2025-2026 Graduate & Professional Studies Catalog
Higher Education, EdD
|
|
Our Doctor of Education (EdD) in Higher Education program offers a rigorous blend of theory, knowledge, and applied research to cultivate leaders who can affect positive, equity-informed, data-driven change within their institutions.
Through collaboration with a supportive interdisciplinary cohort, you will develop critical leadership attributes by engaging in thoughtful discussion of critical readings, analyzing case studies, conducting self-assessment profiles, and applying leadership and research skills in real-world field settings.
The major is part of the school’s Doctor of Education (EdD) program, which has a variety of majors to serve professionals from various fields. Grounded in the principles of improvement science, this program will equip you to address complex problems of practice by engaging in systems-thinking to identify problems, develop solutions, and conduct iterative processes of testing and learning. Your leadership strategies and skills will ultimately be refined to promote institutional improvement, accountability, and transparency.
You will learn how to:
- Examine and implement the measures foundational to institutional effectiveness
- Learn to apply evidence-based planning
- Lead within higher education environments that demand accountability grounded in equity
- Engage in improving your own leadership practice through a commitment to research and real-world problem-solving
Our program will empower you to become the best leader you can be, driving positive, sustainable change within your organization. Are you ready to transform your practice and your institution?
|
EdD Curriculum
The EdD program is a three-year 76-credit program, including 24 credits transferred from relevant graduate work. Students are required to transfer 24 credits of graduate work into the EdD program. The EdD curriculum is delivered in several stages, through a variety methods:
- Orientation: The EdD cohort participates in a full-day, on-campus, orientation in the spring before the summer start of the program. The day includes opportunities to meet program faculty, EdD program information, and cohort-building activities as well as an introductory session with other students in your academic major. Orientation typically takes place in March or April.
- Intensive on-ramp: The EdD cohort will participate in a full-week, on-campus, experience that includes intense work focused on understanding enduring problems of practice in education, health, and human development. This one-week experience typically takes place in June, and is a component of the first summer courses (Foundations 1 and Practitioner Inquiry 1).
- Hybrid seminars: You will experience a hybrid model of education through online course experiences and in-person, once per month (typically on Saturdays) sessions on the Pittsburgh campus. Attendance at in-person, on campus sessions is required.
SCHEDULE (all courses are 3 credits unless otherwise noted)
Higher Education Academic Major Courses (12 credits)
Transfer credits (24 credits)
|
