Doctor of Education (EdD) Doctor of Education (EdD)

Online Doctor of Education (EdD)

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND EDUCATION

Build on your skills as a leader to solve problems and make a lasting difference in the field of K–12 or higher education with the Capella Doctor of Education (EdD) degree program.

Build advanced skills to pursue your career goals with an EdD

Expand your expertise to effect real change with our Doctor of Education (EdD) program. Our five specializations help you build advanced leadership skills that are essential to K–12 or higher education practitioners.

EdD program overview

Our EdD program is designed to help experienced practitioners build high-level leadership skills, with emphasis on applied research. Learn to solve specific organizational problems, improve outcomes and address gaps in the field.

Choosing an EdD specialization

Every doctoral journey is different. Your chosen specialization can help you leverage your unique passions and interests to build advanced expertise for the next phases of your career as an educational leader.*

Adult Education

  • Assess the policy landscape and implications for planning and implementing adult education programs
  • Apply practices promoting diversity, equity and globalization in adult education programming 

Curriculum and Instruction

  • Demonstrate effective curriculum and instructional leadership practices to achieve learning outcomes
  • Develop appropriate and effective curriculum based on theoretical and evidence-based practices

Educational Leadership

  • Apply professional knowledge base and leadership theory to organizational learning and innovation
  • Promote a culture of diversity, inclusion and equity

Performance Improvement Leadership

  • Assess human performance systems
  • Support training and performance improvement in the workplace

Reading and Literacy

  • Analyze theoretical and evidence-based foundations of reading and writing processes and instruction
  • Design evidence-based literacy instruction and curricula to meet the needs of all learners

Adult Education

  • Employment settings to explore include academic, vocational, corporate, government and nonprofit settings
  • Research job titles such as dean, provost and training specialist

Curriculum and Instruction

  • Employment settings to explore include a wide range of K–12 schools, school districts and higher education
  • Research job titles such as curriculum specialist and director of instruction

Educational Leadership

  • Employment settings to explore include P–12 schools and higher education, government and corporate environments
  • Explore roles such as college faculty of education courses and associate dean

Performance Improvement Leadership

  • Employment settings to explore include diverse corporate, healthcare, nonprofit, P–12 and higher education settings
  • Explore roles such as training manager, development manager and learning manager

Reading and Literacy

  • Employment settings to explore include a wide range of public and private educational environments
  • Research job titles such as reading specialist, adult basic education director and literacy coach 

*Capella cannot guarantee any specific job, promotion, salary increase or other career outcomes. You will need to conduct your own research to understand what opportunities may be available to you. Note that some career paths may prefer or even require previous experience, licensure, certifications or other designations along with a degree.

Are you looking for FlexPath?

Available for select specializations, our self-paced learning format lets you take classes at your pace and on your budget.

Why choose the EdD program at Capella University?

Foundational coursework

Build a solid base for your program with coursework that focuses on research and critical thinking and prepares you for success as a doctoral student.

Capstone: doctoral project

Your doctoral project provides the opportunity for you to solve a real-world problem in your field.

Federal grants

The U.S. Department of Education provides grants that can be used to pay for education expenses, including doctoral program tuition and fees. Explore federal grants

Federal Work-Study program

The U.S. Federal Work-Study (FWS) program provides funds for part-time work to help college students finance their education. Learn more