As a candidate in this online EdD in leadership and innovation, you’ll learn how to identify problems and implement positive changes across educational settings. With an emphasis on evaluating your approach to education, this program supports the development of thoughtful and influential practitioners. You’ll develop the tools needed to discover opportunities for change, make data-driven decisions and implement actions to boost student success.
To align your learning experience with your career goals, you can select from three distinct educational pathways, including:
- Higher education change leadership.
- Pre-K–grade 12 change leadership.
- Systems, professional and reimagined change leadership.
Collaborate with faculty and fellow students
In your second and third years, you’ll collaborate in an assigned, virtual leader-scholar community (LSC) group. Together, you’ll study, conceptualize and implement change initiatives in your respective educational settings. LSC groups also support one another when conducting action research and preparing individual dissertations. Additionally, every group receives personalized guidance from a designated faculty member, who will ultimately serve as the dissertation committee chair.
Your practical research will also involve collaboration. When entering the program, you must hold a position in an educational setting that embraces innovation for positive change. As a doctoral candidate, expect to conduct multiple cycles of inquiry, or research, in your workplace to identify problems of practice, as well as propose and test solutions. As a graduate, you’ll be equipped to drive thoughtful, intentional and informed educational practices and apply a continuous improvement mindset.
Who’s a good candidate for this online EdD?
This program is designed for full-time education practitioners who want to bring innovation into their workplaces as academic leaders in schools, school districts, nonprofit organizations and private businesses, or administrative leadership roles in colleges and universities. Ideal candidates will embrace a revolution in how they approach educational leadership, including committing to continuous improvement and innovation.
Candidates should also note that this three-year, 9–10 semester program won’t support career paths leading to tenured positions at research-intensive universities. It is an excellent option, however, for those holding non-tenure-line positions at universities, such as lecturer or clinical instructor, or working within community college systems.
Arizona State University’s online Doctor of Education in leadership and innovation is designed for practicing educator-leaders looking to transform their practice and create better learning opportunities for all students. Delivered in a collaborative, cohort model, this program incorporates academic and personal support through leader-scholar community groups made up of your peers and a faculty member.
This program features a curriculum that encourages both self-reflection and collaboration with your leader-scholar community group. In your courses, you’ll build competencies in continually evaluating your professional practice, making informed decisions and understanding the implications of educational innovation. The program culminates in completing and defending your dissertation.
The Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation faculty draws from a range of academic disciplines including cognitive science, psychology and economics. They seek to answer questions about the process of learning, teaching practices and effects of education policy. Our faculty is also committed to connecting research to schools and other learning environments. They ensure teacher and leadership preparation programs combine scholarly rigor with practical application.
Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation brings people and ideas together to increase the capabilities of educators and the performance of education systems. Our university has been recognized with peer-reviewed honors from U.S. News & World Report.
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Applicants to the Doctor of Education in leadership and innovation program must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation.
This program has a highly competitive admission process.
Applicants must currently hold a position related to education that will allow them to implement change in their workplace.
All applicants must show proof of a completed master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA in the last 60 hours of their bachelor's program. Additionally, applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA in an applicable master’s degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- Graduate admission application and application fee.
- Official transcripts.
- Letters of recommendation.
- Personal statement.
- Up-to-date curriculum vitae or resume.
- Writing sample.
The online program admits students two times a year in the spring and fall semesters. Your application will be rated and ranked based on the following:
- What interests you about this particular doctoral program, given your current or prior professional experiences?
- The extent to which your local problem of practice is unique, important and worthy of investigation as part of your action research projects and dissertation.
- How you envision the program helping you address your identified problem of practice and achieving your professional goals.
- How you see the program improving your commitment and ability to engage with issues of diversity and inclusion.
- Your overall fit, given the goals and objectives of the program.
- The overall quality of your writing.
For the committee to gain a better understanding of your fit for the program, you must submit a three-page, double-spaced (1" margins and 12-point font) personal statement that answers the following three topics:
- In approximately 250 words, explain why you’re interested in pursuing an EdD in MLFTC’s leadership and innovation program. Describe how your professional goals intersect with the values and action research methodologies of the program.
- In approximately 200 words, describe a local problem of practice in your current professional work. Focus on why this problem is significant to you and others, and the change you hope to see. This is explored more deeply in your writing sample — here you should focus on how this problem captured your attention and what motivates your interest or passion for addressing it.
- In approximately 300 words, share how your background and experiences demonstrate your commitment to and exemplify the ASU Charter, which states: “ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves.” Discuss how those commitments might be reflected in your research should you join our program.
The admission committee pays particular attention to the quality of writing and clarity demonstrated in your answers to these questions.
To help the admissions committee better evaluate your qualifications for entrance into this EdD program, we ask that you submit a 3–5-page essay addressing the following guiding prompt:
- What is action research and how can it be used to address a problem of practice you identify in your local educational/learning context (e.g. the problem noted in your personal statement)? Discuss how action research could be specifically applied to address this problem. Utilize the provided articles and any additional literature to support your analysis, ensuring you engage deeply with the concepts of action research and its practical applications in your specific context.
We have made available several articles that you should read and consider when responding to this prompt (see below). You’re encouraged to refer to these resources (and others) in your essay.
The essay should be 800–1200 words (not including references). The writing sample must be double-spaced, use 1" margins and be written in 12-point font. While essays should reference the three provided pieces below, they may also include additional literature. Please ensure all literature is appropriately cited and referenced following APA 7th edition style guidelines.
Feel free to reach out to the [email protected] for further advice and instructions.
Provided research literature:
- Rasmussen, H. T. (2018). Getting to maybe: Improving the education doctorate in an era of uncertainty. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, 3(2), 24-29.
- Hammond, M. (2013). The contribution of pragmatism to understanding educational action research: value and consequences. Educational Action Research, 21(4), 603-618.
- Buss, R. R. (2018). Using Action Research as a Signature Pedagogy to Develop EdD Students’ Inquiry as Practice Abilities. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, 3(1).
For a complete application, you’ll need three professional references. The admission committee prefers to review a reference from each of the following categories:
- Your current supervisor or someone in a supervisory position with whom you’ve worked.
- Someone in an academic position with whom you’ve studied or worked, such as a professor or someone who can write about your ability to undertake graduate studies.
- A person of your choice, such as someone who you know professionally and who can write about your qualities that will contribute to your success in a practice-focused doctoral program.
Your recommenders will receive a form that asks them to explain your qualities and fit for the program with respect to the following desired professional attributes:
- Collaboration with others.
- Dedication to equity access and inclusiveness.
- Initiative.
- Overall potential for graduate studies.
- Perseverance.
- Potential for leadership.
- Professionalism.
- Receiving and using feedback.
- Research aptitude.
- Writing ability.
Please provide the recommenders’ names, current places of business, and email addresses when submitting your application. Recommenders will receive a form to complete and provide their feedback.
An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) must provide proof of English proficiency.
No, Arizona State University’s diplomas don’t specify whether you earn your degree online or in person. All diplomas and transcripts simply say “Arizona State University.”