The Doctor of Education (EdD), with an emphasis in Leadership for Change starts with a New Student Orientation (NSO), where, in collaboration with your faculty mentor, you will begin to develop a learning plan that weaves your academic accomplishments with your personal, professional, and academic goals.
The doctoral curriculum focuses first on courses required for a pathway Master’s in Education (MEd), specifically on courses related to effective communication, and approaches to inquiry. After the MEd requirements are met, there are additional courses on leadership praxis and research and your choice of electives.
You complete courses individually or in a small group, study independently or collaboratively, and work online or offline. You may satisfy course requirements in many ways, including doctoral-level papers, and multimedia presentations. For every course, your faculty assessor provides a written assessment of your work, generally shaped around fulfillment of course level competencies and doctoral level competencies.
Dissertation exploration begins early in the program. You are required to complete an action-oriented or theoretical dissertation that contributes new knowledge to at least one of a wide range of research areas. You will have the opportunity to focus on a topic of your own choice and will complete your dissertation with the guidance and support of your dissertation committee.
Students can fulfill their elective requirements choosing ELC electives or any of the general electives offered in the PhD programs in Human Development and Organizational Development & Change .
EdD students may structure their elective choices to fulfill an optional EdD concentration in one of the following:
- Community College Leadership for Change
- Dual Language
- Leadership of Higher Education Systems
Or one of the other School of Leadership Studies concentrations as listed below:
- Coaching
- Creative Longevity & Wisdom
- Inclusive Leadership for Social Justice
- Media, Technology & Innovation
- Organization Development
- Somatics, Phenomenology and Communicative Leadership
- Sustainability Leadership
Fielding’s EdD degree is designed for professionals committed to tackling the challenges in today’s educational and human services systems. Teachers, administrators, leaders, innovators, activists, and advocates develop new skills and profound insights from doctoral-level study. Graduates become change agents, gain knowledge and skills to lead systemic change in various arenas – all levels of educational institutions, non-profit agencies, community service organizations, human services systems while working for social and ecological justice.
Sample positions for those obtaining an EdD:
- College and University Professor
- Non-profit Executive Director
- College/University President and/or Senior Administrator
- Dean of the Faculty
- Training and Development Director
- Research Associate
- Professional Association CEO
- Consulting Company Owner
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