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Online Doctor of Education (EdD) Programs in Georgia

Updated: February 12, 2024

There are eight schools based in Georgia that offer Doctor of Education programs online. Brenau University, Clark Atlanta University, Columbus State University, Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, University of North Georgia, University of West Georgia, and Valdosta State University all have EdD degree options students can pursue through online study, making very few or no visits to campus. A total of ten online EdD programs are available from these institutions, in specializations ranging from Elementary, Middle Grades, and Higher Education Leadership or Administration, to Special Education, K-12 Online Learning, Educational Leadership, or Organizational Leadership.

All eight institutions listed on this page are non-profit universities, regionally accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Certain programs or departments detailed below are also accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Schools in Georgia with Online EdD Programs

Located in Gainesville, Brenau University offers a Doctorate in Education online through its College of Education with available concentrations in Leadership in Higher Education, Elementary Education, or Middle Grades Education. Each track consists of 54 credit units and can be completed in as little as three years, with students working in cohorts of 12 to 15. The program is designed for full-time professionals, featuring flexible online coursework and only two weekend residencies on campus. All students take a core curriculum comprised of courses in areas such as Leadership in Education, Academic Program Assessment and Evaluation, Educational Issues and Policy, Future Trends in Education, Legal Issues and Ethics, and Curriculum Design, Theory, and Evaluation. The remaining credit hours are made up of concentration courses in students’ area of focus, as well as coursework and independent research associated with one’s capstone dissertation.

Clark Atlanta University offers a Doctorate of Higher Education in Leadership with courses in urban school administration, systemic and strategic education reform, student and staff personnel management, policy analysis for school and community leadership, education equity, systematic education evaluation, and urban school administration and reform. Students also take courses in advanced qualitative and quantitative research before embarking on their doctoral dissertation, and they are required to complete an advanced practicum wherein they apply what they have learned to a relevant education setting. This 60-credit online program features accelerated seven-week course modules, and it follows a cohort model with students beginning in the fall and taking 12 course credits per term for an approximate degree completion time of two years.

Featured Online EdD Programs
Grand Canyon University Online Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership with Emphases in K-12 Leadership, Higher Education Leadership, and Organizational Development	Visit Site
University of West Alabama Online Ed.D. Rural Education with Concentrations in Higher Education Administration, and Organizational Change and Leadership	Visit Site
Marymount University Online Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Organizational Innovation	Visit Site
Spalding University Online Doctorate of Education (EdD) in Leadership	Visit Site
New York University Online EdD in Leadership and Innovation	Visit Site
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Online Doctor of Education in Organizational Learning and Leadership	Visit Site

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Columbus State University’s College of Education and Health Professions has a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Leadership with a degree track in Higher Education Administration students can pursue entirely online. Offered by the Department of Counseling, Foundations, and Leadership, the cohort-based program is intended for educators, administrators, district personnel, and other education professionals looking to gain expertise in the organizational structure and management of postsecondary school settings. A total of 63 credit hours are required, spread out over four years of study. Along with courses in qualitative and quantitative research and statistical methods, curriculum in the Higher Education Administration track covers topics such as academic affairs, finance, personnel administration, facility management, student services, educational evaluation, and the policy and politics of higher education. CSU’s EdD program utilizes a combination of synchronous and asynchronous online instruction, and this particular degree track does not include any on-campus requirements.

Georgia Southern University offers a 100% online Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership with two separate strands: P-12 Administration and Higher Education Administration. The P-12 Administration strand requires that students hold an EdS degree in Educational Leadership or a qualifying related field, certification in Education Leadership Tier II, and a Level 6 teaching certification. For the Higher Education Administration strand, students must have earned a master’s degree in any field. However, if they have earned a master’s degree in higher education or a qualifying related field, they may be able to waive up to 30 graduate credits in higher education leadership coursework and enter what is deemed Stage II, which is post-master’s coursework specifically dedicated to their EdD.

If students do not have a master’s in higher education leadership, they will need to complete a full sequence of master’s-level courses on educational statistics, research, and planning; grant development and administration; higher education assessment and evaluation; higher education globalization; higher education law, finance, and governance; and the community college, all as part of Stage I of their EdD degree. For Stage II of the program, students of both concentrations take courses that cover transformative educational leadership, emerging pedagogical approaches, educational leadership methods in the 21st century, and several research seminars that provide them with an preview of the dissertation process before they delve into their own specific dissertation research question that is pertinent to their practice context, and which seeks to address an education problem or challenge.

Kennesaw State University offers an online Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology (ITEC), which has two tracks: a Certification Track (Technology Coach) and an Advanced Track (Technology Leadership). The Certification Track is for education professionals who wish to apply for the George Professional Standards Commission’s S-7 certification in Instructional Technology, and is comprised of courses on data analysis for school improvement, professional learning, technology innovation in educational settings, technology implementation in the classroom, and issues and trends in instructional technology. The Advanced Track is for education professionals who either already hold Instructional Technology certification and who wish to broaden their leadership capabilities, or who do not wish to apply for S-7 certification. This track includes courses in data systems management for schools and school districts, leadership and strategic planning with instructional technology, and supporting technology infrastructure in educational settings. This program is comprised of 66 course credits, divided across core courses, track-specific courses, advanced courses in instructional technology, and dissertation and research courses. However, students who hold an EdS (Education Specialist) degree may have some of their elective credits waived.

The University of North Georgia, located in Oakwood, offers a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership and Practice online through its College of Education. The program is comprised of 60 credit hours and can be completed within three years, with cohorts beginning each fall semester. Curriculum is divided into three sections: a 30-credit-hour research and higher education core, 15 credit hours dedicated to the leadership concentration, and 15 credit hours of dissertation research. Students take a wide range of courses related to advanced practice in higher education, focusing on both specific education services and broad preparation in areas such as policy, research, finance, and administration. Example course topics include Organizational Psychology in Higher Education Administration; Finance, Business, and Facilities Management; Leadership and Administration in Student Affairs; High Impact Teaching; Trends and Issues in Higher Education Research and Policy; Using Technology to Support Engaged Student Learning; and Effective Course Design, Implementation, and Assessment. UNG’s EdD in Higher Education Leadership and Practice is fully online with an optional on-campus orientation.

A total of three online EdD programs are available from the University of West Georgia (UWG) in Carrollton. The first two, offered by UWG’s College of Education, are a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration and a Doctor of Education in School Improvement with nine possible Areas of Concentration (School Counseling, Educational Leadership, Special Education, Early Childhood Education, K-12 Online Learning, Instructional Technology, Reading, Media Specialist, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)). Additionally, the school offers a Doctor of Education in Nursing Education through their Tanner Health System School of Nursing. All three programs include a total of 60 credits and are designed to be completed in three years. Courses in each degree track are delivered entirely online in an asynchronous format; however, students are required to attend a two-day on-campus orientation before the start of their first semester. It is also recommended that students travel to campus to defend their dissertation.

Finally, Valdosta State University (VSU) has two online EdD options available through their James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services. Students can pursue an online Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a P-12 Disciplinary Concentration, which is comprised of four curricular components: Disciplinary Studies, Educational Inquiry, Major Courses (this curricular component also includes courses that qualify students for GaPSC Certification), and Dissertation credits. This program is fully online, with no campus visit requirements. VSU also offers a Doctor of Education in Leadership with cognates in Organizational Leadership, Curriculum Leadership, Technology Leadership, Higher Education Leadership, and Special Education Leadership, which requires a one-day campus session during the second year to help students with their dissertation planning. Both programs entail a total of 55 credit hours and can be completed in around 30 months.

Online EdD Programs in Georgia

The following is a list of every school in Georgia that offers a Doctor of Education program online. To learn more about any of the degrees described on this page, click the corresponding link below to visit the program’s website.