If you are an educator and you’re thinking about earning your Doctorate degree in Education, you may want to inquire about which type of program will be best for you, either the Doctorate in Education (EdD) degree or a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) program. You must ask yourself what your end goal will be professionally, as well as, your personal goals.
To begin a doctorate program, you must hold a master’s degree and a 3.0 grade point average, along with the completion of your residency requirements and dissertation project. At this point, you are ready to embark on an awesome journey… earning your online Doctorate degree in Education. Your degree can be earned through an online program or through the traditional brick and mortar campus.
For the individual whose end goal is to become a professor at the university or collegiate level or someone who would like to pursue a career in research, the PhD degree is the one for you. Within the PhD program, you will be required to focus your research on original and innovative concepts to assist in the field of education.
The student who wishes to earn their PhD degree is motivated by their desire to implement change in their community school system, as they have a love for both teaching and for learning. They often aspire to encourage other teachers with inventive new methods of teaching to spark the interest of students. They have hopes of embarking upon new and exciting techniques in the field of education, as well as, studying the sociology of education and childhood development.
The coursework involved in earning a PhD varies depending on your area of concentration. You will study the best ways to conduct research and implement scientific methods, theory and statistics. You will learn the most effective ways to turn those theories into practical applications. The PhD student must be self-motivated, organized and disciplined. A dissertation will be required for graduation.
As your degree program may take four to six years to complete, it will be worth your time, energy and money. PhD job opportunities include Sociologists, Teachers at the postsecondary level, Training and Developmental Specialists, as well as, Clinical, Counseling and School Psychologists.
For the educator that would like an opportunity to advance in an administrative or supervisory capacity, the EdD degree is designed for you. You may choose to work in leadership roles in the areas of education and in non-profit organizations or government agencies. You may also use your online Doctorate degree in Education in other business-related capacities within organizations that specialize in quality education.
Coursework for the EdD program will include classes in curriculum leadership and how to efficiently train your staff, in addition to, organizing programs that best fits the diverse needs of the students, particularly in areas of special education. You may also choose to specialize in more than one area when earning your degree.
The ideal candidate for an EdD program should have a genuine interest in leadership and preferably is someone who has some previous leadership experience. If you would like to advance in your career, your online Doctorate degree in Education will surely prepare you for an advancement position as an executive in a school district or as a school Principal.
If you are interested in this field of study, please check out our choices for the Top 20 Online Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Programs.