Online Program
Our online Doctor of Education (EdD) is a flexible program designed for education professionals to advance their careers through strong problem-solving and leadership skills that drive effective change management. (Includes two 5-day campus visits. Students are responsible for meals, lodging and transportation.)
Credit Hours: 52 | Program Length: 3-4 years | Tuition Cost
Who should enroll and what careers does the program prepare you for?
The UNH EdD is intended to prepare education professionals to be successful in ever increasingly challenging leadership roles, whether they are focused on higher education or K-12 education. It is ideally suited to aspiring leaders who are seeking to further advance in positions of leadership. Those positions may include a broad range of higher education functional areas such as student services, program management, admissions, advancement, among others, as well as school-based and district-level leadership. The skills and expertise the program is designed to develop are broadly applicable to roles outside of educational institutions as well, including government positions related to education policy and workforce development. The program is not designed to provide principal or superintendent licensure, however, those with licensure may find the EdD to be an excellent way to take their leadership abilities to a higher level. Students will leave the program with advanced evidence-based problem-solving abilities, as well as strengthened leadership skills that will facilitate more effective change management.
Why choose the UNH Doctor of Education?
The UNH EdD is highly flexible with two distinct tracks, one for higher education and one for K-12 education. It is a low residency program with two 5-day residencies required over the course of the program and the remaining course work offered in a convenient online format. The program makes use of both full-time UNH faculty and well as highly experienced adjunct faculty. A key feature of the program is the focus on an action-learning problem-based approach to the dissertation. The emphasis is on applying research-based approaches to addressing practical problems that leaders encounter. The dissertation itself is problem-based and the requirement is integrated into the residency requirements helping to better ensure successful completion. The structured approach is designed with intention of making a three to four-year start-to-finish more easily attainable. UNH is an R1 university and is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
Potential Careers Areas
- Corporate Human Resources
- Corporate Workforce Training
- Government Education Policy
- Government Workforce Development
- Higher Education Leadership
- Public Education
- Consulting
Curriculum & Requirements
This practice focused doctorate program is designed to prepare future and advancing education leaders to be highly effective strategic and evidence-based decision makers, problem solvers, and overall leaders. This practice focused program integrates practice, theory, and applied research. This program is designed to prepare leaders for today’s dynamic environment and associated challenges in which leaders need to be both evidence-based and innovative, with the goal of preparing leaders who are better prepared to leverage education to be the transformative social and economic engine it can be.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Research Core | ||
| EDUC 881 | Introduction to Statistics: Inquiry, Analysis, and Decision Making | 4 |
| EDUC 882 | Introduction to Research Methods | 4 |
| Administrative Core | ||
| EDUC 973 | Policy, Politics, and Planning in Education | 4 |
| EDUC 964 | Human Resources in Education | 4 |
| EDUC 962 | Educational Finance and Business Management | 4 |
| Tracks | ||
| Select a track from the following: | ||
School and District Leadership Track | ||
EDUC 965 | Educational Supervision and Evaluation | |
EDUC 967 | School Law | |
EDUC 968 | Collective Bargaining in Public Education | |
Higher Education Track | ||
EDUC 970 | Foundations for Leadership in Higher Education | |
EDUC 976 | Policy and Governance in Higher Education | |
| Electives | 12-16 | |
| In consultation with an academic advisor, select courses relevant to your interests: | ||
School and District Leadership Track (12 credits) | ||
Higher Ed Track (16 credits) | ||
| Doctoral Requirement | ||
| EDUC 995 | Independent Study (Action Research) | 4 |
| EDUC 995 | Independent Study (Problem-based Dissertation) | 4 |
Alternative Degree Path
Students in good standing who wish to leave the Ed.D. program before completing all requirements for the degree may choose to complete the Educational Administration & Supervision (Ed.S.) program. To be eligible for this option, students must complete the required Administrative Core courses and the School and District Leadership Track courses listed above, with at least 36 credits earned at UNH. For more information about this option contact the UNH Education Department.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the Ed.D. program will be able to:
- Develop and articulate a vision that represents the values and input of the institution’s constituents.
- Translate that vision into actionable steps that lead to the attainment of goals aligned with that vision
- Apply sound management and leadership practices to build well motivated and effective teams.
- Interpret and build budgets that align with and support the institution’s mission and objectives
- Effectively advocate for positions that support the interests of the institution and the mission it serves.
- Apply research techniques to identify opportunities and threats, as well as support sound decision-making.
Deadlines: Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:
- Fall: Aug. 15
- Spring: Jan. 15
- Summer: N/A
- Special: N/A
Application fee: $65
Campus: Online
New England Regional: No
Accelerated Masters Eligible: No
New Hampshire Residents
Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.
Transcripts
If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC.
If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.
If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:
- Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
- Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.
Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.
Letters of recommendation: 3 required
Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.
Personal Statement/Essay Questions
Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:
- Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
- Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.
Important Notes
All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.
International Applicants
Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.
Explore Program Details
Tuition & Fees:
The University of New Hampshire’s online graduate tuition and fees information is available on the UNH Business Services Website. Program costs and technology fees are subject to change.
Course Fees: Specific courses may have additional course fees. Visit the course schedule for more information.
Financial Aid:
Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans are a form of federal financial aid available to Graduate Students. To apply, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
