Are you actively involved in educational leadership or an education-related field? Do you want to be a leader in this field? An Ed.D. degree in Educational Leadership is a path to becoming a research-oriented administrator in primary, secondary, or higher education.
Founded in 1971, the Ed.D. program at UB was the first Doctor of Education program in the state of Connecticut. The hybrid version of our program launched in 2015. In summer 2022, UB joined the Carnegie Project for the Education Doctorate, a prestigious global consortium that informs professional practice with a focus on social justice in education.
The hybrid environment
UB’s hybrid Ed.D. program serves working professionals of all backgrounds, primarily educational leaders in nearby school districts but also higher education and corporate professionals. All the course work is asynchronous online, with a brief in-person residency for one week in two consecutive summers. Therefore, working professionals can comfortably complete their doctoral coursework from home. You lead a busy life. The asynchronous course delivery allows you to achieve your doctorate from the comfort of your home.
The program is expedited because our program don’t adhere to the cohort model, meaning we have rolling admissions every semester. Most students finish within three to three and a half years. We have three completion tracks in the program. The generic track comprises 62 credits, offered to students who already hold master’s degrees in related fields. A second track is an expedited program of 42 credits, open to students with 6th-year or Education Specialist post-master’s degrees. The third track is a dual track of 66 credits that combines the Ed.D. degree with a parallel 092 certification (for Connecticut educators), also for candidates holding master’s degrees in Education or related fields.
The online setting doesn’t mean you miss out on quality personal interaction. Our dedicated professors have expertise in online teaching and learning, and can engage students on a personal level and successfully create a community of learners. Students also get to meet and make connections with so many other leaders and teachers who bring their expertise to the program.
Leadership as skill and knowledge
Our Ed.D. curriculum gives you the analytical and decision-making tools to grow your own leadership style and skill set. One distinction from a Ph.D. degree is that an Ed.D. informs the practice more directly. In all of our Ed.D. program courses, we have conversations about problems of practice. What are the problems of practice in your own district or corporate environment? How can we solve these problems through research and evidence-based applications?
Students in the program take courses on how to evaluate programs, perform quantitative and qualitative research, and write grants. Students develop a deep understanding of organizational management, constitutional law, and curriculum development. They also learn how our system compares globally with other educational systems around the world, which broadens their understanding of education and the role of research in education.
Making a broad impact
UB’s Ed.D. program is designed to have a broad impact on society. Students publish in peer-reviewed publications and participate in prestigious conferences. Others have received federal, private, and local grants because of the work they’ve completed in their UB courses. That money was consequently used to serve their communities.
Our graduates go on to become teacher-leaders, department heads, principals, superintendents, higher education professors and administrators, and leaders of education departments in corporate settings. The majority continue to stay in their districts as leaders who now understand research, how it is being collected, analyzed, and implemented. They know how to use their new skills and knowledge to impact policy at the district and state level.
Interested in earning your Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership? Reach out to us to learn more!