About The Program
Our innovative learning communities allow you to explore different areas of leadership in a cohort with others who share your commitment and passion. Based on practitioner-oriented knowledge and skills, our program engages you with authentic leadership and research experiences, as well as opportunities for reflection to develop your leadership style. You'll be exposed to three analytic lenses - equity, accountability and learning theory - that enable you to consider perspectives of those from different backgrounds. We prepare you to apply theory and practice to address real-world problems. By preparing you to apply theory and research, we focus on addressing In your third year, you'll collaborate with your peers and a community partner to develop a tailored capstone project to advance their organization.
- Superintendent of schools
- Chief academic officer
- Chief learning officer
- Executive director of education
- Educational leadership director
- Organizational development director
- Student services administrator
- Educational technology director
- Strategic Initiatives administrator
- College or university president or vice president
- HR consultant
- Executive coach
Pick the best focus area and cohort to meet your career goals
- Organizational leadership (nonprofit, military, government, corporate)
- Higher education leadership
- K-12 leadership
- Combined (all three concentrations or across the leadership pipeline)
Learning Community & Cohorts
In the Ed.D Program, each entering group of students is called a Learning Community (LC), differentiated by graduation year (e.g., LC 28 is the group starting in the summer of 2025 and graduating in May of 2028). Within each LC we have multiple cohorts in the following areas:
- General Leadership Online
- Meets for 1.5 hours Wednesdays between 5 and 8 pm ET
- Higher Education Leadership Online
- Meets for 1.5 hours Wednesdays between 5 and 8 pm ET
- K12 Leadership Online
- Meets for 1.5 hours Wednesdays between 5 and 8 pm ET
- International Leadership Online
- Meets for 1.5 hours Wednesdays between 9am and 12pm ET(UT -4)
- Combined Face-to-face
- Meets Thursday evenings 5:30-8pm and five Saturdays a semester
In the supplemental questions area in the online application, students will rank order their preferences of cohort (1 = most preferred cohort; 4 = least preferred). Cohorts are determined after the admissions deadline, and we reserve the right to change initial cohort assignments to balance the needs of the students and the institution*. We take into account student preference, but a given cohort is not guaranteed. Each cohort completes the same Ed.D. courses with shifts in focus depending on the composition of students in a particular cohort. We are committed to reflective and responsive engagement with our learners.
*Be advised that a minimum number of students is required to administer a cohort.
At a Glance
Degree Earned
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Credits: 48
Application Semesters and Deadlines
Summer: February 1
Program Modality
Online and in-person*
A required two-day, on-site residency to start the program
*A minimum number of students is required to administer an in-person cohort.
Estimated Completion Time
Part-time (1-8 credits): average completion in 3 years
Admission requirements
| Degree: | Semester(s) of entry: | Deadline dates: | Test requirements: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ed.D. | Summer | Feb 1 |
In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, the following requirements represent the minimum acceptable standards for admission:
- Master’s degree
- Three letters of recommendation addressing the student’s potential for graduate study in education
- Statements of intent and leadership
- Transcripts of all previous college work
- A personal interview (may be requested)
- Professional vitae/resume
Please visit the School of Education website for further information.
Degree requirements
In addition to general VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, students are required to complete course work in core and elective courses.
- Credit hour requirements: Students are required to complete a minimum of 48 credit hours.
- Grade requirements: Receipt of a grade of C or below in three courses constitutes automatic dismissal from the program: Courses with a grade below C cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements.
- Capstone requirements: Students must complete and defend a team-based capstone research project.
Curriculum requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDLP 700 EDLP 700. Learning Networks. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Exploration of characteristics of effective leaders, team members and organizations. Personal inventories related to leadership skills; team-building and team-participation skills; learning preferences; preferences for processing information and for decision-making. Results of inventories are analyzed, combined with learned theories and applied to practice. | Learning Networks | 3 |
| EDLP 702 EDLP 702. Organizational Analysis. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Critical analysis of equity issues and leadership actions in a specific context. Application of theory and research approaches to an organizational setting. | Organizational Analysis | 3 |
| EDLP 704 EDLP 704. Legal Perspectives. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Study of the U.S. legal system, legal opinions and the impact of laws and policy on educational sectors. Critical analysis of legal and policy issues. Application of legal understandings to a specific identified issue. | Legal Perspectives | 3 |
| EDLP 705 EDLP 705. Policy and Ethics. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Study and analysis of leadership and organizational issues from policy and ethics perspectives. | Policy and Ethics | 3 |
| EDLP 708 EDLP 708. Leadership and Crisis. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Study of leadership with a focus on crisis management, trauma-informed practice, leadership presence and communication strategies. | Leadership and Crisis | 3 |
| EDLP 709 EDLP 709. Equity and Leadership. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Explores theory and research regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice and decolonization in organizational contexts. | Equity and Leadership | 3 |
| EDLP 711 EDLP 711. Data and Leadership I. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Introduction for scholar-practitioners to quantitative approaches on gathering and analyzing data, such as measurement principles, secondary database analysis and survey design. Emphasis on consumption of research, communicating about research and using research to inform practice and policy. | Data and Leadership I | 3 |
| EDLP 712 EDLP 712. Culture Change. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Study of theory and research about organizational structures, culture and change. Emphasis on assessment and analysis of organizational structures and culture, developing inclusive cultures, and implementing change processes. | Culture Change | 3 |
| EDLP 713 EDLP 713. Data and Leadership II. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Introduction for scholar-practitioners to qualitative approaches to gathering and analyzing data, such as interviews, focus groups, document analysis and observation. Emphasis on consumption of research, communicating about research and using research to inform practice and policy. | Data and Leadership II | 3 |
| EDLP 714 EDLP 714. Systems Change. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Study of theory and research about systems and systems change utilizing principles of improvement science. Emphasis on analyzing root historical and institutionalized issues at the core of a system's ability to change, and generating theories of change and coherent strategies that address diverse elements of the system. | Systems Change | 3 |
| EDLP 715 EDLP 715. Professional Writing. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Develop skill sets to become scholar-practitioners. Focus on what it means to be a scholar-practitioner; critical review and synthesis of literature sources and of scholarly sources and practical knowledge; translation of research and theory to practice and policy to effectively communicate writing across various audiences. | Professional Writing | 3 |
| EDLP 717 EDLP 717. Data Visualization. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Study of data analytics relevant to communicating effectively about data and their implications for leadership decisions. Focus on styles and methods of writing related to conveying results of data analyses, including development of graphs, tables, charts and figures, and presentation materials. | Data Visualization | 3 |
| EDLP 718 EDLP 718. Budgeting and Finance. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Study of finance systems, budgeting and cost analysis. Analysis and development of budgets using equity, efficiency, legal and ethics perspectives. Understanding of cost analysis principles and techniques. Application of theory to practical, real-life contexts. | Budgeting and Finance | 3 |
| EDLP 790 EDLP 790. Capstone Development. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Supervised research. Client-based project. Designed to develop and refine the skills applicable to the preparation of an acceptable description of a capstone project. Development of background, review of research, project objectives and methods for gathering data, in consultation with capstone chair and client. | Capstone Development | 3 |
| EDLP 798 EDLP 798. Capstone Plan Implementation. 3-6 Hours.
Semester course; 3-6 research hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3-6 credits. Prerequisite: EDLP 790. Supervised research. Client-based project. Conducting of research related to project developed in the prerequisite course, with guidance from capstone project chair and client. Study of data management processes. Development of interim reports for capstone committee and client. Graded as S/U/F. | Capstone Plan Implementation | 3 |
| EDLP 799 EDLP 799. Capstone Completion. 3-6 Hours.
Semester course; 3-6 research hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3-6 credits. Prerequisite: EDLP 798. Supervised research. Client-based project. Continuation of capstone implementation. Focus on developing conclusions and recommendations based upon data analyses. Presentation of capstone project to capstone committee and client. Graded as S/U/F. | Capstone Completion | 3 |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
The minimum total of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 48.
The VCU Bulletin is the official source for academic course and program information.
Testimonials
“From the first class, I realized that this program would work for people of any career. Professionally, that lesson not only has given me confidence to approach my superiors and confidently challenge policy, but also has created opportunities for me in my workplace.”
James Perkins, Ed.D. LC20
"My [capstone] chair was incredible — despite the chaos in the world, she made the experience rich through her guidance, support, humanity, empathy, and expertise, which had a significant impact on me."
Melissa Hill, Ed.D. LC21
"I appreciate that VCU places social justice and equity front and center throughout the program. We had courageous and necessary conversations, which was crucial to the experience."
Adrienne Quarles-Smith, Ed.D. LC22
"What I love about the VCU Ed.D. program is how it's enriched with opportunities beyond coursework. We’re encouraged to present at conferences, build our resumes, and enhance our CVs, which adds significant value.”
Tameka Burroughs, Ed.D. LC23
"What I really loved about the Ed.D. program was how it built on itself and prepared us to think about how we come into a room as leaders, how we unpack problems, and more.”
Jennifer Adams, Ed.D. LC22
Frequently Asked Questions
For each credit hour, the student should allocate three or more hours of work outside of the classroom (f2f or online) to have adequate time to read, write, and work collaboratively with peers and faculty. Thus, 6 credits requires approximately 18 hours per week of dedicated time outside of class per semester. This may vary by instructor, course, and semester. This is a reading and writing intensive program, with a focus on collaborative learning.
Online cohorts meet synchronously online for 1-1.5 hours on Wednesdays between 5 and 8 pm E.T. Additional time outside of class is dedicated to asynchronous work (e.g., discussion boards), reading, writing, and teaming (i.e., meeting with course project teams).
Face-to-face cohorts meet on the Monroe Park Campus five full-day Saturdays a semester and weekly on Thursday evenings starting between 4 and 6 pm and lasting 2-2.5 hours. Plan for all F2F sessions to be on campus, though some courses use a more hybrid format by including both F2F classes and online synchronous meetings/ work. Additional time outside of class is dedicated to some asynchronous work (e.g., discussion boards), reading, writing, and teaming (i.e., meeting with course project teams).
A sample of Ed.D. Capstone projects available in the VCU Scholars Compass is found under Resources below.
Use this link to calculate tuition expenses. Select "Doctoral - Off Campus" for the online program and select "Doctoral - Monroe Park Campus" the face-to-face program. Select "Part-Time" and the appropriate residency information. Ed.D. students take two classes per semester for nine semesters.
We encourage students to work with their employer to gain tuition support and, if financial support is not possible, to negotiate for allocated school work time. Each year we have students gain promotions, awards, and secure new jobs due to the application of EdD coursework and skills. In other words, work with your employer to see the EdD as professional development and give you time and or/money to support your development. They will benefit from your degree.
Please be advised that since the EdD in Leadership is a part-time program, we are unable to offer scholarships. Most students gain employer support, use savings, and/or use student loans. There are also tuition payment plans available. We encourage you to work with Student Financial Services to explore your options.
Attendance is required. We offer accommodations only in unique and warranted circumstances.
We strive to place students in the best-fit cohort from the outset. Occasionally, we have a student quickly realize they are not in the best fit. In such cases, we may allow a student to shift cohorts with clear rationale and sufficient cohort numbers for the switch. After the first semester of the program, switches are rarely approved barring extreme circumstances.
We require students to have a minimum of three years of leadership experience. The applicant should describe / make evident how they meet this threshold in their statement of intent and resume/CV. For example, leadership in practice may or may not reflect an applicant’s job title. If you are close to the three year minimum, make sure your materials clearly reflect that you meet the three year minimum requirement.