Online Ed.D. — Doctor of Educational Leadership
Do you aspire to make a lasting difference in your school and community? Consider earning your EdD in Educational Leadership online. You’ll build the leadership skills and expertise you need to shape the future of education, discover new learning solutions, and guide other educators in achieving better student outcomes. If it’s time to take your career to the next level and make an even greater impact in your field, earning a doctorate in educational leadership online should be your next step.
- What is an Online Educational Leadership Doctoral Program?
- What Can I Do with a Doctorate in Educational Leadership?
- Is an Online Educational Leadership Doctoral Program Worth It?
- Hear from a UC Graduate
- Curriculum and Degree Requirements
- Tuition
- Admission Requirements
- Accreditation
- Faculty
What Is It?
An EdD in Educational Leadership online program is a professional doctorate designed to prepare candidates for hands-on leadership in educational settings. The program is typically intended for experienced educators interested in making a career pivot to education administration or leadership. You’ll build on your existing knowledge base to prepare for new challenges—like leading teams of educators, developing academic programs, and implementing change within schools. You’ll explore topics such as:
- Leadership styles, principles, and models
- Organizational decision making
- Program development, delivery, and assessment
- Teaching and leading adult learners
- Leadership in higher education
- Special education assessment and evaluation
- And more
Earning an EdD in Educational Leadership online also requires applied professional research. Unlike a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), which primarily focuses on original research, a doctorate in educational leadership program covers how to use research to solve real-world problems in your school or organization. You’ll also study the research and writing skills you need to craft an original dissertation investigating a topic of professional interest.
Because many candidates for this degree are working educators, doctorate in educational leadership programs are often available online. Typically, an EdD in Educational Leadership online program features the same curriculum as a traditional, on-campus program. The difference is that you’ll enjoy the flexibility to study on a schedule that works for you.
WHAT CAREERS CAN I DO WITH AN ONLINE DOCTORATE IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP?
With a doctorate in educational leadership, you can prepare to make a difference in roles that call for an advanced degree and leadership expertise. For example, as more students seek college degrees, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that postsecondary administrator jobs will continue to grow over the next decade. Postsecondary administrators lead and oversee academics, student services, research, and other activities at colleges and universities, a role that often calls for expertise in both education and organizational management.
Other doctorate holders may go on to teach in postsecondary education, preparing future generations of teachers and educational leaders. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for postsecondary education teachers should grow at a rate of 8 percent over the next decade, faster than the average for all occupations.
And with necessary certification, earning a doctorate in educational leadership could prepare you for roles in educational administration at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. With your Ed.D. in educational leadership, you could be well on your way to this and other rewarding career paths.
Is an Online Educational Leadership Doctoral Program Worth It?
For many candidates, an online educational leadership doctoral program is a worthwhile investment for the following reasons:
- Career advancement opportunities. For roles such as postsecondary administrator, employers often prefer candidates with a doctorate. In addition, earning your Ed.D. will equip you with the advanced leadership, administration, and research skills you need to stand out in your field.
- Higher earnings. With an Ed.D., you may qualify for higher-paying career opportunities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, school principals earned a median annual salary of $98,490 in 2021. Postsecondary administrators earned $96,910 in the same year.
- The chance to make a difference. Many education professionals want to do more to serve their students, colleagues, and communities. Earning an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership could be the perfect way to prepare for opportunities with greater responsibility and the chance to make a lasting difference.
- A flexible learning format. Many students appreciate the convenience of online study as they pursue their goals in educational leadership while juggling life’s other responsibilities. If you plan to keep working in education or another field while pursuing your doctorate, consider educational leadership doctoral programs online.
Hear from a UC Graduate in the Ed.D. Program!
"The University of the Cumberlands is the Graduate Education Jewel of Kentucky: Look what just came to my inbox! I couldn’t be more satisfied with my Ed.D. experience from the Cumberlands. If you are looking to extend your education…look no further. I can personally recommend the Graduate Schools of Leadership and Business Administration. The Cumberlands provides affordable, high quality, integral, intentional graduate education. The curriculum is incredibly well-organized, the instructors are knowledgeable (demanding yet fair), the support services are competitive with other institutions I’ve attended, staff services are accessible, there is a high emphasis on respecting and serving diverse populations, and my dissertation team provided essential and valuable feedback that has shaped my scholarship. This was the graduate experience I yearned for when I began my graduate education journey."
- Abeni El-Amin, Ph.D., Ed.D., LSSMBB
Curriculum and Degree Requirements
Named as one of the most affordable Ed.D. programs in the country, the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership at University of the Cumberlands is designed to help you lead educational institutions into the future. Our 100-percent online doctorate in education program is designed to accommodate life and professional work schedules and can be completed in less than three years.
The online doctorate in education program focuses on addressing today’s educational issues by developing advanced practitioner skills rooted in sound research methodologies. Through our 60-credit online curriculum, you’ll prepare to apply the critical thinking and creativity necessary to solve today’s most pressing educational challenges. You’ll also enhance your specialty knowledge in one of the following content areas:
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- English
- Health Professions
- History
- Information Systems
- Instructional Technology
- Mathematics
- Missions and Ministry
- Nursing
- Student Personnel Services
Through research, professional activity, public service, and curriculum implementation, our faculty is committed to helping degree candidates expand their professional knowledge and understanding of educational theory, extend their mastery of research and its application to strategic problem solving, and strengthen their commitment to professional service and ethical decision making. Our graduates go on to make valuable, cutting-edge contributions in a variety of academic leadership roles and organizations dedicated to education and development.
Tuition
Costs for programs of study at University of the Cumberlands are competitive and affordable. Click here to view tuition rates and fees.
Admission Requirements
Responsibility for the routine administration of the policies and procedures of the EdD/PhD resides with the EdD Program Director or the Chair of Leadership Studies under the oversight of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Provisions for Reapplying to the Doctoral Program: A candidate whose initial application was denied admissions may reapply to the program after one full semester or 16 weeks. A person committed to being accepted into the program should work toward developing and strengthening writing, critical thinking, and computational skills. It is also essential to recognize that potential dissertation topics must be compatible with the academic interests and expertise of the program’s full-time faculty.
Admission to our University is very competitive as well as selective and we review each application by the same standards.
- Application and Application Fee
- Submit official transcripts from all applicable colleges/universities attended; must be received directly from the issuing college or university.
- Doctoral degree admission requires a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from the conferred master’s degree as well as in any subsequent graduate study. Admission to a Doctoral degree requires a master’s degree or higher from a US Department of Education recognized accredited institution, in a field related to the doctoral degree of application.
- Any international course work completed must have official transcript evaluations completed and submitted to the University by the evaluation firm. Evaluations MUST include GPA for admission.
Approved Evaluation Firms are: - Documentation of language fluency for non-native speakers of English, such as a score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the 8 International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or a report from Duolingo. This requirement is waived for students who have completed bachelor’s or master’s level coursework in the U.S. at an accredited institution. The minimum acceptable TOEFL or IELTS scores for admission are:
- Paper-based TOEFL (PBT) - 550
- Internet-based TOEFL (IBT) - 79
- IELTS - 6
- Duolingo - 100
All admissions materials should be submitted to Graduate Admissions:
University of the Cumberlands
Graduate & Online Admissions
649 S. 10th Street Suite C
Williamsburg, KY 40769
Phone 606.539.4390
Toll Free 855.791.7199
Email gradadm@ucumberlands.edu
Accreditation
Click here to view University of the Cumberlands' accreditation information.
For more information about the educational leadership doctoral program, call 855.791.7199 or simply fill out the form on this page.
Faculty
Click here to view a list of the faculty.
Admissions Office
Contact Us
Phone: 606.539.4390
Tollfree: 855.791.7199
Email: gradadm@ucumberlands.edu
Visit Us In Person
649 S. 10th Street Suite C
Williamsburg, KY 40769