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- Ed.D. Capstone
SHAPE THE FUTURE AS AN EDUCATION INNOVATOR IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Rockhurst University’s online Ed.D. in Education and Leadership program’s Higher Education concentration is your doctoral pathway to a career as an educator and leader. With this two-year online degree, you will have the credentials to qualify for university faculty roles and become an innovator and changemaker in the higher education arena.
In this program, you will deepen your knowledge of historical and modern educational frameworks and the key issues shaping today’s educational landscape and draw upon learning theory to implement best practices.
Comprehensive course offerings in the following areas focus on the essential skills leaders need to make a tangible impact in higher education:
- Educational systems and policy
- Teaching, learning and curriculum
- Applied research
The Higher Education online Ed.D. is cohort-based to foster success and to help you build your network and connect with other leaders in your field.
- This program is 100% online, so you can continue to work while you earn your doctorate.
- A doctoral research capstone project at the end of the program synthesizes your studies into a publishable article and poster presentation.
- A graduate DEI certificate is available at no additional cost.
Flexible and accessible program
can be completed in 2 years
Committed to change and innovation
for communities and causes
One research capstone project
no dissertation required
Innovation in Education:
Annie Hart discusses how Rockhurst University’s Ed.D. program is shaping her as a leader in education.
Learn More
Get your free guide to learn more about what the Ed.D. in Education and Leadership can do for your career.
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- Master’s degree in any field OR completion of 33 graduate credits
- 3.0 GPA
- 2 Letters of recommendation (professional)
- Personal statement
- Research statement
- Resume
- Transcripts from all universities attended
(Evaluations for international transcripts are required. WES and others are accepted.)
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- Master’s degree in any field OR completion of 33 graduate credits
- 3.0 GPA
- 2 Letters of recommendation (professional)
- Personal statement
- Research statement
- Resume
- Transcripts from all universities attended
(Evaluations for international transcripts are required. WES and others are accepted.)
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Students will become familiar with different ways of exercising leadership, their own strengths and weaknesses, and how they can best work with others in a leadership context. In addition, they will learn and apply leadership skills in a way that encourages them to challenge their own beliefs and assumptions about what constitutes education leadership.
This course offers a comprehensive review of contemporary issues and perspectives on leadership, including multidisciplinary and systems-oriented approaches as well as classic theory. Topics include the development of leadership theories and styles, personal assessment and development, values and ethics, motivation, power, followership, group dynamics, multiculturalism in leadership, conflict resolution, and the mission and vision process. (3 credits)
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Students will become familiar with different ways of exercising leadership, their own strengths and weaknesses, and how they can best work with others in a leadership context. In addition, they will learn and apply leadership skills in a way that encourages them to challenge their own beliefs and assumptions about what constitutes education leadership.
This course offers a comprehensive review of contemporary issues and perspectives on leadership, including multidisciplinary and systems-oriented approaches as well as classic theory. Topics include the development of leadership theories and styles, personal assessment and development, values and ethics, motivation, power, followership, group dynamics, multiculturalism in leadership, conflict resolution, and the mission and vision process. (3 credits)
Learn More
Get your guide to find out more about our Ed.D. Higher Education curriculum.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you don’t find the answers to your questions here, contact your Rockhurst University (RU) enrollment adviser and schedule a time to talk that’s convenient for you.
The Higher Education Ed.D. concentration prepares students to become leaders in higher education. You will have the credentials and specialized knowledge to be qualified for roles such as:
- University Professor
- Postsecondary Education Administrator
- Academic Consultant
- Department Chair
Courses for the Higher Education Ed.D. prepare students for university faculty and leadership roles to impact change in higher education. Course topics include:
- Foundations of Educational Leadership
- Foundations of Classroom Management
- Policy, Ethics and Legal Frameworks in Education
- Technology Leadership
- College Teaching Practicum
- Managerial Communications
- Organizational Behavior
- HR and Managing People
- Innovation
- Organizational Change
For more information on topics covered in the Higher Education concentration, view our program guide.
Graduate certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion available at no additional cost. Contact your enrollment adviser for more information.
With an Ed.D. degree, enhanced skills and competencies, your earning potential will increase. The BLS reports a median annual wage of $96,910 for postsecondary education administrators as of May 2021. Jobs for postsecondary education administrators are expected to grow by seven percent from 2021 to 2031.
With an Ed.D. in Higher Education, you will deepen your knowledge of historical and modern educational frameworks and the key issues shaping today’s educational landscape. You will be able to draw upon learning theory to implement best practices, become an educational leader and make a tangible impact in higher education.
Rockhurst University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The School of Education is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. Business courses in this program are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
Rockhurst’s faculty are experienced professionals dedicated to each student’s success and are readily accessible for one-on-one advising and mentoring.
The online Ed.D. in Education and Leadership program can be completed in 2 years (6 semesters).
The online Ed.D. in Education and Leadership program requires 45 credits to graduate.
The online Ed.D. in Education and Leadership program costs $816 per credit hour for a total program investment of $36,720. Financial aid may be available to our online students.
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion graduate certificate program offers students the opportunity to explore DEI concepts and social justice in a multicultural world. The DEI certificate requires 4 elective courses for a total of 12 credits at no additional cost. Contact your enrollment adviser for more information.
Sean Klippel, Ed.D. in Education and Leadership — K-12 Leadership, Rockhurst University
Michelle McOsker, Ed.D. in Education and Leadership
“I got to walk alongside other people who were pursuing the same degree, so as we worked towards our doctorate in education, we were able to collaborate and work together and be a part of the journey with other people who were also mission-focused and very driven in their pursuit of education in
Annie Hart, Online Ed.D. in Education and Leadership - Higher Education, Rockhurst University
ONLINE ED.D. HIGHER EDUCATION CAPSTONE
The capstone is a culminating project that allows you to apply the knowledge and skills you gained during the Ed.D. in Education and Leadership program. The capstone is divided into two parts.
Capstone I
In the first part of the capstone project, you will:
- Define a problem related to an area of practice in the higher education environment.
- Complete a literature review.
- Develop a research methodology for approval.
Your research adviser will provide individual mentoring for your research as you develop the beginning phases of the capstone project.
Capstone II
You will collect data and work through analyses and conclusions in the second part of the capstone project. At the end of the course, you will submit your written capstone project as a complete research article formatted according to a journal in the higher education field and a research poster presented at the capstone graduation.
Higher Education Capstone Example
Laura Cordoba Dominquez. (2022). Deferred action for childhood arrival (DACA) students in higher education.
This research examines the experiences of DACA students in higher education. The researcher analyzes the challenges of DACA students, how they overcome these challenges, and what higher education institutions can do to help DACA students to be successful in U.S. colleges.
