Educational Studies Ed.D.
UNC students lead the way in education. More than half of educators trained in Colorado earned their degrees here. And one-third of Colorado Teacher of the Year award winners are UNC alumni. Bringing together diverse students from all over the world, the Doctorate in Educational Studies prepares professionals for diverse leadership opportunities in K-12 and higher education. As a graduate, you’ll be uniquely qualified to tackle the complex challenges facing educators today.
Leaders of Change in Education
UNC's Educational Studies program focuses on improving education systems and offers a rigorous curriculum delivered by seasoned education professionals. You’ll learn innovative ways to apply theory and research to solve real-life problems. You’ll also have valuable opportunities to build professional and personal relationships with faculty and peers, in a highly collaborative and supportive learning environment. Designed to meet the needs of working professionals and full-time graduate students, we offer the degree in a combination of face-to-face and online course delivery options.
Degree Details
Credits Required:
64
Location/Delivery:
Online + Summer Loveland visits
Degree Options
Ed.D. in Educational Studies
At UNC, you can complete your Ed.D. mostly online. Your program advisor will help guide you through your doctoral work.
Mostly Online Cohort Program
Earn your doctorate at the top-ranked Colorado institution for online graduate programs in education. Ideal for busy professionals, the online Educational Studies program allows you to complete coursework with a cohort of educators in a mostly online environment. During three of the summers, you'll also participate in a week-long research seminar in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains, at the scenic UNC Center in Loveland, Colorado.
Take the next step! Explore courses, contact information and admission requirements.
Related Programs
Finding Answers to Complex Challenges
Student Spotlight: Megan F. Edmiston, an Ed.D. candidate in Educational Studies, has a B.A. and M.A. in English and specializes in the development of English as an additional language for emergent bilinguals. Currently, she is the English Language Development Coordinator in Thompson School District. Her dissertation, in progress, uses interactional ethnography and portraiture to study the individual and group cultures of emergent bilingual immigrant students.
“UNC’s doctorate in Educational Studies program provided me opportunities to advance my personal scholarship and broadened my career opportunities. Focused coursework, a research assistantship, a teacher assistantship and the dissertation process systematically prepared me to be a lifelong teacher and scholar. Now that I've completed the program, I'm excited to put these skills into practice as an elementary academic dean and kindergarten teacher in a local private school.”
— Stacy Loyd, Ed.D., Class of 2011
Your Future in Educational Studies
At UNC, you’re following in the footsteps of the top educators in Colorado. And you’ll be ready to chart your own success wherever your career takes you.
Consider UNC's Educational Studies Ed.D. if you are:
- Interested in pursuing leadership opportunities in teaching, higher education and K-12 administration
- Dedicated to working with a wide range of education professionals and community members to promote positive change
- Interested in the relationship between research, policy, and practice in education
You’ll learn:
- How to conduct, analyze and apply research of education
- Issues surrounding curriculum, evaluation and implementation
- Critical evaluation skills and perspectives of education and society
- Ways to contribute to improving education systems
Sample courses:
- Social Theories of Learning and Organizational Change
- History of Education Reform
- Technology, Innovation and Education
- Social Justice in Educational Reform
- Foundations of Educational Research
- Qualitative Research Methods
Where can your degree take you?
The Educational Studies program prepares you to lead in a variety of roles. Here are just a few of your options:
- University faculty member
- Educational leader in school districts
- Consultant to state and federal agencies
- District level curriculum specialist
- Leader in nonprofit and private schools and agencies
Expanding Learning Opportunities for Emerging Bilingual Students
Dana Walker, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education
For the past ten years, Dana Walker’s research has focused on school-community-university collaborations. The goal is to identify how arts and youth media programs expand learning opportunities for emerging bilingual students. Walker uses cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) and interactional ethnography (which combines discourse analysis with ethnographic methods) to study change over time in learning communities and individuals. Her publications include a book based on her research, A Pedagogy of Empowered Communication: Youth Radio and Radio Arts in the Multilingual Classroom.
Ready for what's next? Here's what you need to know.
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Still not completely sold? We understand. Here's more information on costs and funding and how to apply.
