Course Descriptions

Doctor of Education online students will complete a total of 54 credit hours divided between learning foundations courses, organizational change courses, research methods courses and immersion and dissertation experiences.

Learn more about individual courses by reading the full course descriptions below.

Exploration and analysis of research, experiences, technology, and theory related to the teaching and learning of major concepts across grade levels. Students will investigate curriculum standards for K-12, National and International test results and implications, and recent research on conceptual approaches. Opportunities for exploring grade-level and content interests will be provided.

A look at philosophical and historical roots of theories of learning. Major constructs of current theories and their application in instructional, administrative, and counseling settings.

Effective instructional design includes an assessment of specific needs, an understanding of the learner, and the implementation of effective learning experiences for content and skill mastery.  This course will utilize research-based frameworks in conjunction with participants’ educational experience and content expertise to support professionals who seek to improve the educational structures and models in their own institutions and companies.

This course will provide students the opportunity to encounter several highly influential books, ideas, and individuals from the fields of Social Foundations of Education and Curriculum. As an interdisciplinary Foundations course, the instructor will assist students as they consider the field of education from a broad liberal arts perspective.

An analysis of issues related to diversity in learning settings and the exploration of culture in educational contexts.

The focus of the course is to examine various philosophies of education to assist in developing and refining personal philosophies regarding instructional practices and programs in a multitude of contexts. The course also examines the frameworks for making ethical decisions and discusses how ethical behavior is the foundation of effective leadership.

This course will investigate how leaders and practitioners can become involved in communities with the goal of improving the quality of life for all community members. The primary purpose of this course is to understand the context of healthy community partnerships. Students will engage with community partners to generate new knowledge and practices for all constituents.  The culminating projects from the course will be disseminated to both academic audiences and public audiences.

This course will focus on the development of the skills, strategies, concepts, principles and stances that surround mentoring and supervision, particularly in educational settings. Students will create and enact their own mentoring stance after examining multiple approaches to mentoring and supervision during the course.

This course emphasizes program evaluation and needs assessment research designs and practices.  The course addresses evidence-based quantitative and qualitative research design approaches to program evaluation/needs assessment research; school-community-business evidence-based research approaches; ethical, pragmatic, and political considerations of research and reporting; quality control and assurance within client-based research; and outcome measures and indicators that provide an overall macro and micro assessment and evaluation of programs/entities under review.

Organizational change can be challenging; however, there are proven strategies that successful leaders practice during times of transitions. By examining successful strategies for leading change in complex organizations, leaders can acquire strategies to assist in minimizing the disruptions and ensure stability of staff during these situational shifts.

This course focuses on future trends that impact leadership and call for new leadership competencies. The course examines these trends as well as successful examples of leadership excellence in various fields. Students will discuss emerging leadership frameworks, profiles, and case studies as the students develop in their own roles as future leaders in their organizations.

This course examines short, medium, and long-range trends in the nature of professional work, the nature of organizations, and the nature of change as a result of rapid and pervasive technological development. The legal, ethical, and moral dimensions associated with these changes will be addressed. Tools for trend analysis, innovation implementation, and professional development will be introduced.

The development of an in-depth understanding of the major methods of inquiry associated with qualitative research will be emphasized. These include participant observation, interviewing, and document analysis. Additionally, an appreciation for the strengths and limitations of engaging in qualitative research and a general understanding of the paradigms that undergird qualitative research and their implications for conducting qualitative inquiry will be cultivated.

Exercises in the computation of the most commonly employed statistical indices in tabulation, graphic representation, and presentation of data in educational reports. The techniques used are also applicable to other fields.

This course focuses on applied mixed method designs that address the unique settings and systems of education, including data collection strategies for fieldwork.

This is the first in the sequence of four courses for Ed.D. students to work on and complete the dissertation. In this course students will complete the review of literature.

This is the second course in the sequence of four courses for Ed.D. students to work on and complete the dissertation. In this course, students will complete the research methodology.

This is the third course in the sequence of four courses for Ed.D. students to work on and complete the dissertation. In this course, students will complete the data analysis, results, and conclusion.

This dissertation course provides students the opportunity to finalize the completed Problem of Practice, complete the defense process, and consider ways to build beyond their doctoral research in their careers as action-based researchers.