School of Education
Ed.D. in Organizational Improvement for Educational Leaders
We know that educational and organizational leaders have challenging jobs that are constantly changing because organizations and the people in them are complex. In the Doctorate of Education in Organizational Improvement for Educational Leaders (Ed.D.) program, you will gain the skills you need to:
- Identify, address, and solve complex organizational problems
- Make important decisions that influence the core function of your organization such as teaching and learning or career development
- Gather and analyze data to effectively and quickly address emerging or ongoing systemic challenges
The School of Education’s Ed.D. program underwent a major redesign that launched in Fall 2025. Prior to Fall 2025, the program was the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, and since Fall 2025, the program is the Ed.D. in Organizational Improvement for Educational Leaders. For students who started the Ed.D. program prior to Fall 2025, please consult the course catalog to find program requirements for the old Ed.D. program. Courses related to the old Ed.D. program will be phased out at the end of Spring 2027.
Program Coordinator: Dr. Bryan VanGronigen
Why an Ed.D.?
The Doctor of Education represents the highest level of scholarly attainment in the professional field of education. As intellectual and professional leaders, Ed.D. graduates are expected to inspire and lead by taking on complex problems and designing solutions across a broad range of K-12, higher education, and community and educational environments.
The Ed.D. in Organizational Improvement for Educational Leaders is designed to prepare dynamic educational leaders. Our students are practicing professionals, including–among others–early childhood educators, teachers, instructional leaders, assistant principals, principals, college-level educators and administrators, district officials and community organizational leaders.
Ed.D. student unite research and practice, bringing their unique expertise and perspective to bear on research about organizations and schools. Ed.D. students at the University of Delaware report higher satisfaction in their opportunities for research than in the University as a whole.
Finally, this program creates a context in which adult learners thrive. In a recent University-wide survey of Program Climate, 100% of EdD student respondents reported agreement with the statement, “My program creates a collegial and supportive environment.”
• Acquire in-demand skills that are right for you: Our core courses address the mindsets and skillsets necessary for leaders in demanding and dynamic organizations—things like: continuous improvement paradigms, working within educational systems, program evaluation, adult and professional learning, working with teams, and data-based decision-making. You can also tailor the program to meet your unique needs by curating electives that match your specific interests and challenges.
• Connect with diverse colleagues: The Ed.D. program has one of the most diverse student bodies in the College of Education and Human Development. Our students are racially, professionally, geographically and educationally diverse. This is a rich context for practical learning and partnerships that extend long after graduation.
• Prepare for your future: In 2023 alone, there were more than 3,000 job postings in our region for people with doctorates in education. This is a rapidly-growing domain: a recent market pulse said that employment opportunities for people with education doctorates are likely to continue to grow for the next ten years. At present, 100% of our graduates are employed or seeking further education.
The Ph.D. and Ed.D. programs differ primarily in terms of research expectations. The difference in expectations is reflected in the kinds of research preparation students receive and the kinds of problems that the thesis should address.
The Ph.D. program is designed to prepare students to launch a research career that focuses on studying important problems of the field of education. Thus, Ph.D. students are expected to identify and address a problem that has some fundamental or generalizable significance.
In contrast, the Ed.D. program is designed to prepare students to assume leadership roles in administration, curriculum, and teaching. Thus, Ed.D. students are expected to identify and address organizational problems. In addition, the Ph.D. program is a 4-5 year program designed for students to attend on a full-time basis, most often with support from an assistantship or fellowship. In contrast, the Ed.D. program is a 4.5-5 year program designed to be completed on a part-time basis with students maintaining their current employment.
| Comparison | Ph.D. Program | Ed.D. Program |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s degree required? | It is not required in most specializations. However, a previous master’s degree is required for the math education area. | A master’s degree is required to enter the Ed.D. program. |
| Preparation | Training to conduct research to solve problems using theory and prior research. | Training to use data to solve organizational problems. |
| Thesis | Dissertation, addresses problem of generalizable significance. | Dissertation in Practice: Addresses a problem of local, practical importance. |
| Time commitment | Full-time, 4-5 years. | Part-time, 4-5 years. |
| Funding available from UD School of Education | Tuition waivers and/or assistantship stipends are possible* | Not typically (due to funding possibilities) |
| Typical future employment | Faculty member at a graduate university, or researcher in private corporation, foundation, or center. | Leader in a school, district, or department of education, or faculty member at a 2- or 4-year college. |
* Funding practices are subject to change according to availability.
The core includes three content sections based on themes of organizational improvement paradigms, methods for driving improvement, and leading change. Other sections include the colloquium courses, electives, and the Educational Leadership Portfolio: The Dissertation in Practice. The program requires 60 credits total.
Core Section 1: Understanding the Context of Improvement (12 credits) includes coursework that addresses continuous improvement paradigms, historical foundations of education, the contexts in which educational organizational improvement efforts take place, and working within local educational systems.
Core Section 2: Methods of improvement (15 credits) includes ways of using research for organizational improvement; selecting, collecting, and analyzing secondary data; collecting and analyzing survey data; program evaluation.
Core Section 3: Leading change (6 credits) addresses capacity building in areas such as community engagement; designing, delivering, and assessing adult learning; and working with adults for improvement (e.g., facilitating and supporting teams).
Electives: (9 credits) Specializations allow students to address their own learning goals and needs in areas such as policy, technology, curriculum and instruction, or leading for equity.
Colloquium: (6 credits) Colloquium courses will address dispositional aspects of educational leadership and students will take them once per fall and spring term during the three years of their coursework.
Educational Leadership Portfolio: The Dissertation in Practice: (9 credits) A student’s time in the Ed.D. program culminates with the completion of a Dissertation in Practice (ELP: DIP) which consists of identifying and addressing an organizational challenge, implementing an organizational improvement strategy to address that challenge, and reflecting on the effectiveness of the selected strategy.
Sample Curriculum
This schedule and description of courses is a sample only. Please consult the UD Course Catalog and consult with your advisor for individual planning.
| Section | Required Courses | Section Credits | ||
| Core Section 1: Understanding the Context of Improvement | EDUC 843: Continuous Improvement Paradigms
EDUC 816: Historical Foundations for Education Leaders EDUC 847: Systems of Education (including Community Engagement and Partnerships) EDUC 820: Working within Local Educational Systems
|
12 |
Total core credits: 33 |
|
| Core Section 2: Methods of improvement | EDUC 828: Research in Educational Decision-Making
EDUC 829: Measures of Improvement: Collecting and Analyzing Survey Data: EDUC 845: Using Secondary Data in Educational Organizations (Statistics for Leaders) EDUC 827: Analysis of Secondary Data for Decision Making EDUC 863: Program Evaluation in Education
|
15 | ||
| Core Section 3: Leading change | EDUC 837: Adult and Professional Learning (Designing, delivering, and evaluating professional learning, communities of practice, socio cultural theories of learning, situative perspectives)
EDUC 849: Leading Teams of Adults in Improvement Efforts (including designing and supporting teams, facilitating teams, supervision, adult learning theory)
|
6 | ||
| Elective Section | Student chooses three electives from across the University catalog that are 600-level or above. | 9 | ||
| Colloquium Section
|
EDUC 810: EdD Colloquium 1: The Grammar of an Educational Doctorate
EDUC 811: EdD Colloquium 2: Research Writing as a Genre EDUC 823: EdD Colloquium 3: Colloquium 3: Bringing Improvement to Life in Organizations EDUC 824: EdD Colloquium 4: Coalition Building for Equity and Improvement EDUC 851; EdD Colloquium 5: Audience, Influence, and Partnerships EDUC 861: Colloquium 6: Preparing for the Dissertation and Sustainability Considerations. |
6 | ||
| Educational Leadership Portfolio: The Dissertation in Practice | Education Leadership Portfolio: The Dissertation in Practice 1: Developing a DIP Proposal
Education Leadership Portfolio: The Dissertation in Practice 2: Collecting and Analyzing DIP Data Education Leadership Portfolio: The Dissertation in Practice: Final DIP Preparation
|
9 | ||
| Total Program Credits: 57 | ||||
This program takes 4.5 to 5 years if you take 3-4 credits per term year round. The Ed.D. program has courses in fall and spring semesters, plus winter and summer sessions. The required summer classes alternate among Summer I (June through early July) and Summer II (July through early August), leaving a break in late summer.
Admissions Process & Requirements
Applications for all graduate programs at the University of Delaware are done online through the UD Graduate College. To apply to the Ed.D. program, complete the steps of the UD online graduate application process. For information about graduate tuition, visit the graduate tuition page for CEHD programs.
Applications are due February 28 for admission the following fall semester.
To apply to the Ed.D. in program, complete the steps of the UD online graduate application process. Some items specific to the Ed.D. program include:
- Three letters of recommendation including one from applicant’s supervisor: Letters of recommendation should be from people qualified to assess the applicant’s leadership skills and academic potential. These letters are submitted online and described here. We advise you to contact people to consider writing your recommendations well in advance of the deadline.
- Essay or personal statement: Applicants are required to answer specific questions to be addressed in the application essay.
- Explain why you want to be admitted to the Ed.D. program.
- The Ed.D. program requires that candidates be involved in planning and implementing a series of initiatives targeted at specific improvement needs that candidates identify and in which they may exercise leadership. Describe the contexts and responsibilities in your current position which would allow you to exercise leadership.
- Describe a problem in your area of interest that typifies the kind of issue that you would like to pursue as a leadership professional and why you think it is important to address.
- Supplemental materials are appropriate if they help establish your ability to analyze, reason, interpret and write clear and persuasive prose. A grant proposal, report, journal article, or other succinct writing may be included with the application.
- Current resume.
- All students whose primary language is not English must submit official copies of the TOEFL, IELTS, or iTEP Academic Plus test.; the minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL test is 100. The minimum acceptable score for the IELTS is 7.0. The minimum acceptable score for the iTEP Academic Plus is 4.5. International applicants who have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an American university or who are from a country on the approved list may have this requirement waived. Please see the Grad Admissions test scores page, under the TOEFL/IELTS Test Scores section.
- GRE scores are not required for application.
Note: Please do not send any transcripts to the School of Education.
In addition to the University requirements above, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Applicants must hold a master’s degree in a relevant area (e.g., educational leadership; literacy, mathematics, or science education; higher education; human services; special education; technology in education) from an accredited university by the month in which they begin doctoral work.
- Applicants must demonstrate scholastic ability by having achieved a minimum graduate grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale in their undergraduate degree and 3.00 on a 4.00 scale in their master’s program.
- Applicants should be working in or toward a leadership role in their current position (e.g., administrator, coordinator, or teacher leader at a district/school, higher education, or education department in other organization). A current resume or Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) must be submitted as part of the application.
Admission to the Ed.D. in Organizational Improvement for Educational Leaders is competitive and selective. Admission decisions are made on a number of criteria including academic qualifications; leadership potential, experience and accomplishments; the applicant’s alignment with the program goals and objectives and the expertise of the program faculty; and program capacity. Those who meet stated minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.
Graduate credit earned at another institution will be evaluated at the written request of the student. Such a request should be submitted first to the student’s advisor following the Transfer of Graduate Credit process. A maximum of 9 credits required for the degree will be accepted provided that such credits (1) were earned with a grade of no less than B, (2) are approved by the student’s adviser and the School of Education Director or Designee, (3) are in accord with the student’s program requirements, (4) are not older than five years, and (5) were completed at an accredited college or university. The credits, but not the grades or quality points, are transferable to University of Delaware graduate records. Graduate courses counted toward a degree received elsewhere may not be used. Credits earned at another institution while the student was classified as a continuing education student at that institution are not eligible to be transferred to one’s graduate degree at the University of Delaware. Credits from institutions outside of the United States are generally not transferable to the University of Delaware.
“The University of Delaware is a large institution, but as a graduate student here – as I have worked my way through my program, the school has become ‘smaller’ and more personal which has made my experience more meaningful and fulfilling.”
Sterling H. Seemans, Ed.D. in Educational Leadership alum; M.Ed. in School Leadership, 2012; BS in Health Sciences, 2008. He is currently an Assistant Principal at Rising Sun High School in North East, Maryland.
Logistics
Nearly all classes are hybrid and some combination of in-person and synchronous online. All EdD classes start weekdays at 5:00 pm or later, or on the weekend. On average students travel to campus twice per month.
Yes, this program requires a 12-credit Dissertation in Practice (DIP). This requires you to identify, study, and address an organizational problem and then to carry out an organizational improvement project. Many of the course activities can be integrated into the Dissertation in Practice and you will receive the support of your advisor and dissertation committee as you complete the project.
For information about graduate tuition, visit CEHD’s graduate tuition page.
Ed.D. students may be qualified for loans by applying through Student Financial Services and they meet registration requirements such as being enrolled in at least 6 credits in the same term. (Short sessions such as Fall A and Fall B, and Spring A and Spring B, are not considered the same term.)
Ed.D. students are usually part-time graduate students and normally do not qualify for assistantships. If an Ed.D. student is full time, however, the full-time Ed.D student is eligible to apply for the same assistantships and fellowships as full-time Ph.D. students.
Yes, admitted Ed.D. students are assigned to an academic advisor who is a full-time faculty member in the School of Education. This person helps you throughout your doctoral journey by meeting to schedule classes, providing resources as you identify your problem of practice, and supports the development and completion of your Dissertation in Practice.
Program Faculty
Additional FAQs
Yes, our students come from a host of backgrounds, including nursing, communication, and law. While a number of courses address education content, the program’s focus on organizational improvement is broadly applicable to a range of industries, interests, and domains.
This program is not designed to be full-time, which is typically a requirement for student visas.
We strongly recommend this program for people who are employed in education or human service organizations. This program works best when students can immediately apply their new learning to their current organizational context, like a school, district, or university. Without a connection to a home organization, it is difficult to complete the course and program requirements. For questions, please reach out to the program coordinator.
Not at this time.
Yes. In order to get a central office/superintendent’s license, you need to take 6 credit hours of 879 over two consecutive terms (such as spring and summer). These credits include your 240 hour internship. You will also need to take the appropriate Praxis exam and apply for university endorsement.
- All EdD classes start weekdays at 5:00 pm or later, or on the weekend
- All classes taught by research faculty or who hold doctorates (not adjuncts but research professors)
- All leadership faculty are former P12 and higher ed practitioners (teachers, administrators, and student services professionals)
- All classes are some kind of hyflex delivery
- On average students travel to campus twice per month