Reach the Pinnacle in Education Studies
Starting Fall 2026, this program will be a fully online program.
Whatever your aspirations may be in your career as an educator, the Doctorate of Education in Leadership for Educational Innovation and Community Impact from the University of Michigan-Dearborn will help you fulfill them. This degree provides the knowledge, skills, and credentials you need to conduct education research, work in education policy making, fill a top administrative role in PK-12 or postsecondary education, teach at a college or university, and so much more.
Through one track, every student takes the same 45-credit core in theory, research and leadership, takes one elective course, and starts a Dissertation in Practice. Every candidate takes 21 leadership credits, which qualifies them for the (optional) Central Office School Administrator (CO) Certificate from the State of Michigan, the credential required for superintendents and those in other top leadership roles at the school district level.
The Dissertation in Practice is a formal paper in which the student identifies a significant professional problem in education and implements a rigorous study to address it. The project must include a research question, a theoretical framework, a review of supporting literature, a discussion of methodology, data analysis, and concluding thoughts.
Where an Ed.D. Will Take You
The degree will give you the knowledge and tools to transform education wherever you work, whether you lead a PK-12 public school district, fulfill an administrative role at a college or university, teach future educators at the postsecondary level, conduct your own research to explore educational questions or problems, or contribute through some other professional venture.
