Doctor of Education

The program framework for the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Strategic Change encapsulates our philosophy, rationale and desired purposes. It is expressed through the acronym LEADERS:
 

• Leadership as craft and relationships
• Educational theory, practice and learning
• Attitudes and values in educational leadership
• Diversity and global perspectives in education
• Essential knowledge for effective educational leadership
• Research and educational leadership
• Strategic change in learning organizations

In your doctoral studies, you will engage with the specific knowledge, understanding, exploration and investigation described by the framework. You will also examine the attitudes, values and dispositions that can assist you in becoming an effective leader within educational organizations. The program framework promotes consideration of global perspectives about culture and diversity that are important to effectiveness and success in educational leadership.

Explore contemporary research, practice appropriate research methods and gain experience working as research team on educational research for a real learning organization. Question and debate the wisdom of varied educational leadership practices as well as emerging educational policies and practices. Consider methods for leading strategic change within learning organizations. The program framework will help you develop and organize your thoughts, values and convictions about the elements, craft, and practice of effective educational leadership.

The Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Strategic Change offers the following delivery models:

Ed.D. cohorts come in three different delivery models. In all cohorts, students take three courses per semester, follow the same course sequence, meet the same learning objectives, and move through the program with the same group of peers. All delivery models include significant group work and collaboration along with meaningful faculty engagement with faculty throughout the program.

In-Person Delivery Model

One of the three courses per semester is delivered in-person on campus. The other two courses are delivered either asynchronously or synchronously via Zoom. This model is ideal for students who prefer classroom-based learning, in-person faculty interaction, and face-to-face collaboration/discussions.

Synchronous Delivery Model

Coursework is delivered either asynchronously or synchronously via Zoom. This model is best suited for students who live outside of the local area or who have travel limitations but prefer the structure and interactions of synchronous class meetings.

Asynchronous Delivery Model

All coursework is completed asynchronously, with occasional mutually agreed-upon synchronous touch points with faculty and peers. This model offers the greatest flexibility and is especially well-suited for independent learners.

In an increasingly diverse educational landscape, we believe in the importance of examining educational leadership with a global perspective. That's why the program offers a 10-day international experience in Europe during which you will meet and interview educational leaders, policy makers and practitioners. You will study and consider educational policy reform initiatives at the primary, secondary and post-secondary levels. 

You will be challenged to consider educational systems and institutions as they relate to their national, international and global context as well as their political, economic and cultural context. The trip highlights educational challenges and initiatives that are taking place around the globe and encourages you to consider how others are approaching the educational challenges that they face. Students who are unable to travel due to exigent circumstances may be approved to take a non-travel section of the Comparative and International Education course.

Doctoral students must declare their approach to dissertation research at the end of the 1st semester.

Collaborative Client-based Research: This approach to dissertation research involves collaboration between members of a research team of 2 to 3 students, a client organization with a pre-screened and approved research need, the Doctoral Research Coordinator, the Ed.D. faculty, the doctoral committee, and the university IRB. Through a student ranking process, students in the cohort are matched with teammates, a client organization, and its approved research project. Dissertation research culminates with a dissertation manuscript and an oral defense.
 

Collaborative Research: This approach to dissertation research involves collaboration between members of a research team of 2 to 3 students who choose to work together and propose a research topic they feel mutually passionate about to the Doctoral Research Coordinator, the Ed.D. faculty, the doctoral committee, and the university IRB. The proposal must be appropriate for the program mission and objectives and meet standards for dissertation-level research. Dissertation research culminates with a dissertation manuscript and an oral defense.

Independent Research: Dissertation research that an individual student feels passionate about and proposes to the Doctoral Research Coordinator, the Ed.D. faculty, the doctoral committee, and the University IRB. The proposal must be appropriate for the program mission and objectives and meet standards for dissertation-level research. Dissertation research culminates with a dissertation manuscript and an oral defense.