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The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Human Sciences:
Doctor of Education (EdD)

“I chose Walden because I needed a school that fit my career goals and my schedule. I stayed with Walden for the quality education I received.”

Gladys Landing-Corretjer, Doctor of Education (EdD) Graduate

 

Walden’s Doctor of Education (EdD) program is designed to help educators tackle real-world challenges and create meaningful change in their organizations and communities. It focuses on practical solutions, teaching students how to test new ideas quickly, use data to make smart decisions, and apply evidence-based strategies to lead effectively. 

Throughout the program, students will learn to identify key challenges, analyze relevant data, and develop solutions that make a real impact. The coursework is carefully structured, guiding students through major milestones—defining problems, finding solutions, and using data to drive decisions. Each step builds toward the final capstone project, completed in a two-course sequence. 

Note on Teacher Licensure or Certification

This program does not lead to teacher licensure or certification. Teachers are advised to contact their individual school districts as to whether this program may qualify for salary advancement.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this program, educator professionals will be able to:

  1. Apply theoretical knowledge to solve educational problems.
  2. Critically analyze education-related issues.
  3. Align research methodologies to questions and hypotheses addressing issues in educational practice.
  4. Communicate with diverse stakeholders to advocate for students in educational settings.
  5. Practice ethically as a professional in the field of education.
  6. Collaborate with diverse stakeholders to promote continuous improvement in educational settings.
  7. Promote equity in education programs and policies.
  8. Advocate for social change to make a positive impact in educational settings.

Degree Requirements

  • 60 credits, see curriculum breakdown below 

Curriculum

  • Students may take this as a non-degree course.

OR

  • Students may take this as a non-degree course.
  • Students may take this as a non-degree course.

Specialization Courses

Doctoral Capstone 

Course Sequence

The recommended course sequence is as follows:

Quarter Course Credits
Quarter 1

EDDD 8000 - Leading Education into the Future

 OR 

EDDD 8001 - Leading Education into the Future

 (6-week version, for midterm start dates)		 5 credits
Quarter 2

EDDD 8007 - Tools for Practitioner Inquiry

 5 credits

EDDD 8016 - Practitioner Inquiry I

 5 credits
Quarter 3 EDDD 8017 - Evidence-based Inquiry I 5 credits
Specialization Course 1  5 credits
Quarter 4 Specialization Course 2  5 credits
Specialization Course 3 5 credits
Quarter 5 Specialization Course 4 5 credits

EDDD 8018 - Evidence-based Inquiry II

 5 credits
Quarter 6 EDDD 8026 - Practitioner Inquiry II 5 credits
Quarter 7

EDDD 8995 - Completing the Doctoral Capstone I

 5 credits
Quarter 8

EDDD 8996 - Completing the Doctoral Capstone II 

 5 credits 

To complete an evidence-based practice capstone, students must complete an ethics pledge and obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators, including their course instructor, the Form and Style Review, and gain final approval by a program designee. Students must also publish their evidence-based practice capstone on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Visit EdD Capstone Resources to learn more about the evidence-based practice capstone.

Specialization Courses (currently not accepting new students)

8-Year Maximum Time Frame

Students have up to 8 years to complete their doctoral degree requirements (see Enrollment Requirements in the student handbook). Students may petition to extend the 8-year maximum time frame, but an extension is not guaranteed.