Online EdD – Higher Education Leadership Concentration
As society changes, higher education must change with it. Colleges, universities, and other post-secondary institutions need leaders who understand the needs of today’s college student population, as well as the impact and potential for growth offered by modern instructional technology. Develop the strategic mindset and leadership expertise you need to take your place as an administrator in higher education with our EdD in Higher Education Leadership concentration program. Covering all aspects of institutional and educational leadership from accreditation to assessment, this option prepares you to serve in the ever-evolving higher education space.
What you can do with an EdD in Higher Education Leadership
Depending on your previous experience, the leadership skills you’ll develop in this concentration can prepare you to compete for roles such as:
- Admissions director
- Dean
- Financial aid director
- Institutional research director
- Provost
- Vice president
Curriculum: Higher Education Leadership Concentration
Online EdD Core Coursework
EDD 801: Principles of Responsive and Transformational Leadership
Explore the conceptual models, theories and frameworks that will empower you as an educator and leader. Analyze and define your professional practice by applying principles of responsive and transformational leadership.
EDD 803: Ethical Organizational Leadership
Explore principles and frameworks of ethical organizational leadership. Examine how your professional values inform your responses to issues and challenges in educational contexts.
EDD 812: Equity in Diverse Educational Settings
Propose strategies to address issues of disproportionality, inequity and bias based on an analysis of diversity and equity issues and how they impact education. Equipped with this knowledge, design meaningful interventions to address inequity or bias.
EDD 814: Scholarly Communication
Refine your power as a writer and communicator through substantive feedback on your dissertation as it nears completion. Evaluate diverse methods for communicating your research findings by writing conference proposals, book proposals and peer-reviewed journal articles.
EDD 850: Transformational Leadership: Practice and Impact
Assess your current practice within the context of responsive and transformational leadership, define yourself as a leader and describe how your research has informed your leadership.
Dissertation and Research Coursework
Unlike many doctoral programs, Alverno College provides support on the development of your dissertation from day one to ensure you can complete your degree on time. If additional time to complete your dissertation is necessary or if revisions are requested following your initial submission, you have the option to take an additional semester of dissertation support.
EDD 800: Dissertation Advisory I
In this first dissertation course, you will identify a potential area for study, identify members of your dissertation committee, develop your initial research question and complete a draft literature review.
EDD 802: Research in Educational Contexts
Define your areas of interest in relation to existing research by reading broadly and deeply from a variety of scholarly sources. Begin the framework for your literature review by developing a bibliography in APA format.
EDD 804: Research Methods
Create an initial plan for a research method for your dissertation after analyzing and evaluating diverse research paradigms and methods. You can also explore the possibility of co-authoring your dissertation in this course.
EDD 810: Dissertation Advisory II
Complete the introduction and literature review and begin development of the methodology section of your dissertation.
EDD 811: Statistics and Data Analysis
Deepen your understanding of statistical and quantitative data and evaluate tools for effective analysis. Undertake a critical evaluation of the use of statistics to support arguments and claims. Identify appropriate tools and approaches for your own research design.
EDD 813: Advanced Research Methods and Data Analysis
Take on deeper study of advanced research methods to identify methods aligned with your dissertation focus and complete a draft of your research methodology for your proposal.
EDD 820: Dissertation Advisory III
Complete and defend your research proposal. Compile, receive feedback on, revise and submit your Institutional Review Board (IRB) documents.
EDD 830: Dissertation Advisory IV
Engage in data gathering and analysis and begin write-up of your dissertation.
EDD 840: Dissertation Defense and Dissemination
Defend your dissertation, receive feedback and make any needed revisions.
EDD 860: Dissertation V (Optional)
If necessary, you can opt for an additional semester to complete or revise and defend your dissertation.
Higher Education Leadership Courses
The Higher Education Leadership concentration covers coursework for future leaders in post-secondary institutions.
EDD 831: Higher Education Legal Issues and Accreditation
Compare regional accrediting body expectations, with an emphasis on regional IHE accrediting bodies. Apply what you learn about accreditation to write a proposal for a new degree program and prepare for a mock annual review.
EDD 832: Higher Education Curriculum and Assessment
Demonstrate your ability to work effectively and collaboratively with key higher education stakeholders and faculty. Examine and evaluate curricula, explore strategies for board and trustee engagement and identify methods for effectively addressing student and faculty concerns and grievances.
EDD 833: Assessment, Technology and Data in Higher Education Settings
Analyze the tools and data used in program evaluation, including retention, graduation and attrition rates, evaluations of faculty and enrollment trends and patterns. Apply this analysis to the design of a higher education program evaluation process.
EDD 835: Higher Education Roles, Responsibilities and Leadership
Explore the commitment and skills required for success as an IHE leader. Study systematic leadership theory and practice, developing professional competencies and skills that will enable you to create climates and capacities for learning across organizations.