Frequently Asked Questions - Ph.D. or Ed.D.?
Did you know? Doctoral degrees in education are not the same! The Department of Education Leadership and Policy Studies offers two excellent doctoral degree programs. The Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Urban Education is research oriented whereas the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership is directed towards educational practice and the application of theory and research.
The Ed.D. is equal in rigor, but different in substance from the Ph.D. Here is how:
| Ph.D. in Education: Urban Education | Ed.D. in Educational Leadership |
| Theoretical foundations of the field | Development of specialized practitioner skills |
| Application of other foundational or related disciplines including, but not limited to, African American Studies, Anthropology, Geography and Urban Studies, History, and Sociology | Application of other educational foundations and techniques |
| Research which is directed toward theory building | Applied research which primarily addresses localized practitioner problems |
The Ph.D. student would typically be a person who is:
- anticipating a faculty career or an area of practice which demands research expertise
- excited by theory and conceptual analysis
- tending toward research and has potential for primarily advancing the theory in the field rather than implementing its practice
An Ed.D. student would typically be a person who is:
- planning on working in the field primarily as a practitioner
- especially interested in developing new technological capabilities
- interested in research which tends to emphasize development, evaluation, or field based projects
For more information on these programs please visit the Educational Leadership Ed.D Program and the Urban Education Ph.D. Program pages. See Applicants' Frequently Asked Questions for other details about the application process.
