Doctor of Education (EdD)
The online NAU Canada Online Doctor of Education (EdD) degree from the university’s Harold D. Buckingham Graduate School equips you with the confidence and problem-solving skills you need to successfully lead your organization through today’s complex challenges. Specialties include Community College Leadership and Educational Leadership.
Online Doctor of Education Degree Overview
This 100% online EdD program will provide you with the advanced knowledge, skills, and insights you need to address emerging issues in multiple educational environments including colleges, universities, business, industry, and governmental agencies. You’ll learn how to make a positive impact from experts in the field including instructors and guest speakers who are current academics, former college presidents, and high-level business leaders at the local, state, and national level. This unique program includes dynamic teamwork and breakout sessions to provide a highly collaborative and interactive learning environment while also providing you the opportunity to engage with national leaders and experts who share their practical and relevant real-world experiences and solutions.
As a graduate, you’ll be ready to:
- Apply best practices in management and leadership to institutional and organizational development and transformation
- Analyze, synthesize, interpret, and communicate data for problem-solving and decision making
- Develop strategic and master plans, including partnerships and alliances that align with mission and goals
- Demonstrate the ability to plan, execute, evaluate, and improve programs and operations through transformational initiatives
- Apply decision-making models in collaboration with key stakeholders to address ethical issues and related policy creation, program development, and operational practices
- Analyze and evaluate the dynamics of a governing board and its relationship with the president/CEO in implementing and sustaining an effective governance structure
- Demonstrate the professional oral, behavioral, written, and listening communication skills required of executive-level leaders operating in different religious, political, and legal systems
- Communicate and advocate effectively with media and local, state, and federal policymakers
Online Doctor of Education Classes and Curriculum
The Doctor of Education degree consists of:
Completion of 60 credit hours of doctoral studies
- 27 credit hours of core coursework
- 15 credit hours of specialization coursework
- 12 credit hours of research and culminating capstone coursework
- 6 credit hours of dissertation preparation
Successful completion and defense of a dissertation
- Dissertation Proposal
- Dissertation Completion
You are expected to complete your Doctor of Education (EdD) degree within five years of beginning the program, however many students complete it within three years.
Course availability is subject to minimum class size requirements.
Online Doctor of Education Open Cohorts
Online open cohorts are available in most states and may require attendance at select evening and weekend live Zoom sessions, to include conversations with active professionals in education, business and industry. Each cohort is comprised of 15 to 20 students, taught by experts in the fields of education, business and industry and features teamwork and interaction, topical webinars.
Online Doctor of Education Specializations
- Specialization in Community College Leadership: Prepares community and technical college educators, administrators, and other aspiring college leaders to become a force for transformation at your institution. You will learn specialized leadership skills that you can immediately apply to expand and improve your college’s goals, while addressing identified issues and modeling the value of collaboration for other faculty and staff.
- Specialization in Educational Leadership: More and more, organizations are requiring an advanced degree for those who oversee in-house educational and training operations. NAU Canada Online’s EdD prepares education and training professionals in business, industry, healthcare, non-profits and other non-academic fields to manage and improve your organization’s operations and educational needs.
Online Doctor of Education Degree Prerequisite Requirements
- A master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the United States or, an international higher education institution recognized by the ministry of education or other appropriate government agency and a transcript evaluation from an organization approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
- Approval of the Doctoral Program Admissions Committee – The NAU Doctoral Program Admission Committee will evaluate clearly documented academic work completed at the graduate level from accredited institutions for relevance to the doctoral program.
- Minimum GPA – A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 (of a possible 4.00 GPA) achieved for all previous graduate coursework.
- Three years of work experience or letter of recommendation from a professional attesting to the applicant’s leadership potential.
- Willingness to matriculate through the program of study as a member of a cohort.
- Personal and professional goal statement (up to 500 words)
- Current CV or Resume
- Official Transcripts
- Note: GRE scores will not be required
Online Doctor of Education Tuition and Fees
Learn more about our graduate tuition schedule and financing options.
Online Doctor of Education Career Outcomes
The online Doctor of Education program prepares you to be an educational leader in colleges, universities, business and industry, healthcare, for-profit and non-profit education, and government agencies. You will develop advanced skills in areas such as change management and ethical decision making, and you will also learn how to create strategies and policies to reach your organization’s business objectives. Most importantly, you will demonstrate to employers that you have the skills to effectively lead teams in any operational environment.
Who Is a Good Candidate for the Online Doctor of Education?
- Current mid-and senior-level professionals: If you are a business professional ready to advance your career at your organization, the online EdD program is a great fit. You will develop the skills and knowledge you need to lead or teach in most any industry or professional environment.
- Future professionals: If you are planning for and working towards a career as a business professional and anxious to develop highly marketable skills valued in every field, the online EdD program can help you achieve your goals.
Course Listing
Nine 3-credit hour courses (27 hours)
To be completed prior to taking the capstone course, the advanced doctoral practice courses, or defending the dissertation.
ED8000 College History, Mission, and Emerging Issues
ED8200 Managing Change – Leading Transformation
ED8300 Organization Design and Development
ED8400 Ethics and Values
ED8500 Governance and Administration
ED8600 Planning, Finance, and Resource Development
ED8700 Policy, Politics, and Public Affairs
ED8800 Education Analytics
ED8900 Understanding the Contemporary College Student
Five 3-credit hour courses (15 hours)
Specialization in Community College Leadership
ED9600 Project I (Focus on Problem Solving – Community Colleges)
ED9601 Project II (Focus on Individual Student Inquiry)
ED9700 Trends and Challenges in Education
ED9701 Workforce Partnerships
ED9702 Advanced Leadership Seminar
Specialization in Educational Leadership
ED9600 Project I (Focus on Problem Solving)
ED9601 Project II (Focus on Individual Student Inquiry)
ED9500 Innovation and Sustainability in Education
ED9501 Training Essentials for Business, Industry and Organizations
ED9502 Education Partnerships
ED9000 Introduction to Research Methodology
ED9043 Capstone
ED9020 Designing and Shaping the Dissertation
ED9800 Dissertation Proposal
ED9900 Dissertation Completion
If a student is unable to complete ED9800 or ED9900 within a trimester, the student may sign up for a Dissertation Proposal Extension (ED9801 or ED9802), or for a Dissertation Completion Extension (ED9901 or ED9902) course.
Course availability is subject to minimum class size requirements.
