Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership at MSU Moorhead will advance your career at both the P-12 and postsecondary levels by preparing you to be an effective educational leader who can respond quickly and decisively to a rapidly changing, culturally diverse and technology-rich society. MSUM’s Ed.D. program also offers a healthcare emphasis, allowing you to customize your degree to fit your career goals. You will develop in-depth knowledge to be a creative change-agent committed to advocacy, action and equitable education. After you complete your doctorate in Educational Leadership at MSUM, you will be ready to transform educational institutions by putting theory into practice.
See the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership degree requirements
The Ed.D. is designed for completion within eight consecutive semesters (three years). You will take two eight-week courses each semester in an interactive online cohort with two face-to-face, one-week summer residencies that occur between the first and second and second and third years. You may also apply your 18 Online credits to your Ed.D., allowing you to save time and money on your degree.
The healthcare emphasis in the Ed.D. program will equip you the skills and knowledge to teach, practice and perform research across healthcare and education. Graduates of the program will find leadership positions at hospitals, educational institutions and research organizations.
You’ll find our professors to be personable, responsive and invested in your success. Faculty are highly credentialed, possess P-12 and higher education administrative experience, and collaborate to advance your learning and progression though the program.
MSUM’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership is delivered via a cohort model through a combination of online courses and interactive instructional mentoring and communications. Created for full-time employees, the program allows you to take classes while working, put theory into action through clinical assignments, and conduct action research to guide the framework for your dissertation.
The cohort admissions model welcomes mid-career and seasoned professionals, making it an interesting and knowledgeable mix of viewpoints and experiences that represents a variety of areas within myriad educational organizations. You’ll find a strong sense of interprofessional collaboration within the program that frequently translates to professional partnerships and joint efforts post-graduation.
MSUM's Ed.D. was ranked among the 10 Best Online Doctorate in Educational Leadership Programs by Forbes Advisor. It's the only program from Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa on the list.
In the Ed.D. program, you will conduct applied research to address today’s educational challenges, enhance your soft skills to promote innovative leadership practice, and grow your professional learning network to encourage collaboration. Upon completion of your doctorate in Educational Leadership at MSUM, you will transform educational institutions by putting theory into practice.
Study Online with a One Week Residency. The Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership is available for international applicants who wish to stay in their home country and study online with the following caveat. The applicant must be able to attend a one week summer residency at Minnesota State University Moorhead. This program is not eligible for a normal student visa (F1 or J1). Students who need a visa to enter the United States for the 1-week residency should obtain a B-1 temporary tourist visa from their local US Embassy.
Careers & Outcomes
MSUM’s Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership will advance your ability to be a creative, competent and compassionate change agent who is committed to advocacy, action, and attentive to social justice issues.
A Smart Investment
Leadership & Learning Journal
MSUM’s Department of Leadership & Learning has published The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning (IJGLL), a peer-reviewed open-access journal hosted by RED, its institutional repository. The journal’s scope features educational research from the P-12 to the postsecondary level. As an open-access journal, the IJGLL editors and authors agree to provide free access and downloads of all of its contents to the general public.
What makes our Ed.D. program unique?
Hear from recent Ed.D. graduate Laurie Wolf about what made MSUM's program perfect for her. She shares how the program gave her valuable connections and challenged her intellectually.
What is 18 Online?
18 Online provides the 18 credits you’ll need to become a qualified content area concurrent enrollment instructor. It’s the result of Minnesota House of Representatives bill H.F. 3326 and Senate bill S.F. No. 3062, which appropriated $3 million to provide curriculum development for the Northwest Regional Partnership continuing education program.
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