
|---|---|
| EDU 804 - Technology and Change in Organizations | 3 |
| EDU 805 - Managing Change | 3 |
| EDU 806 - Policy Analysis | 3 |
| EDU 811 - Organizational Dynamics | 3 |
| Total Credits | 12 |
Academic Policy
Minimal Grade Standard and Academic Progress
Candidates may proceed to subsequent courses in the curriculum with one Low Pass grade. A second Low Pass (or below) course grade may result in termination from the doctoral program. For those needing to report course completion status to employers, a Pass equates to a B or better.
Program Progression
The ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ Doctor of Education program is designed for students to earn their doctorate by completing 51 credits. Those individuals who do not complete the program within this timeframe are afforded the opportunity to continue work on their dissertation by enrolling in a series of one-credit continuation courses which provide continued access to faculty and the full resources of the university provided to all enrolled students and doctoral candidates. This enrollment keeps students in active status and on the path to graduation, increasing the likelihood they will complete the Ed.D. program within the mandatory five-year period.