Doctoral Program Comparisons
Doctoral Program Comparisons
| Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education Policy (PhD) | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EDL) | Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership online (EDL online) | Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership online (OCL online) | Global Executive Doctor of Education (Global EdD) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outcome | Conduct research to inform educational policy as a scholar | Lead high-performing K-12 or higher education institutions | Lead high-performing schools or districts in K-12 settings | Lead effective organizational change | Achieve large-scale improvements across educational systems |
| Career Trajectory | Tenure-track faculty researcher | K-12 or higher education administrator or adjunct faculty | K-12 administrator | Senior leaders in a wide variety of settings, including non-profits, private firms, government organizations and higher ed | Senior educational leader, policymaker or administrator in universities, school systems, and education-related corporations |
| On Campus, Online or Hybrid | On campus | On campus | Online with one required immersion weekend on Los Angeles Campus | Online with two required immersion weekends on Los Angeles Campus | Hybrid (in-person sessions in up to four countries, plus online class sessions throughout the year) |
| Required Work Experience | None | 3 years | 3 years | 5 years | 10 years |
| Required Master’s Degree | No | Yes | Yes | No* | No* |
| Employment Impact | Four-year, full-time commitment; unable to work outside the program | Ability to continue working full time with classes one evening per week in most semesters | Ability to continue working full time with classes one evening per week in most semesters | Ability to continue working full time with classes | Ability to continue working full time with 1-2 week in person sessions in up to four countries. |
| Program Length** | 48 months | 32 months | 32 months | 32 months (with prior master’s degree) 42 months (without prior master’s degree) | 25 months (with prior master’s degree) 29 months (without prior master’s degree) |
| Units | 63 | 43 | 43 | 43 or 60 | 50 or 60 |
| Classmates | Cohort model with students representing each of the four concentrations | Experienced professionals from each of the four concentrations | Experienced K-12 professionals | Individuals across a variety of workplace settings (business, nonprofits, military, higher education) | Small international cohort of highly accomplished professionals with traditional and non traditional education backgrounds |
| Concentrations |
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N/A | N/A |
| Dissertation | Independent piece of scholarly work that makes an original contribution to current knowledge in the field and demonstrates your ability to conduct independent research. | Practically-focused work addressing a problem of practice that impedes access to educational equity. Format options (5-chapter dissertation, curriculum design, or non-traditional written product/public presentation) are unique to each concentration and completed under the guidance of faculty within your concentration. Conceptual frameworks and research methods are not predetermined but determined in relation to the research question. | Practically-focused 5-chapter dissertation addressing a problem of practice that impedes access to educational equity. Conceptual frameworks and research methods are not predetermined but determined in relation to the research question. Completed under the guidance of K-12 faculty. | 5-chapter or executive dissertation format focused on problem of practice within the organization or field in which you are currently working. Conceptual frameworks and research methods are not predetermined but determined in relation to the research question. Completed under the guidance of a faculty chair with partial integration of dissertation content with coursework. | 5-chapter dissertation using one of three problem-solving frameworks. Work collaboratively with a small group of students with a common methodological approach. |
| Estimated Tuition and Fees | Graduate assistantship covers tuition | Tuition and fees | Tuition and fees | Tuition and fees | Tuition and fees |
*Those without a master’s degree are required to complete additional units of coursework
**Following the approved program of study. Actual completion time may vary depending on the length of time required to complete your dissertation.
For more information on the differences between doctoral degrees, read our blog post, PhD vs. EdD in Education.
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