Executive EdD in Education Leadership (Online & Accelerated)

GMercyU's Doctorate in Educational Leadership program is a leader in EdD programs with a graduation rate of 76% vs. 11% nationally over a 4 year period. In fact, 64% graduated in three years. 

The Online Accelerated Executive EdD program challenges you to make new discoveries in your field of interest while honing your professional leadership skills as you prepare to lead in:  

• U.S. and international schools
• School districts
• Colleges and universities
• Educational policy organizations
• Government and nonprofit organizations that support education

The rigorous course of studies in our accelerated doctoral programs will prepare you with the global outlook, research skills, policy analysis capabilities, and practical executive leadership abilities you need to lead and transform educational institutions to meet the needs of all learners. Choose from one of three areas of interest:

• Leadership in PreK—12 Schools and School Districts (superintendent letter of eligibility courses available)
• Leadership in Higher Education
• Leadership in Special Education (special education supervisory certification available)
• Teaching & Learning in Higher Education

Rigorous, Accelerated Doctoral Education

The Online Accelerated Executive EdD program challenges you to make new discoveries in your field of interest while honing your professional leadership skills.

Most of your coursework for the accelerated Executive Doctorate in Educational Leadership takes place online, with classes presented one at a time in five- to seven-week blocks. You will also perform field research, take on practicum experiences, and attend three residencies: two on our Gwynedd Valley campus and one international experience. The international residency travel costs are included in your tuition costs as well as your required textbooks.

From day one, you’ll have the support of a faculty advisor who will help you prepare your dissertation. The result is a program that can help you be part of the next generation of education leaders.

What You Will Learn - Executive Doctorate of Educational Leadership

The online Accelerated Executive EdD program challenges you to make new discoveries in your field of interest while honing your professional leadership skills. 

As a GMercyU doctorate in education graduate, you will be able to:

• Articulate an educational organization’s mission, goals, and guiding principles that distinguish the organization from others
• Understand the foundational base of organizational theory and demonstrate the ability to bridge theory and practice
• Given scenarios of conflict, choose ethical courses of action consistent with Gospel values
• Synthesize and analyze data to reveal relations and causality and convert raw data into actionable information
• View problems and challenges through the lens of a scientist, seeking evidence-based conclusions
• Practice and model steward leadership in transforming organizations to better serve all constituents
• Demonstrate facility in the application of technology to solve problems, analyze and synthesize data, and manage information

Personal Doctoral Completion Support from Day One

GMercyU faculty members understand the challenges of doctoral education—they’ve all experienced it. That’s why they’ve helped us develop a doctorate of education program that offers superior support to doctoral students like you.

You’ll join a small cohort of classmates and be matched with a faculty advisor early in your program. You’ll take supervised dissertation preparation courses every semester, ensuring your research and writing are on track for timely completion. And you’ll be challenged, day in and day out, to pursue research that makes a tangible difference in the lives of students.

Methodological support is available for doctoral students and their advisors to support the dissertation process.  Areas in which support is provided include refining research questions, operationalizing variables, general study design, development of instrumentation methods (e.g., interview questions), the IRB application process, data analysis, and writing of results.  The methodologist can support students by providing resources for better understanding a process or topic, or by reviewing individual work. Depending on the particular needs and project, students and advisors can work virtually or in-person with the methodologist. See contact information for access to the methodology support. 

After you complete your online EdD program, you can connect to our extensive network of alumni. The colleagues, contacts, and friends you meet will inspire you to continue to discover the Next.

Earn Your Superintendent Letter of Eligibility

If you are an administrator or principal with at least three years’ experience, you have the option of earning your Superintendent Letter of Eligibility as part of the online EdD programs. Your Letter of Eligibility can open the door to superintendent positions in Pennsylvania. 

*Certification: This program was designed to meet the certification requirements of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. If you reside in a different state, you should carefully review your home state’s certification requirements prior to enrolling in this program.

Admission Requirements – Doctorate in Educational Leadership Program

To qualify for admission to our EdD in Educational Leadership, you must provide:

• A master’s degree in a field related to your preferred area of concentration from an institution accredited by the Middle States Association, or comparable accreditation, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
• Official graduate transcripts
• A Graduate Record Examination score of 155 or higher or a Miller Analogy Test percentile of 65 or higher (waived if you had a graduate GPA of 3.5 or greater)
• A professional resume showing a minimum of three years’ relevant experience
• Three letters of reference from persons in leadership roles in your chosen area of concentration attesting that you have the ability to engage in studies at the doctoral level and to conduct research
• A personal interview with a member of the graduate faculty representing the applicant’s preferred area of concentration (in person or via electronic means, if the distance is a factor)
• A written statement of your professional goals and topic of research interest
• A 750-1000 word sample of your writing abilities
• Official results showing a minimum score of 550 (written), 213 (computer), or 79 (internet) on the TOEFL examination if your first language is not English

Personal interviews may be required for any candidates as determined by the admissions committee. After enrollment, you will also need to obtain a Child Abuse Clearance, Criminal Background Check, and Federal Criminal History.