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Advance Your Career as a Leader In Health Professions with Our Online Doctoral Program

Online Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership

College of Saint Mary developed this program specifically to meet the needs of those preparing for educational leadership positions in a healthcare setting. Coursework, case studies, and research employed in this program will assist students in applying theory to real-life healthcare situations.

The doctoral program is built as an online program to help meet your needs for flexibility and accessibility; however it also has the added benefit of feeling like a program delivered face-to-face. With a small cohort and frequent interactions with faculty and peers through virtual meetings, the program is designed to facilitate your success.

See additional program information including frequently asked questions.

Online Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership

View online the 3-Year Program of Study or Open a PDF

Required Courses

Doctoral Seminar 1 (1 credit hour)

Inquiry and Communication

Doctoral Seminar 2 (1 credit hour)

Critical and Analytical Thinking Skills

Doctoral Seminar 3 (1 credit hour)

Scholarship and Contribution to the Professional Field

*These three doctoral seminars are experiential graduate level courses that introduce you to various elements of doctoral education including policies, procedures and expectations that guide your progress.

 

Curriculum, Assessment & Quality Improvement

You will explore designing curricula in diverse learning environments using evidence-based theories and concepts, as well as relevant standards and criteria for educational evaluation and assessment, with an emphasis on development, implementation, and improvement of an education program for higher education, continuing education, professional development or P-12 education.

Ethics in Educational Leadership

This course examines the implications of several influential philosophical theories for a broad range of questions bearing on research, teaching, role expectations, the allocation of resources and contemporary dilemmas in organizations of P-12, higher education, continuing education, professional development or patient education.

Teaching and Learning Theories

You’ll focus on the theoretical underlying principles of the teaching-learning process. Various theorists in the behavioral, cognitive and humanistic categories of learning theories will be compared and contrasted.

Teaching and Learning Concepts

In this course you’ll explore the role of the educator in health professional programs or educational settings through the application of teaching and learning concepts, outcomes for the individual learner, group or organization. You’ll explore the role of the educator in health professional programs or educational settings through the application of teaching and learning concepts and outcomes for an individual learner, group or organization.

Adult Learning Theory

With a focus on adult education theories and practices, this course will identify the stages of adult development and explore the concept of andragogy vs. pedagogy and explore the social context of adult development, considering influences such as gender, race and culture.

Qualitative Research

You will explore various qualitative research traditions, including characteristics of qualitative designs and the major traditions (ethnography, phenomenology, hermeneutics, grounded theory, ethnomethodology, case study, narrative and historical analysis).

Quantitative Research

You will explore various quantitative research designs, including experimental, (quasi-experimental and time series) and non-experimental designs (ex post facto, correlational, retrospective, prospective and path analytic).

Advanced Statistics

This course will prepare you to utilize and interpret statistics for a dissertation. You will review descriptive and inferential statistics. Students will review and use descriptive and inferential statistics. ANOVA, multiple regression, and multivariate statistics are topics in this course. Students will apply concepts to data sets in education or health care. EDU 642 Research Statistics, graduate level statistics from another institution, successful completion of a competency test or instructor permission is required.

Leadership in Educational Organizations

Systems theory and organizational best practices form the framework for this course which characterizes best practices of leadership in educational institutions. Concepts such as accreditation, governance, strategic planning, higher education law and academic quality improvement processes will be studied in a variety of academic organizations to include P-12 education, higher education, professional development, continuing education and patient education.

Dissertation Readings

You will conduct a scholarly research literature review specific to a selected aspect of education in a variety of settings — P-12 education, higher education, continuing education, professional development or patient education.

Educational Leadership Practicum

Practical experience in a professional setting.

 

Comprehensive Exam

Before beginning the Research Proposal I, students will pass a comprehensive exam that 1) demonstrations understanding and ability to apply information from completed coursework and 2) indicates ability to proceed to the next phase of the program in which students will write a research proposal in preparation for the dissertation.

Research Proposal I

This course prepares you to identify your dissertation topic, establish the research question(s), complete the literature review and plan the methodology for the dissertation requirement related to P-12 education, higher education, continuing education or professional development.

Research Proposal II

This course prepares you to design and implement appropriate data collection methods to address your specific research questions. You will plan data analytic techniques most appropriate for your selected research design. You will apply data collection and analysis principles for a research proposal relevant to higher education, continuing education, professional development or P-12 education.

Dissertation and Oral Defense

You will complete an original research dissertation under the supervision of a dissertation committee of graduate faculty and chaired by an expert in your topic of research, and defend the dissertation orally. The research must meet all standard expectations of doctoral research and have approval of the dissertation committee prior to data collection.

 

Important Links for On-line Students

Requirements for Graduation from College of Saint Mary

To earn your doctor of education degree for either the Educational Leadership or Health Profession emphasis, you must complete 87 total credit hours.  Up to 36 of these hours may transfer from hours earned toward a Master’s degree as determined by the program director. In addition, 18 credit hours in major courses, 6 credit hours in cognate courses, 15 credit hours in research courses and 12 credit hours for dissertation are required.

All students must meet four competencies as detailed in the Graduate Catalog:

  1. Facilitate Learning
  2. Curriculum Design, Assessment and Evaluation
  3. Function as a Change Agent and Leader
  4. Engage in Scholarship

 

Important Links for On-line Students

The Assurance of Accreditation

The assurance of regional accreditation means that our degrees have been evaluated for their outcomes — including how well they prepare you to meet the needs of your employers, yourself and our global society. College of Saint Mary is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

College of Saint Mary is approved to offer online programming by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA). College of Saint Mary is authorized to deliver online programs and courses to students residing in the following states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. If your state is not represented, contact kmiller [at] csm.edu (Kelley Miller) to determine if authorization has been recently granted or is pending.

Important Links for On-line Students

Requirements for Admission to College of Saint Mary's Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership:

  • Completed College of Saint Mary Graduate Program application
  • Official transcripts from institution(s) accredited to award master’s degrees
  • Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
  • Essay or scholarly writing demonstrating the ability to do graduate level work
  • Resumé
  • Two letters of recommendation by qualified persons acquainted with applicant's scholarly and professional work, achievements and potential for leadership
  • Prerequisite Master's level courses in Research Methods and Research Statistics (determined by transcript evaluation)

 

Important Links for On-line Students

Academic Description

Advance Your Career as a Leader In Health Professions with Our Online Doctoral Program

Online Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership

College of Saint Mary developed this program specifically to meet the needs of those preparing for educational leadership positions in a healthcare setting. Coursework, case studies, and research employed in this program will assist students in applying theory to real-life healthcare situations.

The doctoral program is built as an online program to help meet your needs for flexibility and accessibility; however it also has the added benefit of feeling like a program delivered face-to-face. With a small cohort and frequent interactions with faculty and peers through virtual meetings, the program is designed to facilitate your success.

See additional program information including frequently asked questions.

Accreditation

The Assurance of Accreditation

The assurance of regional accreditation means that our degrees have been evaluated for their outcomes — including how well they prepare you to meet the needs of your employers, yourself and our global society. College of Saint Mary is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

College of Saint Mary is approved to offer online programming by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA). College of Saint Mary is authorized to deliver online programs and courses to students residing in the following states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. If your state is not represented, contact kmiller [at] csm.edu (Kelley Miller) to determine if authorization has been recently granted or is pending.

Important Links for On-line Students

Admissions Requirements

Requirements for Admission to College of Saint Mary's Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership:

  • Completed College of Saint Mary Graduate Program application
  • Official transcripts from institution(s) accredited to award master’s degrees
  • Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
  • Essay or scholarly writing demonstrating the ability to do graduate level work
  • Resumé
  • Two letters of recommendation by qualified persons acquainted with applicant's scholarly and professional work, achievements and potential for leadership
  • Prerequisite Master's level courses in Research Methods and Research Statistics (determined by transcript evaluation)

 

Important Links for On-line Students

Curriculum

Online Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership

View online the 3-Year Program of Study or Open a PDF

Required Courses

Doctoral Seminar 1 (1 credit hour)

Inquiry and Communication

Doctoral Seminar 2 (1 credit hour)

Critical and Analytical Thinking Skills

Doctoral Seminar 3 (1 credit hour)

Scholarship and Contribution to the Professional Field

*These three doctoral seminars are experiential graduate level courses that introduce you to various elements of doctoral education including policies, procedures and expectations that guide your progress.

 

Curriculum, Assessment & Quality Improvement

You will explore designing curricula in diverse learning environments using evidence-based theories and concepts, as well as relevant standards and criteria for educational evaluation and assessment, with an emphasis on development, implementation, and improvement of an education program for higher education, continuing education, professional development or P-12 education.

Ethics in Educational Leadership

This course examines the implications of several influential philosophical theories for a broad range of questions bearing on research, teaching, role expectations, the allocation of resources and contemporary dilemmas in organizations of P-12, higher education, continuing education, professional development or patient education.

Teaching and Learning Theories

You’ll focus on the theoretical underlying principles of the teaching-learning process. Various theorists in the behavioral, cognitive and humanistic categories of learning theories will be compared and contrasted.

Teaching and Learning Concepts

In this course you’ll explore the role of the educator in health professional programs or educational settings through the application of teaching and learning concepts, outcomes for the individual learner, group or organization. You’ll explore the role of the educator in health professional programs or educational settings through the application of teaching and learning concepts and outcomes for an individual learner, group or organization.

Adult Learning Theory

With a focus on adult education theories and practices, this course will identify the stages of adult development and explore the concept of andragogy vs. pedagogy and explore the social context of adult development, considering influences such as gender, race and culture.

Qualitative Research

You will explore various qualitative research traditions, including characteristics of qualitative designs and the major traditions (ethnography, phenomenology, hermeneutics, grounded theory, ethnomethodology, case study, narrative and historical analysis).

Quantitative Research

You will explore various quantitative research designs, including experimental, (quasi-experimental and time series) and non-experimental designs (ex post facto, correlational, retrospective, prospective and path analytic).

Advanced Statistics

This course will prepare you to utilize and interpret statistics for a dissertation. You will review descriptive and inferential statistics. Students will review and use descriptive and inferential statistics. ANOVA, multiple regression, and multivariate statistics are topics in this course. Students will apply concepts to data sets in education or health care. EDU 642 Research Statistics, graduate level statistics from another institution, successful completion of a competency test or instructor permission is required.

Leadership in Educational Organizations

Systems theory and organizational best practices form the framework for this course which characterizes best practices of leadership in educational institutions. Concepts such as accreditation, governance, strategic planning, higher education law and academic quality improvement processes will be studied in a variety of academic organizations to include P-12 education, higher education, professional development, continuing education and patient education.

Dissertation Readings

You will conduct a scholarly research literature review specific to a selected aspect of education in a variety of settings — P-12 education, higher education, continuing education, professional development or patient education.

Educational Leadership Practicum

Practical experience in a professional setting.

 

Comprehensive Exam

Before beginning the Research Proposal I, students will pass a comprehensive exam that 1) demonstrations understanding and ability to apply information from completed coursework and 2) indicates ability to proceed to the next phase of the program in which students will write a research proposal in preparation for the dissertation.

Research Proposal I

This course prepares you to identify your dissertation topic, establish the research question(s), complete the literature review and plan the methodology for the dissertation requirement related to P-12 education, higher education, continuing education or professional development.

Research Proposal II

This course prepares you to design and implement appropriate data collection methods to address your specific research questions. You will plan data analytic techniques most appropriate for your selected research design. You will apply data collection and analysis principles for a research proposal relevant to higher education, continuing education, professional development or P-12 education.

Dissertation and Oral Defense

You will complete an original research dissertation under the supervision of a dissertation committee of graduate faculty and chaired by an expert in your topic of research, and defend the dissertation orally. The research must meet all standard expectations of doctoral research and have approval of the dissertation committee prior to data collection.

 

Important Links for On-line Students

Degree Requirements

Requirements for Graduation from College of Saint Mary

To earn your doctor of education degree for either the Educational Leadership or Health Profession emphasis, you must complete 87 total credit hours.  Up to 36 of these hours may transfer from hours earned toward a Master’s degree as determined by the program director. In addition, 18 credit hours in major courses, 6 credit hours in cognate courses, 15 credit hours in research courses and 12 credit hours for dissertation are required.

All students must meet four competencies as detailed in the Graduate Catalog:

  1. Facilitate Learning
  2. Curriculum Design, Assessment and Evaluation
  3. Function as a Change Agent and Leader
  4. Engage in Scholarship

 

Important Links for On-line Students