Online Doctorate of Education (EdD)
Have Questions About the EdD Program?
Explore your academic goals and learn more about the program
in a one-on-one conversation with the program’s academic leadership.
National American University’s proposed online Doctor of Education (EdD) is designed for experienced professionals who want to lead change, apply evidence to complex challenges, and improve organizational performance across education, business, healthcare, government, and nonprofit settings.
Whether you lead people, develop workforce talent, manage programs, or advance institutional effectiveness, doctoral research can help you connect informed decisions with meaningful professional impact.
Why Choose the Doctor of Education at NAU?
The proposed EdD connects advanced inquiry, leadership theory, and organizational improvement to the professional environments where people learn, work, and lead.
A Choice in Doctoral Research
Select a traditional dissertation or an applied Problem of Practice pathway based on your professional goals.
Leadership Beyond Education
Explore leadership, organizational change, governance, and performance across multiple professional sectors.
Research Connected to Practice
Use evidence, analytics, and inquiry to investigate complex educational and organizational challenges.
Designed for Adult Life
Pursue online doctoral coursework while balancing professional and personal responsibilities.
The Power to Choose How You Complete Your Doctorate.
Based on the impact you want to make. The traditional dissertation remains a valuable route to doctoral scholarship. But it is not the only way to apply rigorous research to meaningful questions. NAU’s redesigned EdD offers two culminating pathways, allowing students to choose how their doctoral work connects to their professional goals.
Dissertation Pathway
Investigate a research question through a formal dissertation. Develop a proposal, complete applicable research approval processes, conduct and defend the study, and present recommendations for leadership practice and systemic improvement.
Problem of Practice Pathway
Investigate a persistent organizational challenge, design an intervention, improvement strategy, or professional artifact, and gather evidence of impact. Present the work through a Practice Educator Portfolio (PEP) in the final capstone.
Different approaches. The same commitment to doctoral-level scholarship. Both pathways require research, evidence, and successful completion of their respective academic requirements.
Explore a Different Approach to Doctoral Study
Learn how a traditional dissertation and an applied Problem of Practice can support different goals for doctoral research.
What Could a Problem of Practice Look Like?
The Problem of Practice pathway connects doctoral inquiry to challenges that organizations encounter in the real world. These examples illustrate potential areas of investigation, not preapproved topics.
Business & Industry
Investigate whether a leadership development initiative improves team performance.
Healthcare
Develop and evaluate a staff training or professional learning intervention.
Government
Study an employee development challenge affecting public service delivery.
Nonprofit
Evaluate a community education or professional development initiative.
Higher Education
Design and assess a strategy to improve adult learner persistence.
K–12 Education
Investigate the effectiveness of an instructional professional development initiative.
Projects are subject to faculty approval, applicable research requirements, and appropriate access to data or professional settings.
Who Is the Doctor of Education For?
The proposed EdD is intended for experienced professionals whose responsibilities involve leadership, learning, organizational development, research, or continuous improvement—not solely classroom teaching or school administration.
Business & Industry
Organizational development, workforce training, leadership development, and change management.
Healthcare Organizations
Professional education, employee development, leadership, and evidence-informed organizational improvement.
Government & Public Service
Public-sector leadership, workforce development, governance, and policy implementation.
Nonprofit Organizations
Mission-driven leadership, community partnerships, program improvement, and resource development.
Higher Education
Institutional effectiveness, student success, academic leadership, and educational innovation.
K–12 & Educational Organizations
Instructional improvement, professional development, education leadership, and organizational change.
Connect Doctoral Coursework to Your Professional Field
The examples below show how the proposed EdD curriculum relates to leadership and improvement across different organizational settings. These are professional applications, not formal concentrations or guaranteed career outcomes.
Business & Industry
Organizational development, workforce training, leadership development, and change management.
Related NAU Coursework
Healthcare Organizations
Professional education, employee development, leadership, and evidence-informed organizational improvement.
Related NAU Coursework
Government & Public Service
Public-sector leadership, workforce development, governance, and policy implementation.
Related NAU Coursework
Nonprofit Organizations
Mission-driven leadership, community partnerships, program improvement, and resource development.
Related NAU Coursework
Higher Education
Institutional effectiveness, student success, academic leadership, and educational innovation.
Related NAU Coursework
K–12 & Educational Organizations
Instructional improvement, professional development, education leadership, and organizational change.
Related NAU Coursework
Professional Applications Disclaimer: Examples illustrate how program coursework may relate to professional responsibilities. Career outcomes and occupational requirements vary based on experience, location, employer requirements, and other factors.
Doctor of Education Curriculum
The proposed program consists of 90 quarter credits, including a common leadership and research foundation and a culminating dissertation or Problem of Practice pathway.
| Program Component | Quarter Credits |
|---|---|
| EdD Program Core | 54 |
| EdD Research Courses | 18 |
| Dissertation or Problem of Practice | 18 |
| Total | 90 |
EdD Program Snapshot
| Program Component | Quarter Credits |
|---|---|
| Degree | Doctor of Education (EdD) |
| School | Harold D. Buckingham Graduate School |
| Delivery | Online |
| Total Credits | 90 quarter credits |
| Typical Course Value | 4.5 quarter credits |
| Culminating Pathways | Dissertation or Problem of Practice |
| Estimated Completion | 2.5 years of continuous full-time enrollment |
| Maximum Time Allowed | 10 years under stated institutional policy |
| Redesigned Program Status | Pending applicable review and approval |
Doctor of Education FAQs
Common questions about NAU’s proposed redesigned online EdD.
Is an EdD only for teachers and school administrators?
No. The proposed EdD is designed for professionals in education, business and industry, healthcare, government, and nonprofit organizations. Its emphasis includes organizational leadership, research, professional learning, and institutional improvement.
Do I have to complete a traditional dissertation?
The proposed program offers two culminating options: a Dissertation Pathway and a Problem of Practice Pathway. Both require doctoral-level research and completion of the applicable academic requirements.
What is a Problem of Practice?
A Problem of Practice is a persistent challenge in a professional setting that can be investigated through doctoral inquiry. In the proposed pathway, students develop a proposal, complete an intervention, artifact, or improvement strategy, gather evidence of impact, and present a Practice Educator Portfolio (PEP).
Can my project address a challenge in my own organization?
The program is designed to connect doctoral inquiry to real educational and organizational challenges. Individual topics and access to organizational information would require academic review and any applicable research approvals.
What is the difference between an EdD and a PhD?
Both are doctoral degrees. EdD programs commonly emphasize research applied to leadership and professional practice, while PhD programs often emphasize discipline-specific original research. Requirements differ by institution and program.
How long is the proposed EdD?
The proposed program comprises 90 quarter credits and is designed for completion in approximately 2.5 years of continuous full-time enrollment. Individual completion times vary; institutional policy allows up to 10 years to complete requirements.
Is the redesigned EdD available for enrollment and federal financial aid?
The redesigned program is under development and pending applicable review and approval. Enrollment availability and federal financial aid eligibility should be confirmed with NAU when official information is released.
Your Experience. Your Research. Your Impact.
Explore how the redesigned Doctor of Education connects rigorous doctoral inquiry to the leadership challenges and professional goals that matter to you.
Program redesign is pending applicable approvals. Enrollment and financial aid availability will be announced when confirmed.
Course Listing
EdD Program Core Courses (54)
ED8010 Emerging Issues in Education 4.5
ED8210 Managing Change – Leading Institutional Transformation 4.5
ED8310 Organization Design and Development 4.5
ED8410 Ethics and Values 4.5
ED8510 Governance and Administration 4.5
ED8610 Planning, Finance, and Resource Development 4.5
ED8710 Policy, Politics, and Public Affairs 4.5
ED8810 Education Analytics 4.5
ED8910 Understanding and Educating the Contemporary College Student 4.5
ED9510 Innovation and Sustainability in Education 4.5
ED9511 Training Essentials for Business, Industry, and Organizations 4.5
ED9512 Education Partnerships 4.5
EdD Research Courses (18)
ED9010 Introduction to Research Methodology 4.5
ED9045 Capstone 4.5
ED9610 Individual Project I 4.5
ED9611 Individual Project II 4.5
ED9045: Capstone Course – Minimum “B” grade required, must be completed at NAU.
DISSERTATION/PROBLEM OF PRACTICE COURSES (18)
ED9030 Designing and Shaping the Dissertation 9
ED9810 Dissertation Proposal 4.5
ED9910 Dissertation Completion 4.5
OR
ED8110 Learning Sciences, Adult Learning, Curriculum and Assessment 4.5
ED9025 Problem of Practice and Applied Research Design 4.5
ED9710 Problem of Practice Proposal 4.5
ED9711 Problem of Practice Completion 4.5
Course availability is subject to minimum class size requirements.
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