How Would an Ed.D. Program Help You Excel in Your Business Career?

Corporate America often turns to academia when on the search for critical thinkers who have advanced degrees. The practice is so common, in fact, that the private sector now employs nearly as many Ph.D.s as educational institutions do. But while Ph.D. scholars focus on theoretical studies, those in Ed.D. programs learn practical skills that are easily transferable to the business world. As more organizations require advanced degrees of their upper management, an Ed.D. could help you become a valuable asset to any organization—especially at the top tier of the company.

What Business Skills Will I Learn in my Ed.D. Program?

A good Ed.D. program will teach you how to look at a whole organization—whether private, government, or nonprofit—from a strategic point of view that allows you to be an effective leader. Among the important skills you will learn are:

• Management: Regardless of the organization you work for, management skills are critical to effective leadership and career advancement. From a general perspective, they allow you to organize well, analyze intently, and plan with purpose, so you can run a department or an entire company.
• Leadership: Do you currently hold a leadership role? Or is that your goal with an advanced education? An Ed.D. program helps you hone the skills you already possess and also develop new ways to assert and build leadership strategies.
• Organizational Development: As a deep analytical thinker fresh from an Ed.D. program, you can help to develop master business plans, including strategic partnerships and alliances that will align with the organization’s mission. You will also be able to see opportunity for measured growth and put people and strategies in place to achieve your goals.
• Data Analysis: In today’s tech-heavy business climate, being able to analyze, synthesize, and interpret data is a critical skillset. You then need to take the information you learn through the data and apply it to real-world situations to make well-informed decisions and solve problems.
• Communication: As a business leader, you’ll need to demonstrate professional oral, behavioral, written, and listening communication skills. You will need to communicate well with a diverse population, pivoting to the needs of your audience. You may also need to be a company spokesperson, able to advocate on behalf of your organization with media and local, state, and federal policymakers.
• Governance: In addition to understating the dynamics of a governing board and its relationship with your company’s president or CEO, you’ll need to understand how your organization fits into the bigger world. What are its ethical stances and how will it adhere to local, state, and federal mandated policies, and operational procedures?

What Kinds of Positions Could I Qualify for with an Ed.D. Degree?

While, there are many educational roles open to you with an Ed.D., you could also bring the knowledge and skills attained in your Ed.D. program to leadership positions in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Nonprofits look for mission-driven leaders who can effect positive change within the organizations and beyond. In private industries or publicly traded companies, you could advance a corporate agenda, help increase revenue, and positively impact the bottom line. Corporate positions also pay their executives well. Just a few positions where you might take your Ed.D. include:

• Training and Development Manager: Every organization needs someone to oversee and build staff. As a Training and Development Manager, you would design and implement training and assessment protocols. You would also have the opportunity to build recognition and reward programs. According to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Training and Development Managers earned a median pay of more than $113,000 in 2019.
• HR Manager: As a Human Resources Manager, you would supervise employees and manage strategic staffing plans. You would also oversee compensation, benefits, onboarding, training and development, budget, and labor relations. HR Managers received a median salary of more than $116,000 in 2019.
• Chief Learning Officer: As the head of an organization’s workforce development, it would be your responsibility to oversee how employees are trained. More importantly, you would help set the strategy to align how employees are taught to help fulfil the overall mission of the company. According to Salary.com, people with the Chief Learning Officer title earned a median salary of $198,700 in 2019.
• Chief Executive Officer: At the very top of an organization is the CEO. This position puts you in charge of the strategy and plans that help an organization meet its goals and fulfill its mission. Salaries for CEOs vary widely, based on the industry. Some make well over six figures, but the median salary for 2019 was nearly $105,000.

Are you ready to advance your career with an advanced degree? At National American University, our Ed.D. online degree program is designed for working adults. Request more information today to get on the path to a brighter future tomorrow.