doctorate in education administration

Doctor of Education : Doctorate Degree in Education

Johns Hopkins’ newly redesigned, global online Doctor of Education is at the forefront of education doctoral programs with the most innovative, challenging, and student-centered program of its kind.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the program continues to lead with the “EdD 2.0” offering, which is ideal for the busy education practitioner within any professional context. Our program recognizes that learning is both lifelong and occurs outside of formal schooling.

The vision of the Johns Hopkins EdD program is to prepare education-practitioners across the country and around the world to think critically about problems within their education environment and develop the insights and capacity to lead positive, sustained change.

Questions? Please reach out and we’ll be in touch soon.

Upcoming admissions events.

Have questions about our degree programs, the application, or financial aid and costs? Join us for an inside look at a graduate experience defined by innovation and driven by evidence-based research. Learn more about your area of interest or career path, meet some of our faculty, and connect to the Johns Hopkins School of Education community. Check out our admissions events and register for a virtual information session today.

Fall 2024 Semester Classes Begin

Core Faculty

Yolanda abel, edd.

Associate Professor

Affiliation

Advanced Studies in Education

Administration, Organization & Leadership, Education Policy & Politics, Social Context of Education

Camille Bryant, PhD

Joshua travis brown, phd.

Assistant Professor

Administration, Organization & Leadership, Education Policy & Politics, Postsecondary Education, Social Context of Education

Marcia Davis, PhD

Associate Professor (Research) Co-Director, Center for Social Organization of Schools Director of Research, Baltimore Education Research Consortium

Center for Social Organization of Schools, SOE Leadership

Learning & Instruction, Research, Evaluation & Assessment

Christine Eith, PhD

Interim Department Chair, Advanced Studies in Education Assistant Professor

Keri M. Guilbault, EdD

Associate Professor Interim Director, Doctor of Education Program Faculty Lead, Gifted Education Programs

Counseling & Educational Studies

Gifted Education, Learning & Instruction

Ranjini Mahinda JohnBull, PhD

Learning & Instruction, Mind, Brain, & Teaching

Olivia Marcucci, PhD

Advanced Studies in Education, Center for Safe and Healthy Schools

Social Context of Education

James Diamond, PhD

Educational Technology, Learning & Instruction

E. Juliana Pare-Blagoev, EdD

Eric rice, phd.

Social Context of Education, Urban Education

Laura Flores Shaw, EdD

Assistant Professor Faculty Lead, Doctor of Education

Learning & Instruction

Henry M. Smith, EdD

Administration, Organization & Leadership, Education Policy & Politics

Program Overview

Exceptional education-practitioners will engage with an internationally renowned faculty to cultivate and practice curiosity, critical discourse, and perspective taking in a unique and rigorous course of study using the lenses of social justice, systems thinking, appropriate research methods, and empirical inquiry.

Coursework includes the latest research on the social determinants of education; mind, brain, and teaching; entrepreneurship; data and measurement; and technology. The redesigned program allows our doctoral students to customize their program by expanding their choice of electives so that they may focus more deeply on their professional interests that align with their problem of practice. Our online EdD prepares education practitioners to be transformational leaders within their professional settings.

The vision of the Johns Hopkins EdD program is to impact complex educational problems across the globe by preparing education practitioners to think critically and systemically about problems within their professional settings and develop deep understanding and insights to lead positive, sustained change within those settings.Our graduates create new areas of research, promote distribution and utilization of research findings in professional practice, and contribute to wider public discourse and policy.

Areas of Interest

The EdD program includes areas of interest. Applicants can indicate one or more areas of interest they think are related to a problem of practice and would like to explore. Current areas of interest are:

Creativity, Advanced Learning, and Twice Exceptionality

Digital age learning and educational technology, entrepreneurial leadership in education, mind, brain, and teaching, urban leadership.

Courses in this area of interest are designed to prepare candidates for leadership roles in advanced academics and gifted education with an emphasis on research and application of current best practices in the field. Based on the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) and Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Advanced Standards in Gifted Education Teacher Training, candidates will develop specialization in leading and evaluating programs and services for students who are creative, advanced, gifted, and twice exceptional. This area of interest is appropriate for candidates who: (a) want to deepen their expertise and prepare for leadership roles in their school, district, or state; (b) work in related nonprofit organizations, independent schools, or plan to develop their own educational enrichment programs; and (c) aspire to move into teacher preparation and research roles.

Available Courses:

• Twice Exceptional Learners
• Creativity in Education
• Seminar I in Gifted and Talented Education
• Leadership of Gifted Education and Talent Development Programs
• Seminar II in Gifted Education and Talent Development Programs
• Research in Gifted Education, Creativity, and Twice Exceptionalities

The Digital Age Learning and Educational Technology area of interest in the EdD program provides students opportunities to take courses in educational communication and technology. Select courses are available from the School of Education’s Digital Age Learning and Educational Technology (DALET) master’s degree program. This program prepares aspiring and practicing professionals and entrepreneurs in the field of educational communication and technology to design, develop, implement, and evaluate digital technology-supported tools and environments for learning across the lifespan in a variety of formal and informal settings, including pre-K–12, higher education, industry, government, and museums.

• Computational Thinking for K-12 Educators
• Explorations in Blended and Hybrid Learning
• Foundations of Online Teaching and Learning
• Fundamentals of Design Thinking
• Gaming and Simulations for Learning
• Instructional Design for Online Learning
• Maker Education: Cultivating Curiosity, Creativity, and Problem Solving in Theory and Practice
• Technology for Learner Variability
• Technology Integration for the 21st Century Learner
• Technology and the Science of Learning

Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education offers a unique opportunity for school and other educational organization leaders in both public and private educational environments. Students develop their knowledge, skills, and dispositions as they engage in leading efforts to build new venture opportunities in varied educational organizations. Through multidisciplinary lenses, educational leaders promote innovation in the paradigms, strategies, values and culture in school systems, social entrepreneurial ventures, and education companies. Each of the courses offers an opportunity to explore leadership theoretical frameworks, identify a Problem of Practice, and create a plan of action, through analysis and synthesis of presentations, readings, and discussion of the current state of multiple educational environments and the visions and challenges for the future.

• Entrepreneurship in Education
• Talent Management and Organizational Finance for Entrepreneurial Leaders
• Data Driven Decision Making
• Partnerships and Educational Organizations

Mind, Brain, and Teaching is designed for educators interested in exploring research from cognitive theories and neurosciences and its potential to inform the education field. Courses promote integration of diverse disciplines that investigate human learning and development. This area of interest builds upon basic and applied research from the fields of cognitive science, psychology and brain sciences, neurology, neuroscience, and education. It provides educators with knowledge of how emerging research in the learning sciences can inform teaching and learning. Students gain the knowledge and skills to interpret basic and applied research and apply relevant findings to educational practices and policies. This area of interest is designed to support the development of knowledge, insights, and competencies among students with two different levels of prior knowledge in the learning sciences: those who have had limited formal exposure to the learning sciences, and those who have a master’s degree or master’s certificate in the learning sciences.

• Fundamentals of Cognitive Development
• Neurobiology of Learning Differences
• Cognitive Processes of Literacy and Numeracy
• Special Topics in Brain Sciences

Cities are usually characterized by diverse populations with rich communities made up of many different races, classes, languages, and nationalities, and this dynamism is a chief strength of urban areas. However, urban schools typically serve populations characterized by high concentrations of poverty and therefore face difficult choices about how to allocate scarce resources. Urban Leadership is designed for educational professionals interested in exploring this dual nature of urban schools through a deep understanding of a Problem of Practice based in their unique context of professional practice. This area of interest prepares educational leaders to work in urban environments through a focus on topics such as building a strength-based understanding of the complexities of urban communities, engaging the latest research on urban educational programs, developing strategies for program improvement, and building partnerships with families, communities, and other organizations.

• Approaches to Urban Education
• Individuals in Urban Context
• Organizations and Institutions
• Partnerships and Community Organizing

Graduates from our EdD program work in diverse areas, including executive roles in educational organizations and start-ups, leadership in K-12 school districts and systems, consultancy in specialized education fields, and more.

• Administrator
• Superintendent
• Instructional Designer
• Chief Learning Officer

100% Online

Continue your full-time career and apply what you learn in real time as you earn your degree 100% online.

Legal Disclosure

State-specific information for online students.

Students should be aware of additional state-specific information for online programs . Johns Hopkins University is a member of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate , which is the knowledge forum on the EdD. It has a membership of over 100 schools of education in the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand working collaboratively to improve professional preparation in education at the highest level.

• OU Homepage
• The University of Oklahoma

Online Ed.D. in Education Administration | OU Online

Online Doctor of Education in Education Administration

Become a changemaker for education., make informed decisions in complex settings.

The OU Online Doctor of Education in Education Administration is a 100% online, 54-credit-hour program that takes 36 months to complete. Led by renowned educational leaders and scholars from OU’s Jeanine Rainbolt College of Education, the program emphasizes relationship-building in a cohort model through community groups, networking events, and collaborative projects. The program, accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), culminates with a problem of practice dissertation completed during coursework in the program's third year.

*The summer and fall cohorts for this program are currently at capacity. 

Choose from the following tracks:

Pk-12 educational leadership.

Learn cutting-edge research and leadership skills to help advance your career in PK-12 school district-level education, including assistant, associate, and superintendent positions and human resources administration.

Higher Education Leadership

Apply current scholarship and research skills to advance your career in colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations. You’ll be prepared for positions in student affairs, student support services, institutional research, and higher-level positions like dean or provost.

Request Information

Admission deadline.

Rolling admissions (applications due 14 days before the intended start date).

Program Start Terms

Fall, Summer

Academic Calendar

Stay up to date with OU holiday closings, deadlines, and more.

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Benefits of the Education  Administration Doctoral Degree

Meet today’s growing demand.

As today’s educational landscape grows increasingly complex, there is a growing need for quality leaders who can meet these new challenges. Become equipped with the advanced knowledge and skills others lack and become an educational change agent in your organization.

Strong Career Growth

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of postsecondary administrators is projected to grow 4 percent by 2032. An estimated 15,300 job openings are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of these openings will result in the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or retire.

Flexible Format

Learn in a flexible, online program designed for working professionals. You’ll engage in discussion with professors and fellow students with opportunities to work together and collaborate.

OU Online graduates find employment within six months after graduation*

OU Online graduates report earning an annual salary of $75,000 or more*

OU Online students say the skills they gained in their program made them more competitive in their career field*

*Source: OU Online Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2023

Pursue Your  Education  Administration Doctoral Degree

Take the next step in your career with a degree from the University of Oklahoma. Applications are reviewed year-round for fall, spring, and summer sessions. Choose your program, choose your start, and apply today.

Program Breakdown

OU Online’s Doctor of Education in Education Administration program is structured to prepare students for job advancement and leadership by cultivating a deeper understanding of challenges in today’s educational settings. Students will learn how to lead change in their careers and gain the tools necessary to make positive and lasting changes in the organizations and educational settings in which they interact.

The program hosts monthly coffee chats each Friday where students can network with faculty and industry leaders. After completing year two, students will have the option to attend an immersion experience on campus.

This program offers two tracks – PK-12 Educational Leadership or Higher Education Leadership. Students can begin their curriculum in summer or fall terms. Courses will contain both asynchronous and synchronous components. Synchronous sessions are optional and will be recorded for playback.

PK-12 Educational Leadership Track

• Applied Quantitative
• Theoretical Paradigms in Education
• Visionary Leadership
• Qualitative Inquiry for Practitioners
• Program Evaluation
• Instructional Leadership in Educational Administration
• Dissertation Development & Advisory
• Educational & Community Relations
• Strategic & Financial Planning in Education
• Special Education Law
• Prospectus Development
• Advanced Inquiry
• Readings for Prospectus
• Policy Planning and Development

Higher Education Leadership Track

• Administration of Adult & Higher Ed
• Educational Technology Leadership
• Critical Literature in Adult & Higher Ed
• Diversity Issues in Higher Ed

How to Apply

Admissions to the online Doctor of Education in Education Administration are selective. To be considered, you must have a conferred master’s degree from an accredited institution.

To apply, students must:

• Complete the online application at  https://gograd.ou.edu/apply/
• Submit a current resume
• Provide official college transcripts from all institutions for both undergraduate and graduate degrees
• Background on the setting (e.g., school district, higher education institution, or non-profit organization)
• Description of the problem of the practice
• Importance of your problem of practice
• It is understood that the dissertation topic/interests may change, so you are not locked into this proposal if you are accepted into the program.  
• International students must demonstrate English proficiency.

The admissions committee operates under a rolling admissions process, and admissions may continue until two weeks before classes start. The program strives to respond to applicants within one week of submitting a completed application.

For more information about the admissions process, please complete the contact form below, and an admissions counselor will be in touch shortly.

If you would like to compare the estimated cost of your program with a typical financial aid package, use the  cost calculator  on our OU Online financial aid page. 

Graduate tuition waivers cannot be applied to OU Online programs. OU Online programs qualify for the OU Faculty/Staff Tuition Waiver & Fee Exemption, and we encourage you to check your eligibility.  

Tuition waiver and fee exemption package application

If you have questions regarding financial aid for your online program, please get in touch with the Online Aid office by emailing  [email protected]  or calling 405-325-2929.

Same Academic Excellence

Like every OU Online program, the Ed.D. in Education Administration is built on the foundation of world-class University of Oklahoma faculty mixed with professors of practice providing valuable instruction. By linking industry experts with our online programs, we offer the most advanced curriculum and prepare students for future career success.

An Investment in Your Future

Earning a Doctor of Education in Education Administration from OU Online gives you the advanced knowledge necessary to make informed and effective decisions in complex educational settings. You’ll learn to develop and implement strategic plans that drive positive change and innovation in educational organizations, gaining an expanded professional network as part of the global OU alumni community.

Tuition and fees for the program are $29,700 ($550 per credit hour). Books and additional materials are not included.

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Why OU Online?

We are a top-tier public institution offering high-quality, affordable, professional undergraduate and graduate programs committed to maintaining academic excellence online.

Our Online Programs

Every OU Online program is built on the foundation of world-class faculty mixed with professors of practice providing valuable instruction. By linking industry experts with our online programs, we offer the most advanced curriculum and prepare students for future career success.

Our OU Family

When you graduate from an OU Online program, you’ll join the network of 250,000 OU alumni and be forever part of the OU family. Become part of the tradition of excellence that OU has established in its 130-year history.

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College of Professional Studies

Northeastern University’s online Doctor of Education program provides experienced adult learners, working professionals, and scholar-practitioners from diverse backgrounds and perspectives with the practical knowledge and experience they need to transform the learning landscape. Students gain innovative approaches to create authentic change in their communities. The program was selected as the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate's Program of the Year for 2022-2023.

The Doctor of Education program is designed to be completed in three to four years of study—following a fast-paced quarter system in lieu of a traditional semester format. Students choose from five concentrations to create a curriculum that matches personal and professional interests. The program's dissertation in practice process will begin at the onset of your coursework as you identify your problem of practice and develop an action plan—incorporating cycles of data collection and analysis, collaboration, change work, and reflection—culminating in the dissemination of your action research findings. Our students come from diverse disciplines and professions, seeking more than just a degree. You'll gain a practical education that translates to your everyday working environment.

While all EdD courses can be completed online (except for hybrid courses in Seattle and Charlotte), annual in-person two-day residencies are held on campus. Residencies focus on networking and tools for career success and allow you to connect with faculty and fellow scholars to share knowledge and experience. You'll attend residencies* in your first and second years of the program at one of our campuses in Boston, Charlotte, or Seattle.

The Northeastern Doctor of Education degree is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) and was selected as Program of the Year by the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate Program for 2022-2023.

*Please note: International students enrolling in the online EdD program will be provided with an option to complete the residency through online participation in interactive sessions with fellow scholars offered during the residency period.

More Details

Unique features.

• You will choose one of five concentrations—higher education administration, innovative teaching and learning, transformative school leadership, workplace learning, and integrative studies—to focus your studies and further customize your curriculum.
• You'll begin dissertation in practice work at the onset of your program. You'll select a compelling educational/organizational challenge and will be assigned a faculty advisor to support your research throughout the program.
• All coursework is online—providing flexibility for working professionals. Your residencies will be fulfilled in person*, at one of our campuses in Boston, Charlotte, or Seattle.
• You'll learn alongside faculty practitioners—engaging with respected leaders who contribute to the field as authors, journal editors, school board members, bloggers, and podcasters.

*In-person participation in the residency is also available for international students.

Concentrations

• Higher Education Administration: The higher education administration concentration provides an opportunity for experienced higher education professionals to expand their previous understanding of practices within all sectors of postsecondary education—and also advance their professional practice by developing and deepening their understanding of the roles of colleges and universities in our society. Sectors examined include community colleges, four-year colleges, for-profit institutions, and research universities.
• Innovative Teaching and Learning: The innovative teaching and learning concentration focuses on transforming education through innovation, justice, and policy, by providing engaging opportunities for current and aspiring teaching and learning specialists working in various education spaces. The concentration focuses on teaching and learning both inside and outside the bounds of P-20 schools and focuses on developing and leading innovative curricula as well as professional development.
• Transformative School Leadership: The transformative school leadership concentration provides innovative opportunities for experienced education professionals who are current and aspiring leaders of early childhood centers, public or private schools, or school districts. The concentration prepares students to lead and transform educational spaces and be equipped to shape the needs of education in K-12, higher education, organizational contexts, and beyond.
• Workplace Learning: The workplace learning concentration helps professionals gain a deeper understanding of, recognize, and influence real-life social inequalities faced by marginalized populations in the workplace. Courses allow students to advance their professional practice by developing and deepening their knowledge of workplace learning, organizational dynamics, learning strategy, and ethics.
• Integrative Studies: The integrative studies concentration provides an opportunity for students to design a program of study that fits their own professional goals and includes the required foundation and research courses, concentration courses from any EdD concentration, and electives from the Doctor of Education or Doctor of Law and Policy programs.

Program Objectives

Northeastern's Doctor of Education program is designed for experienced professionals interested in deepening their understanding of education, organizational development, and leadership. Throughout the program, students examine various approaches to critical, practice-based issues, learn research methods, and conduct a doctoral research study that investigates a compelling educational or organizational challenge.

2022-2023 Doctor of Education Program of the Year

The Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate selected Northeastern's EdD program as the 2022-2023 Program of the Year, noting the “redesigned Dissertation in Practice Curriculum and the adoption of action research as its guiding methodology …” The committee praised “the program’s efforts to move beyond the typical five-chapter dissertation and engage scholarly practitioners in the acquisition of skills to realize meaningful change in their local contexts, emphasizing social justice.”

Testimonials

– sara ewell, phd, assistant dean, graduate school of education, – frawn morgan, current student, doctor of education, – aaron b., program graduate, looking for something different.

A graduate degree or certificate from Northeastern—a top-ranked university—can accelerate your career through rigorous academic coursework and hands-on professional experience in the area of your interest. Apply now—and take your career to the next level.

Program Costs

Finance Your Education We offer a variety of resources, including scholarships and assistantships.

How to Apply Learn more about the application process and requirements.

Requirements

• Online application
• The Foreign Credential Evaluation (FCE) is a required assessment of all transcripts and documents from non-U.S. accredited post-secondary education institutions. (Review the FCE requirements by country.)
• Admissions statement: Please provide a personal statement that describes a significant issue or topic within an educational or learning context that you are interested in investigating. Why are these topics important to address? How have your previous work, life, or research experiences prepared you for investigating this topic or issue in the Northeastern doctoral program? (~1500 words)
• Minimum work experience: Three years in a related field
• Professional resumé: Must summarize work and education history, include an outline of your educational/academic skills with examples such as research and teaching experience, affiliations, publications, certifications, presentations, and other professional skills.
• Faculty recommendation: Must be from a faculty member in your previous graduate program who can attest to your readiness for doctoral work. If you are no longer acquainted with a faculty member, please choose a professional who can speak of your academic capabilities to engage in doctoral-level research and writing. Recommendations should be presented as a letter attached to the general recommendation form.
• Two professional recommendations: Must be from individuals who have either academic or professional knowledge of your capabilities, a supervisor, mentor, or colleague. It is preferred that one letter of recommendation come from your current employer and/or supervisor. Recommendations should be presented as a letter attached to the general recommendation form.
• Proof of English language proficiency: ONLY for students for whom English is not their primary language.

Are You an International Student? Find out what additional documents are required to apply.

Admissions Details Learn more about the College of Professional Studies admissions process, policies, and required materials.

Admissions Dates

Our admissions process operates on a rolling basis; however, we do recommend the application guidelines below to ensure you can begin during your desired start term:

Domestic Application Guidelines

International Application Guidelines *

*International deadlines are only applicable if the program is F1 compliant.

Industry-aligned courses for in-demand careers.

For 100+ years, we’ve designed our programs with one thing in mind—your success. Explore the current program requirements and course descriptions, all designed to meet today’s industry needs and must-have skills.

View curriculum

The core of the mission of the program is to allow educators to remain in the places they work, focus on a problem of practice, and through experiential learning and site-specific research opportunities in the program, make an immediate impact in their professional environments. The program explicitly integrates research and practice for professionals so they develop the requisite skills for conceiving, designing, conducting, and producing original site-based research in order to effect ethical change related to real-life problems of practice.

Our Faculty

Northeastern University faculty represents a broad cross-section of professional practices and fields, including finance, education, biomedical science, management, and the U.S. military. They serve as mentors and advisors and collaborate alongside you to solve the most pressing global challenges facing established and emerging markets.

Joseph McNabb, PhD

Cherese Childers-McKee, PhD

By enrolling in Northeastern, you’ll be connected to students at our 13 campuses, as well as 300,000-plus alumni and more than 3,500 employer partners around the world. Our global university system provides you with unique opportunities to think locally and act globally and serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions.

Below is a look at where our Education & Learning alumni work, the positions they hold, and the skills they bring to their organization.

Where They Work

• Boston Public Schools
• Chicago Public Schools
• NYC Department of Education
• Lockheed Martin
• Veterans Affairs
• Johns Hopkins
• Columbia University

What They Do

• Media Consultant
• College President
• Chief Information Officer
• Instructional Designer
• Diversity Officer
• Founder-CEO
• VP of Student Services
• Community Services Director

What They're Skilled At

• Experiential Learning
• Team Building
• International Education
• Change Agency
• Entrepreneurship
• Urban Education
• Strategic Management
• Student Engagement

Learn more about Northeastern Alumni on  Linkedin .

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