Build upon your existing administrative experience to access advanced leadership roles in P-12 or higher education settings.
Locations
- Online
Why Earn an Ed.D. at Georgia Southern?
- 100% online instruction lets you advance your education while continuing to serve in your present role.
- Curriculum stresses practical knowledge and skills to prepare scholar-practitioners to become transformational leaders.
- Students move through the program as cohorts, a format fostering support and professional networking.
- No GRE required for admission.
- 39-69 credit hours to completion.
Innovation and inquiry mark the path forward for P-12 and higher education institutions, with strategic leaders directing the way through research and a holistic understanding of how education systems uplift students and communities. As you aspire to this role, Georgia Southern’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program gives you the tools to not only assume greater responsibility but also drive change within your school or district.
Offered fully online to accommodate the schedules of current administrators, this Ed.D. program’s two tracks align with your specialty and professional goals — P-12 Educational Leadership or Higher Education Leadership.
The P-12 Educational Leadership track is designed for students with Tier II certification in Education Leadership and an Ed.S. degree in Educational Leadership or another related field. Those meeting these requirements complete the program through just 39 additional credit hours, focusing on leadership and scholarly depth throughout.
The Higher Education Leadership track is geared toward students with master’s degrees. Those pursuing this track complete a more extended curriculum that focuses on leadership, operations and research applications within the higher education field. Students with a related terminal degree may be eligible for an accelerated path.
In either track, you’ll acquire advanced management, quantitative and qualitative skills along the way, preparing for effective, evidence-based leadership in education-related settings.
Ready to Apply?
What Can You Do With a Doctor of Education?
Combine expertise in management principles and leadership with refined research skills to surface evidence-based solutions to administrative challenges. This foundation equips you to spearhead organizational change and achieve better outcomes in settings ranging from elementary schools to two- and four-year colleges.
Where our graduates work:
- Colleges
- Universities
- Private schools
- Public schools
What our graduates do:
- Dean
- Department director
- Principal
- Professor
- Superintendent
Ed.D. Program Overview
From strand options to research, discover how Georgia Southern University’s Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program empowers the next stage of your career.
What You’ll Learn
Though the two formats differ in course content, the program orientation fosters an inquiry-based approach that brings sophisticated research and problem-solving skills to bear in several professional contexts. You’ll sharpen your abilities to identify, diagnose and define problems, analyze their parts contextually and systematically, and develop practical solutions sensitive to underlying issues.
Candidate-led experiences throughout the program let you apply theory in your present professional setting to address educational problems and propose potential solutions. A culminating dissertation demonstrates your ability to engage in the discipline at the highest scholarly level.
See the CurriculumStrand Options
Learn more about the structure and goals of both program formats:
P-12 Educational Leadership
Tackle ongoing issues facing P-12 schools through research-supported solutions and collaborative, forward-looking leadership. Candidates for this track must have Tier II certification in Education Leadership, an Ed.S. degree in Educational Leadership or another related field and Level 6 teaching certification.
Higher Education Leadership
Focus on the unique challenges and growth opportunities shaping U.S. colleges and universities today, building competencies in research, leadership and higher education policy.
Dissertation
From your firsthand perspective of the education field, develop and pursue a novel research topic that aligns with your career interests, gathering data to support your thesis and defending a substantial written document.
“I find that my work as a leadership educator is more rooted in research and evidence-based practices since completing my work in the program … I’m now able to build more meaningful leadership programming through the backwards-course-design approach, and I am able to align leadership learning with evidence-based teaching strategies.”
Want to Learn More?
Explore essential information about our Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program, including application details, accreditation status, and licensing disclosures. Gain insight into the program’s credibility and requirements to help you start your journey toward success with the knowledge you need.
The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program is open to applications from those holding a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 (on a 4.0 scale).
To apply, please submit:
- An online application. (There is a $50 non-refundable application fee.)
- A statement of purpose, not to exceed 1,000 words, indicating your reasons for pursuing graduate study and how admission to this program relates to your professional goals.
- A résumé or CV highlighting your personal and professional achievements.
- A completed “Disclosure and Affirmation Form” that addresses misconduct disclosure, the Code of Ethics for Educators and tort liability insurance. (This is included within the online application.)
Additionally, you may be asked to:
- Complete a writing sample, if requested.
- Complete an interview, if requested.
International transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES-accredited evaluation service and must be a course-by-course evaluation and include a GPA.
NOTE: Meeting admissions or qualification criteria does not guarantee admission to the program.
Application Deadlines
Applicants are admitted to begin the program in the fall. The application deadline is March 15.
Your application and all required documents must be received by the deadline.
Program Contact Information
Ed.D., Educational Leadership Program Director
Elise Cain, Ph.D.
ecain@georgiasouthern.edu
or
Graduate Academic Services Center
gasc@georgiasouthern.edu
912-478-1447
At Georgia Southern, enjoy the flexibility of fully online courses that fit within your busy schedule, allowing you to advance in your career while you continue to work and earn. Online instructors weave interactive experiences into each course, ensuring you engage at a deeper level.
Plus, you’ll have access to an academic and technical support team, so you’re never on your own.
Most courses for the Ed.D. program are held asynchronously, with some synchronous online class sessions held during Stage 2.
About Our Online ProgramsFor All Online Programs
Federal law requires colleges and universities to make certain disclosures to prospective students of these programs. These disclosures include information on the University’s authority to operate outside of Georgia, complaint processes, adverse actions and refunds.
For required disclosures in general with regard to online programs offered by the University, visit the Office of Legal Affairs website.
The College of Education anticipates that graduates of the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership: P-12 program will seek state licenses or certifications.
The program listed above leads to a Georgia Certificate Upgrade. Visit the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for more information. The College of Education has not determined where its programs will qualify a graduate to take the required exams in other states or territories. Check the requirements of your state or territory using the link provided.
Faculty Feature: Professor Juliann Sergi McBrayer
Focusing her scholarship on creating effective educational leadership and teacher preparation programs, Professor Juliann Sergi McBrayer is a dedicated mentor of graduate students, collaborating with many on research projects and publications.
Learn More About Dr. McBrayer
Faculty Feature: Associate Professor Elise J. Cain
Passionate about student success and her scholarship on rural college students, place-based identities and historically underrepresented populations in STEM education, Associate Professor Dr. Elise J. Cain serves as the Program Director for the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership.
Learn More About Dr. CainRelated Programs
Take the Next Step
You already have the passion. Level up your professional skills and knowledge for educational leadership with an Ed.D. from Georgia Southern.
Contact Us
Ed.D., Educational Leadership Program Director
Elise Cain, Ph.D.
ecain@georgiasouthern.edu