edX Online

About the program

  • Market-ready skills:

    Postsecondary teaching jobs are expected to grow by 12% between 2020 and 2030. Footnote 1

  • Mission-driven program:

    The program's emphasis on research, collaboration, social justice, and applied practice prepares learners to lead organizations to positive, meaningful change.

  • Four areas of study:

    The focus areas of the program are Research, Assessment and Program Evaluation, Foundations and Contexts, Leadership and Communities, and Dissertation-in-Practice.

Featured courses

The online Ed.D curriculum prepares learners to lead purposeful organizational change through four curricular components: Promotion of social justice and diversity, learning through inquiry, research, and application, using critical reflection in daily decision making, and building community in organizations. Explore featured courses:

  • Advocacy in and through Organizations:

    This course explores current social justice issues relevant to educational institutions, health care organizations, nonprofits and the communities they serve.

  • Leadership Theory:

    This course offers a survey of leadership theories relevant to educational institutions, health care organizations, nonprofits and similar organizations.

  • Learning Assessment:

    This course focuses on the role of leaders in educational institutions and similar organizations with setting, attaining and assessing high goals for learning in organizations.

Ready to advance your career?

Dissertation-in-practice and immersions

In the first term, learners create a dissertation-in-practice, and continue to work on it throughout their time in the program. This is an original action research study that balances attention to empirical research and direct application of new knowledge and findings. Expert Dayton faculty offer continuous support throughout the dissertation process, and learners collaborate with classmates in research affinity groups to refine and apply their ideas. 


The program features two immersions as opportunities to both build deeper connections with classmates and faculty, and further discuss their dissertation topics. The first immersion will take place virtually at the end of year one and the second will take place in person on campus in Dayton, Ohio at the end of year three. At the second immersion, learners present their dissertation and receive feedback from professors and peers.